North East's fastest growing companies revealed in Ward Hadaway Fastest 50; If 2020 was the year of unprecedented challenge for businesses around the globe, then 2021 was the year of reinvention; characterised by perseverance, innovation and agility.
Byline: By, Graeme Whitfield
As we exclusively reveal the 2021 Ward Hadaway North East Fastest 50 in today's Journal, head of commercial at Ward Hadaway, Damien Charlton, said: "Many of the businesses listed this year have always embodied the qualities required to thrive in both the good times and the tough times.
"Drive, determination, and leadership is why they continue to build upon their successes.
"I'd like to congratulate all the businesses in the Fastest 50, it is always a pleasure to highlight and celebrate such achievements in our region -- they're hard-won and deserve recognition."
The list, as always, highlights high-growth, privately-owned companies and is based on financial data from the last three years of trading.
This year sees some familiar names return. In fact, 50% of businesses on the list have appeared at least once before in the 22-year history of the North East Fastest 50.
Testament to stability, longevity and a continued focus on improvement, Sunderland-based online bingo company Tombola makes its 9th appearance. Meanwhile, Durham's Workwear Express, manufacturer DC Handrails and Ironwork Parts and clothing retailer END. appear for an eighth, seventh and sixth consecutive year, respectively.
The 50 companies in the list undoubtedly help to fuel the economy of our North East region, through job creation, innovation and investment, and represent a total combined turnover of £1.6bn, an increase of £550m over the past three years.
Some businesses shine incredibly brightly. Amazingly, the average annual growth of the overall fastest growing business for 2021 is a staggering 97.95%.
Our three category winners for 2021 represent the fastest-growing small, medium and large enterprises in the North East, one of whom is our overall winner -- and each of them has created its own recipe for success, unique to them alone.
This year, the accolade for the fastest growing North East business goes to Peterlee's Alexander Technologies Europe, which also takes the prize in the large business category.
The firm, which employs over 100 people, manufactures and distributes batteries from its County Durham base and first appeared on the list in 2019.
It's clear when speaking with managing director Mark Rutherford about what makes the company so successful, that a strong focus on process and innovation and a customer-centric mindset is a large part of the winning formula.
He said: "From our modern UK manufacturing facility we conceive and...
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