Kirklees’ top performing companies for this year have been officially unveiled at the launch of the fourth Kirklees Top 100 Companies list, with a new company clinching the top spot for the first time.
Huddersfield-based Isaac Timmins Ltd (Myers Group), which owns Johnsons Wellfield, Myers Skip Hire and Myers Building Supplies, has secured the top spot having gone from No30 in 2021, 4th in last year’s list to No1 this year.
Four new companies have also entered the top 10 for the first time, including UK Greetings, Crossroads Group, AY & Y. Patel (Dewsbury) and Reliance Precision.
The 2023/24 list was revealed at an event at the John Smith’s Stadium, sponsored by Huddersfield Town Football Club, with representatives from the top 100 businesses and partner organisations in attendance.
Launched in 2020, the Kirklees Top 100 Companies celebrates the achievements of the region’s business community, with the aim to put Kirklees on the map as an attractive destination for inward investment, business start-ups, talent development and scale-up and growth.
The initiative was founded by partners the University of Huddersfield, Kirklees Council and the 3M Buckley Innovation Centre, that are joined this year by Huddersfield Hub as the list’s media partner.
The Kirklees Top 100 Companies list is determined by a set of consistent metrics, using a combination of turnover, profit, employee numbers and growth, all derived from published company accounts of locally registered firms drawn from the Bureau Van Dijk – FAME database.
Other notable findings from this year’s list include:
- UK Greetings entering the top 10 for the first time in four years.
- Continental Wine & Food returning to the top 10, having first appeared in the top 10 in the 20/21 list.
- PPG Architectural Coatings securing its fourth successive year in the top 10.
- Ten new businesses entering the overall top 100 list.
- 43 companies featuring in every list since it was established in 2020.
- Top performing sectors include construction, wholesale and engineering.
Prof Jill Johnes, director of external engagement at Huddersfield Business School, who produced the list, said: “It’s interesting to see several changes at the top, demonstrating that many companies and sectors are bouncing back following the pandemic, particularly the construction and wholesale sectors. We have also seen numerous new companies entering the list for the first time.”
The official top 10 list for 23/24 includes the following companies:
- Isaac Timmins Limited – Originally founded as Isaac Timmins Ltd in 1929, the Myers Group can trace its modern-day heritage back to 1959 when Readymix Huddersfield was incorporated and has since expanded into a regional business with four strategically located manufacturing plants.
- UK Greetings Limited – One of the largest employers on the list, Dewsbury-based UK Greetings has been creating greeting cards for more than 100 years. Part of the American Greetings family it is now a market leading, direct-to-retail greeting card supplier in the UK.
- Continental Wine & Food Limited – A leading importer, agent and distributor of more than 1,500 specialist continental foods, wines, liqueurs and spirits – many from Italy, based in Huddersfield.
- Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (EU) Limited – Based in Mirfield, the company was set up in 1984 to make medicines more affordable. Established in the UK in 2002, it is committed to saving the NHS money through its prescription medicines for gastrointestinal, neurology, cardiovascular, pain management, oncology and anti-infection.
- PPG Architectural Coatings UK Limited – Europe’s largest paint manufacturing complex, which makes paint brands Johnstone’s and Leyland, based at a 65-acre site in Birstall where it has been since 1983.
- Fintel PLC – Formerly SimplyBiz, it is the UK’s leading support services business, providing high quality comprehensive compliance and business support to thousands of financial advisers throughout the UK.
- Crossroads Group Limited – Based in Birstall, Crossroads was one of the first companies in the UK to become an independent Volvo distributor for Yorkshire. It now operates out of nine locations across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
- Mabey Hire Limited – Mabey Hire is an award-winning temporary works specialist and has been at the forefront of its industry for 60 years delivering temporary works schemes for some of the most complex and largest construction and infrastructure projects in the UK.
- AY & Y. Patel (Dewsbury) Limited – Established in 1975, AY and Y. Patel (Dewsbury) currently operates a portfolio of petrol forecourts, convenience stores and automotive centres across the UK and has recently completed a £2m refurbishment across two of its West Yorkshire branches.
- Reliance RG Limited – Reliance Precision has over 60 years’ experience in providing design, development, prototyping, manufacturing, assembly and test engineering capabilities, complemented by a catalogue of precision motion control components and electro-mechanical assemblies.
The Highest Climber, Highest Placed SME and Highest New Entrant awards went to Calder Group (Dewsbury), AY and Y. Patel Ltd and Pacific Lifestyle, respectively. The awards were sponsored by Howarths UK, Langricks Accountants and the Huddersfield Giants.
The 23/24 Kirklees Top 100 Companies brochure also celebrates local innovative engineering companies, significant others that do not qualify for the list but still make noteworthy contributions to the local economy, as well as local charities and companies that have been in operation for over a century.
Kirklees Top 100 Companies 23/24 trophy winners – L-R Claire Rusby (UK Greetings), Greg Bedford (Calder Group), Katie Berry-Mullan (Myers Group), John Shinwell (Continental Wine & Food). Images by: Northern Exposure.
Clr Cathy Scott, leader of Kirklees Council, said: “It’s reassuring to see that so many businesses in Kirklees are thriving, despite the tremendous economic challenges we currently face.
“Here in Kirklees, we’re proud of our industry, our ingenuity and our resilience, and it shows. I’m so excited to see new names appear on this year’s list, but that we’re also seeing many businesses succeeding year on year.
“Our Business Kirklees team are hugely committed to supporting local businesses in their endeavours, from any entrepreneur with an idea to big businesses moving from strength to strength.
“We want to help established businesses continue to succeed, and to prevail through this current uncertainty – but we also want to see more and more new names in that Top 100 list. I’d encourage more local businesses to reach out and see how we can help.”
Prof Tim Thornton, deputy vice-chancellor of the University of Huddersfield, said: “Kirklees has a rich business history, particularly in textiles, manufacturing and engineering, so it’s great to see several longstanding local companies getting recognition for their contributions to the district over the last century.
“As we look to the future, there are new opportunities that will support local business growth for the next hundred years, including the university’s new National Health Innovation Campus on Southgate. Its first building will be complete in 2024 and will put Kirklees on the map as the place for health and wellbeing innovation.”
3M Buckley Innovation Centre’s CEO, Sue Cooke, said: “The Kirklees Top 100 Companies initiative is gaining traction to bring the local business community closer together.
“In just three years, we have built a successful talent group of HR professionals that regularly meets to discuss challenges and topics of interest. We also launched the SME edition earlier this year that was well-received.
“As with previous years, we have put a spotlight on innovative companies that haven’t made it onto the list but are making great strides in innovation within in their industries and are definitely ones to watch over the next few years.”
The full Kirklees Top 100 Companies list for 23/24 can be found here. Hard copies of the brochure will be available from partner organisations shortly.
For more information about the Kirklees Top 100 Companies follow @KirkleesTop100 on Twitter and Kirklees Top 100 on LinkedIn.
