Sixth edition of the London Stock Exchange’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain report includes Liverpool construction firm Vermont and hotel developer Signature Living. Tony McDonough reports

Construction firm Vermont, hotel developer Signature Living and care facility operator Potens are among 12 Liverpool city region businesses on a list identifying the most dynamic companies in the UK.

The sixth edition of the London Stock Exchange’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain report looked at average annual turnover growth rate over a three-year period at SMEs with revenues in the £6m to £250m annual turnover range.

It says the leading 1,000 companies named in the report recorded 108% annual average revenue growth, and collectively generated almost 96,000 jobs over the last two years. Businesses that were incorporated less than three years ago were excluded.

The 12 Liverpool city region businesses in the report, are:

• Hotel operator and developer Signature Living (£10m to £20m range).
• Potens, a provider of care facilities for people with learning disabilities (£20m to £30m range).
• Law firm Fletchers Solicitors (£20m to £30m range).
• Law firm Jackson Lees (£10m to £20m range).
• Mast Group, supplier of clinical testing products (£20m to £30m range).
• Rosebery Group, supplier of electrical instrumentation systems (£10m to £20m range).
• HR consultancy Russel Taylor Holdings (£75m to £100m range).
• Standard Fuel Oils, a fuel supplier (£40m to £50m range).
• Construction firm Vermont (£30m to £40m range).
• Wealth At Work, a financial education consultancy (£10m to £20m range).
• Wholesaler H Newton Hale & Sons (£10m to £20m range).
• Promatic, a supplier of products for shooting enthusiasts (£10m to £20m).

Also included on the list was restaurant operator Gusto which, although not based in Merseyside, operates two popular restaurants at the Royal Albert Dock in Liverpool and in  South Wirral. There were 94 North West England businesses are named in this year’s report covering a wide range of industries. More than 11,100 jobs created over the past two years by featured North West England businesses

The top five industries represented by the 1,000 UK companies are engineering & construction, retail, manufacturing, information technology, and healthcare, accounting for 44% of the overall list.

Signature Living founder Lawrence Kenwright said: “The listing by the London Stock Exchange reflects the strength and forward trajectory for Signature Living. We’re proud to be listed amongst so many of Britain’s flourishing and successful businesses.”

And Vermont chief executive Mark Connor, added: “With almost 100 employees, we are now looking at expanding our Liverpool premises and opening an additional office in Manchester which will allow us to manage projects effectively in both cities.”

David Schwimmer, chief executive of the London Stock Exchange Group, said: “Congratulations to all the companies selected for inclusion in the sixth edition of London Stock Exchange Group’s 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain report.

“SMEs drive growth, innovation and job creation and are the lifeblood of the British economy. We believe that supporting the growth of these businesses is critical to the UK economy and the creation of a society that works for everyone.”