Birmingham Post

Gym clothes maker tops exports table

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FITNESS clothing retailer Gymshark has been named the UK’s fastest growing company for internatio­nal sales.

The Solihull-based business has taken top spot in the tenth annual Sunday Times HSBC Internatio­nal Track 200 league table.

The countdown ranks Britain’s mid-market private companies with the fastest-growing internatio­nal sales over the past two years and features 11 companies from the West Midlands.

Gymshark achieved tional sales of £81 million, representi­ng growth of 228 per cent.

The onlineonly brand was started by Ben Francis in his parents’ garage when he was just 19 and its clothing lines have become a must-have for the Instagram generation as the company has tapped into the power of social media to boost market presence.

Last year, it relocated from Worcesters­hire to a brand new head office in Solihull.

Chief creative officer Noel Mack said: “Day to day, we concentrat­e on producing the very best in conditioni­ng apparel and connecting with our fans and consumers in a way no other brands have before us.

“We’ve still got a lot to learn as this really is uncharted territory but our success in these areas so far has meant that awards have become a happy by-product.”

Grenade, another Solihullba­sed fitness company, has also been named in the list. The sports nutrition producer is run by husband and wife team Alan and Juliet Barratt and sells products such as energy bars, powders and drinks as well as clothing.

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