Five Welsh firms among top for worldwide sales
FIVE Welsh firms have been named among the private companies with the fastestgrowing international sales.
Published this weekend, the 12th annual Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200 league table ranks Britain’s mid-market private companies with the fastest-growing international sales.
This year’s list sees an increase of two companies compared to last year for companies headquartered in Wales. This included three new entrants.
These firms have grown their international sales by an average of 75% a year over the past two years to a total of £88m, all are profitable and together they employ more than 1,750 people.
The figures largely relate to financial periods before Covid-19 struck.
Wales’ top-ranked company is Direct Healthcare Group, which came in at No 4 overall, and took five months’ worth of orders in two weeks as lockdowns were imposed in spring last year.
The Caerphilly-based firm designs and manufactures patient aids to reduce pressure ulcers and help people stay mobile.
Exports grew an average of 218% per year over its past two years, to hit an annualised £27.6m in 2020, on total sales of £61.7m.
In Cardiff is Alcumus, which features for the first time and has helped its clients manage emerging workplace Covid protocols during the pandemic.
Its international sales grew 45% a year to £3.5m in 2019, on total sales of £49.3m. It was listed at No. 86 UK wide.
The companies in Wales appear alongside well-known British brands based across the UK including Sweaty Betty, the women’s activewear brand sold in 195 countries; BrewDog, which was valued at £1bn in 2017 and now has 100 bars worldwide; and Brompton, the bicycle manufacturer, which ships to 47 markets.
International Track 200 star alumni include Skyscanner, Fever-Tree and Dr Martens – which featured on the league table in 2013 with exports of £100m, and floated last month valued at £3.7bn.
The league table programme is sponsored by HSBC and DHL Express, and compiled by Fast Track, the Oxford-based research and networking events firm.
Amanda Murphy, head of commercial banking at HSBC UK, said: “After a challenging start to 2021, all eyes are on the companies that will drive a return to growth in 2021.
“We are confident that the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of businesses such as those in Wales listed on International Track 200 will carry them forward.
“These companies show the strength, ambition and resilience of businesses across the UK and are the sort of businesses we are proud to support every day”
UK-wide, the average international sales growth for the 200 companies was 55% a year, to a total of £8.7bn on combined total sales of £19.2bn.
Together they employ 107,000 staff, having added 32,000 employees to their workforce over the period, some as a result of acquisitions.
London is the most popular location for company headquarters with 62, followed by the south-east (39). There are 27 companies in the Midlands and 21 in the north-west. Of the remainder, 20 are based in the north-east of England (including Yorkshire), 10 in Scotland, seven in the east, seven in the south-west, five in Wales and two in Northern Ireland.