22 Scottish companies feature in Britain’s leading private mid-market growth companies table

Published this weekend, the 13th annual Sunday Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250 league table ranks Britain’s private mid-market growth

September 29, 2017

Published this weekend, the 13th annual Sunday Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250 league table ranks Britain’s private mid-market growth companies with the biggest sales.
The 22 companies headquartered in Scotland (compared to 29 last year) have made a strong contribution to the local economy. The companies increased combined sales 15% to £5.7bn and operating profits 27% to £468m, and they employ more than 36,000 people.
The biggest mid-market growth company in Scotland is Glasgow-based City Facilities Management, which supplies air conditioning and refrigeration equipment to major UK retailers such as Asda. Sales have grown 33% to over £617m and operating profits have more than doubled to £15m due to key acquisitions and overseas expansion.
There are 8 entrants in Scotland that were not on the league table last year, including Scottish Leather Group, based in Bridge of Weir, whose leather is used on the seats of more than 160 airlines across the world; and Lasswade-based Dobbies Garden Centres, which was bought from Tesco last year for £217m by investors Midlothian Capital Partners and Hattington Capital.
Edinburgh-based housebuilder Miller Homes achieved the biggest profits in Scotland with £99m, up 31%. The company plans to build 4,000 homes a year by 2021 and in August, private equity house, Bridgepoint, bought a majority stake in the company in a £655m deal.
The companies in Scotland appear with businesses from around the UK, including Aston Martin, Holland & Barrett, Travelodge, Lush and PureGym.
The league table and awards programme is sponsored by Grant Thornton and Lloyds Banking Group, and compiled by Fast Track, the Oxford-based research and networking events company.
Vishal Chopra, Partner at Grant Thornton UK LLP, the title sponsor of the league table, praised the companies for their performance:
“The UK may be at a pivotal point in its history, but the Top Track 250 clearly demonstrates what can be achieved by exciting dynamic businesses. These companies think locally and act globally, they innovate to grow and embrace an entrepreneurial spirit that this country needs to secure a positive post-Brexit future. At Grant Thornton we are seeking to stimulate ideas and actions that can help shape a vibrant UK economy that thrives. We can all learn a lot from the Top Track 250.”
Ordered by county and rank: Mid-market private growth companies in Scotland

HQ locationCounty	Rank [2016 rank]	Company Activity	Sales £m	Profit £m^	Staff	Year end	Main shareholders
Fraserburgh Aberdeenshire	230 [226]	Gray & Adams Trailer & vehicle manufacturer	125	8	682	Apr 16	James Gray Jnr (43%), Peter Gray (43%), Marie Gray (14%)
Banffshire	197	Walkers Shortbread Shortbread & biscuit maker	139	12	1,463	Dec 15	Walker family (100%)
Glenrothes Fife	207 [220]	James Donaldson Group Timber merchant	137	8	694	Mar 17	Donaldson family (85%), employees (15%)
Dunfermline Fife	222 [246]	Scott Group Industrial supplier	*128	*6	997	Dec 16	John Scott (76%), Norman Scott (24%)
Glasgow Lanarkshire	Top 3	City Facilities Management Facilities maintenance provider	618	15	11,844	Dec 16	Lord William, Lady Susan and Kenny Haughey (99%), other (1%)
Glasgow Lanarkshire	142 [170]	GAP Group Plant and tool hire	175	20	1,566	Mar 17	Douglas Anderson (37.5%), Iain Anderson (37.5%), Maureen Smith (20%), other family and management (5%)
Glasgow Lanarkshire	155	RJ McLeod Building contractor	166	17	459	Nov 16	Clarke family (48%), management (14%), other (38%)
Glasgow Lanarkshire	216	Allied Vehicles Adapted vehicle distributor	*131	*7	615	Apr 17	Facenna family (98%), other (2%)
Edinburgh Midlothian	10 [15]	CALA Group Housebuilder	587	84	810	Jun 16	Legal & General & Patron Haut LP (93%), management (7%)
Edinburgh Midlothian	17 [13]	Miller Homes Housebuilder	565	99	740	Dec 16	Bridgepoint (55%), Shackleton Capital Partners (22%), Lloyds Banking Group (9%), others (14%)
Edinburgh Midlothian	157 [187]	Edinburgh Airport Airport operator	164	62	602	Dec 16	Global Infrastructure Partners (>50%), management (<50%)
Lasswade Midlothian	174	Dobbies Garden Centres Garden centre operator	154	10	2,766	Mar 16	Midlothian Capital Partners & Hattington Capital (>50%), management (<50%)
Fochabers Moray Firth	65 [93]	Baxters Food producer	†294	†18	1,539	Apr 16	Audrey Baxter (38%), Andrew Baxter (25%), Baxter family trust (18%), Catherine Baxter (18%), James Baxter (1%)
Airdrie North Lanarkshire	94 [106]	T.O.M. Vehicle Rental Commercial vehicle hire	*235	*16	574	Mar 17	Equistone Partners Europe (>50%), Rafferty family and management (<50%)
Bellshill North Lanarkshire	172 [209]	Advance Construction Group Construction services provider	155	8	1,134	Mar 16	Seamus Shields (50%), Daniella Shields (50%)
Bridge of Weir Renfrewshire	220	Scottish Leather Group Leather manufacturer	129	8	599	Mar 16	Muirhead & Lang families (95%), employees (5%)
Selkirk Scottish Borders	169 [244]	Spark Energy Energy supplier	*158	*7	400	Jun 17	Limerston Capital (>50%), management (<50%)
East Kilbride South Lanarkshire	139	Ethigen Pharmaceuticals supplier	177	4	261	May 16	Andrea Kelly (50%), Nigel Kelly (50%)
Stirling Stirlingshire	14 [21]	Robertson Construction services provider	*579	*25	1,943	Mar 17	Robertson family (100%)
Stirling Stirlingshire	203 [239]	Castle View Leisure services manager	137	10	4,746	Mar 16	Martin Bell (95%), Caroline Bell (5%)
Broxburn West Lothian	20	Eastern Western Motor Group Car dealer	550	12	1,129	Dec 16	Douglas Brown (100%)
Bo’ness West Lothian	156 [181]	James Walker Timber merchant	*165	*14	640	Mar 17	Walker family (70%), John Campbell (24%), employees (6%)