North IT companies among fastest growers

Oct 2 2007 by Graeme King, The Journal

ONLINE marketing company Perfiliate is celebrating being listed on a national list of fast growing technology companies.

The Newcastle company posted sales growth of 254% to £13m between June 2004 and 2006 which earned ninth place on the Sunday Times Tech Track 100 league table.

And the business has not rested on its laurels – with the company revealing sales in the year to June this year rose a further 66% to £21.6m. The firm works by providing the “back office’ technology and staff behind websites such as those which provide price comparisons.

When you search for a phrase such as “mobile phone” on a search engine and you are provided with dozens of options – it is frequently Perfiliate which is providing the technology and knowhow behind those sites doing the selling.

The business now employs 65 staff at its Cathedral Square headquarters in Newcastle city centre and expects to keep growing. Steve Brown, COO, was thrilled about the league table placing yesterday – and pointed out that some his high placed rivals were not necessarily making money as Perfiliate was.

“This is a great statement of the company’s growth – and it’s nice to be one of the largest profitable companies in the listing, because profit is important as well as growth.”

Sage founder Graham Wylie’s Technology Services Group (TSG), was also featured in 56th place with sales of £33.9m and a 2004 to 2006 growth rate of nearly 77%.

Nigel Hudson, business development director, said: “This recognition cements TSG’s position as a dynamic force in the IT services sector.

“We have made a significant investment in the business to ensure that we offer small and medium sized organisations the best products and services possible and that has been rewarded with tremendous growth.”