Van Hire firm is driving force behind top business awards

May 14 2008 by Iain Laing, The Journal

ONE of the North East’s outstanding companies will this year sponsor the closely watched list of the 250 biggest companies in the region.

Northgate, which has been near the top end of the North East Top 250 list almost continuously since entering at 20th in 1998, will sponsor the 31st annual list.

The Darlington company, which is a member of the FTSE Mid-250, is the market-leading hirer of vans and other light commercial vehicles in the UK, Ireland and Spain.

The list, which is organised by The Journal and compiled by Durham Business School, will be published in the newspaper on July 16.

Phil Moorhouse, UK managing director of Northgate, says: “We are delighted to be strongly associated with such an important North East benchmark. We are an oak covering several countries, and our acorn was planted here in this region.”

Northgate is a prime example of the type of large, fast-growing businesses with roots firmly in the North East which are seen as key to the region’s economic growth.

Alan Noble launched the firm at his Darlington home in 1981, when he was 29. It was then known as Alan Noble Self Drive Ltd.

Eighteen years on, he won North East Business Executive of the Year after growing the company vastly. He is now executive deputy chairman of the company.

In 2006, Northgate chief executive Steve Smith won the title Teesside Business Executive of the Year for leading the business through growth. Mr Moorhouse says: “Based still in Darlington, we not only have highly successful hire operations in the region, but also continue to enjoy our highest market share here too. We want this high profile to continue.

“It is very important to flag up in every way we can the achievements of firms from this part of the world that are making names for themselves here and abroad. We believe it’s good for North East firms to support signposts to North East corporate prosperity like this.”

Northgate operates 130,000 vehicles from more than 125 sites in the UK, Ireland and Spain. It employs 3,500 people and is seeking further inroads into mainland Europe.

Its annual revenues of £174.5m in 1998 clinched 20th place among the North East’s top companies.

Since then its position has ranged between 13th and 22nd every year bar 2003 when it did not appear, though its turnover – it emerged later – might have placed it 27th. Last year it was 16th on turnover of £372.6m when it employed 2,527.

It has subsequently posted an annual turnover of £526.5m, up 41% in a year, and its could be heading even higher this year.

It is very important to flag up ... the achievements of firms from this part of the world