Engineers among biggest climbers
STOCKTON'S where to see engineering flourish. Three of the 28 biggest climbers in this year’s Top 250 are engineering firms from there, all with turnovers up.
Aker Kvaerner is up 20 places to 70th. Darchem is up 76 to 116th. And Cordell is 54 up to 168th.That adds up to job security for 1,800 workers.
Darchem indeed is also expecting to enlarge its 600-strong workforce with a £4m expansion as it bids for work likely to result from the UK’s new round of nuclear energy plants. It has insulated and fabricated globally for more than 140 nuclear power stations already.
Six more engineers and industrial manufacturers are big climbers.
They include, besides Tanfield of Washington and Derwentside – the biggest climber of all (covered elsewhere) – Parker Hannifin of Birtley (formerly Domnick Hunter), Cleveland Bridge of Darlington, Liebherr of Sunderland, and Astrum of Stanhope. Ironically, Astrum is now having to shed around 55 of its 261 workers; while its defence business remains strong it has been hit by recession in civils and contracting. Besides making tracks for tanks and other military vehicles, it makes them for bulldozers and other earthmovers.
Cleveland Bridge, up 73 to 147, has known quieter days since halcyon times of building the Humber, Pembroke Dock and Forth Road Bridges. But recently it achieved further recognition for its arch over the new Wembley Stadium where not even a costly legal battle detracted from its capability.
Filtration specialist Parker Hannifin jumped 24 to 22nd. It was Domnick Hunter before takeover in 2005 by a US giant employing more than 50,000 people in 46 countries.
Formica of North Tyneside is up 36 to 68th making laminates. Sunderland’s subsidiary of the Austrian marine cranemaker Liebherr is up 28 to 155th. Astrum gained 35 to reach 180th. Consulting engineers Cundall of Newcastle is up 34 to 205.
Liebherr, a Queen’s Award winner, exports more than 85% of its product and has grown overseas sales by more than 46% since 2005.
In cablemaking, the recently acquired AEI Cables of Birtley has risen 74 to 119th, while Draka Comteq of Washington, specialist in optical fibres, has risen 25 to 199.
AEI, one of the world’s oldest cable companies is owned now by Paramount Communications of India. Group chairman Sanjay Aggrawal and group managing director Sandeep Aggrawal have pledged to get the company back into permanent profit.
In chemicals meanwhile, Arizona of Birtley has risen 27 to 203rd.
Business has certainly boomed for some in agribusiness and environmental activity. Grain trader Grainco of South Tyneside is up 29 to 54th, while Ben Burgess and Company of Newcastle is up 48 to 151. AAF McQuay of Northumberland is up 33 to 55th, while in Newcastle Entec is up 26 to 108th.
Similarly two builders’ merchants on Tyneside have had a good run. James Burrell of Gateshead rose 24 to 153, while JT Dove, in midst of re-organisation, has jumped 42 to 184th. After 140 years in central Newcastle it has relocated its HQ to Newburn while opening what may become a score of satellite operations around the region.
Under new managing director Steve Robinson, it is also launching a new business reducing carbon emissions. With the changes it hopes to double present turnover.
Two motor retailers tooled up turnovers ahead of recession, Vertu Motors of Newcastle with the Bristol Street Motors brand leaping 80 to 88th, while Sherwoods of Darlington at 115th is up 28 places.
In leisure Bannatyne Fitness – 60 clubs, 163,000 members – is up 42 to 79th. Darlington multi-millionaire Duncan Bannatyne now needs more than 3,000 staff to run this and other businesses between Inverness and Hastings. Understandable, then, that he’s the North East’s third richest person.
Premium Bars and Restaurants of Newcastle is up 73 to 105th. Ironically, it has been on the verge of administration, expecting to be acquired by wealthy brothers David and Simon Reuben, the 2005 buyers for £90m of Northern Racing (Newcastle Racecourse).
Developer Mandale Commercial of Stockton is up 72 to 93 on turnover almost doubled in a year.
Another Stockton developer, Bowesfield Investments, is 78 up at 134. Newcastle media specialist Robson Brown is 31 up at 210th.
Holiways, a garage and filling station at Newton Aycliffe, fills ‘em up copiously to rise 31 to 171. Containership (UK) the Middlesbrough haulage contractor and shipping agent, is up 25 to 188th.
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