The 2022 Top 200 LeicestershireLive Companies list: Numbers 20-1

Today we complete the countdown of the Top 200 LeicestershireLive Companies, revealing the Leicester-based Sytner Group in the top spot.

Sytner is the biggest automotive group in the UK, representing more than 20 of the world’s most prestigious brands and with more than 100 modern dealerships nationwide.

Its portfolio ranges from Audi and BMW to Ferrari and Lamborghini, with Bugatti recently joining the group in Manchester.

According to the Top 200 list compiled by De Montfort University, and based on Companies House figures for the 2019-20 financial year, the business had a turnover of almost £6 billion and almost 10,500 staff.

The Grove Park business was actually formed in Nottingham in 1968 by Frank Sytner and his older brother Alan (who once owned the Cavern Club in Liverpool).

Two years later, the brothers were awarded the BMW franchise for Nottingham and Frank began his successful motorsport career.

After working exclusively with BMW, the decision was made to diversify into other prestige marques and by 1997 the dealership count had reached double figures.

Over the past few days BusinessLive has been counting down the 2022 Top 200 list, which has been prepared by De Montfort University and sponsored by Pattersons Commercial Law.

The Top 20 were revealed at a breakfast event at Winstanley House hotel in Leicester, this morning (February 22), which included trophies for the biggest business, highest new entrant and highest climber.

That highest new entrant to our 2022 list is BM Fashions (Holdings), which is based near Leicester station in St George’s Way, and trades as Fashion UK.

The business has not been in the list since 2016 when it held 161st place.

It entered in the 2022 list at 90th position, and has seen a growth in revenue of 264 per cent over the periods of comparison.

Fashion UK makes licensed and branded clothing featuring characters from some of the world’s biggest films and television programmes, sold in many of the UK’s biggest stores.

Brands it has been licensed to use range from Disney to The Simpsons, Chupa Chups, Peppa Pig, Fortnite and Star Wars.

In recent years it has used new levels of innovation in its designs, including sounds and lights, colour changing prints, reversible sequins, 3D glasses activated prints and functional chalkboard prints.

The business has been running for more than 20 years and operates along the principles of “excellent design, the production of quality products and the speed to the market”.

Highest climber Amber Beverage UK, which was previously known as Cellar Trends, has climbed 64 places from 197 to 133 since the last list came out. It trades out of Castle Donington.

The group was established in 1999, and has established a strong record in building brands of wines, spirits and associated products in the UK. Since 2018, it has been a part of Amber Beverage Group.

With its global headquarters in Luxembourg, it makes, bottles, markets, distributes, exports and sells a comprehensive range of beverages of more than 600 own and third party brands.

Its own portfolio of over 150 brands includes Riga Black Balsam, Moskovskaya Vodka, Rooster Rojo Tequila and Cross Keys Gin.

The company serves all sectors of the UK drinks trade in both on- and off-trade categories.

So, here is the 2022 Top 20 LeicestershireLive companies list:

20 (39) FLOGAS BRITAIN

Distribution of liquefied petroleum gas

Turnover: £258,262,000

Employees: 1,091

Year End: 31/03/2020

Address: Rayns Way, Watermead Business Park, Syston, Leicestershire, LE7 1PF

http://www.flogas.co.uk

19 (46) DRIVE HOLDINGS 2015

Car sales and repairs

Turnover: £262,725,000

Employees: 832

Year End: 31/12/2019

Address: Freemens Common Road, Leicester, LE2 7SL

http://www.drivevauxhall.co.uk

18 (36) REFRESCO DRINKS UK

Soft drinks

Turnover: £270,592,000

Employees: 930

Year End: 31/12/2019

Address: Citrus Grove, Sideley, Kegworth, Derbyshire, DE74 2FJ

http://www.refresco.com

17 (32) SANDICLIFFE

Vehicle sale, repair and maintenance

Turnover: £306,545,000

Employees: 654

Year End: 31/12/2019

Address: Derby Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 5HN

http://www.sandicliffe.co.uk

16 (31) EUROPCAR GROUP UK

Self drive vehicle hire

Turnover: £331,993,000

Employees: 1,986

Year End: 31/12/2019

Address: 1 Great Central Square, Leicester, LE1 4JS

http://www.europcar.co.uk

15 (29) PLASTIC OMNIUM AUTOMOTIVE

Manufacture of plastic injection parts

Turnover: £349,069,000

Employees: 1,144

Year End: 31/12/2019

Address: Westminster Industrial Estate, Measham, Derbyshire, DE12 7DS

http://www.plasticomnium.com

14 (24) CEVA LOGISTICS

Complex supply chain solutions

Turnover: £357,053,000

Employees: 3,313

Year End: 31/12/2019

Address: Ceva House, Excelsior Road, Ashby-De-La-Zouch, Leicestershire, LE65 9BA

http://www.cevalogistics.com

220-strong CEVA Logistics company car fleet going electric

13 (26) IBSTOCK

Manufacture of bricks and building products

Turnover: £409,257,000

Employees: 2,249

Year End: 31/12/2019

Address: Leicester Road, Ibstock, Leicestershire, LE67 6HS

http://www.ibstockplc.com

12 (28) BREEDON TRADING

Building materials and quarrying

Turnover: £419,992,000

Employees: 1,473

Year End: 31/12/2019

Address: Breedon-On-The-Hill, Derbyshire, DE73 8AP

http://www.breedongroup.com

11 (25) CROWN CREST GROUP

Wholesaler and owner of Poundstretcher

Turnover: £442,219,000

Employees: 5,972

Year End: 31/03/2019

Address: Desford Road, Kirby Muxloe, Leicestershire, LE9 2BJ

http://www.crowncrest.co.uk

In recent years Poundstretcher has moved from city centre stores like this to out-of-town retail parks

10 (23) GRAHAM BELL (HOLDINGS)

Car sales as Availablecar.com

Turnover: £454,058,000

Employees: 785

Year End: 31/12/2019

Address: Station Road, Castle Donington, Derbyshire, DE74 2NL

http://www.availablecar.com

9 (20) WATCHES OF SWITZERLAND GROUP

Luxury Watches & Jewellery including Goldsmiths Jewellers

Turnover: £810,512,000

Employees: 1,984

Year End: 26/04/2020

Address: Aurum House, 2 Elland Road, Braunstone Frith, Leicester, LE3 1TT

http://www.thewosgroupplc.com

Wacthes of Switzerland

8 (13) DUNELM GROUP

Homeware retailer

Turnover: £1,057,900,000

Employees: 6,519

Year End: 27/06/2020

Address: Watermead Business Park, Syston, Leicestershire, LE7 1AD

http://www.dunelm-mill.com

7 (11) CATERPILLAR (UK)

Digger and backhoe loader maker

Turnover: £1,101,800,000

Employees: 2,217

Year End: 31/12/2019

Address: Peckleton Lane, Desford, Leicestershire, LE9 9JT

http://www.cat.com

6 (14) SAMWORTH BROTHERS (HOLDINGS)

Food manufacturer & distribution including Ginsters Pasties

Turnover: £1,163,984,000

Employees: 9,895

Year End: 28/12/2019

Address: Chetwode House, 1 Samworth Way, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE13 1GA

http://www.samworthbrothers.co.uk

Ginsters Moroccan vegetable pasty

5 (9) AGGREGATE INDUSTRIES UK

Heavy Building materials

Turnover: £1,330,012,000

Employees: 3,433

Year End: 31/12/2019

Address: Bardon Hall, Copt Oak Road, Markfield, Leicestershire, LE67 9PJ

http://www.aggregate.com

4 (6) BLOOR INVESTMENTS

Housebuilder and Triumph motorcycles

Turnover: £1,557,289,000

Employees: 4,024

Year End: 30/06/2020

Address: Ashby Road, Measham, Derbyshire, DE12 7JP

http://www.bloorhomes.com

Prototype from the Triumph Project TE-1 electric bike initiative

3 (2) BARRATT DEVELOPMENTS

Housebuilder

Turnover: £3,419,200,000

Employees: 6,422

Year End: 30/06/2020

Address: Barratt House, Cartwright Way, Forest Business Pk, Bardon Hill, Coalville, Leicestershire, LE67 1UF

http://www.barrattdevelopments.co.uk

2 (4) NEXT

Clothing Retail

Turnover: £4,266,200,000

Employees: 25,491,000

Year End: 25/01/2020

Address: Desford Road, Enderby, Leicestershire, LE19 4AT

http://www.nextplc.co.uk

Next chief executive Simon Wolfson

1 (1) SYTNER GROUP

Maintenance & Repair of Vehicles

Turnover: £5,915,844,000

Employees: 10,489

Year End: 31/12/2019

Address: 2 Penman Way, Grove Park, Enderby, Leicestershire, LE19 1ST

http://www.sytner.co.uk