North East manufacturer earns top London Stock Exchange accolade

A market-leading North East manufacturer is reaping the rewards for its dedication to excellence by being named one of Britain’s top 1,000 most inspiring small and medium sized firms by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG).

Experts judged that SMH Products, a manufacturer of highly specialised decontamination equipment and products, had combined significant turnover and staff increases to a huge expansion of influence within its specialist sector.

The firm has been included in the LSEG’s new landmark and influential ‘1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ report.

LSEG, which owns the London Stock Exchange, found SMH had consistently outperformed rivals since 2009, enjoying significant market success throughout the financial crisis.

After a six-month study, the report describes those firms selected for inclusion – out of Britain’s 4.5 million SMEs - as ‘dynamic’ and the ‘lifeblood of the UK economy’.

Just two months ago, SMH Products was named the North East’s overall fastest growing company, as well as the fastest growing medium-sized business, in the North East Fastest 50 awards, sponsored by Ward Hadaway solicitors, in association with The Journal.

South Shields-based SMH Products has expanded its range of decontamination equipment to include a wide range of personal protective equipment (PPE) and respiratory protective equipment (RPE).

It has also expanded the markets in which it operates to include not only asbestos removal, but other industries where workers are at risk of exposure to contaminants, such as the construction, medical and nuclear industries.

The firm, which has its financial and administrative headquarters in Maxwell Street, South Shields, has also diversified into providing local equipment servicing and testing, face mask fit-testing, and, most recently, a range of specialist health and safety training.

Turnover has grown from £13 million to £15 million, staff levels have almost doubled from 110 to 200, and the firm’s UK and worldwide operations have dramatically expanded.

Its manufacturing plant in South Shields employs 50 - up from 30 just a year ago - and it has branches in London, Birmingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, Leeds, Cardiff, Southampton, Washington, St Helens and Nottingham.

Its operations in France account for 15% of turnover, and it is set to open in Spain in the New Year, while enjoying continued growth in Australia.

Commercial director Dean Rowe said SMH had invested while its competitors had scaled back during the recession.

It has also capitalised on recent legislation tightening the law on asbestos removal.

He said: “We are really pleased that we have been included in the London Stock Exchange Group’s 1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain report, made up of the most successful small and medium-sized companies in the UK.

“It is in recognition of our exceptional growth, and as such is a clear indication of the strength of our business and a really positive sign for SMH going into 2014.

“Whereas many companies in this field did not move forward over the past few years, we deliberately went after new markets and have successfully taken advantage of every opportunity.

“We manufacture market-leading products, and we have a tremendously hard-working and dedicated workforce without whom our success and continued growth would not have been possible.”

SMH Products was founded in 1994 and now operates in several countries worldwide, including France.

Xavier Rolet, LSEG chief executive, said the 1,000 SMEs identified are of exceptional importance to UK economic growth and job creation.

He added: “Celebrating the success of these SMEs is a shockingly under-reported story and we are determined to change that.

“Our selection criteria not only require companies to have shown growing revenue in at least three of the past four years, but also to have outperformed their sector peers.

“The result is a list of companies that have not only performed strongly since 2009 – an exceptionally challenging period – but have also consistently outperformed their sector peers.

“This is a community of UK businesses that is richer and more varied than, we believe, has ever been identified in any other exercise of this type.”

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