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Durham and Gateshead companies make Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 league table

Two North East companies will feature this year’s Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 league table.

Durham-based kitchen appliance manufacturer Andrew James has entered the list at 24th place, whilst Gateshead’s Express Engineering makes it onto the list in 88th position.

Published this weekend the league table, compiled by Oxford-based research and networking events company Fast Track, ranks Britain’s private companies with the fastest-growing sales over a three year period.

Sales for Andrew James increased by 96% to £13.2 million whilst Express Engineering’s sales increased by 50% to £37.8 million.

A total of 11 companies headquartered in Yorkshire also made the grade this time round, together employing 1,800 staff and achieving combined sales of £760 million.

The majority, however, are headquartered in London (29) and the South East (19).

Sir Richard Branson of Virgin, the title sponsor of the league table throughout its lifespan to date, said: “This year’s Fast Track 100 is packed full of examples of entrepreneurs taking on many different challenges head-on.

“Their success is based on real team spirit and it is this togetherness, above and beyond any other factor, that sets great businesses apart from also-rans.

“The Fast Track 100 are testament to that spirit of creativity and camaraderie.”

The full league table will be published as an eight page broadsheet supplement with the business section of The Sunday Times on December 7.

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