Three businesses from the Bath area have been named among Britain’s fastest-growing small private companies.
The trio – Bath jewellery and accessories retailer Abbott Lyon, specialist digital advertising agency Network N, also based in Bath, and Chippenham-headquartered online retailer Furniturebox – appear in the latest annual ranking of rapid-growth firms with revenues of less than £250m.
Furniturebox, which was launched by two schoolfriends aged just 18, appears in the table for the second year running.
The Sunday Times 100 identifies and celebrates Britain’s 100 leading entrepreneurial businesses and showcases the people behind our most dynamic private companies.
Abbott Lyon appears in the table at number 42 having achieved annual sales growth over three years of 86.76%.
Sales of its affordable personalised watches, jewellery, and accessories, principally in the UK and US, reached £30.4m in the year to March.
The firm was launched in 2015 by Jezz Skelton and Asha Jones, who describe themselves as still being the beating heart of the brand.
It quickly established itself as the go-to brand for high-quality, trend-led personalised jewellery, regularly collaborating with celebrities and top social media influencers.
These collaborations include Loose Women host Stacey Solomon and former EastEnders actress Maisie Smith.
Jezz, who runs the business with the help of his twin brother, Nick, has ambitions to turn it into a £100m-turnover brand within the next three years, helped by new product ranges from its majority female design as well as international expansion.
Furniturebox is ranked 59th in the list having achieved sales of £15.9m last year and growth of 70.96% over the past three years.
The firm was started by Monty George, 26, and Daniel Beckles, 25, after they left school in Salisbury in 2015.
They began selling to the US last summer, then moved to an 88,000 sq ft purpose-built warehouse off the M4 at Chippenham, which was funded from retained profits.
According to the Sunday Times, the firm is aiming to boost sales further this year by developing new product ranges, including beds, sofas and wardrobes.
George said: “We are delighted to have been featured in the Sunday Times 100 for the second year running.
“This is down to the fantastic efforts of the team we have assembled and the excellent value for money and customer service we provide.
“This year will be the busiest in our history and it is really exciting to be making progress in the United States.”
Furniturebox employs 53 people at its new £3m headquarters, which has transformed its fortunes and speeded up deliveries.
Publisher and advertiser Network N is ranked 84th on the list having achieved annual sales growth over three years of 58.72%
The firm, which most recently chalked up annual sales of £33.2m, is a digital advertising company for the gaming industry.
It was founded by James Binns and Tim Edwards in 2012 having previously worked at Bath-based multimedia group Future on gaming sites and magazines, including PC Gamer.
Originally operating a publishing division, a marketing agency and an advertising business, the company’s focus since March last year has been on advertising through its Publisher Collective network, which makes advertising and sponsored content for gaming sites on behalf of brands including Xbox and Nintendo. It also expanded into the US last year.
