Fourteen companies from across the East of England are highlighted in the 14th annual Sunday Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250 league table which ranks Britain’s private mid-market growth companies with the biggest sales, published this weekend.

The 14th annual Sunday Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250 league table ranks Britain’s private mid-market growth companies with the biggest sales.

The 14 companies headquartered in the east (compared to 15 in 2017) have made a strong contribution to the regional economy.

The companies increased combined sales 16% to £3.9bn and operating profits 16% to £357m, and they employ more than 20,000 people.

The biggest mid-market growth company to feature in the region is Peterborough-based BGL Group.

The group provides insurance and household financial services to 9.5m customers through brands including price comparison site comparethemarket.com and life insurance provider Beagle Street. In November last year, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board acquired a 30% stake in a deal worth £675m.

Suffolk and Essex companies are among those represented, but there are none from Norfolk.

There are four entrants in the east that were not on the league table last year, including construction services provider Mick George in St Ives; commercial printer Walstead Group in Colchester; and world food wholesaler Flying Trade Group (Harwich), which increased sales 16% to £132m.

Other companies featuring in the listing include the Ridgeons timber and building merchants (Cambridgeshire), Weston Homes (Essex) housebuilding, Turners of Soham (Newmarket) - distribution, Hopkins Homes (Woodbridge) - housebuilding, One Group (Ipswich) - construction, and Maritime Group (Felixstowe) - container transport.

The Top Track 250 is sponsored by Grant Thornton and Lloyds Banking Group, and compiled by Fast Track, the Oxford-based research and networking events firm.