Revealed: The Yorkshire companies who made the Sunday Times top 100 list

JCT600, Kelda Group, Keepmoat and Kelda all feature in the Sunday Times HSBC Top Track 100 which ranks Britain’s 100 private companies with the biggest sales.

Figures from the report show that together these four businesses achieved sales of £4.1bn and profits of £912m in their last financial year, and collectively employ more than 12,000 people.

The highest-ranked company in the region is Bradford-based JCT600 at number 43 with sales of £1.1bn in 2015, up 12 per cent. The Bradford-based car dealer group has 50 showrooms across northern England, and celebrated its 70th anniversary last month.

Elsewhere regneration and housings specialist Keepmoat, headquartered in Doncaster, were ranked at number 44 with sales of £64m. Just behind them were Yorkshire Water owners Kelda who were placed at number 46. The Bradford-based business boasted sales £1,09m.

Elsewhere Northallerton-based R&R Ice Cream, placed at No 81 with sales of £720m and remains the world’s third-largest ice cream maker. In April it announced a joint venture with Nestlé to sell ice cream and frozen food in more than 20 countries worldwide.

The companies in Yorkshire appear with businesses from around the UK, including high-profile national brands such as Dyson, JCB, Specsavers and Virgin Atlantic.

Richard Flint, Chief Executive at Kelda Group, said: “We are pleased to see our ranking rise up to 46th in the Sunday Times HSBC Top Track 100 league table.

“But more important than our financial performance is our customer service performance so we want to let people know that over the next year we will be investing £318m to improve water and sewerage services, including drinking water quality and waste water treatment.”

Dan Howlett, Head of Corporate Banking in the UK at HSBC, said: “At a time of unprecedented uncertainty, we can take real comfort from the dynamic private companies across the UK as recognised by the Top Track 100 league table.

“Firms such as these are fundamental in helping to get Britain back to business during this post-Brexit period of uncertainty and the inevitable challenges ahead.”

The league table is sponsored by HSBC and Linklaters, and is compiled by Fast Track, the Oxford-based research and networking events company.

A spokesperson for R&R Ice Cream said: “I am delighted that R&R is included in this prestigious list which is further proof of the continuing success of the business.”