How the winners of the Ward Hadaway Yorkshire Fastest 50 provide hope for Britain's economy - Greg Wright

SOMETIMES it’s hard to remember what life was like before the pandemic.

There was once a time when Zoom calls were the exception, rather than the rule, and commuter trains were crammed to the rafters with workers who might have worked more efficiently from home.

The second anniversary of the first national lockdown is a good time to pause and reflect. The last two years have had a terrible impact on the lives of millions of people. Tens of thousands of people are mourning the premature loss of family and friends. Many people were torn from their loved ones by a Government-imposed order to lead a secluded life as the pandemic raged outside their window.

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Working life will never be the same. Hybrid and remote working is here to stay. The five day a week trek to the office has become a thing of the past for millions of workers. Many of us devote greater energy to ensuring we keep a healthy balance between work and family life.

Although nobody can escape the consequences of global economic trends, the Yorkshire Fastest 50 shows that even in the darkest hours, entrepreneurs have the  drive, energy and resourcefulness to bring jobs and investment to our region, when many are simply battening down the hatches.Although nobody can escape the consequences of global economic trends, the Yorkshire Fastest 50 shows that even in the darkest hours, entrepreneurs have the  drive, energy and resourcefulness to bring jobs and investment to our region, when many are simply battening down the hatches.
Although nobody can escape the consequences of global economic trends, the Yorkshire Fastest 50 shows that even in the darkest hours, entrepreneurs have the drive, energy and resourcefulness to bring jobs and investment to our region, when many are simply battening down the hatches.

One thing the pandemic has taught us to value is meaningful human interaction. We’re social animals and the re-awakening of corporate events has been greeted with enthusiasm by networkers who have been starved of face to face meetings for months if not years.

When I walked to the stage to speak at the Ward Hadaway Yorkshire Fastest 50 awards, I was suddenly struck by the novelty of the scene in front of me. This was only the second time I’d spoken in front of a live audience in two years. The 2020 and 2021 Fastest 50 events had fallen victims to the lockdown, when any corporate gathering was banned under rules imposed to keep us all safe.

But while sections of the economy went into the deep freeze, the leaders of the companies in front of me had been quietly, diligently rolling up their sleeves.

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The Yorkshire Fastest 50 awards were launched in 2011, as the dark cloud of the financial crash still hovered over the economy. This year’s awards honoured the companies which have achieved stunning growth rates during a period dominated by the pandemic and the wider economic uncertainty caused by Brexit.

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Revealed: The Ward Hadaway Yorkshire Fastest 50 for 2022

In my speech, I argued that Yorkshire could be on the brink of a golden age, as headline-grabbing investments pour into the region and the roll-out of remote working makes the North more attractive as place to snap up the brightest talent. You don’t have to head to London to find a rewarding, lucrative career.

The 2022 list contains businesses with a dazzling range of specialisms, ranging from seafood to data protection and electrical contracting to laboratory supply.

The overall winner of the fastest growing business was the Leeds-based building services specialist, Ivegate, which recorded an astounding average turnover growth of more than 250 per cent in recent years.

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It has been involved in a number of major projects within the region including the relocation of Channel 4 to Leeds, a move which is expected to build a healthy ecosystem of media companies.

Joule Hot Water Systems UK, based in Pontefract, which took the title for the fastest growing large business, provides renewable heating services, a sector which has expanded rapidly as the corporate world flexes its muscles to help reduce global warming.

The winner in the small Yorkshire business category, the Huddersfield-based Body Doctor, specialises in eyecare, reflecting the strength of the region’s healthcare sector.

There are plenty of storm clouds on the economic horizon, with the cost of living crisis, the continued pressures in the supply chain and the horrific scenes in Ukraine providing reasons to be fearful.

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Although nobody can escape the consequences of global economic trends, the Yorkshire Fastest 50 shows that even in the darkest hours, entrepreneurs have the drive, energy and resourcefulness to bring jobs and investment to our region, when many are simply battening down the hatches.

Most of the members of the Fastest 50 never seek the spotlight, but without their heroic efforts we would all be a little poorer.

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