Race for number 1 goes to the wire

Jan 4 2007 Hot 100

Top 100 Ranking: 1

Cablofil Limited

Location: Runcorn
Product/service: Cable Management Solutions
Turnover: £7.8m
Growth: 104%
 
Cablofil is a global leader in providing cable management solutions. The trademark name is famous throughout international industry although that may not mean much to the man in the street.
 
The Runcorn plant that employs 30 staff, has enjoyed a sales growth of over 100%. Its core product is providing wire trays for cables in a variety of applications. For instance it recently kitted out the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's £17m training college in Poole, Dorset. Since its introduction, wire cable tray has proven to be the choice for cable management in virtually any type of installation.
 
First marketed in Europe in 1972, Cablofil is one of the best-known brands in the world. For decades, this product has been providing effective, efficient and innovative cable management solutions with more than 80,000 miles of wire cable tray installed around the world. Cablofil has grown to 17 subsidiaries around the globe providing technical, logistical and sales support with 1200 distributors in 50 countries.
 
French electrical systems specialist Le Grand recently took over Cablofil's parent company ICM Group.
Recording annual growth of 14% over 8 years, the innovative Cablofil cable management system, an outstanding growth driver, has rapidly become a worldwide reference.
 
Gilles Schnepp, Vice-Chairman and CEO of the Legrand Group, said: "By acquiring Cablofil, Legrand is boosting its position in cable management and pursuing its external growth strategy, which is one of the Group's performance leverages, together with product innovation and sales & marketing investments".
 
A spokesman at the Runcorn plant said: "It's great news to hear we have topped the Hot 100 and we are looking forward to further success under Le grand's ownership."

All the world's a stage

Brilliant Stages

Top 100 Ranking: 5

Location: UK
Parent company: Tomcat UK (Wirral)
Product/service: stage and lighting shows
Turnover: £2.9m
Growth: 76%
 
Tomcat UK and its subsidiary Brilliant Stages have provided stage and lighting equipment for some of the biggest names in rock including U2 and the Rolling Stones.
 
The business has been growing - a fact not unnoticed in business circles which last month led to a takeover of the company.
 
Tomcat group, based in the US, Mexico and the UK, is now part of Vitec, a supplier to the broadcasting and entertainment industries.
 
Mitch Clarke, chief executive of Tomcat, said: "I am very excited about this acquisition, it will not only create a great partnership between two very strong organisation but will give Tomcat greater opportunities to invest in manufacturing technologies."