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Suffolk’s top 100 private companies where wages have risen by a whopping 8%




Suffolk’s leading privately-owned businesses raised salaries by eight per cent in the last year, according to new data.

The Suffolk Ltd report shows the average salaries across the 35,808 employed by these companies, rose from £33.9k in 2023 to £36.6K, in 2023.

The annual report, now in its 23rd year, ranks the top 100 private companies in the county according to turnover using the most recent publicly available accounts as at August 1, 2024.

Greene King, Bury St Edmunds, named as top international contributor. Picture: Mecha Morton
Greene King, Bury St Edmunds, named as top international contributor. Picture: Mecha Morton

Produced by business advisors Grant Thornton UK LLP in partnership with law firm Birketts LLP, the report also highlights the resilience and adaptability being demonstrated by these firms.

According to the Office for National Statistics, annual average regular earnings growth for the private sector was 5.4 per cent and for the public sector was 4.3 per cent.

Suffolk private companies meanwhile improved turnover by 5.8 per cent despite the economic uncertainties and evolving market dynamics of the last 12 months.

Turnover across the top 100 firms. Picture Grant Thornton
Turnover across the top 100 firms. Picture Grant Thornton

The turnover range spans £19.2 million to £600 million and collectively amounts to £6.9 billion of sales.

EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) totals £665.7 million has seen a slight decline of 1.2% over the period, further reflecting the pressures on profitability that many Suffolk businesses are experiencing, even when sales figures have progressed, say the report authors.

The Top 100 is led by two transport and logistics companies – Turners (Soham) Holdings Limited and Maritime Transport Limited.

But the report shows the largest sectors by number of companies and turnover are consumer products – 36 companies, with a collective turnover of £3.3 billion; services – 21 companies with £1.3 billion; and real estate and construction 21 companies with £1.1 billion.

TruckEast, Bury St Edmunds, makes list the Top 100 list at number 10. Picture: Truck East
TruckEast, Bury St Edmunds, makes list the Top 100 list at number 10. Picture: Truck East

The greatest concentration of Top 100 is in Ipswich, which leads the way with 38 private firms, followed by Bury St Edmunds with 18. The next three are Newmarket (7), Eye (6) and Felixstowe (5).

Suffolk Ltd also identifies the 50 fastest growing firms, businesses with a plus-£10 million turnover that have achieved the highest year-on-year sales growth.

They are led by Bungay-based Transam Trucking Limited, which provides haulage and logistical services to some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry.

Wages and employment. Picture: Grant Thornton
Wages and employment. Picture: Grant Thornton

A local supplier to global industries, R P Valves Limited is ranked in second place.

The 25 largest subsidiaries of internationally owned companies by turnover in the county are also featured.

These are led by the hospitality group Greene King Limited, and the agricultural suppliers Forfarmers UK Limited, both of which operate from bases in Bury St Edmunds.

Muntons, Stowmarket included in the list of fastest growing businesses. Picture: Muntons
Muntons, Stowmarket included in the list of fastest growing businesses. Picture: Muntons

Tim Taylor, practice leader for Grant Thornton UK LLP in East Anglia, said: “Economic growth is a huge national priority but achieving it over the last 12 months has proved challenging in many parts of the UK. Wage inflation is a powerful dynamic, and the battle for talent remains a key challenge for many companies, alongside the increasing costs of other essential resources.

“In this climate, the success of the Top 100 shows the importance of having a diverse and resilient business landscape. That’s something we are blessed with in Suffolk, with sectors such as motor retail, transport, and logistics playing pivotal roles in providing employment and skills opportunities alongside more established sectors such as agribusiness. It is a great base from which to build further progress in 2025.”

How the businesses are spread across the county. Picture Grant Thornton
How the businesses are spread across the county. Picture Grant Thornton

Alexandra Nelson, partner at Birketts LLP, said: “The report shows that Suffolk’s economy has a lot to be positive about and that the Top 100 businesses in Suffolk continue to demonstrate resilience in challenging times.

“With Employer National Insurance increases and a raft of new employment laws on the horizon, 2025 will no doubt be testing for UK businesses. However, the report’s findings should provide us with confidence that Suffolk’s businesses will navigate these challenges and continue to prosper.”

The Top 100 league table excludes companies that are listed, owned by listed businesses, schools, trusts, charities and businesses that are subsidiaries of overseas companies.

The top 100 companies

1 Turners (Soham) Holdings Limited
Newmarket

2 Maritime Transport Limited
Felixstow

3 East of England Co-Operative Society Limited
Ipswich

4 A.J.N. Steelstock Limited
Newmarket

5 John Grose Group Limited
Lowestoft

6 Marriott Holdings Limited
Ipswich

7 Muntons Plc
Stowmarket

8 Suffolk Group Holdings Limited
Ipswich

9 One Group Construction Limited
Ipswich

10 Truckeast Limited
Bury St Edmunds

11 Green Label Holdings Limited
Woodbridge

12 Hughes Electrical Limited
Lowestoft

13 Breheny Group Limited
Ipswich

14 Portcrest Limited
Haverhill

15 Unity Schools Partnership
Haverhill

16 Don Construction Holdings Limited
Haverhill

17 P. Tuckwell Limited
Woodbridge

18 The Barnes Group Limited
Ipswich

19 Chassis-Cab Limited
Ipswich

20 Sealey (UK) Limited
Bury St Edmunds

21 Birketts LLP
Ipswich

22 Tru7 Group Limited
Ipswich

23 Hammond Road Garage Limited
Ipswich

24 Heathpatch Limited
Ipswich

25 Precon Products Limited
Ipswich

26 Notcutts Limited
Woodbridge

27 Ridley Godfrey (Holdings) Limited
Bury St Edmunds

28 Sackers Limited
Ipswich

29 John Banks Limited
Bury St Edmunds

30 Juddmonte Farms Limited
Newmarket

31 Seven Asset Limited
Ipswich

32 Branded Garden Products Limited
Ipswich

33 Perrin Group Holdings Limited
Ipswich

34 Le Bas Limited
Ipswich

35 Getech Limited
Ipswich

36 Gateway14 Limited
Ipswich

37 4 BG Group Limited
Sudbury

38 KDM Timber Limited
Ipswich

39 A.W. & D. Hammond Limited
Halesworth

40 Denbury Homes Holdings Limited
Bury St Edmunds

41 Mr. Fothergill’s Seeds Limited
Newmarket

42 NGB Construction Limited
Bury St Edmunds

43 Tattersalls Limited
Newmarket

44 Edison House Group Limited
Ipswich

45 Lignacite Limited
Brandon

46 Troy Central Limited
Bury St Edmunds

47 Robinson Young Holdings Limited
Bury St Edmunds

48 H.G. Gladwell & Sons Limited
Ipswich

49 Permastore Group Limited
Eye

50 Moores Refrigeration Controlled Transport Limited
Eye

51 Taylor Made Joinery Interiors Limited 52 Starke Industries Limited
Ipswich

53 R.H.Claydon Limited
Bury St Edmunds

54 Basetek (Holdings) Limited
Ipswich

55 The Bartrum Group Limited
Eye

56 Roger Skinner Holdings Limited
Eye

57 Herrco Cosmetics Limited
Halesworth

58 Gerda Security Holdings Limited 59 Ichiban UK Limited
Bury St Edmunds

60 Logistic Planning Services Limited 61 Catmj Limited
Newmarket

62 Adventure Forest Limited
Bury St Edmunds

63 Micropress Printers Limited
Southwold

64 A & B Glass Group Limited
Sudbury

65 Coastal Global Logistics Limited 66 Glasswells Limited
Felixstowe

67 Infinity Container Logistics Limited 68 Holywells Holdings Limited
Felixstowe

69 Global Chair Components Limited
Southwold

70 Supreme Pet Food Holdings Limited
Ipswich

71 Whitcott Holdings Limited
Ipswich

72 Brooks and Wood Limited
Ipswich

73 Greenscape Energy Limited
Ipswich

74 Transam Trucking Limited
Bungay

75 Oranmore Precast Limited
Brandon

76 R P Valves Limited
Bury St Edmunds

77 George Baker (Shipping) Limited
Felixstowe

78 Alterium Limited
Ipswich

79 Wisdom Toothbrushes Limited
Haverhill

80 Cripps Developments Holdings Limited
Beccles

81 Ravenwood Group Limited
Bury St Edmunds

82 Bennett Plc
Bury St Edmunds

83 Specflue Limited
Sudbury

84 Precision Marketing Group Holdings Limited
Ipswich

85 Kalsec Europe Limited
Bury St Edmunds

86 GM Holdings (Felixstowe) Limited
Felixstowe

87 Jack Brand Holdings Limited
Ipswich

88 Mervyn Lambert Plant Limited
Ipswich

89 Chestnut Inns Limited
Bury St Edmunds

90 Buyaparcel Limited
Lowestoft

91 Portable Space Limited
Stowmarket

92 P.H. Betts (Holdings) Limited
Woodbridge

93 Ellpro Timber Limited
Ipswich

94 I. S. & G. Steel Stockholders Limited
Ipswich

95 Aegg Limited
Eye

96 Marsh Holdings (GBR) Limited
Bury St Edmunds

97 Kersey Holdings Limited
Ipswich

98 DW Group (Anglia) Limited
Beccles

99 Mel Aviation Limited
Sudbury

100 Power Tool Products Limited
Saxmundham