A WARRINGTON business features high up in a prestigious list of medium sized firms with the fastest-growing international sales.

Published this weekend, the 12th annual Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200 league table ranks Britain’s mid-market private companies.

And the Blue Group in Appleton Thorn is ranked 31st in the country and fourth in the north west – it is also a new entrant in the list.

The firm, which sells crushers and shredders to the demolition and scrap industries, has seen 81 per cent growth in overseas sales in the past two years.

The £2.5million sales abroad are part of its total £28million sales.

It employs 80 people and the figures largely relate to financial periods before Covid-19 struck.

The league table programme is sponsored by HSBC and DHL Express, and compiled by Fast Track, the Oxford-based research and networking events firm.

Amanda Murphy, Head of Commercial Banking, HSBC UK, said: “After a challenging start to 2021, all eyes are on the companies that will drive a return to growth in 2021.

"We are confident that the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of businesses such as those in the north west listed on International Track 200 will carry them forward.

"These companies show the strength, ambition and resilience of businesses across the UK and are the sort of businesses we are proud to support every day”

The companies in the north west appear alongside well-known British brands based across the UK including Sweaty Betty, the women’s activewear brand sold in 195 countries; BrewDog, which was valued at £1bn in 2017 and now has 100 bars worldwide; and Brompton, the bicycle manufacturer, which ships to 47 markets.