Seddon named as leading mid-market firm

Cheshire building firm Seddon Construction has been named as one of the UK's leading mid-market private companies.

The family-owned group, led by managing director Jonathan Seddon – pictured – has made 122nd place in the Sunday Times HSBC Top Track 250, down from 110th last time.

Thirty-two companies from the North West made the list, down from 34 last year. They include Manchester United, Chester's Meadow Foods and Preston-based supermarket chain Booths. Liverpool's B&M Retail made sixth place, the highest position for a North West firm.

According to Top Track, Seddon, based in Holmes Chapel, recorded operating profits of £9.1m in the year to December 2010 on sales of £266.9m. It employed 1,843 staff during the period.

New entrants from the region include Electricity North West, which reported sales of £393.8m in 2011 and operating profits of £210.4m. The company owns, operates and maintains the electricity distribution networks for about 2.3 million individual and industrial users in the Northwest.

Now in its seventh year, the Top Track 250 represents the next tier down from the Top Track 100 UK private companies with the biggest sales. To be included, companies must have also reported increased sales or operating profit in their latest available accounts.

The Top Track 250 is compiled by Fast Track, an Oxford-based networking events and research company which champions top-performing private companies.