Revealed: The Top 150 businesses in Devon and Cornwall in 2021 – Business Live

Retail magnate Chris Dawsons The Range empire has been named the biggest company in Devon and Cornwall for 2021. The Plymouth-based discount retailer has continued on its UK expansion drive opening five stores during the pandemic and creating 1,747 jobs.

With 12, 800 employees on the books, the retailer is by far the biggest single employer in the region.

And Mr Dawson predicts the company will create another 2,700 jobs in the next year. He expects 2021/22 will show further sales growth as the group continues to explore all facets of retailing.

It's sales of 1.35 billion have been helped by being classed as an essential retailer and allowed to trade during repeated lockdowns. Now, The Range's parent company, Norton Group Holdings Ltd tops this year's Annual Business Guide: Top 150 businesses in Devon and Cornwall , published today by BusinessLive and sister print title Western Morning News.

In at number two is meat producers, Dunbia (UK), based in Hatherleigh.

In third spot is Devonport Dockyard, operated by Babcock International, with a turnover of 790,812,992 and 5,665 employees.

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The data for this years list has been compiled by Annual Business Guide partners PKF Francis Clark and is ranked by turnover.

The guide, which is officially published today, acts as a barometer for vital sectors, towns and cities across the region.

Duncan Leslie, partner at PKF Francis Clark, said: "The past two years have been challenging, whichever sector you are in. Many businesses have been in survival mode as the pandemic has tested operations, sales and marketing, IT, HR and finance teams through constant change.

"It is rare for businesses to have to engage with all of these teams to the extent that has been required over such a sustained period. For companies to remain joined up in their approach and focussed on key goals has been a massive challenge. It has been draining for everyone."

But South West business has been resilient - nearly a third of Top 150 companies grew revenues by more than 10% a strong performance in these difficult times.

Looking at the Top 150 as a whole, total employee numbers have risen almost 5% to 80,618. The 20 largest businesses account for 57% of all employment.

Total turnover is down slightly, to 13.75bn (2020: 13.89bn). However, year-on-year comparisons are skewed by the 24 new entrants on this years list.

One contributor to this overall reduction in turnover is Pennon Groups sale of Viridor, completed in July 2020. The Exeter-headquartered Plcs turnover was down 55%, while its 814m acquisition of Bristol Water Holdings announced in June 2021 is yet to be reflected in its full-year revenues.

Other eye-catching deals include the 969m acquisition of Exeter-based GCP Student Living by newly-formed Gemini Jersey JV.

The list does not include public sector and not-for-profit organisations.

Turnover: 1,352,486,016

Employees: 12,480

Retail magnate Chris Dawsons The Range chain of homeware stores saw sales leap by 352m during the worst of the Covid pandemic after his stores remained open as essential retailers.

The hike in earnings to 1.35bn in 2020 led to after-tax profits for the Plymouth-headquartered company jumping to 145m - more than three times the 47m profit made the previous year.

It made so much money it was able to repay a bank loan of 102m. But it has not repaid about 36m it saved during the year-long rates relief holiday, though it does not have to do this.

And despite the financial bounty, no dividend was paid to Mr Dawson, or his share-holding wife Sarah, for the second successive year, after more than 60m was paid out to the couple during 2018 and 2019.

The accounts for Norton Group Holdings Ltd, the holding company which includes The Range, revealed that the year to the end of January 2021 presented unprecedented challenges for the company due to the Covid crisis.

But when the business was designated, somewhat controversially at the time, an essential retailer it made hay during three lockdowns.

A strategic report penned by Mr Dawson said that significant restrictions were placed on stores in Wales and Ireland, limiting the products sold, but otherwise its outlets, some of which contain Iceland branches, were trading full tilt.

Mr Dawsons report said the hike in sales was due to classification as an essential retailer and a full year of trading for the 20 stores opened in the prior year.

Mr Dawson admitted the business benefited from the Governments business rates holiday - saving a reported 36m - but insisted it used the savings to offset costs involved in making stores Covid safe.

And Mr Dawson also stressed a 10% discount for NHS staff during the pandemic amounted to more than 2.8m of savings for those key workers.

Another five stores opened in 2020/21, and created 1,747 jobs, and Mr Dawson predicts the company will create another 2,700 jobs in the next year. He expects 2021/22 will show further sales growth as the group continues to explore all facets of retailing.

Turnover: 1,194,763,008

Employees: 4,551

Brothers Jim and Jack Dobson established Dungannon Meats, a premium butchers shop in Moygashel, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland, in 1976, and the business has expanded through organic growth and via multiple acquisitions.

In July last year, Dawn Meats took full control of the Dunbia business after Jim Dobson's retirement.

It operates across 12 UK sites including Dunbia Treburley abattoir and processing plant in Launceston, and the Dunbia West Devon abattoir at Hatherleigh.

Highlights this year include the launch of its Sustainable Farming programme and a win at the Great Taste Awards with its Rose County 35 Day Dry Aged Native Breed Cote de Boeuf.

The group's Sustainability Report published in September reported a cut in greenhouse gases from its operations and supply chain by 248,000 tons in 2020 compared to 2016.

It uses 100% renewable electricity and has invested in refrigeration upgrades and lower emission thermal energy generation.

Progress is being made right across the Dunbia supply chain, with 99% of livestock sourced from Red Tractor Assured farms in the UK. All of Dunbias rigid plastic packaging trays now having a 90% average recycled content.

Turnover: 790,812,992

Employees: 5,665

The company which runs Plymouths Devonport Dockyard is a subsidiary of engineering giant Babcock International Group Plc, which has the exclusive contract to refuel and refit all the Royal Navy nuclear submarines at Britains single submarine refitting dock.

Devonport Royal Dockyard, in addition to maintaining and refitting Royal Navy warships and submarines, also carries out other engineering services for the MoD.

Following a restructure of Babcock Internationals operating model the submarine and naval base services now are part of the companys Nuclear sector, while warship and other services remain in the Marine sector.

A new, five-year Future Maritime Support Programme (FMSP) began in April 2021, with an option to extend the deal with the MoD for another two years, and includes deep maintenance of the Vanguard and Astute class submarines.

During 2021/22 the dockyard will be working on a Type 23 frigate refit and life extension and continuing with the deep maintenance and refuelling of the Trident sub.

The 600m project to refit and extend the life of Britains fleet of Type 23 frigates has been ongoing at Devonport for the past few years with HMS Somerset leaving the huge Frigate Support Centre dry dock sheds in late 2020, with the space filled by HMS Sutherland, while HMS St Albans and HMS Iron Duke were also in mid-refit and upgrade.

Devonport Royal Dockyard is also engaged in design work on the new generation of submarines, which will replace Vanguard, and surface ships and on modernisation of infrastructure to support future submarine and warship programmes.

Work has now started on a 2bn rebuild of facilities at Devonport Dockyard which will create more than 600 construction jobs during the next five years.

Turnover: 624,099,968

Employees: 1,987

Exeter-based Pennon Group had a good end to the year, reporting a 90.4m pre-tax profit for the past six months to November - a 4.3%% hike on the same period in Covid-hit 2020 - partly thanks to its acquisition of Bristol Water.

The parent firm of South West Water, Bournemouth Water and now Bristol Water, saw a profit increase on the 86.7m underlying profit made in the first six months of the 2020/21 financial year and also saw a 21.8% jump in revenue to 389.3m for H12021/22.

It was helped by the June 2021 acquisition of Bristol Water, which contributed to 41.6m to underlying revenue.

Underlying revenue was also helped by the recovery of non-household demand, as businesses opened up post-lockdown, and contract wins for Pennon Water Services, the firms business water division.

Pennon called the performance resilient after the Covid pandemic and Government imposed price cuts took a bite out of earnings in 2020/21.

In 2020, the firm welcomed its new chief executive Susan Davey, handed out a 20million windfall for customers and oversaw the 4.2billion sale of waste management operator, Viridor.

It announced big plans to invest in new technology and environmental improvements, and in its workforce, and by using some of the proceeds of its Viridor sale to pay down debt and bolster its pension scheme.

The firm is one of only a handful on the FTSE 350 to have both a female Chief Executive and Chairman and is a key stakeholder in the #BackTheGreatSouthWest campaign championing levelling up in the South West.

It has launched a Green Recovery Initiative which includes a plan to create up to 500 new jobs to support the local economy and to develop new green skills.

In September, it welcomed 26 graduates as part of South West Waters new Graduate Management Programme and also became one of the first companies to sign up to the Governments Kickstart scheme providing 50 six-month paid work placements to young people at risk of long-term unemployment.

It also signed up to support the #10,000 black interns initiative to offer black students placements that also improves the levels of ethnic diversity and talent across the industry.

Turnover: 511,569,984

Employees: 1,094

Turnover for the firm is down from 643,371,000 on the previous year, but the position of Helston Garages Group remains strong as one of the most successful firms in Devon and Cornwall, slipping just one place in this year's list.

Car ownership in general has taken a backseat as more people ditch the commute during the pandemic and work from home.

But with a rural population and a patchy public transport network, confidence in car ownership remains relatively strong in the region.

Helston Garages Group operates 43 motor dealerships throughout Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset selling Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Maserati and Volkswagen.

Established in 1960, the family-run business has expanded from a single filling station and repairs workshop to one of the UK's top 25 dealerships.

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Turnover: 473,171,008

Employees: 1,979

This South West retail firm is one of the UK's largest agricultural suppliers with holdings in Wales and more recently Scotland. This includes Mole Valley Farmers branches and Bridgmans stores across the South West, Mole Country Stores, Cox & Robinson farm direct outlets in the South and East of England, and manufacturing sites across England, and Scotland.

Formed by a band of disgruntled maverick farmers in South Molton, Mole Valley Farmers marked its 60th anniversary in 2020.

It welcomed new Chief Executive Jack Cordery, who succeeded Andrew Jackson after he retired in 2019.

Mole Valley was classed as an essesntial retailer during the early stages of the pandemic and remained open during repeated lockdowns in 2020 and 2021.

This year, it published its environmental roadmap to become carbon net zero by 2040.

It launched its Climate Positive Agriculture initiative helping farmers lower their farm's environmental footprint, including addressing the use of palm oil and soya in animal feeds.

Turnover: 365,416,992

Employees: 654

Based in South Molton, Norbord Europe is the UKs number one engineered wood panel manufacturer and serving the housebuilding and construction industry with flooring, panelling and roofing. This world-leading manufacturer of engineered wood-based panel products has been supplying products to Europe for over 40 years.

It has three mills in the UK and one in Belgium. Its South Molton site manufactures particleboard, loft flooring panels, Contiboard DIY shelving and flat pack furniture.

Norbord Europe is part of Norbord Incorporated, which was acquired by publicly listed Canada-owned timber firm West Fraser in February 2021.

Turnover: 296,870,016

Employees: 741

One of North Devon's biggest employers, this pharmaceutical company is involved in the development, manufacturing and distribution of pharmaceutical products to more than 70 countries.

During the early stages of the pandemic in 2020, managers recognsied that its products would be in high demand.

It started the recruitment of a shadow workforce - 50 new staff who were trained up and could step in to safeguard against staff sickness or shielding ensuring there was little disruption of its supply chain to the NHS and other stockists.

The facility employs more than 700 people making five billion tablets every year at its manufacturing plant in North Devon. It supplies generic medicines and is one of the fastest growing generic pharmaceutical companies in the UK and Ireland.

The Accord site in Barnstaple acts as the centre of its UK operations, helping to make a significant contribution nationally to the NHS, as well as locally to the community in Devon. The site is one of the largest employers in Barnstaple and has an established apprenticeship programme.

The site is also a designated landing site for the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.

Turnover: 291,267,008

Employees: 498

One of the UKs largest privately-owned construction and property services companies, Midas has grown to become one of the UKs largest independent construction and property services providers, with offices in Indian Queens in Cornwall, Exeter, Newton Abbot, Bristol, Newport in South Wales and Southampton.

A flagship build this year has been Exeters new 6.6million zero-carbon office and laboratory building, the Ada Lovelace Building on Exeter Science Park.

It has also started work on a 6.3million STEM and Health Skills Centre for Truro and Penwith College, Cornwall which will train the aerospace, space, creative, energy, mining and health sector workers of tomorrow.

It has also worked on the first phase of the Oceansgate marine enterprise project in South Yard, Plymouth, and a series of schemes across Cornwall and Devon including the Gateway Retail Park at Marsh Mills in Plymouth, Cornwalls archive centre Kresen Kernow, a Premier Inn for Wadebridge and the 17million Hi-Tech and Digital Centre at South Devon College.

The projects mark an upturn after the pandemic in 2020 led to the firm making a 2m loss - its first in 40 years of trading.

During the period, disruption, including lockdowns, had an adverse effect on revenue and profit with some projects ceasing work temporarily and significant work taking place to develop and successfully implement plans to safeguard the health, safety and wellbeing of employees and contractors, in compliance with government and Construction Leadership Council guidance.

It reported in June this year that it had maintained a strong order book.

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Revealed: The Top 150 businesses in Devon and Cornwall in 2021 - Business Live