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BGL Group rises 17 places in Britain's 250 Largest Mid-Market Private Companies

Immediate release: 18 October 2010

The BGL Group is one of the largest mid-market private companies in Britain, according to the latest Sunday Times HSBC Top Track 250 league table published at the weekend.

The annual table, now in its sixth year, ranks Britain's 250 mid-market companies by sales based on their latest available audited accounts – in BGL's case, the 2008/09 financial year.

Peterborough-based BGL Group, one of Britain's leading insurance brokers with in excess of 3.5 million customers, was rated 80th on the list, up 17 places from last year. The Group first entered the table in 2007 at 227th position and has climbed since to 175th and then 97th. BGL is now higher up the table than Prêt A Manger, Manchester United Football Club, and Harvey Nichols department stores.

BGL was also highlighted by the Sunday Times as one of 10 companies with the largest operating profit margins, at 24.4 per cent.

The news comes hot on the heels of BGL Group's latest financial results, where the Group delivered profits of £62m – a 16 per cent increase on the previous year and its 13th consecutive year of profit growth.

The BGL Group currently employs almost 2,200 people. It operates major contact centre operations (Fusion) in Peterborough, Coventry and Sunderland in the UK, and Cape Town, South Africa. The Group's affinity business, Junction, has numerous successful partnerships with companies including the Post Office®, M&S Money, Auto Trader, HSBC and RAC. Other BGL Group businesses and brands include the price comparison website comparethemarket.com, Bennetts, the number one bike insurer, and green motor insurance brand ibuyeco.

Established in 1992 as an insurer, the Peterborough-based group changed strategy in 1997 to become an intermediary. Sales were £287 million in 2009.

A spokesperson for the Group said: "We are proud to have risen up the list for the fourth year running. We have always been a successful business but the last few years have been phenomenal – particularly against a very challenging market backdrop. While other firms have disappeared off the list, our continued progression up the table is a result of our unique culture of innovation and versatility."

The Sunday Times describes mid-market companies as the '"engine house of the British economy". The league table features household names such as Harrods, Weetabix, Gatwick Airport and Odeon & UCI. The full findings are available online at www.fasttrack.co.uk