Shining the spotlight on the Big20 Lancashire firms for turnover and

Welcome to the Big 20 – our new ranking of Lancashire’s biggest companies by sales and profit.

Following on from our annual and much-anticipated Hot 100 table of the county’s
most profitable SMEs, the Big 20 shifts the spotlight to the county’s larger companies.

Once again we turned to PM+M, who compile the Hot 100 for us.

The result of the research carried out has revealed powerhouse businesses driving the county’s economy.

Collectively, the top 20 businesses generated more than £30bn in sales revenue.

Large multinational firms with their roots deeply embedded in the county are providing work for tens of thousands of people.

And lesser-known local enterprises on the list, with decades of doing businesses from their Lancashire bases under their belts, are delivering impressive profits.

The list also highlights the range of industries the Big 20 businesses operate in – from food production to logistics.

Dean Rodgers, accounts and advisory director at PM+M, who put together the list, says: “Lancashire combines global ambition with local strength. Large multinationals bring scale and visibility, while homegrown firms deliver
profitability and stability.”

There is one notable absence from the picture.

We took the decision not to include BAE Systems in the list.

A global business employing more than 11,000 people at its Samlesbury and Warton plants and with a deep supply chain in the county, its contribution to our
economy is massive and well-recognised.

There is some less positive news coming from some of the businesses we have featured.

EG Group has announced plans to relocate its headquarters in the US while Exertis is looking at major redundancies in Burnley.

However, the overall picture is positive.

Richard Slater, publisher of Lancashire Business View, says: “Our annual Hot 100 list is widely recognised as giving a detailed picture of the health of Lancashire’s SME community.

“We wanted to dig a little deeper and look at the bigger companies and the impact they have. The Big 20 is our response to that consideration.

“As with the Hot 100, it highlights the range of Lancashire businesses, both in terms of their sectors and the markets they are hard at work delivering to. That diversity remains one of the county’s strong points."

Big20 Profit

20 - Silicone Engineering, Blackburn
Established in 1959, Silicone Engineering was one of the first companies to specialise in the manufacture and supply of silicone rubber for sealing, insulation and protection of applications in a wide range of industrial sectors. It is a leading supplier, serving industries worldwide. Its products are used across sectors including automotive, food, pharmaceuticals, and energy.

19 - Bright Blue Foods, Blackburn
Bright Blue Foods is a leading manufacturer of ambient cakes and other baked goods and supplies to the UK’s major supermarkets and other retail giants. The portfolio of products offered by the group is broad and ranges from value items to top tier products. The business continues to be the largest manufacturer of own labelled packaged cake in the UK and employs more than 1,300 people.

18 - Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses, Inglewhite
The business began artisanal cheese-making in rural Lancashire in 1932 and now trades as Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses from Wilson Fields Farm in Inglewhite. The fourth-generation family business produces traditional and creative farmhouse cheeses – including Blacksticks Blue – sourcing milk from its own and local farms. It was hit by a major fire at its premises in Longridge in November 2023. Latest accounts show it is making an ongoing recovery since the blaze.

17 - Rowland Group, Leyland
Formed in 1993, Rowland Group delivers residential building projects across the North West from its Leyland headquarters. In Lancashire it has developments in Bispham, Carnforth, Clayton-le-Woods, Euxton, Farington, Lytham St Annes
and Preston. Its latest accounts reveal it made charitable donations amounting to £227,505.

16 - Perch Holdco, Blackpool
Perch Holdco is one of the UK’s fastest growing full-service debt collection and credit management groups, using data and technology to help customers resolve debts. Since launching in 2016 it has supported more than 1.9 million customer debts. It is based on the Whitehills Business Park and employs almost 250.

15 - James Hall and Co, Preston
James Hall and Co, which can trace its history back to 1863, is a family-run SPAR wholesaler and retailer based in Preston. It serves more than 450 SPAR stores across the North of England and also owns Clayton Park Bakery, The Great Northern Sandwich Company, Fazilas ethnic foods, and G&E Murgatroyd convenience stores, as well as farm-to-pot yoghurt specialist Ann Forshaw’s. It has a workforce of more than 4,000.

14 - The Kay Group, Blackburn
This family-owned petrol retail and service station operator has been based in Blackburn since 1972, and has more than 20 sites across the North West and around 350 staff serving 300,000 weekly customers. The business partners with BP, Shell, and Texaco while in-store brands include Londis, Greggs, Subway, Costa, and Costa Express. Its Intack Self Drive business is Blackburn’s largest vehicle rental company.

13 - WB Handling, Blackpool
WB Handling is based at Olympic Court on Whitehills Business Park and has been operating since January 2021. It is a commission-based wholesale agent and acts as an intermediary in the sale and purchase of a wide range of goods. Its latest turnover was at £128.7m and the business employs more than 40.

12 - Vintrex, Darwen
The group is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of e-liquids and vaping hardware. It operates in the UK and internationally in specialist vape retailers, distributors, supermarkets, convenience stores and e-commerce platforms. Its flagship brand is Vampire Vape which contributed to its strong performance. It employs close to 370 people.

11 - Chesnara, Preston
Chesnara was formed in 2004 and is listed on the London Stock Exchange. It initially consisted of Countrywide Assured, a closed life and pensions book demerged from Countrywide plc, a large estate agency group. It specialises in life assurance and pension consolidation in the UK and the Netherlands. As of June 2025, it was managing £14bn in assets and serves 930,000 policyholders.

10 - CLdN Roro Holding, Morecambe
This is the UK arm of Luxembourg-based logistics group CLdN, founded in 1929. The Heysham operation focuses on roll-on / roll-off (RoRo) freight shipping, linking the UK with Ireland and continental Europe. It operates a fleet of more than 30 RoRo vessels and 15 terminals. The UK subsidiary supports CLdN’s growing Irish Sea services, which include frequent sailings between Heysham, Dublin, and other European ports.

9 - Victrex, Thornton Cleveleys
Victrex is a specialist in high-performance polymer solutions. Founded in 1993, following a management buyout from ICI, it listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1995. It has more than 1,100 employees and serves automotive, aerospace, energy, industrial, electronic and medical markets. It exports to more than 40 countries and 98 per cent of revenue comes from sales outside the UK.

8 - Safran Nacelles, Burnley
A world leader in aerospace, Safran Nacelles has operated in Burnley for more than 70 years, specialising in design, composites, sheet metal, thrust reversers and nacelle assembly, servicing aircraft such as Airbus A330 or A320neo and Comac C919. The company is making a transition towards being ‘a sheet metal centre of excellence’. It employs 696 people and it focuses on aerospace component innovation, factory upgrades and sustainability measure.

7 - Chubb Fire and Security, Blackburn
Chubb Fire and Security is the UK’s leading security and fire alarm company. It has been delivering fire safety and security solutions for more than 200 years. From its Blackburn headquarters it provides products and services to businesses across a
variety of industries in a broad spread of global locations. These range from fire extinguishers and CCTV systems to inspections, risk assessments and remote monitoring.

6 - Leyland Trucks, Leyland
Leyland Trucks, a subsidiary of US automotive group PACCAR since 1998, has its assembly plant in the town that gives it its name. The site spans approximately one million sq ft and employs around 946 people, including 120 design engineers. It produces DAF Trucks and reported a solid performance in 2024, with its market share climbing up to 15.8 per cent in the last quarter. It also delivered the first series of new DAF electric trucks to customers.

5 - Monte Blackburn, Blackburn
Founded in March 2016 by brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa, Monte Blackburn
is a property development firm based in Blackburn targeting major commercial
and industrial builds. It is the driving force behind Frontier Park – a £115m logistics development on the outskirts of the town, another in Burnley and, in November, it submitted a planning application for a new industrial and logistics development on a 65-acre site off the M6 in Preston.

4 - Northern Trust Group, Chorley
A family-owned private property investment and development company founded in 1962 by the late Trevor Hemmings, Northern Trust manages and develops approximately nine million sq ft of industrial, office, and trade counter parks across more than 200 UK sites. Its development arm has delivered four million sq ft of commercial space in 50 locations, with a pipeline of 500,000 sq ft, while its strategic land division promotes over 5,000 acres for residential use.

3 - Places for People Group, Bamber Bridge
One of the UK’s leading property and community regeneration organisations, Places for People has delivered affordable and managed homes for nearly 50 years. With regional offices that include Bamber Bridge, the group delivers housing, community projects and support services. It has supported living schemes across Lancashire and beyond and a staff of almost 6,000.

2- EG Retail Services, Blackburn
The Blackburn headquartered business is behind the expansion of EG On the Move, created after Zuber Issa acquired the forecourt division EG Group, the company he co-founded with brother Mohsin in 2021. His aim has been to create “a retail powerhouse” in the independent petrol forecourt sector, through deals including the acquisition of almost 100 sites from service station operator Applegreens. The business employs more than 3,000 people.

1 - Heatmiser UK, Blackburn
Heatmiser, formerly G&M Kay, has been based in Blackburn since 1968 when it
was founded as a family business by Gordon Kay. It designs and manufactures
smart heating controls – room thermostats, underfloor and radiator thermostats
and neo smart products – serving the UK and exporting to Europe, South Africa,
Australasia and China. Part of IMI Hydronic Engineering since 2022, the company,
based on Shadsworth Business Park, prides itself on energy-efficient innovation,
installer support, and continuous product development

Big20 Turnover

20 - Bensons for Beds, Accrington
Founded in 1950 by Cyril Benson as a general store, it opened its first dedicated bed centre in 1972. Today Bensons is the UK’s leading bed and bedroom furniture retailer. It operates more than 150 outlets nationwide and offers mattresses, divan beds, frames, bedroom furniture and bedding. The business manufactures many of its products in the UK and lists more than 1,800 employees.

19 - Evolve Energy, Lytham St Annes
A licensed electricity and gas supplier dedicated to helping businesses achieve sustainable energy and Net Zero goals and solutions, Evolve was founded in 2015. The business provides tailored energy solutions for industrial and commercial clients offering flexibility and cost efficiencies. In April last year Australian energy technology company Enosi announced a partnership with Evolve to bring its
technology to the UK corporate energy market.

18 - Chorley Group, Chorley
Chorley Group is a family-owned automotive dealership group based in the town it shares its name with. Established in 1989 by Andrew Turner, the business has grown from a single used car dealership at the family home into a multi-franchise organisation representing leading motor brands across the North West. The Turner family remains in charge, with Andrew as chairman and his son Adam as managing director. A workforce of nearly 400 services its multiple dealership locations.

17 - Chesnara, Preston
See profit listing

16 - Chesnara, Preston
See profit listing

15 - Eric Wright Group, Bamber Bridge
Eric Wright Group is a community-driven infrastructure and property firm. Founded as Brown and Jackson in 1923, it was renamed in 1979 after it was acquired by Eric Wright. It has been wholly owned by the Eric Wright Charitable Trust since 2016. The group, which includes property development specialist Maple Grove,
is active in construction, civil engineering, water infrastructure, facilities and estate management. It has delivered major regeneration projects across Lancashire and recently launched Wrightcare, its care service division. Jeremy Hartley, pictured, is group chief executive.

14 - Chubb Fire and Security, Blackburn
See profit listing

13 - Victorian Plumbing, Leyland
Victorian Plumbing is the UK’s largest online bathroom retailer. It offers an extensive range of products including baths, showers, toilets, basins, furniture, and accessories. It serves millions of customers through its e-commerce platform. The business operates from a state-of-the-art distribution centre and continues to expand its product portfolio to meet diverse customer needs. It also revived and relaunched the household furniture brand MFI in May last year.

12 - H Bowker, Bamber Bridge
Founded in 1919, WH Bowker is one of the UK’s leading logistics and transport
providers. The family business offers a wide range of services including national and international road transport, hazardous goods handling, and specialist chemical logistics. Bowker supports sectors that include retail, manufacturing and chemicals. The group also includes motor dealerships across Lancashire and the North West.

11 - Booths, Preston
The food, wine and grocery store group was established in 1847 when 19-year-old tea dealer Edwin Henry Booth opened his first store, the China House, in Blackpool. The company has remained under the stewardship of the Booth family, with Edwin Booth serving as chairman since 1997. The family’s commitment to the business has been a cornerstone of its success and it has recently welcomed Emma Booth to its ranks as a sixth generation Booth.

10 - TVS Logistics Investment, Chorley
TVS Logistics Investment is based in Chorley and it operates as part of global TVS Supply Chain Solutions. It provides end-to-end supply chain services and delivers integrated solutions including warehousing, transport, freight forwarding, inventory management and final-mile delivery. Serving sectors such as automotive, industrial, defence and utilities, TVS combines its operational expertise with advanced technology – AI, automation, and data analytics – to optimise efficiency and resilience.

9 - EG Retail Services, Blackburn
See profit listing

8 - Daisy, Nelson
The business has come a long way since it was set up by Matthew Riley operating
out of his garage. He founded it in 2001 and it has grown to be a leading B2B provider of IT, cloud, and communications services. Last year, Daisy announced it was merging its business-to-business operation with Virgin Media O2 to create ‘a major new force’ in communications and IT – a move expected to generate £1.4bn
turnover. Daisy remains headquartered in Nelson and the combined business is second only behind BT in the UK telecommunications market in terms of size.

7 - Danbro, Lytham St Annes
Danbro is a comprehensive provider of accountancy, umbrella payroll, contractor
services and financial planning across the UK. Since it was founded in 1999 by husband-and-wife team Damian and Helen Broughton, it has grown to serve contractors, SMEs and personal clients with specialist tax and compliance
expertise. The business employs 5,856 people, including contractors.

6 - James Hall and Co, Preston
See profit listing

5 - Leyland Trucks, Leyland
See profit listing

4 - Places for People Group, Bamber Bridge
See profit listing

3 - Exertis, Burnley
Exertis is a technology distribution and specialist service provider. It partners with more than 700 brands and 13,000 resellers and delivers consumer and business tech, mobile accessories, print consumables and office products. In 2025 the company completed its sale to international private equity firm Aurelius in a deal valued at around £100m. In early December staff were told of plans to cut up to
90 per cent of its 1,300-strong workforce.

2 - Heatmiser UK, Blackburn
See profit listing

1 - EG Group, Blackburn
Founded by billionaire brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa, EG Group is one of the world’s leading independent convenience retailers, with an extensive network of sites across nine international markets including the US, Europe and Australia. The group has been based in their home town of Blackburn for almost a quarter of a century as they worked to turn it into a global business, starting with one petrol station in Bury. Mohsin became the sole chief executive following the sale of part of the group to brother Zuber, which has since become EG on The Move. The group is now led by New York City-based Russ Colaco, who took over the role of chief executive last April. The business also announced that its group headquarters is being relocated to Charlotte in North Carolina where key financial, legal and other corporate personnel will be based. In parallel with that work, the group’s European Share Service Centre is also being moved down the A666 to Bolton.