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FMBX News
Posted: Dec 7, 2010
eXPD8 Field Marketing in fast growth league
The 14th annual Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 has ranked eXPD8 at number 82 on the 2010 list which recognises the UK’s 100 fastest growing private companies. It also places them in the top 10 biggest employers from the list.
eXPD8 was launched in 2002 by former Somerfield Trading Board members, Pete Bailey and Mark Thurgood. The Bristol based Field Marketing company offers a range of Retail Support Services specialising in Merchandising, Sales Force Management, Stock Management and Compliance Audits.
eXPD8 clients include Sainsbury, Dyson, Pepsico, Sony, Warner, Fothergills, Hornby, Filofax, Paramount and Mills & Boon.
In previous years of the Fast Track, high profile businesses such as MoonPig, Innocent, Net-a-Porter, Hotel Chocolat and Tyrrells Crisps have been featured. eXPD8 has gained this prestigious accolade because it has achieved annual compound growth of 49.60% over the last 3 financial years.
Over these past three years the 100 companies featured by Fast Track increased their sales by an average of 85% a year; to combined sales of £4bn. Pre-tax profits are recorded at £280m and average margins at 8.3%. Together they employ 22,633 staff, and have created 16,474 jobs in the same time period.
These numbers, while impressive, show a somewhat mixed message about the state of private business in the UK. The 85% sales growth figure was down by 10% from the 2009 table, but in contrast the pre-tax profits rose by £82m and margins have also increased by 0.6% from 7.7% last time out.
Sir Richard Branson of Virgin, which has sponsored the league table for all 14 years, commented:
“2010 has been a year of much change for the UK in political and economic terms. Business has weathered a couple of the toughest years I can remember, but we are starting to see some pick-up in key sectors. Against this economic background the strong performance of the Fast Track 100 companies is to be especially applauded.”
eXPD8 concedes that Retail Services is a tough industry where turnover is hard won, and contracts are difficult to gain and retain. It believes that its success during difficult times can be attributed to its experienced and dedicated staff, the company’s retail heritage, its focus on service excellence and its fantastic systems. eXPD8 firmly believes in the value of having good people working within the service industry. An IIP (Investor In People) award illustrates just how important this is to the company.
Pete Bailey, founder and director of eXPD8 said “Growing from nothing to create circa 1,200 jobs in 8 years has been a great achievement. None of this would be possible without our fantastic team who should be very proud of themselves”
The company has a highly efficient infrastructure, with a small central team delivering a very cost effective service. eXPD8 embraces technology by having a sophisticated call management system and a mobile workforce throughout the UK and Ireland who are issued with handheld PDA devices which enable them to provide ‘near real time updates’ to their clients. This speed, accuracy and transparency is invaluable as it empowers clients to make informed decisions based on the quality field data provided.
The company has continued to grow throughout 2010 and has ambitious growth plans for 2011. eXPD8 is currently recruiting 150 part time staff, and expects to create 300 part time jobs next year of which 20% will be in the South West, together with additional full time posts in Bristol. For more information about jobs and recruitment you can learn more about the agency in our online directory.
With eXPD8 being the only Field Marketing/ Retail Services company to make the list since 2006, they will hope to build on this success by striving for even higher standards and aim to improve on their ranking when next year’s Fast Track 100 list is published.
