Fastest 50 celebrates Yorkshire’s fastest growing businesses

Delivered in partnership with The Yorkshire Post, the event highlights companies that have achieved sustained growth while continuing to invest, expand and create employment across the region despite an increasingly complex economic environment.

This year’s overall winner was ECO Simplified, the Richmond-based home energy efficiency retrofit specialist, which also secured the title of fastest growing medium sized business. The company supports homeowners with measures such as insulation installation and heating improvements, helping properties reduce energy consumption and improve efficiency.

The awards highlighted the diversity of Yorkshire’s business community, with companies operating across sectors including manufacturing, construction, engineering, agriculture, transport, retail and professional services appearing in this year’s Fastest 50. Collectively, they demonstrate the depth of the region’s commercial base and the ability of Yorkshire companies to build businesses that compete nationally and internationally.

Many of the businesses recognised this year have expanded by strengthening operational capability and responding to changing customer demand rather than relying on short-term market opportunities. Investment in facilities, workforce skills and technology has enabled businesses across the region to increase capacity while maintaining service quality. For many organisations, growth has also been supported by entering new geographic markets or broadening their offerings to meet changing industry requirements.

Entrepreneur Adam Hildreth delivered the keynote address at this year’s event. Born in Halifax, Hildreth co-founded digital consultancy Dubit before establishing Crisp, an artificial intelligence-led risk intelligence and online safety business. Crisp was acquired in 2022 by global advisory firm Kroll and later rebranded as Resolver as part of its wider risk services division.

Drawing on his experience of building technology companies and working with organisations navigating digital risk, Adam spoke about the increasing influence of artificial intelligence across the wider economy.

“Artificial intelligence is already influencing how organisations analyse information, manage risk and make decisions,” he said. “The question for many leadership teams is not whether it will affect their operations, but how they adopt it in a way that strengthens governance and accountability.

“Technology is now being used by businesses across sectors, from manufacturers analysing operational data to professional services firms using digital tools to support compliance and analysis, and leadership teams need to understand how those tools fit within their wider governance and decision-making frameworks.”

Alongside the overall winner, the Fastest 50 also recognises the highest-performing companies in three categories: Fastest Growing Small Business of the Year, Fastest Growing Medium Business of the Year and Fastest Growing Large Business of the Year.

With ECO Simplified topping the class for medium-sized businesses, Wilson Power Holdings secured first place in the large business category. Headquartered in Leeds, the company designs and manufactures power and distribution transformers used within electricity networks and energy infrastructure. Continued investment in engineering capability and production facilities has enabled the business to respond to growing demand for reliable and resilient electrical systems.

The fastest-growing small business was Wilfreda Luxury Coaches, a Doncaster-based family-run transport operator providing coach travel services for schools, corporate clients and private hire.

Emma Digby, Executive Partner in Ward Hadaway’s Leeds office, opened the awards and praised the strength of Yorkshire’s business community.

“The businesses included in this year’s Fastest 50 demonstrate the depth of ambition and capability across the region,” she said. “They operate in very different sectors, yet they share a commitment to planning, investment and long-term growth.

“Achieving expansion on this scale requires careful leadership and the ability to adapt to changing market conditions. These organisations are investing in people, strengthening their operations and creating opportunities across the regional economy.”

This year’s overall winner, ECO Simplified, achieved an average turnover growth of 223.66%, demonstrating the pace at which the business has expanded over the qualifying period.

Employment growth is another defining feature of the Fastest 50. Collectively, the companies recognised this year employ more than 12,600 people across the region, highlighting the role high-growth businesses play in supporting jobs, skills development and economic activity in Yorkshire.

As investment continues to flow into the region and established industries evolve alongside new technologies, the Ward Hadaway Yorkshire Fastest 50 Awards remain an opportunity to recognise the businesses contributing to that progress and strengthening Yorkshire’s reputation as a centre for enterprise and innovation.