Meet the Pro50: A to B

1&1 Internet

You’ve seen the TV ads, now meet the company. Founded in Germany in 1988 by Ralph Dommermuth, 1&1 is an internet hosting company offering a range of services, such as email solutions and servers, in 10 different countries, including the UK, Germany, Spain and the US. 1&1 also offers an end-to-end website solution, from domain registration through to site design and web hosting.

Abbey Developments

Abbey Developments is a residential housing developer based in the South East. It is currently working on 12 new-build housing development projects around the region. It is a subsidiary of Abbey Plc, which works on residential housing developments in the UK, Ireland and the Czech Republic.

Advanced Elastomer Systems

Advanced Elastomer Systems is a subsidiary of ExxonMobil and specialises in the production of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), which are commonly used in household appliances and the automotive sector. Based in Newport, Wales, it can produce more than 50,000 tonnes of TPEs a year.

Aegis Defence Services

Aegis is a private security business founded by a group of entrepreneurs including Lt Col Tim Spicer, former boss of the private military firm Sandline. In 2011, the London-based company won a $500m contract from the US government to provide security services in Iraq. The Aegis group includes an intelligence-led advisory firm, Aegis Advisory, which gives intelligence to corporates and governments.

ALD Automotive

ALD Automotive is a motor fleet manager and leasing company. In the UK, ALD finances and manages 97,000 vehicles for clients, and offers services from simple financing for individual drivers, all the way to fully outsourced fleet management for large corporates. Its buying power and approach to fleet management mean it can drive down its clients’ costs of running a fleet of vehicles.

Amalgamated Racing

Amalgamated Racing provides Turf TV coverage of racing events for UK and Irish bookmakers. It is aired in more than 9,000 betting shops and has exclusive arrangements for 34 of the UK’s leading racetracks, including Ascot and Newbury. The company was founded as a test project in April 2007, before a full commercial launch in January 2008. It has renewed its racecourse agreements until 2018.

Anesco

Anesco is an energy-efficiency consultancy that works with local authorities, businesses, housing associations and homeowners to reduce carbon emissions through audits, recommendations, installations and capital funding plans. It has been recognised as the country’s fastest-growing private company and one of the top 100 clean tech companies in the world.

BerryWorld

BerryWorld supplies soft fruit to UK retailers through partnerships with growers around the world. The company offers a two-year berry-farm-management training scheme. To improve understanding of the ‘BerryWorld ethos’, it also offers staff the opportunity to go on secondment to growers and packhouses. Advisers are sent on research visits to both BerryWorld growers and external growers too.

Brisko Scaffolding

Brisko Scaffolding specialises in steel milling and distribution, and is part of the UK’s largest steel-distribution centre. The company employs a ‘just-in-time’ delivery system to maximise productivity and ensure customer deliveries are fulfilled at the exact time the product is needed. This helps the company reduce storage requirements, boosting the productivity of its resources.

BSN Medical Distribution

BSN Medical Distribution is a supplier of casting, bandaging, wound care and compression stockings for the medical profession. The company also provides training for medical practitioners in wound care, compression therapy and fracture management. While the company employs more than 5,000 people internationally, its UK operation is lean, productive and likely to grow.

Meet the Pro50: C to F

Meet the Pro50: G to M

Meet the Pro50: N to Z

Read our full analysis of what makes the list of Pro50 companies so productive, including expert analysis from Professor John Van Reenen, director of the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Illustration by Charles Williams