32 WALESTOP3002008
WALESTOP300
C
orus is, for the fourth year, the
largest company in Wales,
with Iceland the second
largest company for the third
successive year.
Corus, Iceland, Redrow, owner of Welsh
Water Glas Cymru and Lloyds TSB are the
`constants', appearing in the top 10 of the
list in each of the past five years. Dow
Corning has been hovering just below
the top 10 for a number of years and this
year has broken into the top 10.
What is noticeable when looking at the
top 10 Welsh companies over the past
five years is that there have been
relatively few changes.
The Top 300 companies employ 12% of
the Welsh workforce. Within this, the top
10 employ 33,286 individuals.
Importantly, the top 10 companies
reflect the diversity in the Welsh
economy. This is so important in a
rapidly changing and increasingly
competitive global business
environment, where we need world-class
players with critical mass.
Of the top 10 companies in Wales,
perhaps surprisingly, six are classified as
indigenous companies. By that we mean
that they are based in Wales and the key
strategic decisions affecting the
companies are made in the Principality.
These indigenous companies, again,
have a diverse make-up in terms of their
sectors. It is essential that Wales has
these types of businesses, as they are key
contributors to the economy. They retain
and attract the most skilled individuals
and their families to Wales. It is these
people and companies who will be
central to the development of the Welsh
economy.
An imperative for the Welsh Assembly
Government is to devise mechanisms
and structures that not only nurture
entrepreneurs and innovation, but also
seek ways of maintaining ownership and
strategic control within the region. xz
TOP 300 ANALYSIS
Director MBA at the University of Glamorgan's Business School Wil Williams analyses
the biggest companies in the Top 300 over the last five years, as well as the largest
indigenous firms in this year's league table
RANK INDIGENOUS COMPANY
2 ICELAND FOODS GROUP
3 ADMIRAL GROUP
4 PEACOCK GROUP
5 REDROW HOMES
6 GLAS CYMRU CYFYNGEDIG
10 PRINCIPALITY BUILDING SOCIETY
16 WALES & WEST UTILITIES
17 CAPPER & CO
20 PHS
22 FIRST MILK CHEESE COMPANY
2008 2007 2006 2005 2004
1 CORUS UK
2,500,000
NA
CORUS UK
1,800,000
NA
CORUS UK
1,800,000
NA
CORUS UK
1,800,000
NA
BIG FOOD GROUP (THE)
5,151,600
27,600
2 ICELAND FOODS GROUP
1,789,085
34,704
ICELAND FOODS
1,565,337
62,982
ICELAND FOODS
1,481,533
93,544
LLOYDS TSB ASSET FINANCE
1,613,800
196,000
CORUS
1,600,000
NA
3 ADMIRAL GROUP
824,924
182,098
BLACK HORSE FINANCE
1,077,656
51,422
BLACK HORSE FINANCE
1,054,126
NA
ICELAND FOODS
1,439,098
(75,049)
LLOYDS TSB ASSET FINANCE
1,571,300
185,900
4 PEACOCK GROUP
652,553
(38,694)
REDROW
795,700
120,500
REDROW
770,100
120,500
LLOYDS TSB INSURANCE SERVICES
787,262
86,138
ICELAND FOODS
1,500,400
6,200
5 REDROW
650,100
(193,900)
ADMIRAL GROUP
708,154
147,342
LLOYDS TSB INSURANCE SERVICES
691,698
32,427
REDROW
780,400
141,100
LLOYDS TSB INSURANCE SERVICES
709,972
656,140
6 GLAS CYMRU CYFYNGEDIG
622,900
(34,100)
LLOYDS TSB INSURANCE SERVICES
673,811
91,808
ADMIRAL GROUP
638,363
119,494
GLAS CYMRU CYFYNGEDIG
494,100
75,200
REDROW PLC
669,900
124,100
7 GE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SERVICES
609,747
1,657
LLOYDS TSB GENERAL INSURANCE
616,366
178,830
LLOYDS TSB GENERAL INSURANCE
560,510
172,944
PEACOCK GROUP
490,396
32,436
BRITISH TELECOM (WALES)
595,000
NA
8 LLOYDS TSB GENERAL INSURANCE
591,077
46,399
PEACOCK GROUP PLC
607,629
5,923
GLAS CYMRU CYFYNGEDIG
553,500
11,300
LG ELECTRONICS WALES
482,468
(764)
GLAS CYMRU GYFYNGEDIG
469,700
43,900
9 DOW CORNING LIMITED
379,493
9,939
GE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SERVICES
583,610
(50,978)
PEACOCK GROUP PLC
548,172
35,002
GE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SERVICES
422,721
(10,995)
ALCOA UK HOLDINGS
442,635
(44,719)
10 PRINCIPALITY BUILDING SOCIETY
370,100
30,600
GLAS CYMRU CYFYNGEDIG
578,000
47,500
GE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SERVICES
530,899
(13,769)
INCO EUROPE
377,149
21,563
PEACOCK GROUP PLC
396,596
20,304
Last five years' top 10 companies followed by their turnover and pre-tax profits in 000s
Tenbiggestindigenousinthisyear'sTop300
LITTLE CHANGE IN TOP
10 COMPANIES OVER
THE PAST FIVE YEARS
Wil Williams

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