Trio of Northamptonshire firms named as key to Covid recovery

The trio have been named among the top 200 UK companies with the fastest growing international sales.

Ranked 37th is helicopter services provider Sloane Helicopters of Sywell, with 59 staff. Its overseas sales grew by 77 per cent over two years, to £15.2 million to December 2019, according to the Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200 league table.

Flour miller, Whitworth Group, of Wellingborough, was placed 116th - up from 140th last year. Overseas sales for two years at the firm, which has 711 staff, grew by 33 per cent to £36.6m to March this year as it ramped up flour production during the pandemic and exports across Europe.

Huxloe Logistics, of Kettering, with 35 staff, was ranked 147th, with overseas sales of £4.1m to March this year - up 28 per cent over two years. It supported online pharmacies to deliver medical supplies to homes across Europe.

Amanda Murphy, of HSBC, said: “After a challenging start, all eyes are on the companies that will drive a return to growth in 2021. We are confident the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of businesses such as these will carry them forward.”