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Aspire Technology Services

THE Gateshead IT firm was named North East Company of the Year in September, with the ceremony having been delayed and then held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Shortly afterwards it was announced that Aspire would be moving from its current home at Heworth Hall to new offices overlooking the River Tyne, taking on the Pipewell Quay development being built in the former Baja Beach Club nightclub.

Launched 14 years ago by Chris Fraser and Nigel Begg, Aspire employs more than 150 people and beat a five-year goal of reaching £20m turnover a year early.

Adderstone Developments

Aspire’s new offices are one of a number of high-profile developments being undertaken by Newcastle firm Adderstone Developments.

The company is also close to completing a quirky office complex by the Tyne Bridge and has converted the former Greggs factory at Gateshead into small units with the Bakers Yard scheme.

Adderstone was listed as the region’s fastest-growing large business (and second fastest-growing overall) in the annual Ward Hadaway Fastest 50 list, which was published in November.

Hellens Residential

The overall prize for the region’s fastest-growing company on the Fastest 50 list went to Hellens Residential.

The Washington-based housebuilder – which was founded in 2012 and offers homes for affordable rent and low-cost home ownership – has seen average turnover growth of more than 90% in recent years.

The company has grown its property portfolio to more than 200 homes, and it also gained a new £17m financing facility which will see it deliver a new garden village out on the outskirts of Darlington, creating 500 new houses.

Northern Gas and Power

Last year’s Fastest 50 winner maintained its momentum in 2020 and retained its place among the top five quickest growing firms in the region.

The company (and its parent, Global Procurement Group) is creating hundreds of jobs in the º£½ÇÊÓƵ and abroad and in June announced a move to new offices at Gateshead’s Riga building.

The company also made national league tables tracking revenue, profit and export growth, while founder and chief executive Fokhrul Islam was named the º£½ÇÊÓƵ’s most ambitious business leader in the LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders competition.

Barbour

A number of firms in the North East reacted to the coronavirus pandemic by helping out public services, but few did so as well as South Shields’ Barbour.

A year after marking its 125th anniversary, Barbour showed the community spirit that has been the hallmark of the firm by linking up with Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary to switch its sewing machines to make protective equipment for front-line health workers.

Barbour also maintained its commercial momentum with partnerships with Tyneside pop star Sam Fender and design companies Laura Ashley and Emma Bridgewater. Turnover topped £225m and profits rose to £38.4m.

Donr

As charity fundraising ground to a halt during the pandemic, technology developed by Newcastle tech firm Donr which allows giving by mobile phone texts came to the fore.

The company helped with the BBC’s Children In Need appeal and the high-profile fundraising campaign associated with John Lewis’ Christmas advert.

The company grew on the back of investments including £350,000 from the North East Innovation Fund and from an angel Investor.

Jam Jar

The community cinema in Whitley Bay came close to closure in 2020 but can still point to a number of major achievements during the year.

In July, it was named the best small company in the º£½ÇÊÓƵ at the Small Awards, and later in the year it won the Heart of the Community Award at the North East Business Awards.

In October, Jam Jar won grants totalling £52,904 from the DCMS’s Culture Recovery Fund for Independent Cinemas to help keep it alive after the various local and national lockdowns.

The Inn Collection Group

2020 was a tough time for many businesses in the hospitality sector, but Northumberland’s Inn Collection used the turmoil in its industry to press ahead with its buy-and-build strategy.

The company acquired eight properties during the year, including sites in the Lake District, North Yorkshire and Lancashire.

The company is also developing new-build hotels in Sunderland and Redcar.

Tolent

The Gateshead construction firm has been involved in some of the region’s most high-profile building projects, including Hadrian’s Tower in Newcastle, the Milburngate scheme in Durham, and Sunderland Riverside.

Accounts published in September showed revenues rising to nearly £150m and the company led the project to create the Nightingale Hospital in Sunderland.

Looking ahead, the company is working on the development of a garden village in Seaham, County Durham, and is likely to lead the £120m project to create a hotel, offices and flats next to St James’ Park in Newcastle.

Amazon

Not exactly a plucky underdog, but the online retailer saw its quest for world domination accelerated further during the coronavirus pandemic as more items than ever were bought online. Whether that is a good or bad thing is a matter of opinion.

Apart from the now ubiqutious Amazon Prime vans on our streets, the company at least brought some jobs to the North East with the opening of depots in Darlington and Durham.

Amazon has also bought a plot of land at the Follingsby Enterprise Park on the edge of Gateshead for another fulfillment centre.