in-Cumbria's Top 20 Businesses of 2023

This list is a celebration of Cumbrian businesses big and small and all the efforts they have made over the last two years.

It features some well-known names which define the landscape - literally and figuratively - as well as new finds driven by the county’s endless ranks of entrepreneurs.

It has been compiled by taking into account those businesses which have the most impact in terms of employment, supply chain, innovation, growth, ambition and putting Cumbria on the map.

It also includes those which are looking to invest in the future of the county and its people, whether it be through new developments, technologies or skills.

Unfortunately, every list has to have an end and there are, of course, many fantastic firms and individuals who are not featured, although if you pick up a copy of our April magazine you can see our full list of our Top 100 businesses…

1. BAE Systems Submarines

When HMS Anson exited Barrow’s shipyard in February bound for sea trials at His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, it was just one more significant moment in what has been an eventful couple of years for BAE Systems Submarines.

This included the commissioning of the £1.3bn boat in front of then Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace in August 2021.

It is the fifth of the new Astute-class hunter-killer submarines to join the Royal Navy fleet, alongside HMS Astute, Ambush, Artful and Audacious.

In September 2021, the Ministry of Defence also awarded BAE Systems an £85m contract to support early design and concept work on the Royal Navy’s next generation of submarines.

This will enable the submarines business to progress the early stages of a programme to deliver a replacement for the Astute class, helping support 250 highly skilled jobs in Barrow.

Then, in May, the Ministry of Defence announced more than £2 billion of further funding for the Dreadnought nuclear deterrent submarines, which are under construction at the shipyard. The funding is to enable the third major phase of the programme and is the first initial investment in a planned total of £31bn.

The Dreadnought programme will deliver four submarines with the first, HMS Dreadnought, due to enter service in the early 2030s.

These programmes are supported by BAE Systems Submarines’ growing workforce of more than 11,000 people which will be bolstered later this year when more than 600 apprentices and 200 graduates and undergraduates join the business. It will also be recruiting more than 2,500 experienced professionals into its workforce to help deliver the three programmes of work.

The shipyard’s reach extends beyond its own workforce into a national supply chain which, in the North West, supports 13,500 jobs.

As a company that implements cutting edge technology and has such an economic impact throughout out Cumbria and beyond BAE Systems Submarines more than deserves its place at the top spot of this year’s Hot 100.

2. Sellafield Ltd

The influence that Sellafield Ltd has on the economy was spelled out in impressive terms by the launch of the Sellafield Jobs Map in November.

The map, which analysed the jobs created by the site, revealed it supports 58,643 jobs. Nearly 11,000 of these are made up of people employed by Sellafield, 80 per cent of whom live in Cumbria. A further 5,000 are on the books of its immediate suppliers and 42,800 in the wider supply chain.

While it is a major driver of employment, Sellafield is also a testbed for a range of new technologies, including artificial intelligence and robotics, which can be deployed elsewhere.

First established as a Royal Ordnance Factory at the area known as Low Sellafield in 1942, the site has supported the development of scores of businesses, many of which have diversified into areas such as oil and gas and renewable energy.

The long timescales and intricate challenges of the work at Sellafield mean it is set to keep Cumbrian firms busy and innovating for many decades to come.

3. Morgan Sindall

As a group Morgan Sindall Infrastructure delivers some of the UKs most complex and critical infrastructure across six core sectors of nuclear, energy, water, highways, rail and aviation for government, public and private customers

The nuclear business unit, which has its head office in Whitehaven, works across partnerships, alliances and frameworks, delivering projects across highly regulated secure sites, including services for new build, decommissioning and nuclear defence facilities.

The company delivers a number of projects at Sellafield and comprises one of four partners which are part of its Programme and Project Partners consortium alongside KBR, Jacobs and Doosan.

4. James Fisher and Sons Plc

Founded in 1847 in Barrow as a ship-owning business to transport haematite from quarries in Cumbria around the world, James Fisher and Sons has since expanded into a global provider of trusted marine engineering solutions focused on the three core markets of energy, defence and maritime transport. It is a leader in the provision of submarine rescue and technical solutions, special operations and diving equipment for the global defence and commercial diving industries.

And, with the UK set to rapidly expand its capacity for offshore wind energy production, the group is well placed to play a valuable part in the supply chain in the coming years.

5. Carr’s Group

Until last year, Carr’s Group’s most visible assets may well have been the network of around 30 Carrs Billington country stores, spread across the UK, selling everything from farm machinery to animal feed.

However, when it completed the sale of its 50 per cent stake in the joint venture to partner the Edward Billington and Son for £44.5m in October it heralded the beginning of a new chapter in the company’s history.

Under new chief executive Peter Page, the group is now set to focus on its global animal nutrition business, as well as its engineering firms across the UK, Germany and the United States, which work in the nuclear, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, process and renewable energy industries, including robotic and remote handling equipment.

6. Associated British Ports

Handling 110,000 tonnes of cargo each year and as the site of BAE Systems' submarine design and manufacturing facility, the Port of Barrow is a vital part of the county’s economic infrastructure.

One of 21 ports operated by Associated British Ports, Barrow is a conduit for a vast range of materials to support manufacturing and industry, including limestone, sand, aggregates, granite, wood pulp and gas condensate.

It also provides a vital base for operations for offshore wind farms on the Irish Sea and will surely continue to do so as more are built in the coming years.

Further north, ABP also operates the Port of Silloth, which has a long history in supplying the nearby Carr's Flour Mill, supporting onshore wind projects and supplying local farming communities, as well as the specialist handling of molasses.

7. Story Contracting

Based in Carlisle, but with regional offices across England and Scotland, Story Contracting is involved in the construction of vital infrastructure projects in the UK.

Since 1987 Story has delivered over 6,500 projects for a wide range of public and private sector clients across the whole of the UK, including infrastructure, manufacturing, housing, highways and energy. Story now has nine regional offices covering the whole of Scotland and England and welcomed its nine hundredth employee last year.

Last year, the company also launched Story Start Up, which gives new and established businesses the chance to access financial support, grants and advice from its team to help them prosper and grow.

8. New Balance

Employing 280 people at its Flimby factory making trainers which are worn by some of the top sports people in the world, New Balance really does put Cumbria on the global manufacturing map.

Based in Boston, Massachusetts, New Balance has been making trainers in the county for the last 40 years and moved its Cumbrian operation to Flimby in 1991.

The factory produces 375,000 pairs annually and hopes to grow this number to 525,000 in the coming years.

Under the leadership of operations director Dan Holtby, the workforce are focused on continuous growth as well as sustainable developments, such as installing a £1.5m wind turbine to power the plant

9. James Cropper

Based in Burneside, near Kendal, for over 175 years, James Cropper Plc is probably best known as a maker of luxury papers. However, the business is also an innovator in recycling - including jeans and paper cups - as well as making moulded paper packaging. Meanwhile, its Technical Fibre Products business makes highly specialised materials for use in a wide range of industrial applications. In recent years it has also moved into making materials for use in electrolysers which make hydrogen.

“We're delighted to be featured so highly and amongst such fantastic businesses,” says chief executive Steve Adams.

“Our strategy and product development are ever more aligned with helping our customers and consumers reduce their environmental impact, whether via greener papers and packaging or the advanced materials we have developed for a wide range of renewable energy solutions.

“Our moulded packaging facility continues to grow, with some highly creative innovative packaging products launched in the luxury beauty and premium alcoholic beverage markets.

“The growth of our new hydrogen subsidiary has exceeded expectations and adds to the strong position we have built up as a maker of materials and components for both fuel cells and hydrogen electrolysers. This sector is fast gaining traction as a key element of the global transition away from fossil fuels.

“We have a goal to be operationally carbon neutral by 2030 and to reduce carbon through our entire supply chain to net zero by 2050.”

10. West Cumbria Mining

Whatever your opinion on the rights and wrongs of the £160m Woodhouse Colliery, near Whitehaven, if it goes ahead it has the potential to have a significant impact on the local economy.

With production expected to begin in 2025, the company behind the project - West Cumbria Mining - have repeatedly expressed their commitment to employing 500 local people in well paid jobs.

This is in addition to the effect on the local supply chain, with companies in the county already looking into developing products the mine will need when it gets underway.

11. Forth Engineering

With a head office in Maryport and bases in Barrow and Cleator Moor, Forth provides engineering solutions across a wealth of sectors including nuclear, oil and gas, renewables and deep water recovery.

“The past two years have brought great success for Forth as we have rolled our sleeves up to ensure we have delivered all our projects on time and to the highest standard possible,” says Forth Engineering managing director Mark Telford.

“Those projects have been extremely varied, from designing and manufacturing some world-first innovations and collaborating on nationally significant work to carrying out projects which make a huge difference to local communities. What we are particularly proud of is being so engaged with the people and businesses of our home in Cumbria, and being able to help build a stronger economy in the county.

“Some of the community projects we have been involved in include the creation of an interactive dustbin which encouraged positive thinking among school pupils and the donation of our indoor deep recovery water facility to allow volunteers at Maryport Rescue to carry out vital trials.

“Doing our bit to help the locality thrive is something extremely fulfilling, and we love being involved in so many great initiatives throughout the county.”

12. TSP Engineering

TSP Engineering has long been established as one of the most influential manufacturers in the county.

However, the announcement that the Workington firm will push to employ hundreds more people as it begins making small modular reactors only promises to grow its status even more.

In January chief executive John Coughlan revealed plans to increase its workforce from 250 to 1000 as it begins making NuCell small modular reactors, which will generate power for the National Grid.

It is hoped the first reactor units will be manufactured by 2027, continuing Cumbria’s long story of creating civil nuclear power. As of last year, the business is now part of GMET Engineering.

13. The Cumberland

With more than 30 branches across the North West, The Cumberland is a familiar name in banking to people in Cumbria and beyond. Last year it launched its ‘Kinder Banking’ initiative with a focus on treating customers and communities in a way which helps improve people’s lives.

“It has been another volatile year with cost-of-living pressures and repeated interest rate rises, as the Bank of England strives to bring surging inflation back under control,” says chiefs customer officer Claire Deekes.

“We have been well placed to withstand such shocks and demonstrate just what our commitment to ‘Kinder Banking’ means." In the last year we’ve won national and international awards for the way we support customers and feedback from real customers ensured we maintained our Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award. The endorsement shows we have had consistently exceptional customer service for a third consecutive year with a 96 per cent satisfaction rating.”

14. Createc

Formed in 2010 in Cockermouth, Createc has grown to employ over 30 people and receive Queen’s Awards for innovation and international trade.

Founded by chief executive Matt Mellor, the business began by using specialised equipment for imaging radiation. It now works across radiation measurement, robotics and technology for inspecting hazardous nuclear environments remotely and safely.

In recent years the company’s work has included working with US manufacturer Boston Dynamics to develop robot dog ‘Spot’ who has been deployed to investigate radioactive environments.

Createc has also spawned two spinout businesses; Sportlight, which is focused on technology used to track the performance of athletes, and Createc Robotics, which produces robotic operating systems.

15. H&H

Based in Carlisle H&H Group work across multiple sectors taking in livestock marketing, auctioneering, commercial print, digital marketing, insurance and property sectors.

“We’re really honoured to be included in Cumbria’s top twenty,” says chief executive Richard Rankin.

“If we have earned the right to be here, it is through no one exceptional achievement. As a business our aim has been to strengthen our presence across all of our companies within the Group. Building on the foundations put in place over the past four years, this has resulted in improvements in every sector.

“The core of our success I put down to investment in our people. As the next generation, we want to see them develop their careers, grow and blossom, taking us with them and looking to their own futures as the ongoing progression for H&H.

“The next chapter of the group’s ongoing growth and development is to strengthen connections within our local economies and communities. Whether it is in food production, protecting the landscape, or being part of the green agenda, we aim to be a voice, highlighting and showcasing what the rural sector does and then celebrating this.”

16. Kimberly-Clark

Employing around 350 people in Barrow making products including Kleenex, Huggies and Andrex, the Kimberly-Clark paper mill is a mainstay of the South Cumbrian economy.

Last year the factory announced a major investment in its future in the form of plans to build the county’s first £40m green hydrogen facility with partner Carlton Power. As well as helping decarbonise the facility, the plant could also produce hydrogen for use by many other companies in the area.

17. Kingmoor Park

Offering an array of incentives and Government support to foster business, Kingmoor Park Enterprise Zone, in Carlisle, is a real hotbed of innovative commerce in Cumbria.

Around 80 organisations call the site home including firms such as Cubby Construction, Clark Door, Thomas Graham and Sons, Story Homes and Mitchell Dryers.

The park, which is owned by millionaire entrepreneur and investor Brian Scowcroft - who has a particular interest in growing green businesses - is set to grow, with permission granted in January for an extension allowing for up to 1.1m square feet of additional industrial projects.

With work on parts of ‘K2’ already underway, Kingmoor Park is well set to continue playing a huge part in Cumbrian business for many years to come.

18. Genesis Homes

December marked another milestone for Genesis Homes, based in Penrith, with the company celebrating the construction of its 300th home since it was founded in 2017.

The company has changed massively since those early days when it was formed to build new homes on relatively small pieces of land at Wigton and Brigham.

Today it has 13 developments all over the county, six of them complete and the remainder underway or coming soon.

The business grew in 2021 with the acquisition of South Lakes based Russell Armer Homes and built more than 170 new homes in the last financial year.

Chief executive Nicky Gordon and his team are now focused on building 300 more properties each year by 2028.

19. Oxley Group

Founded by Freddy Oxley in 1942, Oxley Group, in Ulverston, has grown to be a globally respected specialist producer of

LED lighting, night vision lighting, EMI filters, electronic component supplies and data capture products, with applications in defence, telecommunications, rail and aerospace.

“Oxley celebrated our 80th birthday in 2022, our family values, innovation and end to end manufacture remain a focus today as they were when Freddy Oxley founded the business,” says marketing manager Jayne Moorby.

“2022 saw a record order intake for the group, with Oxley sales covering 34 countries across the globe.

Oxley was proud to join Team Tempest, working on the new Global Combat Air System, operating at the cutting edge of innovation and secured our world leading position in vehicle lighting following a multimillion-pound contract award for LED lighting on the British Army’s new Boxer vehicles.

“The company has continued significant investment in the business with a new £1.5M ERP system and remains committed to our family values through the introduction of a four-day working week; improving employee wellbeing, productivity and reducing our carbon footprint.

“Supporting the local community is central to the Oxley ethos and the team have now had over 20,000 interactions with young people supporting STEM and developing employability skills.”

20. McMenon Engineering Services

Under the management of husband and wife team Anand Puthran and Shiby Bernard, McMenon Engineering Services, in Salterbeck, is going from strength to strength.

Since purchasing the temperature and flow measurement instrumentation business from ABB in 2018, they have been focused on diversification and growth.

This has come in a number of areas, including nuclear, and this year it announced the acquisition of a state-of-the-art product line from former owner ABB, manufacturing a range of variable area flowmeters.

Production has now begun and promises to increase McMenon’s current workforce of 65 by a third.

This is in addition to picking up a number of major contracts at Sellafield Ltd and ambitions for more growth in sectors including renewable energy and hydrogen production.

Anand, who was named last year’s Businessperson of the Year in the in-Cumbria Business Awards, is striving to make McMenon a household name in the county and beyond and, at this rate, no-one would bet against it.