Eight Huddersfield companies are among Yorkshire’s best-perfoming businesses, a survey has revealed.

The eight are listed among the region’s top 250 companies in the Yorkshire Report compiled by business services firm BDO. Together, the 250 firms have revenue exceeding £100bn and cash in the bank totalling £3.2bn.

Huddersfield’s excellent eight generated revenue of £796m and together employ 4,739 people. They have also amassed export sales of £185m.

The eight are vehicle recovery and fleet management firm FMG, haulage company Hoyer Petrolog UK Ltd, nursery products firm Mamas & Papas, services provider Mavisbank Ltd, signage and branding specialist Principle Holdings Ltd, pharmaceuticals manufacturer Thornton & Ross, engineering firm VTL Group and air industry supplier Wesco Aircraft Europe Ltd.

Thornton and Ross at Linthwaite.

Analysis which splits the region’s top 50 firms – those with turnover of £300m-plus – and the mid-market 200 reveals it is the medium-sized businesses that are driving growth and prosperity for Yorkshire.

Turnover, overseas sales and employee numbers are growing faster in the mid-market than they are among Yorkshire’s biggest businesses. Turnover has grown by 13.2% for mid-sized firms against 5.2% for the largest 50 companies while employment levels are up by 11.6% compared with 2.8% and overseas sales have rocketed by 19.3% opposed to just 3.6% in large firms.

Terry Jones, partner and head of BDO LLP in Yorkshire, said: “Yorkshire firms have recovered well and are growing strongly, with cash in the bank, employment and overseas sales all on the up. But what’s really clear is how important the mid-market is to our regional economy and future prosperity.”

Manufacturers account for 72 of the region’s top 250 companies. The region’s manufacturers saw profits before tax jump by 38% to more than £1bn in the reporting period. The sector also accounts for more than half of all overseas sales made by the 250 companies.

The retail sector continues to be the largest contributor to revenues with a £44.3bn contribution.

However, profits have plummeted following another tough year for food retailers Asda and Morrisons, which account for more than 90% of the sector’s revenues. Manufacturing was the second biggest contributor with revenues at £12.4bn, followed by the food and drink sector which recorded a 22% jump to £11.3bn.