The SoGlos Top 100 Businesses in Gloucestershire 2025 offers a snapshot of the county's economic strength and industry variety.
From multi-billion-pound turnovers to remarkable growth, this year's rankings reveal a business community that continues to thrive.
We caught up with Top 100 partner System Force IT to reflect and discuss the stand-out trends, the wider impact of the county's booming tech and cyber sectors and why being named in the definitive list is a powerful marker of trust in today's ever-evolving marketplace.
As a partner of the SoGlos Top 100 Businesses in Gloucestershire 2025, what was your first reaction when you saw which companies made it this year? Were there any surprises?
Reading this year’s list was truly energising! The combined performance of the Top 100 Businesses is remarkable: Grant Thornton’s Gloucestershire Limited report found a 55 per cent jump in EBITDA and a 34 per cent increase in total turnover to £5.4 billion.
It's heartening to see the Green Britain Group at number 11, demonstrating just how seriously our county is committed to renewable energy.
I was also struck by the breadth of sectors represented — from advanced engineering and food production to real estate and software.
Some names were quite surprising. For instance, a Cotswolds-based computer equipment wholesaler, Infinigate, recorded a turnover of over £220 million with revenue growth of more than 11 per cent.
Businesses like Last Mile Infrastructure, with huge EBITDA growth, and PHINIA/Delphi’s spin-off, also demonstrate the pace of change. It shows that Gloucestershire’s economy isn’t just recovering – it’s evolving.
Which sectors stood out to you the most this year and why do you think they're doing so well in Gloucestershire right now?
Three sectors really jumped out in the data. Business support services generated about £1.4 billion in revenue and grew around 20 per cent. This speaks to the strength of our logistics, engineering services and professional support firms.
The consumer sector was close behind, with £1.3 billion in revenue – a 39 per cent year-on-year increase – driven by automotive retailers, food producers and hospitality.
I was also impressed by healthcare and life sciences; their EBITDA growth was an astonishing 125 per cent.
Outside Grant Thornton’s categories, real estate and construction posted £619 million of revenue and employed over 2,100 people, which is remarkable given interest rate pressures.
I think these sectors thrive here because of our skilled workforce, strong transport links, universities like Hartpury and Gloucestershire College and the county’s reputation for innovation and quality.
Some big cyber and tech names are high on the list. What do you think this says about Gloucestershire's growing role in the UK's tech and cyber sectors?
Seeing firms such as Infinigate, L3Harris TRL, Spirax Group, Renishaw, and PHINIA high up the rankings tells a clear story about Gloucestershire’s emergence as a national tech and cyber powerhouse.
Infinigate’s computer hardware and cyber-security distribution arm achieved over £220 million turnover and almost doubled operating profit, which illustrates the scale of opportunity.
L3Harris TRL, part of a global defence communications group, anchors its cyber electronics work in Tewkesbury.
These successes build on the presence of GCHQ and the planned Golden Valley cyber park; they show that our region is attracting both multinational investment and innovative SMEs. It’s a vote of confidence in our talent pipeline and regulatory environment.
Do you think having so many cyber and tech businesses in the county benefits smaller local companies too? How?
Absolutely, large cyber and tech firms create a cluster effect.
They subcontract work to local specialists; draw in smaller suppliers into national and international supply chains; and increase demand for professional services, catering and facilities.
They also invest in training, up-skilling the local workforce and they lobby for better digital infrastructure, which benefits everyone.
Perhaps most importantly, their presence draws national attention to Gloucestershire, helping smaller start-ups secure investment and customers.
How do you think being in the Top 100 affects a company's reputation – especially in the tech world?
Being named in the Top 100 is like receiving an independent stamp of credibility.
It signals to customers, investors and potential recruits that a company has substantial turnover, robust management and is contributing to the local economy.
In the tech world, where trust and stability are vital, that recognition can be especially powerful. It helps in tendering for larger projects, attracting skilled engineers and developers and positioning the business as a market leader.
Many companies in the Top 100 deal with sensitive data, from finance to manufacturing. What are the biggest online threats they face right now?
The threat landscape is evolving rapidly. Ransomware remains the number one risk, with attackers targeting supply chains, operational technology, as well as IT systems.
Business email compromise and phishing continue to be lucrative for criminals and we’re also seeing a rise in ‘zero-day’ exploits against widely used software, which means patch management has never been more important.
For manufacturers and utilities, attacks on industrial control systems pose real risks to safety. Add to that the growing use of AI by criminals to craft convincing social engineering attacks and it’s clear that complacency is not an option.
If you could give Gloucestershire businesses one piece of cyber advice, what would it be?
My one piece of cyber advice? Make cyber-security a culture, not a project.
Technology alone won’t protect you – your people are your first line of defence. So ensure that everyone, from the board to the shop floor, understands the basics:
- How to identify a phishing email
- Why multi-factor authentication is essential
- The importance of promptly reporting incidents
