Watkiss Automation included in Sunday Times export growth 100

Watkiss Automation has been named in a Sunday Times list of privately owned businesses with the fastest growing global sales.

The Bedfordshire-based finishing equipment manufacturer came 71st in the International Track 100, with a 55.73% growth in export orders in the past two years.

According to the report, the company made £5.9m in international sales in its latest full-year results, up from a base sale figure of £2.4m.

Exports accounted for a large proportion of the company's £7.1m turnover for the 12 months to February 2009.

Communications director Jo Watkiss said: "UK manufacturing is much maligned. People are always surprised to learn that we actually manufacture in the UK – they assume that there is no manufacturing left in Britain.

"There may not be the huge manufacturing sectors that there used to be, but on a smaller scale there is still a lot of manufacturing; ink on paper is considered manufacturing."

The list was topped by energy provider Global Energy Group, which recorded an export increase of 416%, ahead of Browns Food Group, which was up 288%.