Barrier Group has been named the North East's fastest growing business, securing top honours at the 2026 Ward Hadaway North East Fastest 50 Awards. The annual event, which has been recognising the region's most dynamic firms for 28 years, took place at the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead last Friday.
The ceremony brought together business figures from across the region to honour the North East's most rapidly expanding privately owned companies. Organised in partnership with The Journal, the ranking lists privately owned, profitable North East businesses according to their average annual turnover growth across three financial years.
Winners Across Categories
Wallsend-headquartered Barrier Group, which operates across modular construction, industrial services and fire protection, was crowned both overall winner and fastest growing large business. Gateshead's OES Group, which delivers testing, inspection and compliance services across energy, marine and industrial markets, was named the fastest growing medium-sized business. The small business award went to Newton Aycliffe-based lead-generation firm The Media Den.
This year's 50 businesses boast a combined turnover of £1.3bn and provide employment for 6,803 people, up from 5,353 three years ago. Average turnover growth across the companies featured on the list stands at 37%.
Recognition of Regional Growth
Barrier Group's operations director Kevin Judson said: “We’ve had a few years where we’ve really concentrated on clients, contracts and building a solid foundation. We’ve taken that opportunity to grow and we’ve diversified in a number of different ways.
“We’ve invested in people and facilities and it’s afforded us the opportunity to secure new contracts outside of our original core operations. We’re now undertaking contracts in offshore wind and our largest area of growth is offshore modular.
“If I’m honest, the next five or six years is going to be even stronger. We’ve got really, really good prospects.”
Delivering the opening address at the awards ceremony, Damien Charlton, partner and head of commercial at Ward Hadaway, said: "The rising jobs figure alone gives you a sense of what these businesses are contributing to the North East. Almost 1,500 more people are employed by this year's 50 companies than three years ago, which alongside the increase in turnover truly demonstrates the level of achievement."
"A place in the Fastest 50 reflects growth sustained over three years while remaining profitable, so there is a great deal behind every name on the list. These are businesses recruiting people, winning work, investing and making decisions about where they go next. To see that happening across such a wide range of sectors is a real positive for the region."
Keynote Speaker Highlights Resilience
Attendees also listened to keynote speaker Vikki Jackson-Smith, founder of Hartlepool-based JandB Recycling. Vikki started working in her family's solid-fuel enterprise at 16 as a weighbridge clerk before progressing into transport management and established JandB Recycling in 1998 as demand for solid fuel diminished. The firm went on to employ approximately 200 staff and process over 200,000 tonnes of waste annually.
Vikki said: "Did I get every decision right? Absolutely not. What mattered was learning quickly, deciding, measuring, listening and adjusting. If it works, scale it. If it doesn't, own it, learn from it and move on."
"The North East has never been short of initiative, resilience or generosity, and the companies recognised here today are part of that continuing story. We share what we know, we open doors and we back each other. That's not just community spirit; it's a competitive advantage."
Nick Gholkar, executive partner in Ward Hadaway's Newcastle office, said: "The Fastest 50 looks very different today from 15 or 20 years ago. Technology has removed some of the barriers to scaling a business and we are seeing a new generation of founders able to grow companies more quickly, alongside established businesses that continue to find new markets and new ways of working."
"One thing that has not changed is the willingness of North East businesses to help each other. There is a strong culture of sharing experience, making introductions and supporting other companies when they do well. That sense of being part of one business community is a real strength for the region."
