A Kirkby company has been hailed as one of the fastest growing operations in the East Midlands for the second successive year.

Merritts, of the Lowmoor Business Park are specialists in the lifting, transportation, installation, removal and storage of manufacturing machinery and production equipment.

The firm employs almost 40 local people, and its customers range from small-to-medium-sized enterprises to global organisations.

It has been recognised again in a study, based on profit growth over a three-year period, by Grant Thornton, a leading financial and business adviser.

In a list of 200 companies, the Kirkby firm has risen from 78th to 32nd and has been praised for “making a significant contribution to the success of the East Midlands.”

Co-owner James Merritt said: “It gives a great sense of satisfaction to know that the hard effort we put in is delivering a successful outcome.

“We have taken on an increased number of large-scale projects, which has enabled us to invest in more resources. We have further scope to expand and plan to build on this momentum.”

Merritts has generated growth in many ways, including diversification into new markets, investment in equipment and hiring more sales personnel.

Nottinghamshire has the highest representation on the list of any county with 55 businesses currently registered.