NINE of Ipswich's best performing companies are today celebrating being elevated to the business world's equivalent of the Premiership.The fast growing businesses have made it on to the Ipswich 100 Index, which lists the area's most successful companies.

NINE of Ipswich's best performing companies are today celebrating being elevated to the business world's equivalent of the Premiership.

The fast growing businesses have made it on to the Ipswich 100 Index, which lists the area's most successful companies.

The list, put together by Ensors Chartered Accountants and Ipswich Borough Council, features the top companies which have headquarters in Ipswich.

At a presentation ceremony at IP-City Centre in Bath Street, Ipswich, James Hehir, Ipswich Borough Council's chief executive, announced the latest additions to the list.

He said the continued growth of Ipswich-based companies and the emergence of new firms was crucial to the town's development.

Mr Hehir said: “Ipswich is the fastest growing urban centre in the east of England. We are growing rapidly and we are growing very positively.

“The ambition of Ipswich is to become the regional capital of the east of England by 2020.”

Among the high fliers were Birketts Solicitors, which has seen growth of 150 per cent in the past five years and a 50 per cent increase in staff.

Alistair Lang, the company's chief executive, said: “I am delighted that we have been given the award.

“I can always tell the staff that they are doing a good job but to get external success I think is great for all the people in the office.”

Also making the list this year was specialised website development firm A Recipe for Success, based at Felaw Maltings, which has grown from a two-man operation run by directors Tonya Hills and Jeff Hume to have a turnover target for 2005 of £500,000.

Mr Hume, a former BT employee at Adastral Park, said: “There are 18 of us now and when we started the company we both still had full time jobs.

“In the first year it was 100per cent growth and in the years since it's been 30 or 40per cent growth.”

The Ipswich Index 100 was developed on the back of a national scheme recognising outstanding business growth.

The nine companies to make it on to the list for the first time this year join others like Anglia Telecom in Handford Road and Seven Asset Management in St Peter's Street already on the list.

Cllr Richard Atkins, Ipswich Borough Council's economic development portfolio holder, said: “I think this is a tremendous index to get some recognition for the engines of growth that provide jobs for our area.”

N Do you know of a business which is changing the face of Ipswich? Call Grant Sherlock on 01473 324 799 or e-mail grant.sherlock@eveningstar.co.uk.

The new members of the Ipswich 100 Index:

n MLM Consulting Engineers, London Road, Ipswich

n The Hearing Care Centre, High Street, Ipswich

n Suffolk Life Group, Princes Street, Ipswich

n Ipswich Building Society, 14 branches throughout Suffolk

n Ipswich Buses, Constantine Road, Ipswich

n Birketts Solicitors, Museum Street, Ipswich

n A Recipe for Success, Felaw Street, Ipswich

n FLOvate Technologies, Cutler Street, Ipswich

n Q/DOS Networks, Manor Lane, Stutton