Online retailer TheHut.com tops this year’s list of technology companies in the Northwest, and is ranked No 18 in Britain, according to the latest Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100 league table published this weekend.

Now in its seventh year, the annual league table ranks Britain’s one hundred fastest- growing, private technology companies by their sales growth over a two-year period, according to their latest available accounts. The majority (75) of companies on the table were in profit.

Seven businesses in the region (compared with 11 last year) have won places on this year’s listing. Each of these companies has made a substantial contribution to the local economy. Together they employ 878 staff and have racked up combined sales of £84m.

Based in Northwich, Cheshire, TheHut.com (No 18) runs its own website selling home entertainment products, such as books, DVDs and games. Founded only three years ago by Matthew Moulding and John Gallemore, the company’s sales soared an average of 187% a year from £692,000 in 2005 to £5.7m in 2007.