LAND of Leather, retailer of three-piece suites, is sitting pretty after claiming top spot in a list of the county's fastest-growing companies. According to Megagrowth 50, the first-ever guide to Kent and Medway's high-flying enterprises, the Northfleet-based company with outlets in Maidstone, Canterbury and nationwide grew by more than 1,600 per cent in the past four years.

Sales soared from £4 million in 1997-98 to more than £72m in 2000-1. The company topped the list of 50 enterprises in Megagrowth 50, sponsored by KPMG and Lloyds TSB Commercial, and produced by the Kent Messenger Group.

The publication was launched at a breakfast ceremony in the Russell Hotel, Maidstone. David Forge, a partner with KPMG, and Adrian Wenn, business development manager with Lloyds TSB Commercial, congratulated the top 50. Mr Wenn said: "It's a fantastic achievement by all of you and it show the enormous potential there is here in Kent and Medway."

Guest speaker Prof Richard Scase, a business forecaster based at the University of Kent at Canterbury, welcomed the new publication. He told leaders of the fast-growing companies: "Don't be complacent, keep innovating in technology and human beings, make sure you get advice, keep developing your strategies - and let's hope we can have a Megagrowth 100 next year."

Megagrowth 50 is distributed with the June issue of Kent Business.