InDaily’s annual ranking of the state’s top 100 companies by market capitalisation and revenue covers the 2020-21 financial year and includes a mix of newcomers, improvers and companies sliding rapidly down the rankings.

The list, compiled for InDaily by Adelaide financial services firm Taylor Collison, is the state’s most definitive guide to our top companies (scroll to the bottom of the page for eligibility criteria).

The countdown begins today, with the companies ranked 100 to 81, and will continue all week – with the top 20 and full list revealed on Friday.

Family-owned businesses are strongly represented in this first section of the list, which is headlined by Cochrane’s Transport at No. 81.

Owned by Peter Cochrane and based at its new $20 million Gillman depot, the company has more than 45 years of experience delivering across Adelaide and Regional SA plus Mildura and Broken Hill.

Another family business, air conditioning specialists Mannix Electrical have entered the Top 100 this year at 98 along with listed graphene developer Sparc Technologies at No. 100.

The owner of the Kanmantoo copper-gold mine in the Adelaide Hills, Hillgrove Resources, rejoins the list at 96 after a 12-month absence while commercial builders Kennett and pub group Matthews Hotels also join the list in 2021.

It was a tough year for some of the state’s engineering firms with RJE Global falling 36 spots to 88 and GPA Engineering dropping 22 spots to 97.

Bushfire-ravaged Kangaroo Island Plantation Timber tumbled 13 places to 82 after its $40 million Smith Bay port application was rejected by the State Government.

Angove Family Winemakers were also down 13 places to 86 and specialist supplier of lifting and rigging solutions A Noble & Son were down 14 positions to 93.

Family-owned fuel distributor L H Perry & Sons fell into this section of the list this year, down 13 places from No.72 in 2020.

Some notable omissions from the 2021 list included builder Rivergum Homes, which was ranked 101 after being No. 89 last year and No. 61 in 2019.

VIP Home Services (102), software company Prophecy International Holdings (103), IJF Australia (104) and LBT Innovations (106) all fell out of the top 100 after featuring last year.

100. Sparc Technologies

Sector: Information technology and equipment | Revenue: Undisclosed | Last Year’s Ranking: Unranked

Sparc Technologies Ltd develops innovative graphene-based technology solutions.

99. Vintage Energy

Sector: Energy | Revenue: Undisclosed | Last Year’s Ranking: 97

Vintage Energy is an oil and gas exploration and energy company.

98. Mannix Electrical

Sector: Electrical | Revenue: $46.7m | Last Year’s Ranking: Unranked

Mannix Electrical Pty Ltd is an electrical contracting business that specialises in air conditioning, home heating and solar.

97. GPA Engineering

Sector: Engineering | Revenue: Undisclosed | Last Year’s Ranking: 75

GPA Engineering is a multidisciplinary engineering and management firm.

96. Hillgrove Resources

Sector: Mining | Revenue: Not meaningful | Last Year’s Ranking: Unranked

Hillgrove Resources Limited is an Australian mining and resources company primarily focused on the development of the Kanmantoo Copper mine.

95. Escient

Sector: Information technology and equipment | Revenue: $24.5m | Last Year’s Ranking: 90

Escient is an employee-owned digital and business advisory firm.

94. Kennett

Sector: Building and Construction | Revenue: $100 million | Last Year’s Ranking: Unranked

Kennett’s is a family-owned company that delivers major commercial construction projects.

93. A Noble & Son

Sector: Other | Revenue: $44.9m | Last Year’s Ranking: 79

Noble’s provides lifting and rigging equipment, technical services and engineering design.

92. Finsbury Green

Sector: Printing | Revenue: Undisclosed | Last Year’s Ranking: 82

Finsbury Green is a print, managed services and logistics company based in Adelaide.

91. Fyfe

Sector: Engineering | Revenue: $52 million | Last Year’s Ranking: 84

Fyfe is a land, resource and infrastructure development consultancy specialising in engineering, environmental, planning and surveying services for a variety of industries.

90. Robern Menz

Sector: Food and beverage | Revenue: Undisclosed | Last Year’s Ranking: 91

Robern Menz is a confectioner with products including FruChocs and Violet Crumble.

89. Havilah Resources

Sector: Mining | Revenue: Not meaningful | Last Year’s Ranking: 78

Havilah Resources engages in the exploration of gold, base metals, and other mineral deposits in Australia.

88. RJE Global

Sector: Building and construction | Revenue: $83 million | Last Year’s Ranking: 52

Established in 1996, RJE provides multi-disciplinary engineering and construction services to complex projects across a range of industries.

87. Matthews Hotels

Sector: Hospitality | Revenue: $56 million | Last Year’s Ranking: Unranked

Matthews Hotels is a hospitality company that owns and operates a range of hotels in Adelaide, Mount Gambier and Whyalla.

86. Angove Family Winemakers

Sector: Food and beverage | Revenue: Undisclosed | Last Year’s Ranking: 73

Founded in 1886, Angove Family Winemakers is a 5th generation, family-owned winery that produces premium South Australian wines, mainly from the McLaren Vale region.

85. L H Perry & Sons

Sector: Energy | Revenue: Undisclosed | Last Year’s Ranking: 72

LH Perry & Sons is a family-owned fuel distribution company, founded in 1949.

84. Mossop Group

Sector: Building and construction | Revenue: $150.2m | Last Year’s Ranking: 87

Mossop is a construction and interiors company working on commercial, education, health, hospitality and residential projects.

83. Nova Eye Medical

Sector: Healthcare | Revenue: $13.3m | Last Year’s Ranking: 85

Nova Eye Medical develops novel glaucoma treatment technologies.

82. Kangaroo Island Plantation Timbers

Sector: Agriculture | Revenue: Not meaningful | Last Year’s Ranking: 69

Kangaroo Island Plantation Timbers manages hardwood and softwood forestry plantations on Kangaroo Island.

81. Peter Cochrane Management (Cochrane’s Transport)

Sector: Infrastructure and transportation | Revenue: $60.7m | Last Year’s Ranking: 80

Cochrane’s is an express logistics business, servicing South Australia, Mildura and Broken Hill.

Eligibility

Companies owned in part or whole by government, government agencies and organisations, and registered charities are not eligible.

While companies don’t have to nominate to be included in the list, which is based on market capitalisation, local businesses are encouraged to put their names forward.

To be eligible a company must be:

• A South Australian entity with an Adelaide ownership register, or a South Australian operated entity; or
• A company founded and majority-owned by South Australians.

Now in its seventh year, the Index has become a key source of data for those with a keen interest in the South Australian economy and business environment.