An IT company dreamt up by two young computer enthusiasts on a school bus was one of the businesses celebrated at a one-of-a-kind awards ceremony.

Specialist Apple computer shop Solutions Inc. was founded by Brighton College students John Pavin and Aiden Bowen in 1992 – long before the computer giant became a global success story.

The company still has a flagship store in Hove – but now employs more than 100 staff, with five more stores in Chichester, Bournemouth, Guildford, St Albans and Chelmsford.

The tech lovers are also the first in the UK to stock MakerBot 3D printers and were one of nearly 100 high-growth companies celebrated at the inaugural Sussex Super Growth awards after achieving 41% growth. Founder John Pavin said: “We’re always looking at the latest piece of technology.

“I think the ten-year-old of today playing with a 3D printer will go on to be the next James Dyson.”

Another success story heard at the awards was Pets Corner, which began life as a humble family shop in Haywards Heath in 1968.

Animal lovers Mark and Sandra Richmond, who kept dogs, cats, birds, fish, horses and chickens, built up the business to seven stores, until handing over to their son Dean, who had worked for them since the age of 16, and his friend of 25-years Steven Charman.

Entrepreneurial Dean’s first venture was making bird feeders at school, which he sold to local pet shops and garden centres and delivered by bicycle. Since taking over in 1998, Pets Corner has been built up to 94 stores across the UK – with one opening every three weeks on average.

With its roots still firmly in Sussex, the business is headquartered in Crawley, employs 500 people and achieved 66% growth.

The Sussex Super Growth awards ceremony, held yesterday morning at the American Express Community stadium, was hosted by Tony Mernagh, executive chairman of the economic partnership, and introduced by Mike Gilson, new group editor at The Argus.

One of several companies to benefit from its proximity to Gatwick was aircraft spares company Saywell International.

The family business, founded 60 years ago by Ron Saywell, is now headed up by his son Peter.

IN PICTURES: The Sussex Super Growth awards

The company moved from the airport to a 175,000 sq ft state-of-the-art home in Downlands Business Park, Worthing, which includes a cinema, indoor football pitch, gymnasium, lounge and games area for its 57 staff.

As well as building up one of Europe’s leading aircraft spare parts companies, Mr Saywell boasts a world-renowned personal collection of supercars including a Pagani Zonda PS, Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4, Koenigsegg Agera, Ford GT, Ferrari F40, Ferrari 458 and many more.

Starting out his electrical contracting business as “one man and a van”, Michael Winters founded Winters Electrical Services 25 years ago.

The company now employs around 70 staff directly – plus up to 80 sub-contractors – and has recently worked on The Shard, The Royal Albert Hall, Madame Tussauds and London Dungeons – as well as an electrical fit-out of Network Rail’s flagship new building in Three Bridges, 200 yards from Mr Winters’ office.

He said: “This recognition will make a massive difference for us with local businesses. After 25 years it’s a really nice achievement.”

A company which is enjoying the gastronomic boom in Sussex is wines and spirits supplier H T White & Company.

The independent, fourth generation, family-run business, operates from Eastbourne but has lots of customers in Brighton and Hove.

Managing director Chris Lees said: “It’s great to get on the map in Brighton where we do a lot of our business and have some our most long-standing relationships.”

Another company reaping the rewards of the foodie revolution is Steamer Trading.

It was opened some 30 years ago by Liz and David Phillips as a specialist cookshop in Alfriston’s Steamer cottages – built in 1400 and formerly The Steamer Inn, thought to be a haunt for smugglers.

Ahead of the curve with the emergence of celebrity chefs, it built up a reputation as the ‘go to’ place for all things kitchen-related and in 1997 a second shop was opened in Lewes.

Today, the company has 33 stores, from Brighton all the way up to Glasgow. A training company which made the top ten of the Sussex Super Growth Awards with 88% growth was HIT Training.

It was recently named as one of the Sunday Times top places to work – and managing director Jill Whittaker said its success proved a national company could operate from an aircraft hangar at Shoreham Airport.

She said: “Because we’re a national company people forget we started in Sussex – but we’re proof you can run a national company from a little hangar. The airport is incredibly diverse with all sorts of different businesses.” But it was not all glamour at the sharp end of high-growth business, as one finalist admitted.

Nick Summers, sales and marketing director at AVS Fencing Supplies, based in Horsham, said: “What we do isn’t sexy, but what we can achieve is.

“It’s about taking advantage of specific opportunities.

“We want to be the best at what we do.”

Sussex Super Growth awards

Sussex Super Growth was organised by asb Law, Lloyds Bank, Kerston Reeves and The Argus.

It is a comprehensive index of the most high-growth companies in Sussex.

To have been entered, companies must be active and their main trading address must be in Sussex.

Turnover must be at least £1 million in the base year, the company must be profitable and it must not be quoted.

Growth figures are based on a three-year period with all information based on records filed with Companies House.

Companies do not enter themselves into the awards or pay a fee and were approached by the awards partners.

- See Tuesday’s edition of The Argus for more coverage, photographs and a pull-out supplement on the winners

Top achievers at the awards

THE battle for the top spot was a dead heat with two companies named joint winners.

International freight Kingscote Rojay, based in Crawley, and IT firm Keysource, based in Horsham, both achieved growth of 135% over a three-period.

The companies were only separated in growth by up to three decimal points so were made joint winners of the inaugural awards.

Robert MacPherson, international sales director at Kingscote Rojay, said: “This has surpassed all our expectations. Hopefully we will continue to move in the same direction.”

Financial director Nick Hill added: “In the last few years we’ve grown from 50 to 110 staff with offices in New York, Hong Kong and Ireland.”

Mike West, managing director of Keysource, said: “How we did it I have no idea. As a business we’re ambitious and want to grow and are working hard to innovate. It’s fantastic to be recognised in Sussex.”

The top placed Brighton company, with growth of 99%, was event management and creative agency Yellow Fish.

Beccy Shore, head of business development at Yellow Fish, said: “It’s an amazing achievement, we’re so excited, it’s fantastic.

“We’re a very close team and had a really successful year with consistent growth and the team has worked so hard.”