A Newcastle-based recruitment firm has been honoured as the region's fastest-growing small business, celebrating a journey of steady ambition that began on a living room table.
From Humble Beginnings to Industry Accolade
AJP Recruitment has claimed the prestigious title of Fastest Growing Small Business of the Year at the 2025 Ward Hadaway North East Fastest 50 Awards. The annual event, run in partnership with The Journal, recognises privately owned companies across the region that are fuelling economic growth, creating jobs, and driving innovation.
For founder and managing director Andrew Paton, the award presented a rare opportunity to pause and reflect on their achievement. "It felt brilliant," he said. "Day to day we're incredibly busy, focused on meeting constant deadlines. You don't get much time to reflect. Winning this made us stop and think – we're doing something right. It's the team who make it all work, so it's good to see that acknowledged."
The business began in 2012, operating from Paton's living room table while he was experiencing first-time fatherhood. Unlike many rapid-growth stories, AJP's expansion has been characterised by deliberate, sustainable progress rather than explosive scaling.
Riding the Wave of North East Industrial Resurgence
The company's success story closely mirrors the remarkable resurgence of the North East's traditional industrial sectors. AJP has experienced sharp growth in contractor numbers as demand for skilled tradespeople – including sheet metal workers, fabricators, and craft workers – remains vital to major projects across the region and beyond.
While proudly rooted in the North East, with their Newcastle airport advert stating 'Home Newcastle', the company's reach extends nationally across the UK and internationally to clients in locations as diverse as Taiwan and Brazil.
Andrew explains this broader context: "In some ways the industrial heritage of the North East has been reborn and reimagined. We have ship building on the Tyne again, but we've also got those heritage skills employed in different industries across renewable energy, defence, aerospace, and automotive in particular. That's created opportunities for people with hands-on skills and driven much of our growth."
A Human-Centric Approach in an AI-Driven World
Despite operating in a recruitment industry increasingly dominated by technology and automation, AJP maintains a commitment to human connection. While acknowledging the rise of Artificial Intelligence, automated filters, video applications, and chatbots, the company consciously resists full automation where it might compromise personal service.
"We'd rather speak to people in person and understand their needs," Andrew states. "Recruitment is a human job, and we believe people like to deal with people."
This philosophy extends to their internal culture too. The business invests significant time in each staff member, fostering an environment where people can perform at their best without the detrimental pressure for quick results that often characterises the recruitment sector.
Looking ahead, AJP is preparing to grow its team further, particularly through graduate and apprentice routes, while strengthening its specialism across energy, defence, aerospace, and automotive sectors.
Gillian Chinhengo, partner at Ward Hadaway, commented: "AJP Recruitment reflects the very best of North East business – rooted in the region's industrial heritage while supporting the new sectors driving future growth. To build a business steadily, invest in people, and win the trust of major clients in such competitive markets is no small feat."
From its origins on a living room table to supporting some of the world's most significant engineering and energy projects, AJP Recruitment demonstrates what can be achieved when ambition remains steady, grounded, and sincere.
