Britain's Mittelstand is thriving: An opportunity for ambitious investors

As Britain has laboured to escape recession, we have heard a common complaint from critics of industrial and economic policy: "Where are Britain's ‘Mittelstand' companies?"

The answer may surprise. Germany may be renowned for its Mittelstand class - the large, successful and privately-owned (often by single families) enterprises that sustain its economy - but Britain has many such businesses too. These companies deserve our support and applause - and greater recognition. While the businesses that form the bedrock of the German Mittelstand are less common in the UK, there are good reasons for that. In Germany, the founders of these businesses are able to hold on to them for longer without sacrificing ambitions for growth, because they are able to secure d...