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Ontario's fastest-growing companies revealed: The annual PROFIT 100 ranking
Jun 4, 2007
PROFIT magazine reveals its exclusive annual ranking of Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies today TORONTO, June 4 /CNW/ - "Should we pursue this opportunity?" is a question that confronts all growing businesses. The phenomenal revenue growth of the 2007 PROFIT 100 companies-averaging 2,095% over the past five years-shows how skillfully they've picked and seized the best opportunities out there. Even more impressive is that their climb to combined annual sales of $11.5 billion hasn't come at the expense of profitability: 78% of the PROFIT 100 were in the black in their most recent fiscal year, averaging net income of 10.4% of revenue. "PROFIT 100 companies are the new heroes of Canadian business, creating jobs at home and products used around the world," says Ian Portsmouth, editor of PROFIT magazine. "They've accomplished this by building great employee teams, exploiting export markets and rapidly responding to the customer's fast-changing needs." Opportunities in all sectors The firms achieving these remarkable results operate in a dizzying array of sectors. The 2007 PROFIT 100 boasts companies in debt collection, energy production, junk removal and GPS tracking. You'll find retailers, marketing agencies, software developers, Web-hosting services and IT consultants on the list. And, contrary to its reputation as a sunset business, Canadian manufacturing is going strong, with producers of mattresses, clothing, furniture and other goods occupying positions on PROFIT's 19th annual ranking of Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies. Canada's Fastest-Growing Company Laying claim to top spot on the 2007 PROFIT 100 is Edmonton-based Rentcash Inc., a leading provider in the crowded sector of short-term consumer loans. Founded in 2000 by rent-to-own specialist Gordon Reykdal, Rentcash notched 2006 sales of $154 million-up 33,700% from 2001-offering further proof that you can build a booming business in just about any industry. Ontario The top three business categories for the province's 43 PROFIT 100 companies were business services (20 companies), manufacturing (eight) and software development (seven). The Ontario companies on the list were a highly diverse group, everything from a smoothie maker to a collection agency, from an operator of websites for parents to a company whose helicopters spot minerals buried deep underground.Ontario's fastest-growing companies ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rank Company (overall What it does Location 5-year Canadian rank) revenue growth ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Digital Rapids Hardware and Markham 6,972% Corp. (4) software for Internet video ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. BTI Photonic Systems Optical hardware Ottawa 5,607% Inc. (5) and software for broadband video ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Knor Plast Inc. (10) Industrial plastic Cornwall 3,964% recycler and compounder ------------------------------------------------------------------------- PROFIT 100 Top 5 performers in Canada ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rank Company What it does Location 5-year revenue growth ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Rentcash Inc. Short-term Edmonton 33,700% consumer loans ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Digital Oilfield Inc. Electronic Calgary 8,757% invoicing software for oil/gas industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Rutter Inc. Marine St. John's, 8,114% technologies, Nfld. engineering and automation ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Digital Rapids Inc. Hardware and Markham, Ont. 6,972% software for Internet video ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. BTI Photonic Systems Optical hardware/ Ottawa 5,607% Inc. software for broadband video -------------------------------------------------------------------------Coast-to-coast success Twenty-one companies from this year's PROFIT 100 are based in British Columbia, with 18 out of Alberta, two from Manitoba, 42 out of Ontario, 12 from Quebec and five from Atlantic Canada. Across the country, PROFIT 100 companies created 27,413 jobs from 2001 to 2006. About PROFIT Magazine PROFIT: Your Guide to Business Success offers news, strategies, tips, interviews and other resources to entrepreneurs leading Canada's fastest-growing companies. Each year PROFIT - which currently reaches more than 300,000 readers nationally - hosts a number of events that bring together business leaders in the fast-growth segment and champions the interests of those leaders. PROFIT was founded in April 1982 as Canada's first national magazine geared to entrepreneurs. Visit PROFITguide.com.