10 County Firms on Inc. 500 for Fastest Growth in U.S.
Growing companies aren’t exactly a rarity in Orange County. But even here, a 5-year sales increase of 8,724% should raise a few eyebrows.
That sales increase, recorded by Wolfe Lumber Co. of Newport Beach from 1983 through 1987, put the lumber seller in the No. 17 position on Inc. magazine’s annual ranking of the 500 fastest-growing privately held companies in America.
Nine other county-based companies made the list. Only three of the 10 companies were on the list last year: Greater Alarm Co. and Serrot Corp., both of Huntington Beach, and Corporate Merchandise, based in Santa Ana.
California led all states with 65 of the fastest-growing companies. Of the 500, 44% were service companies, 26% were manufacturers, 11% were distributors, 10% were retailers and 9% were construction companies.
Companies that made the Inc. 500 this year were culled from more than 17,000 candidates nominated by accounting firms, state development agencies, trade associations, chambers of commerce, venture capitalists and other business publications. Holding companies, banks and utilities were not eligible.
Nominees had to be independent and privately owned on Aug. 1, the application deadline, and have 1983 sales of no less than $100,000 and no more than $25 million.
Rankings for 1988 are based on the percentage of sales increase from 1983 through 1987, and each company was required to have posted a sales increase between 1986 and 1987.
COUNTY-BASED COMPANIES ON INC. 500
Inc. 500 Rank Company, Headquarters Business 1988 1987 17 -- Wolfe Lumber Co., Newport Beach Sells lumber 21 -- J.P. Rhoades Development,Santa Ana Real Estate Development 181 230 Greater Alarm Co., Huntington Beach Electronic security services 231 -- Popcorn Palace & Candy Emporium, Irvine Retails popcorn and candy 252 338 Serrot Corp., Huntington Beach Fabricates, installs plastic linings 291 360 Corporate Merchandise, Santa Ana Retails mail-order products 323 -- Kaminari, Brea Auto aerodynamic components 337 -- Consumer Health Inc., Newport Beach Prepaid dental health-care plan 367 -- Ruby Restaurant Group, Costa Mesa Operates 1940s-theme diners 490 -- Coast Surveying Inc., Tustin Surveying and mapping services
Company ’87 Sales % Increase No. Employees (in millions) 1983-87 1987 1983 Wolfe Lumber Co. $17.4 8,724 6 2 J.P. Rhoades Development 33.5 7,126 22 18 Greater Alarm Co. Inc. 2.1 1,552 44 8 Popcorn Palace 2.6 1,248 16 3 Serrot Corp. 13.5 1,151 95 25 Corporate Merchandise 1.7 1,011 7 2 Kaminari 1.5 944 16 8 Consumer Health Inc. 15.0 924 217 12 Ruby Restaurant Group 5.9 865 350 30 Coast Surveying Inc. 1.6 651 26 6
Company Year Founded Wolfe Lumber Co. 1983 J.P. Rhoades Development 1982 Greater Alarm Co. Inc. 1981 Popcorn Palace 1982 Serrot Corp. 1978 Corporate Merchandise 1981 Kaminari 1980 Consumer Health Inc. 1979 Ruby Restaurant Group 1982 Coast Surveying Inc. 1981
Source: Inc. magazine
