13 Firms Make List of Fastest-Growing
Thirteen Orange County companies made Inc. magazine’s list of the 500 fastest-growing private businesses in the country this year, and for the first time almost all of them are service-oriented rather than manufacturers.
Inc. ranks companies according to the percentage increase in sales since 1992. That ranges from a 559% jump for No. 500 on the list to the top company’s 31,507% increase.
Among the Orange County companies, 1996 sales ranged from a low of $2.7 million to $50.8 million and employment ran from 6 workers to 250.
Leading the Orange County contingent at No. 27 is Automatic Answer, a San Juan Capistrano company that develops and markets software-driven voice processing systems for voice mail and automated order-taking systems. The company, one of five from the county repeating appearances on the Inc. 500, was No. 39 last year. Its $10.3 million in sales last year was up 4,367% from $230,000 in 1992.
Next, at No. 59, is Republic Group LLP, an Anaheim financial company that leases and finances capital equipment for businesses--everything from computers and printing presses to fork lifts and delivery truck fleets.
Balboa Capital, an Irvine high-tech equipment leasing and financing company, was third at No. 108, followed by business equipment leasing firm Celtic Leasing, also in Irvine, at No. 115.
Garg Data International, a Newport Beach company specializing in computer networking services for businesses, was fifth on the Orange County list at No. 167. Irvine-based NexGen SI, an Internet and computer network services provider, followed at No. 179. This was NexGen’s second time on the list--it was No. 139 last year.
In seventh place among the county contingent is Database Marketing, a Santa Ana direct mail advertising services provider on the Inc. ranking at No. 257. RJE International, an Irvine distributor of underwater navigation devices, came in at No. 279, and Linksys Group, an Irvine computer networking services provider, is No. 304.
Irvine financial services company Independent Capital Management was 10th at No. 316--it debuted on the Inc. list last year at No. 307, and Continuus Software, an Irvine business computer systems service provider, was 11th at No. 407, down from 191 last year.
Optical Laser, a Huntington Beach distributor of optical technology products, was No. 479 on Inc.’s top 500 list this year, down from 205 last year. In 13th place, and new on the Inc. chart at No. 483, is Power Devices, a Laguna Hills wholesaler of thermal, or heat-source, management equipment. The company’s sales revenue rose 579% to $2.7 million from $407,000 in 1992. The Inc. list, in order:
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27 Automatic Answer San Juan Capistrano 59 Republic Group Anaheim 108 Balboa Capital Irvine 115 Celtic Leasing Irvine 167 Garg Data International Newport Beach 179 NexGen SI Irvine 257 Database Marketing Santa Ana 279 RJE International Irvine 304 Linksys Group Irvine 316 Indep. Capital Mgmt Irvine 407 Continuous Software Irvine 479 Optical Laser Huntington Beach 483 Power Devices Laguna Hills
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