NH's Top 100 Private Companies

Many companies are smarting from the beating the economy is taking, but here's some salve-most of the businesses on this year's list of NH's Top 100 Private Companies are actually growing. Each year, Business NH Magazine invites thousands of companies to participate in our annual survey of the Top 100 Private Companies in NH, which ranks businesses by their gross revenue in 2007.

This year, 14 companies made their debut on our annual compilation of the Top 100 Private Companies in NH, including Eastern Mountain Sports, the outdoor gear and clothing giant based in Peterborough, which opened three new stores this past spring in New Jersey, Virginia and NH. Atrium Medical Corporation in Hudson also joined this year's list. The medical technology manufacturer received FDA approval for six new products between 2006 and 2008. Vette Corp., the Portsmouth-based provider of thermal management solutions, also premiered. The youngest company on the list (launched a mere four years ago), Vette introduced a series of LiquiCool Coolant Distribution Units to its family of data center cooling products earlier this year.

Business cooperatives continue to make their presence known on the Private 100. CCA Global Partners in Manchester and Associated Grocers of New England claimed the number two and three slots on the Private 100, while the Hanover Consumer Cooperative Society broke onto the list this year at number 30.
The three fastest-growing companies on the Private 100 made their debut this year: Polaris Direct in Hooksett, Janco Electronics in Dover and TURBOCAM International in Barrington. (The Private 100 list also ranks companies by their three-year average sales growth rate. Turn to page 41 to read profiles about the five fastest-growing companies on the list.)

There's plenty of good news on this year's list. Eighty companies reported sales growth over a three-year period. That's not to say they haven't felt the effects of the economy. When looking solely at year-to-year sales growth between 2006 and 2007, 66 percent saw sales increase, 8 percent remained stagnant and 26 percent saw a decline.

So who's doing well? Of the 20 fastest-growing companies on the list, 10 are in high tech or manufacturing, three are in construction, five provide business services and two are technology resellers.

High tech companies saw their sales continue to climb. Of the 32 manufacturers on the list, 14 are high-tech companies and all reported sales growth during the past three years. All but one of the six insurance companies on the list reported growth, as did the four hospitality venues. Sales for all but three of the 17 construction companies also grew.

While many companies seem to be hunkering down to ride out the downturn, 40 percent of the Private 100 reported that they expect to expand in the next year and are projecting adding a total of 700 jobs. Whose fortunes are faltering? Of the 20 companies reporting a three-year average decline in sales, 10 are retailers (seven of which are car dealerships), four are construction companies and there are three manufacturers.

Who are the Private 100?
Here's a statistical look at the Private 100:
45 percent are family-owned businesses.
33 percent have been in business for 25 years or less, while 8 percent have been serving customers for more than 100 years. Monadnock Paper Mills continues to be the oldest company on the list, celebrating its 189th anniversary.
21 percent have fewer than 50 employees.
31 percent are manufacturers, 30 percent are in retail or wholesale, 17 percent are in construction, 7 percent provide business services, 6 percent are insurance companies, 4 percent are in hospitality, 3 percent are staffing firms, one is in media and one is an agricultural business.
The bulk of the Private 100 companies are located in the Merrimack Valley (48 percent), with 20 percent in the Seacoast, 12 percent in the Lakes Region, 8 percent each in the Monadnock Region and Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region, and 2 percent each in the White Mountains Region and Great North Woods.

For a complete listing of NH's Top 100 Private Companies including contact information, addresses, Web addresses, and phone numbers, contact Beth Jellison at 603-626-6354 to order your list for $49.95.

ADDITIONAL RESEARCH BY ALEXANDRA G. TILSLEY