FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES IN AMERICA

Congratulations to Central States Trucking, Quality Float Works, Inc. and Shakespeare Squared for being named to Inc. Magazine’s first-annual list of the Top 5,000 Fastest Growing Companies in America. This prestigious award recognizes companies that have experienced tremendous growth in their businesses in the last few years. All these family owned and operated companies (and Zapwater clients) are growing by leaps and bounds.

Central States Trucking led by Doug and Bryan Grane is on par to achieve a 100% revenue growth in a few short years with forecasts estimating $42 million in revenue at the end of this year. The company located a stone’s throw away from O’Hare International Aiport has 300 employees and owns 200 tractors that transport goods all across the Midwest. In their award, Inc Magazine cited their diversification – a risky but calculated move by the company – as a main reason for their significant growth.

Quality Float Works, Inc. led by Sandra Westlund-Deenihan and Jason Speer continue to break the mold as this family owned and operated business located in Schaumburg, Illinois has become an global competitor. In recent years, this company launched a new division in their company now provided entire float assemblies to customers throughout Asia, Canada and Europe, many of which are water purification systems in developing countries. Inc Magazine recognized their ingenuity and innovation as a main reason for their inclusion on this list.

Earning $2.3 million in revenue and achieving 814.5% growth in 2007, Shakespeare Squared was ranked 329, and number 5 of 62 in the education division. Founded in 2003 by former teacher Kim Kleeman, Shakespeare Squared specializes in PreK-12 educational materials and customizes teams of staff editors and freelancers. Inc Magazine attributes much of the company’s take-off and growth to the No Child Left Behind Act which is sparking the explosion of state-specific standards for textbooks and related materials and has sent publishers scrambling to create new, customized offerings.

Think about this fact. Just in northwest Illinois, there are over 1,300 manufacturing companies. That is one region…in one industry…in one state. When you consider that Inc. Magazine chose only 5,000 companies throughout the entire nation to honor, these statistics, rankings and achievements by Central States Trucking, Quality Float Works, Inc. and Shakespeare Squared becomes even more amazing.

Ryan McLaughlin
VP/Group Director, Public Affairs