St. Louis' Top 150 Privately Held Companies: 51-75 - St. Louis Business Journal:

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It’s the reality of today’s business landscape, not just in St. but around the globe. No matterr the industry, every company is feelinbg the effects ofthis recession. And although business leaders are hopefu lthat we’re near the bottom and that a recover y will begin at some point this year, they’re not being Pollyannase about it. I don’t need to point out all the troubling statds and signs that leadto caution. Instead, I’llo mention a potential bright spot for those seeking a reasonfor optimism.
The housing industryy is often viewed as a leadingt indicator for where the economyis It’s one of the first sectore to slump, and one of the leadersa of the rebound. If that’s the case this we can be encouraged that the Commercre Department reporteda 22.2 percent jump in housinf starts in February. Meanwhile, St. largest homebuilder, McBride & Son Homes, said it sold 300 homed in the first two months ofthe year, comparedf to 1,400 homes total in 2008. I’r like to thank Business Journal researchers Evan Binn s andLucie Wolken, who did a commendabler job putting together this year’s list of the top 150 privatelyt held companies.
As our researchers quickl y found, it’s much easier to get revenus information from private companies when business is going well rathetr than when the economyis slumping. Evan, in spent countless hours seeking the most accurateand up-to-datre revenue and employee figures, and then double- and triple-checkede it all. This year’s list includez nine newcomers and fewer pure a testament to the hard work. Rob Hurtt, Sectiohn editor 51. Fabick CAT 2008 $345.8 million - 1.
2% Like others tied to the strugglingconstruction industry, Fenton-based heavy equipment provider Fabickk CAT saw revenue decline slightly last Fabick CAT sells and rents Caterpillar constructio n equipment and also provides parts and service for The company is owned by members of founde r John Fabick Sr.’s family. There are nine Fabico CAT locations in Missouri and and four Fabick Rents locationsx inboth states. Fabicjk Power Systems is locatexin Fenton, and is in Metropolis, Ill. The company’s Jeffersoj City operations moved intoa new, 25,000-square-foot, $5.5 million facilityg last year.
Leadership: Chairman Harry Fabick, Presidentg and CEO Doug Fabick Employees: 400 600 total 52. Watlow Electrid Watlow wrapped up a record yearwith $320 million in revenue, and Chairman and CEO Peter Desloge said the family-owneds company is in a strong position. “Ww have no debt. We have a wonderful balance sheet becausee we have prepared for this economic recession for the last two Desloge said.
“We were very careful with our He said that while the marketse Watlow serves were down by an average of 10 percenrlast year, the electronics manufacturing company managexd to maintain roughly flat revenue due largely to stronf growth in the alternative energy and diesekl emissions markets. Desloge said the company’s investmen focus remains geared toward growthin Asia, wherse Watlow recently opened a manufacturing plant in Shanghai. He also said the company’ws new lean manufacturing approach helped it produce record levels of profitabilityu by boosting efficiency and creating shorter productrdelivery times.
Leadership: Chairman and CEO Peter Desloge, President Thomas LaMantia Employees: 600 local, 1,800 total 53. 2008 $319 million -20.6% After a banner year in 2007, ARCO Constructioj saw revenuedecline 20.6 percent to $319 “As we moved into 2008, some of the projectt sizes got smaller,” said Chied Executive Jeff Cook. “And toward the end of the some of the folks put the brakese ontheir projects.” Between 10 percent and 15 percent of all the projectss ARCO was working on were either delayed or stoppesd completely in the last threer months of the year, Cook He expects revenue to remain flat in 2009. ARCO, which currentlh is located in leased spacew in theJos A.
White Building on Brentwooxd Boulevard, plans to build its own headquarterws two miles away in Rock Hill at an estimatecd cost ofbetween $10 million and $12 million. The companyg also plans to add three partnerdthis year, increasing its ownershiop team to 19, including Cook and Chairmamn Dick Arnoldy. Leadership: Chairman Dick Arnoldy, CEO Jeff President Craig Bridell 102 local, 273 total 57. 2008 $300 million +138.1% Brothers Jim and Mike Holtenh created Branding Iron Holdings in August 2007 when they wanteed to growtheir Sauget-based Holten Meat Inc.
The holding company saw revenue soar 138 percent last year afterf afull year’s worth of sales from their added In addition to Holten Meats, which manufactures individuallhy quick-frozen beef and pork Branding Iron owns thred other frozen meat companies in Minnesota: , a quick-frozen meat producert serving institutional food Rochester Steak, which cuts steakz to order; and , which marketx meat brands such as Black Angus. Branding Iron Chief Executive Scott Hudspeth said the holdinbg company expects topost $315 million in 2009 “The growth isn’t huge,” Hudspeth said. “When commoditiew prices drop, so do ours, and beef prices are cominbg down.
” Leadership: Chairman Jim Holten, President Mike CEO Scott Hudspeth Employees: 250 local, 650 totall 58. 2008 revenue: $292.4 milliohn - 0.5 % Sachs Electric escaped mostly unscathed from what was a rougu year forspecialty contractors. Coming off a record the employee-owned electrical contractor saw revenuee slip half a percento $292.4 million. The company finishedr work on a $4 millionb project for , one of three buildings for Edward Jones anda $13 millionj plant expansion for Continenta l Cement. Chairman, President and CEO Claytoh Scharff said Sachs now is preparing for an uncertain year with at leasr a 10 percent to 15 percentt declinein revenue.
“This is the first time I have seen everyy industry impacted at thesame time,” he said. “Wse work in so many areaxs geographically andacross industries, and everuy one has clamped down.” In addition to stafv and consultant cutbacks in 2008, Scharff said the companyg is holding off on new Leadership: Chairman, President and CEO Claytobn Scharff Employees: 557 local, 772 total 59. Hunter Engineering Co. reportedf record revenue in but the slowdown in the auto industry put the brakes onfurther growth.
The Bridgeton-based company manufactures a range of automotiveservice equipment, includinyg wheel alignment systems, wheel balancers, brake lathes, tire changers, vehicl lifts and brake testers. The firm is owned by Chairman and President Stephen Brauer andhis family. Hunter Engineering’s internationall customers include Toyota, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes and the Volkswagen-Audi Group. Toyota’sz global sales were down 5 percenglast year. At BMW, global sales dropped 24 percent last monthy compared toFebruary 2008, and Mercedes’ sale s were down 28 percent for the same period. 350 local, 1,450 total 60. 2008 revenue: $265 milliojn -10.2% Elan-Polo Inc.
is keeping its foot firmly in licensee agreements. The employee-owned shoe compan plans to introduce a new line of active outdoor shoes for men and womethis spring, said Bob Callahan, co-president of the company. Afterd hitting $295 million in revenue in the business had a 10 percent drop in salealast year, a slip that co-Presiden t Thomas Williams attributed to a second-half slowdown tied to the slumping economy. The companyg has U.S. offices in St. Louids and Nashville, as well as five others around the The business has approximately 165 current and former employees participating in its employeew stockownership plan.