The <em>Lawn & Landscape</em> Top 100 Released

Eleven years ago, Lawn & Landscape debuted the Top 50 list, which grew to the Top 100 the following year. The list was the green industry’s response to business-world lists like the Fortune 500 and the editors’ response to a question they were asked frequently: Who are the biggest companies in the industry?

TOP 100

Click here to access the 2007 Top 100 list.

This year we answer that question like we have every year for more than a decade, but we’ve made some upgrades. In addition to moving the Top 100 list to a cover-story slot this month from its former home as part of October’s State of the Industry report, we’ve added a series of related articles designed to track news and trends, plus identify best practices that companies of all sizes can relate to. A few highlights from the list:

• Today, the list’s threshold stands above $14 million. In 1998 a $5.2 million company would have made the list.
• The Top 100 companies have more than doubled their aggregate revenue from $2.9 billion in 1998 to $6,765,323,402 today – a testament to the growth of the landscape industry. Even adjusted for inflation, revenues have nearly doubled. That combined revenue of $2.9 billion in 1998 is equal to $3.56 billion today.
• On average, Top 100 companies reported 17 percent growth over 2005 revenues.
• Top 100 companies report they’re planning for an average of 10 percent revenue growth for 2007.
• As a whole, companies on the list employ more than 25,000 full-time and 18,000 part-time or seasonal workers (that doesn’t include data from TruGreen, ValleyCrest and several other firms that didn’t provide employment numbers).
• Three-quarters of the companies on the list reported they provide at least three of the five traditional green industry services: landscape maintenance, chemical lawn care/fertilization, landscape design/build/installation, irrigation installation/maintenance and tree and ornamental care.

HOW WE DID IT. Starting in February, Lawn & Landscape editors began requesting Top 100 submissions via fax and e-mail from green industry companies we identified may be large enough to make the list. In addition, we solicited submissions from companies of all sizes on our Web site and in print. We asked companies to report 2006 revenue and growth figures, number of employees, service/client mixes and some additional data. We calculate and omit any reported revenue sources that are not widely offered green industry services – like structural pest control, for example. In addition to the five traditional services noted above, revenue from interior landscaping, snow removal, erosion control, holiday decorating and nursery and retail garden centers are some of the services included with revenue. Some companies choose not to disclose their revenue and therefore are not included.
 
Our goal is to provide the industry with the most comprehensive and accurate Top 100 List. We made every attempt to identify and contact firms we deemed eligible for the list. If you know of a company we missed, please let us know. Contact Associate Editor Marisa Palmieri at 216/925-5011 or mpalmieri@gie.net.

Click here to view the list.