Canada's fastest-growing companies revealed: the 22nd annual PROFIT 100
ranking

PROFIT magazine's annual ranking shows how small and medium-sized businesses can seize opportunity in tough times and achieve explosive growth. For the full ranking, visit www.profit100.com.

TORONTO, June 2 /CNW/ - Only a select few businesses ever achieve the dramatic growth required to make it onto the PROFIT 100. The accomplishments of this year's PROFIT 100 are all the more remarkable considering the volatile economic climate of the past two years. So how did they do it? For starters, by raising hard-to-find capital, building great teams and seizing market opportunities abroad; by investing in innovation, tapping niche markets - and by never giving up, no matter how scary it got.

Released today, the PROFIT 100 is the definitive annual ranking of Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies by five-year revenue growth. The companies that make up this year's ranking have grown their annual revenue by an astounding average of 1,752% over the last five years. Moreover, an impressive 76% turned a profit in last year's sunken economy.

You won't find many CEOs who say last year was a good one for business, with many cutting costs or delaying expansion plans. But for many PROFIT 100 winners, a key survival tool was seeing - and seizing - the opportunities amidst the liabilities and challenges.

"The PROFIT 100 winners demonstrate great foresight, agility and tenacity," says Ian Portsmouth, editor of PROFIT. "All managers of small and medium-sized businesses can learn valuable lessons from the Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies, especially which management practices drive growth in today's economy."

    
    PROFIT 100 top 5 performers

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    Overall  Company/Business Activity              Headquarters     Revenue
    Rank                                                              Growth
                                                                           %
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    1        Varicent Software Inc./Sales
             performance management software             Toronto      12,473
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    2        Win-Mar Freight Management Inc./
             Logistics provider                         Winnipeg       7,304
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    3        Tundra Technical Solutions Inc./IT
             and engineering staffing                    Toronto       6,570
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    4        Healthscreen Solutions Inc./Software
             and services for doctors' offices           Toronto       6,412
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    5        Marport Canada Inc./Produces sonar       St. John's,
             technology                                     Nfld.      5,234
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    

Where the growth is

The top five sectors (by number of firms) among Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies (average five-year growth):

    
        1.  Business services, 41 firms (1,787%)
        2.  Manufacturing, 18 (1,466%)
        3.  Software development, 16 (2,619%)
        4.  Construction, 10 (1,360%)
        5.  Consumer services, 7 (973%)
    

For the full ranking and breakdown of the PROFIT 100, visit www.profit100.com.

About PROFIT Magazine:

PROFIT: Your Guide to Business Success is Canada's preeminent publication dedicated to the management issues and opportunities facing small and mid-sized businesses. For 28 years, Canadian entrepreneurs and senior managers across a vast array of economic sectors have remained loyal to PROFIT because it's a timely and reliable source of actionable information that helps them achieve business success and get the recognition they deserve for generating positive economic and social change. Visit PROFIT online at www.profitmagazine.ca.

For further information: Louise Leger, [email protected], [phone]