The Connecticut 100
Over the 18-year run of The Connecticut 100, several generations of company trends have come and gone. There was the disturbing migration of firms out of Connecticut to warmer (and cheaper) climes. That seems to have abated. There was the widespread failure or acquisition of state-based banks. That has quieted down as well. Now a third trend has become evident-one that should bode well for the state's economic future.
What is happening is that a number of Connecticut's hotshot technology companies-ones that started up within the past decade or so-have now grown and matured to the point that they are appearing on the list of the state's largest. This has always been an exciting group to watch, but there has been a boom-or-bust aspect that's made it just a bit unpredictable. After all, great ideas are not always paired with the sharpest business sense. Good business minds are not necessarily attuned to what tomorrow will bring.
At this point, however, some of the success stories are easy to spot. Norwalk's priceline.com has taken an admittedly winding road to become a billion-dollar company. Gartner Inc. in Stamford has ridden its expertise in computer research and analysis to cross the billion-dollar line as well. Open Solutions Inc. of Glastonbury has grown out of the ranks of fast-growers to reach No. 82 in The Connecticut 100, with annual sales of over $190 million. Also making the list this time are webloyalty.com of Norwalk, Jupitermedia Corp. of Darien and Greenfield Online Inc. of Wilton. Whether these companies are here to stay remains to be seen, but for now they are putting down roots in Connecticut and creating jobs.
Indeed, perhaps the best economic news to emerge in 2007 came from the ranking of Connecticut's fastest-growing technology companies, compiled by Deloitte & Touche. According to the Connecticut Technology Council, 41 of the 50 companies listed-which as a group have achieved an average three-digit revenue growth over the past five years-were on last year's list as well, "reflecting a measure of sustained growth critical to long-term success." Increasing stability in the high-tech sector-that's something any economy would welcome.
Of course, impressive growth through technology isn't limited to the newcomers. General Electric couldn't have increased its sales by $14 billion unless it stayed true to its innovative origins. United Technologies grew by more than $5 billion by staying ahead of the technology curve in a variety of fields. Xerox and Pitney Bowes succeeded by fulfilling basic technological needs; their survival depends upon more of the same. Do we have another GE or Xerox in our midst? There's no telling at this point, but the growth feels pretty good.
| Rank | Company Town | Sales (in Millions) | Product or Service |
| 1 | General Electric Co. Inc. Fairfield | $163,391 | diversified manufacturing and technology |
| 2 | United Technologies Corp. Hartford | $47,829 | aerospace, defense, building products |
| 3 | The Hartford Hartford | $26,500 | insurance, financial services |
| 4 | Aetna Inc. Hartford | $25,146 | managed health care |
| 5 | Xerox Corp. Stamford | $15,895 | copier, office products and systems |
| 6 | Praxair Inc. Danbury | $8,324 | industrial gases |
| 7 | Terex Corp. Westport | $7,648 | heavy construction equipment |
| 8 | Northeast Utilities Berlin | $6,884 | electricity |
| 9 | Pitney Bowes Business Solutions Stamford | $5,730 | office machines |
| 10 | W.R. Berkley Corp. Greenwich | $5,395 | property casualty insurance |
| 11 | EMCOR Group Inc. Norwalk | $5,021 | mechanical, electrical services |
| 12 | The Stanley Works New Britain | $4,019 | tools, hardware, specialty hardware |
| 13 | Chemtura Corp. Middletown | $3,723 | specialty chemicals |
| 14 | United Rentals Inc. Greenwich | $3,640 | heavy-equipment rentals |
| 15 | OdysseyRe Stamford | $2,902 | reinusurance |
| 16 | United Natural Foods Dayville | $2,574 | groceries, related products |
| 17 | Silgan Corp. Stamford | $2,668 | metal, plastic and paper products |
| 18 | Phoenix Companies Inc. Hartford | $2,578 | insurance, financial services |
| 19 | Amphenol Corp. Wallingford | $2,471 | electronic cables, connectors |
| 20 | Hubbell Inc. Orange | $2,414 | electrical parts |
| 21 | Crane Co. Stamford | $2,257 | diversified manufacturing |
| 22 | Citizens Communications Stamford | $2,025 | electric, telephone, natural gas, water |
| 23 | IMS Health Inc. Westport | $1,959 | pharmaceutical, health-care research |
| 24 | Applera Corp. Norwalk | $1,949 | life-science systems, genetic databases |
| 25 | Studen Loan Corp. Stamford | $1,869 | student loans |
| 26* | UST Inc. Greenwich | $1,851 | tobacco, wine and other products |
| 27* | Mashantucket Pequot Gaming Enterprises Inc. Mashantucket | $1,850 | gaming and entertainment |
| 28* | Interactive Brokers Group Greenwich | $1,737 | investment services |
| 29* | Conair Corp. Stamford | $1,700 | kitchen and personal-care products |
| 30 | Magellan Health Farmington | $1,690 | managed mental-health care services |
| 31* | Retail Brand Alliance Enfield | $1,500 | clothing retailer |
| 32* | Purdue Pharma Stamford | $1,460 | pharmaceuticals |
| 33* | Knights of Columbus New Haven | $1,450 | insurance |
| 34 | ADVO Inc. Windsor | $1,444 | direct-mail marketing |
| 35 | Arch Chemicals Inc. Norwalk | $1,435 | specialty chemicals |
| 36* | Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority Uncasville | $1,426 | gaming and entertainment |
| 37* | Towers Perrin Stamford | $1,420 | human-resources consulting |
| 38 | Star Gas Partners LP Stamford | $1,297 | fuel oil, propane |
| 39 | Barnes Group Inc. Bristol | $1,260 | spring and metal components |
| 40 | Blyth Industries Inc. Greenwich | $1,2221 | housewares, scented candles |
| 41 | Kaman Corp. Bloomfield | $1,206 | advanced technology products |
| 42* | Unimin Corp. New Canaan | $1,200 | mining materials |
| 43 | Hexcel Corp. Stamford | $1,193 | engineered materials |
| 44 | Bozzuto's Inc. Cheshire | $1,170 | wholesale groceries, convenience stores |
| 45* | Affinion Group Norwalk | $1,138 | business services |
| 46 | priceline.com Inc. Norwalk | $1,123 | Internet consumer services |
| 47 | Gartner Inc. Stamford | $1,060 | computer research, analysis |
| 48 | Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. Danbury | $1,005 | furniture and household products |
| 49* | Esselte Corp. Stamford | $1,000 | office supplies |
| 50 | Vertrue Inc. Stamford | $800 | membership services, recruitment |
| 51 | Playtex Corp. Westport | $636 | personal care products |
| 52 | Gerber Scientific Inc. South Windsor | $575 | scientfic instruments |
| 53* | Lane Construction Corp. Meriden | $555 | heavy construction |
| 54* | Doctors Associates Inc. Milford | $512 | Subway fast-food franchises |
| 55 | Genesse & Wyoming Inc. Greenwich | $479 | freigh rail operations |
| 56 | FactSet Research Systems Norwalk | $476 | online database services |
| 57 | Photronics Inc. Brookfield | $455 | semiconductors and microelectronics parts |
| 58 | Rogers Corp. Killingly | $455 | manufacturing |
| 59* | Chase Enterprises Hartford | $425 | real estate, diverse holdings |
| 60 | Proliance International Inc. New Haven | $416 | auto cooling systems |
| 61 | TRC Companies Inc. Windsor | $406 | environmental services |
| 62* | Oakleaf Waste Management East Hartford | $400 | waste management services |
| 63* | Heartland Industrial Partners Greenwich | $365 | aerospace, auto parts |
| 64 | Independence Holding Co. Stamford | $365 | insurance |
| 65 | Lydall Inc. Manchester | $326 | fiber materials, components |
| 66* | ATMI Corp. Danbury | $326 | semiconductors |
| 67 | RBC Bearings Inc. Oxford | $306 | ball bearings |
| 68* | Stew Leonard's Norwalk | $292 | retail groceries and dairy |
| 69* | Standyne Automotive Corp. Windsor | $290 | diesel-fuel injection equipment |
| 70 | MTM Technologies Inc. Stamford | $275 | technology services |
| 71 | World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. Stamford | $263 | professional wrestling, related products |
| 72* | North Castle Partners LLC Greenwich | $244 | food and health products |
| 73 | Tauck Holdings Inc. Westport | $240 | tour operators |
| 74 | Clayton Holdings Shelton | $239 | financial services |
| 75 | Hometown Auto Retail Watertown | $233 | new and used automobiles |
| 76 | Familymeds Group Farmington | $231 | pharmacies, pharmaceuticals |
| 77* | R.T. Vanderbilt Co. Inc. Norwalk | $221 | chemicals, mining |
| 78 | O&G Industries Inc. Torrington | $221 | nonresidential construction |
| 79* | SS&C Windsor | $206 | investor services and software |
| 80 | The Aristotle Corp. Stamford | $203 | educational and health products |
| 81 | Baldwin Technology Co. Shelton | $202 | printing controls and accessories |
| 82 | Open Solutions Inc. Glastonbury | $194 | business services |
| 83* | The Lee Co. Westbrook | $183 | diversified manufacturing |
| 84* | Gerald Metals Inc. Stamford | $172 | nonferrous and precious metals |
| 85 | Zygo Corp. Middlefield | $168 | measurement and automaton devices |
| 86 | Sturm, Ruger & Co. Fairfield | $168 | food products |
| 87 | L-1 Identity Solutions Stamford | $164 | security systems and services |
| 88* | Bartlett Tree Experts Stamford | $161 | tree care and landscaping services |
| 89 | Axsys Technologies Inc. Rocky Hill | $156 | precision opticals |
| 90* | Moran Towing Corp. New Canaan | $150 | tugboats, towing services |
| 91 | Darwin Professional Underwriters Inc. Farmington | $149 | insurance |
| 92 | Webloyalty.com Norwalk | $144 | online marketing services |
| 93 | Eastern Co. Naugatuck | $139 | locks and industrial hardware |
| 94 | Jupitermedia Corp. Darien | $138 | Internet publishing, digital assets |
| 95* | Ulbrich North Haven | $136 | steel |
| 96* | Guida-Seibert Dairy New Britain | $128 | dairy products |
| 97* | Simkins Industries New Haven | $122 | paperboard mills |
| 98* | Newman's Own Inc. Westport | $120 | food products |
| 99 | First Aviation Services Westport | $119 | services to aircraft operators |
| 100 | Greenfield Online Inc. Wilton | $100 | marketing data |
The Connecticut 100
