Promotional products businesses are long-established on Inc. magazine’s annual Inc. 5000 ranking of the country’s fastest-growing private companies, and 2021 continued that trend.
This year, 15 of Cleveland, Ohio-based Proforma’s (PPAI 196835, D13) affiliated distributors made the magazine’s list. In order of ranking, they are Proforma Amplified, No. 83 with 4,681-percent growth; Proforma Global Sourcing, No. 255 with 1,800-percent growth; Waterfront Promotional Merchandising, No. 1,218 with 396-percent growth; Commonwealth Graphics, powered by Proforma, No. 1,638 with 282-percent growth; Debar Hospitality, Proforma Mega Marketing Solutions, No. 1,854 with 244-percent growth; Proforma Think Ink, No. 1,855 with 244-percent growth; Proforma 123, No. 1,916 with 233-percent growth; Greco Promotions, No. 2,874 with 136-percent growth; Proforma Durkee, No. 2,951 with 131-percent growth; BrandCentric Solutions, powered by Proforma, No. 3,330 with 107-percent growth; Proforma Bay Business Resources, No. 3,331 with 107-percent growth; Logo Print & Promo, No. 3,587 with 95-percent growth; Proforma GPS Global Promotional Sourcing, No. 3,694 with 90-percent growth; Fusion 1, powered by Proforma, No. 4,752 with 49-percent growth; and Proforma Promographix, No. 4,900 with 43-percent growth.
“We are very proud that Proforma was once again recognized for the consistently remarkable growth our owners have achieved in recent years,” says Proforma CEO Vera Muzzillo. “The fact that Proforma continues to be the only distributor organization with this level of affiliate owners represented on the Inc. 5000 is a testament that Proforma is truly the industry’s technology and business success leader.”
Other industry companies on the list include Snappy, No. 15 with 18,708-percent growth; SwagUp, No. 23 with 12,919-percent growth; Emblem Athletic, No. 324 with 1,430-percent growth; Ace Specialties, LLC, No. 614 with 783-percent growth; Scalable Brands, No. 620 with 777-percent growth; Moxie Print, No. 707 with 692-percent growth; Swag.com, No. 368 with 1,308-percent growth; The MRL Group, No. 1,625 with 285-percent growth; Tango Card, No.1815 with 250-percent growth; LBU, No. 2,281 with 186-percent growth; Whitestone Works, No. 2,495 with 168-percent growth; Corporate Color Printing, No. 2,503 with 167-percent growth; Brandito, No. 2,662 with 153-percent growth; Stackable Sensations, No. 3,179 with 116-percent growth; Designs Unlimited, No. 3,247 with 112-percent growth; Cubik Promotions, No. 3,477 with 99-percent growth; Creative Studio Promotions, No. 3,786 with 86-percent growth; twelveNYC, No. 3,821 with 84-percent growth; Merchology, No. 4,141 with 72-percent growth; and BrandCo Marketing, No. 4,691 with 52-percent growth.
“The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled,” says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. “Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis we’ve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership and the help of a whole lot of people.”
To be eligible for the 2021 Inc. 5000, businesses must have met certain criteria, including being privately-owned, for-profit, based in the United States, and generating at least $100,000 in 2017 and $2 million in 2020.
If your company also made Inc. magazine’s list and was not mentioned in this article, please contact JamesK@ppai.org to be included in a follow-up story.
