O.K. Industries Inc., Wal-Mart Top Lists

O.K. Industries of Fort Smith topped the Business Journal’s annual list of the area’s largest private companies (p. 27), with a 3.1 percent revenue increase year- over-year.
Developer and real estate agency the Lindsey Cos., of Fayetteville saw a rise of nearly 17 percent, from $285 million in 2005 to $333.3 million in 2006.
Northwest Oil Co. of Fayetteville saw a significant jump of 40 percent, with revenue increasing from $85 million in 2005 to $119 million in 2006.
Other winners included Allen Canning Co. of Siloam Springs, up 8.3 percent, Carroll Electric Cooperative Corp., of Berryville up 13.6 percent, Central States Manufacturing Inc. of Lowell, up 13.9 percent and Harps Food Stores Inc., of Springdale up 5.6 percent.
As for the annual list of the region’s largest employers (p. 23), Wal-Mart Stores Inc. of Bentonville was at the top. Siloam Springs-based Simmons Foods Inc., showed a 22.3 percent increase in employment year-over-year, while numbers were down 5.7 percent for Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale.
Employment figures for education institutions were a mixed bag. Numbers were up 14.9 percent at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, 39.4 percent at UA Fort Smith, 18.5 percent for the Bentonville School District, 16.2 percent for the Fort Smith School District and 7.4 percent for the Springdale School District.
Rogers School District was flat, while Fayetteville School District was down 4.6 percent.
Springdale-based Ozark Guidance saw an increase of more than 25 percent, with 500 employed by the mental health service provider at eight locations.
Superior Industries International added about 235 jobs at its three area locations in Fayetteville and Rogers for an increase of 15.7 percent.
Employment numbers at Riverside Furniture Corp. in Fort Smith were down 13.3 percent, from 600 in 2005 to 520 in 2006.