O.K. Industries Tops Private Cos. List

by Talk Business & Politics ([email protected]) 77 views 

In the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal’s annual list of the area’s largest private companies (rankings are complied by 2009 revenue) O.K. Industries Inc. finished first. The Fort Smith poultry firm closed the books in 2009 with sales of $950 million. That represents a nearly $22 million increase from 2008.

Simmons Foods of Siloam Springs finished second with $889 million, while George’s Inc. of Springdale ($750 million) and Allens Inc. of Siloam Springs ($746 million) switched places from the previous year’s list.

Rounding out the top 10 are Landers McLarty Ford & Jeep, Harps Food Stores Inc., the Lindsey Co., Superior Automotive Group, Sparks Health System and Washington Regional Medical System.

Some companies did much better in 2009, with Baldwin & Shell Construction seeing a dramatic increase in sales. Others, like Carco Transportation System Inc. and Cooper Communities Inc. reported notable declines.

With 25 percent of businesses inside its borders, Fayetteville played host to the most private companies on this year’s list. Springdale has 22.2 percent of such companies, while Rogers has 19.4 percet.