Fastest-Growing Private Companies

Houston entrepreneurs climb list of fastest-growing private companies in the USA

With more than 100 Houston-area companies featured on the 2014 Inc. 5000 — a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation — the city's most successful entrepreneurs are getting the recognition they deserve.

Inc. magazine, a monthly publication focused on growing companies, ranks the companies based on revenue growth percentage between 2010 and 2013.

Topping the list for Houston-based private companies featured on the list is PPT Fiberglass at No. 299. PPT Fiberglass provides fiber-reinforced plastics and fiberglass grating to companies in the oil and gas, wastewater treatment, marine and construction industries.

According to Inc., the Bayou City ranks No. 6 on their list of Top 10 Cities for Fast-Growth Companies, with 76 of the 102 Houston-area companies located within city limits.

PPT Fiberglass has grown its revenue more than 1,900 percent from $120,000 in 2010 to $2.5 million in 2013. The company, which currently has three employees, was founded in 2010 and ranks No. 3 among manufacturing companies on the list and No. 18 of the 404 Texas companies featured.

According to Inc., the Bayou City ranks No. 6 on their list of Top 10 Cities for Fast-Growth Companies, with 76 of the 102 Houston-area companies located within city limits. Although Houston is known for its focus on the energy sector, most of the locally-based private companies featured on the 2014 list are related to the tech and manufacturing industries.

Another company featured on the list is The Ticket Experience at No. 954 — No. 15 in Houston — which invests in sports teams' season ticket packages and sells the inventory on a game-by-game basis to websites like StubHub.com. The company, which has 11 employees, has grown 473 percent over the past three years with a 2013 revenue of $21 million.

Charming Charlie, a locally-based fashion accessories retailer with over 280 locations across the country, came in at No. 2002 on Inc.'s list. The retailer has grown more than 200 percent since 2010 with $431 million in revenue in 2013 and currently has 7,125 employees.

Visit Inc.'s site for the complete list of the nation's fastest-growing private companies.

Charlie Chanaratsopon, left, shown with Judi Langley and Suchit Majmudar, is the founder of Houston-based accessories retailer Charming Charlie.

36, charming charlie, grand opening party, CityCentre, December 2012, Charlie Chanaratsopon, Judi Langley, Suchit Majmudar

Photo by William Yao

Charlie Chanaratsopon, left, shown with Judi Langley and Suchit Majmudar, is the founder of Houston-based accessories retailer Charming Charlie.

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Apple doubles Houston factory's footprint to make Mac mini computers

Apple Houston Advanced Manufacturing Center

Courtesy of Apple

Apple will double the footprint of its Houston manufacturing site.

Tech giant Apple announced that it will double the size of its Houston manufacturing footprint as it brings production of its Mac mini to the U.S. for the first time.

The company plans to begin production of its compact desktop computer at a new factory at Apple’s Houston manufacturing site later this year. The move is expected to create thousands of jobs in the Houston area, according to Apple.

Last year, the Cupertino, California-based company announced it would open a 250,000-square-foot factory to produce servers for its data centers in the Houston area. The facility was originally slated to open in 2026, but Apple reports it began production ahead of schedule in 2025.

Apple Mac mini Apple will make the Mac mini in Houston.Courtesy of Apple

The addition of the Mac mini operations at the site will bring the footprint to about 500,000 square feet, the Houston Chronicle reports. The New York Times previously reported that Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn would be involved in the Houston factory.

Apple also announced plans to open a 20,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Center in Houston later this year. The project is currently under construction and will "provide hands-on training in advanced manufacturing techniques to students, supplier employees, and American businesses of all sizes," according to the announcement. Apple opened a similar Apple Manufacturing Academy in Detroit last year.

“Apple is deeply committed to the future of American manufacturing, and we’re proud to significantly expand our footprint in Houston with the production of Mac mini starting later this year,” Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, said in the news release. “We began shipping advanced AI servers from Houston ahead of schedule, and we’re excited to accelerate that work even further.”

Apple's Houston expansion is part of a $600 billion commitment the company made to the U.S. in 2025.

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This story was originally published on our sister site, InnovationMap.

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