Analysis
When examining this year’s Top 100 list, those companies that submitted and the names that made the final roll, the list really represents the silver lining from the storm clouds that failed to appear in Winter 2016-17.
Plain and simple, 2017 was another lackluster winter defined by isolated snow and ice events that failed to add up to much more than a big pile of nothing. For much of the U.S. and Canadian snow zone, long-term low temperatures and substantial precipitation never appeared and when they did they failed to be impactful. Places like Boston, that only a few years back still had melting snow piles at the Fourth of July, reported the fifth-warmest winter on record. Springfield, Ill., reported just over 2 inches of winter precipitation – the fourth driest winter in its history.
So, it was quite surprising to receive an unprecedented number of submissions for this year’s Top 100 list. And when the winter revenue numbers were tallied it as equally shocking to see that there was a $1 million threshold at No. 100. To put this into perspective, in the decade I’ve overseen the list the average revenue threshold to make the list was typically somewhere in the $900,000 range. This has to be the first list where a company reporting more than $1 million in winter revenue wasn’t guaranteed a spot on the Top 100 list.
So what accounts for this? My best estimate – compiled from recent conversations with some very smart professional snow and ice managers – is that the average snow contractor has become a more astute business person. Various initiatives over recent years (availability of more in-depth industry education and certifications) have had an impact on how snow professionals run their winter operations, especially during lean times. As a group, contactors are becoming smarter about the types of service contracts and contract language they’re agreeing to. As a result, they’re burdening less financial risk and reaping more reward, even during a low-event winter.
Without a doubt, this industry is cyclical in nature – what goes around comes around. So, we’re due for an overly aggressive, high-event winter sooner than later. The true test of this theory is how well contactors maintain their bottom line following a winter seemingly starts in November and ends in April.
Methodology
Here’s a little background on how we conduct this process.
Shortly after the last major snowfall, notices go out to last year’s Top 100 companies to begin compiling their total winter revenue and to head to our online form to submit their numbers. At the same time, we begin to broadcast to the rest of the snow community to total and submit their winter revenue figures.
This process remained open until early July. At the submission process’ conclusion the numbers were tallied and ranked. Those companies reporting identical revenue figures shared the higher ranking.
Traditionally, Top 100 companies are recognized during a special leadership dinner held at that year's Executive Summit.
RANK | Company Name | City/Town | State/Prov |
1 | BrightView | Plymouth Meeting | PA |
2 | Ferrandino & Son Inc. | Farmingdale | NY |
3 | Clintar Landscape Management | Markham | ON |
4 | EMCOR/USM | Norwalk | PA |
5 | Wayne's Lawn Service | Louisville | KY |
6 | Divisions Maintenance Group | Newport | KY |
7 | Case Snow Management | North Attleboro | MA |
8 | Reliable Property Services | Eagan | MN |
9 | Abraxus Snow and Ice Management | Parma | OH |
10 | The Grounds Guys | Waco | TX |
11 | TruGreen Cos. | Memphis | TN |
12 | Snow and Ice Management Co. | Pittsburgh | PA |
13 | Acres Group | Wauconda | IL |
14 | US Lawns Inc. | Orlando | FL |
15 | East End Group | Yaphank | NY |
16 | Arctic Snow and Ice Control | Frankfort | IL |
17 | Cutting Edge Landscape | Boise | ID |
18 | Sebert Landscaping | Bartlett | IL |
19 | Ruppert Landscape | Laytonsville | MD |
20 | Beary Landscaping Inc. | Lockport | IL |
21 | Mainscape | Fishers | IN |
22 | Invictus Master Maintenance Program | Port Coquitlam | BC |
23 | Greenscape | Raynham | MA |
23 | CAM Services | Denver | CO |
25 | Metco Landscape | Aurora | CO |
26 | H&M Sno-Pro's | Newbury | OH |
27 | Landscape Concepts Management | Grayslake | IL |
28 | Troy Clogg Snow Associates | Wixom | MI |
29 | Complete Landscaping Service | Bowie | MD |
30 | David J. Frank Landscape Contracting Inc. | Germantown | WI |
31 | LandOpt | Pittsburgh | PA |
32 | Gleason Johndrow Landscaping and Snow Management | Springfield | MA |
33 | LEI Corp. | Boylston | MA |
34 | Xtreme Snow Pros | Ringwood | NJ |
35 | Management Services Northwest II | Ferndale | WA |
36 | Fullerton Grounds Maintenance | Kenvil | NJ |
37 | Einstein's Inc | Fitchburg | MA |
38 | Lawn Butler | Centerville | UT |
39 | Perficut Companies | Des Moines | IA |
39 | Brilar | Oak Park | MI |
41 | McFall and Berry Landscape Management | Annandale | VA |
42 | JDK Services Inc. | West Dundee | IL |
43 | Gelderman Landscape Services | Waterdown | ON |
44 | W. L. French Excavating Corp. | North Billerica | MA |
45 | All State Landscape Services | New Britain | CT |
46 | Langton Group | Woodstock | IL |
47 | Turf Technologies Inc. | Uxbridge | MA |
48 | Schill Grounds Management | North Ridgeville | OH |
49 | G. Greene Construction Co. | Allston | MA |
50 | Allied Snow Plowing, Removal & Sanding Services Corp. | Mystic | CT |
51 | Lawn Ranger | Eden Prairie | MN |
52 | Eastern Land Management | Stamford | CT |
53 | JEFFCO Inc. | Anchorage | AK |
54 | Sauers Snow and Ice Management Inc. | Warminster | PA |
55 | C. Caramanico & Sons Inc. | Upland | PA |
56 | Environmental Management | Dublin | OH |
57 | Landtech | Rockland | ON |
58 | James River Grounds Management | Glen Allen | VA |
59 | TNO LLC, Dba True North Outdoor | Kansas City | KS |
60 | Great Oaks Landscape Associates | Novi | MI |
61 | Shearon Design | Plymouth Meeting | PA |
62 | Terracare Associates | Littleton | CO |
63 | About Time Snow | Huntingdon Valley | PA |
64 | Kline Bros Landscaping | Ship Bottom | NJ |
65 | The Greener Side Inc. | Inkster | MI |
66 | Russ Fragala Landscape Corp. | Nesconset | NY |
67 | High Tech Landscapes | Branchburg | NJ |
68 | Kujawa Enterprises Inc. | Oak Creek | WI |
69 | CoCal Landscape | Denver | CO |
70 | Christy Webber Landscapes | Chicago | IL |
71 | Senske Services | Kennewick | WA |
72 | KCG Management | Schaumburg | IL |
72 | Yardmaster Inc. | Painesville | OH |
74 | Mueskes Landscaping | North Andover | MA |
75 | Chapel Valley Landscape Co. | Woodbine | MD |
76 | Diaz Group | Chicago | IL |
77 | Oberson's Nursery | Fairfield | OH |
78 | Alliance Landscaping | Auburn | NH |
79 | Elf's Landscaping Inc. | Rochester | NH |
80 | Clarence Davids & Co. | Matteson | IL |
81 | Doug Gross Construction Inc. | Painted Post | NY |
82 | Hittle Landscaping | Westfield | IN |
83 | Garden Grove Landscaping Inc. | Waterdown | ON |
84 | TBG Landscape | Whitby | ON |
85 | Denison Landscaping Inc. | Ft. Washington | MD |
86 | Dreamscapes/ Buffalo Snow and Ice | Cheektowaga | NY |
87 | Fourseasons Snow and Ice Management | Roselle park | NJ |
88 | Cassidy Corp. | Woburn | MA |
89 | R.P. Marzilli & Co. | Medway | MA |
90 | The Bruce Co. of Wisconsin | Middleton | WI |
91 | Pioneer Landscapes Inc. | Easthampton | MA |
91 | Scanel Construction Services | Maywood | NJ |
91 | Regional Snow Services | Schaumburg | IL |
94 | Environmental Landworks Co. | Wheat Ridge | CO |
95 | Moore Landscapes | Northbrook | IL |
96 | Alpine Smith Inc. | South Lake Tahoe | CA |
97 | Total Property Management Group | Plainwell | MI |
98 | Mr Winter Services | Leslie | MI |
99 | Swinter Group Inc. | St. Louis | MO |
100 | Teddy's Lawn & Landscape | Livonia | MI |
100 | North Point Outdoors | Derry | NH |
100 | Hantho Farms | Rockford | MN |
100 | Executive Property Maintenance | Plymouth | MI |
