Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), the nation’s leading recycler of electronic waste, announced today that it has been named to Inc. magazine’s annual “Inc. 5000” list — recognizing the fastest growing organizations in the country.
This year’s Inc. 5000 list is ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2007 through 2010. Listed companies were found by Inc.’s researchers to have grown in revenue generated as well as number of full time employees.
ERI joins Spirit Airlines, television maker Vizio, Honest Tea, Dunkin Donuts and Metrokane, makers of the Rabbit corkscrew, among other prominent brands featured on this year’s list. Companies that have been listed in the past include some of today’s best known brands, such as Microsoft, Domino’s Pizza, Charles Schwab, Timberland, Gateway and Oracle.
“Now, more than ever, we depend on Inc. 5000 companies to spur innovation, provide jobs, and drive the economy forward. Growth companies, not large corporations, are where the action is,” said Inc. magazine Editor Jane Berentson.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to have been included among the list of our nation’s fastest growing companies by Inc., a leading thought journal for American business,” said John Shegerian, Chairman and CEO of ERI. “We are indeed a fast growing organization in a fast growing industry — and we believe that the key to our growth has been our commitment to doing what we do the right — and sustainable — way.”
Alongside citing ERI’s 41% revenue growth during a challenging economy and the more than doubling of its employee count over the last three years, Inc. noted that ERI was the first and thus far only recycler of electronics in the world to accomplish companywide dual certification by Responsible Recycling Practices (R2) and eStewards (BAN), the two standards of e-waste recycling.
“The planet’s enormous glut of electronic waste is still a problem,” added Shegerian, “but it also poses tremendous opportunities for organizations willing to effectively collect and recover the valuable metals the right way. As more businesses continue to get in touch with their green DNA, as well as the promise of urban mining, we believe our relatively young industry will continue to have substantial impact. The green revolution is clearly no fad — it is a wide-reaching global business opportunity that is here to stay.”
Shegerian coined the term “urban mining” to describe the electronic recycling industry and its ability to tap into the rich collection of resources within discarded electronic items.