Ninety-four Minnesota companies made Inc. magazine’s 2012 list of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in America—eight of them ranking in the top 500 and 17 ranking in the top 1,000.
 
The list is based on each company’s percent revenue growth between 2008 and 2011. Here’s a look at the eight businesses that made the top 500:
 
GarbageMan, A Green Company
• Rank: 71
• Description: An environmentally conscious garbage collection and disposal service and franchisor
• Headquarters: Plymouth
• 2011 revenue: $4.5 million
• Three-year growth rate: 3,684%
 
Code 42 Software
• Rank: 313
• Description: Develops the data protection and backup software CrashPlan (personal backup), and CrashPlan PRO for enterprise-level customers
• Headquarters: Minneapolis
• 2011 revenue: $18.5 million
• Three-year growth rate: 1,194%
 
MetroSpec Technology
• Rank: 333
• Description: Manufactures custom FlexRad LED light circuits
• Headquarters: Mendota Heights
• 2011 revenue: $5.8 million
• Three-year growth rate: 1,144%
 
DefySupply.com
• Rank: 402
• Description: Sells discounted furniture online—more than 4,000 products—that it obtains directly from global manufacturers
• Headquarters: Minneapolis
• 2011 revenue: $2.4 million
• Three-year growth rate: 931%
  
USP&E Global
• Rank: 421
• Description: Sells, installs, and services diesel, natural gas, and heavy fuel oil generators, gas turbine power plants, and switch gear and data center equipment
• Headquarters: Celina
• 2011 revenue: $43.8 million
• Three-year growth rate: 884%
 
Erickson Builders
• Rank: 455
• Description: A family-owned, full-service residential and commercial contractor
• Headquarters: Rogers
• 2011 revenue: $6 million
• Three-year growth rate: 832%
  
Intuitive Technology Group
• Rank: 461
• Description: Helps companies manage and support their IT infrastructure, from server to desktop to handheld
• Headquarters: Bloomington
• 2011 revenue: $12.2 million
• Three-year growth rate: 827%
 
AimClear
• Rank: 463
• Description: A social media, PR, search, and display marketing agency
• Headquarters: Duluth
• 2011 revenue: $3.4 million
• Three-year growth rate: 823%
 
The Minnesota companies that ranked between 501 and 1,000 on the list are Bulk Reef Supply, OppSource, Zeroez Carpet Care, ClickToShopLLC.com, ShopJimmy.com, Horizontal Integration, Renters Warehouse, Outsell, and WaterFilters.Net.
 
Minnesota companies that ranked between 1,001 and 5,000 include some names you might recognize. Among them: The Nerdery, Olson, Proto Labs, Archway, Seward Co-op Grocery, Haberman, Trissential, Anytime Fitness, Prime Therapeutics, Knock, Great Clips, Loffler Companies, and Snap Fitness.
 
Ranking first on Inc.’s list is Unified Payments, a North Miami Beach, Florida-based company that provides payment processing services to merchants across the United States. Its revenue grew 23,646 percent between 2008 and 2011. Second was Annapolis Junction, Maryland-based Astrum Solar, which grew 23,577 percent over the three-year period, and Alpharetta, Georgia-based Edge Solutions, which grew 21,036 percent.
 
To see the Minnesota companies that made the Inc. list, click here. To see the full list of all 5,000 companies, click here.