Innovative Hockey Company is Top-Ranked Sports Brand and Fastest Growing Company in New England
ACTON, Mass. – August 14, 2019 – Sparx Hockey, inventor of the revolutionary Sparx Skate Sharpener, has been named to the 2019 Inc. 500 list, the most prestigious ranking of America’s fastest growing private companies. The company’s incredible growth propelled Sparx Hockey to the No. 56 ranking on this year’s list and is the highest-ranking sports and fitness brand as well as the fastest growing company in both Massachusetts and New England.
The Inc. 500 list is an elite subset of the Inc. 5000, which represents a unique look at the most successful companies within America’s most dynamic segment of the economy — independent small and mid-sized businesses. Companies such as Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, GoPro, Pandora, Timberland, Clif Bar, Patagonia, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names were previously on the list.
“When I founded Sparx, my goal was to turn the archaic, hazardous, time-consuming and often low quality skate sharpening process into a consumer-friendly product that would allow anyone, anywhere, with no prior skate sharpening experience, to easily and quickly sharpen hockey and figure skates at pro-level quality,” said Russ Layton, CEO and Founder, Sparx Hockey. “To now be named to the Inc. 500 is not only a proud moment for me, but also for our entire team. Everyone at Sparx has worked so hard to turn this idea into a reality and create one of the most innovative products in the sports equipment industry.”
The Sparx Sharpener is an affordable, high quality automated skate sharpener that is now used by thousands of customers around the world, including individuals, families, professional and amateur teams, rink operators and retailers. Major retail customers include DICK’s Sporting Goods, Canadian Tire, Scheels, and Pro Hockey Life to name a few. In addition, more than 25 National Hockey League teams are using the Sparx Sharpener and the company recently expanded its distribution to Europe and Russia.
“We have experienced tremendous growth over the past three years, but we have really just scratched the surface of our potential global customer base. We truly believe anyone who skates recreationally, plays hockey or is involved with figure skating should be a Sparx customer,” Layton said. “With our recent expansion outside of North American and a full pipeline of future innovative products, we are well positioned to significantly increase our current growth trajectory.”
Complete results of the Inc. 500 and Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000.
For more information about Sparx Hockey or to purchase the Sparx Skate Sharpener, visit www.sparxhockey.com.
About Sparx Hockey
Sparx Hockey is a privately held corporation located in Acton, Massachusetts. Sparx Hockey is a developer and manufacturer of skate sharpening equipment and related accessories for ice hockey, figure skating and sled hockey. Sparx Hockey products are currently being used by thousands of players and skaters from youth to professional levels. The company is focused on building a leadership position in skate sharpening by providing customers with the most advanced, accurate and easy to use skate sharpening equipment on the planet. For more information, please visit www.sparxhockey.com
About Inc. and the Inc. 5000
Methodology
The 2019 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2015 and 2018. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2015. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2018. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2015 is $100,000; the minimum for 2018 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.’s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.
About Inc. Media
Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today’s innovative company builders. Inc. took home the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. The total monthly audience reach for the brand has been growing significantly, from 2,000,000 in 2010 to more than 20,000,000 today. For more information, visit www.inc.com.
The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, this prestigious list has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. The Inc. 5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony is an annual event that celebrates the remarkable achievements of these companies. The event also offers informative workshops, celebrated keynote speakers, and evening functions.
For more information on Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.