Bill Wolpin, Editorial Director

After years of consolidations left analysts swimming in a sea of uncertainty, this year's Waste Age 100, portrays an industry on a more even keel.

The results of our search for the industry's top private firms show very little movement at the top. At the helm are Waste Management, Allied Waste and Republic Services. And Onyx North America, too, reaches the billion dollar plateau when all of its waste services, including incineration and hazardous waste, are added.

Expanding into this year's list is hazwaste giant Safety Clean at No. 5, and No. 11 U.S. Liquids, a liquid waste leader.

Stericycle also moved into the top 10. Revenues for this medwaste hauler increased from nearly $132 million in 1999 to $323.7 million in 2000.

Another company seeing a dramatic revenue increase was Casella Waste Systems. It more than doubled reported revenue from last year, which catapulted this regional firm from the No. 8 position in 2000 to No. 6 on the 2001 listing. Bellwether companies such as Norcal, Rumpke Consolidated and Waste Holdings also showed increased revenues, but slipped a few notches in this year's report.

Generally, revenues were higher throughout the listing. For example, the 25th ranked company last year reported revenues of $40 million vs. the $74 million required to reach that ranking this year. The 50th ranked firm in 2000 earned $18 million vs. $30 million one year later.

The new companies added to the list may explain the higher revenues. But the industry's “middle class” also is “beefing up” — a sign of clear sailing ahead.

Click here to download this year's listing of the top 100 companies in the waste industry. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)