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The outpouring of applications for this year’s Top Company awards is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of enterprises that do business in the state. Applications for the 35th annual awards numbered in the hundreds, and it was particularly encouraging to see so many companies rebounding from two years of COVID restrictions, with most posting revenue and employee gains approaching—and in some cases, exceeding—pre-pandemic numbers.
This year’s Top Company winners and finalists represent 13 industry categories, plus a startup category for companies in business less than four years. Entrants were judged on three criteria: outstanding achievement, financial performance and community involvement. The judging panel was made up of ColoradoBiz magazine’s editorial board and two representatives from the business community.
Winner — Barber-Nichols
Arvada
Since 2015, Barber-Nichols has grown more than twofold – in terms both of revenue and its workforce, as the company has expanded from 72 employees to 180 in the past seven years.
The Arvada-based firm provides pumps, compressors, turbine systems, rocket engine turbo pumps, motors and thermal management solutions across aerospace, cryogenics, defense and energy sectors. Barber-Nichols has been at the forefront of aerospace innovation for 50 years and is showing no signs of stopping.
“BN continues to experience rapid growth in current business industries including undersea power and propulsion systems, thermal management systems, space-based applications and advanced power generation and energy storage,” the company says.
To facilitate expansion, the company acquired property adjacent to its current campus. The new facility will improve manufacturing efficiency by consolidating BN’s machining, quality control and manufacturing support operations. By designing, manufacturing, and testing turbomachinery, Barber-Nichols continues to push the envelope of integrated engineering.
Among the company’s goals: Continue 15% year-over-year growth in four product group areas; maintain a top-notch employee-centric culture with a 4.9 out of 5 Glassdoor score; and manufacture mission-critical products that impact the world.
Meanwhile, the company is helping to develop the next generation of aerospace technicians, as it offers an apprenticeship program with Red Rocks Community College.