While few would categorize ATMs as a "high growth" industry in today's mature marketplace, three ATM companies have landed on Inc. Magazine's 2001 list of 500 fastest-growing companies.

The annual list ranks the nation's entrepreneurial firms according to sales growth over the previous five years. Among the alumni are Microsoft, Timberland and Domino's Pizza.

While they may never go on to gain that kind of broad name recognition, the three companies - Cardtronics, Financial Technologies and Lynk Systems - are already well known forces within the ATM world.

Houston-based Cardtronics, which entered the Inc list for the first time at number 132, experienced sales growth of 1,874 percent from 1996-2000, according to the magazine. The ISO tallied $26.2 million in sales in 2000, up from $1.3 million in 1996. Founded in 1989, Cardtronics reported it had 55 employees in 2000, up from six in 1996.

Cardtronics, which operates a network of more than 6,500 ATMs, recently acquired 1,100 ATMs and other assets from McLane Financial Services Plus (FSP) and announced an agreement with SSP/Circle K to install and service more than 335 ATMs in Circle K convenience stores in Texas and Oklahoma.

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"This is an important milestone for Cardtronics," said Ralph Clinard, the company's president and chief executive officer. "Our Inc. 500 ranking is a testament to the success of our business model and validates our growth strategy. We have worked very hard over the years to achieve our goals and are pleased to be included among this elite group of companies."

Jackson, Miss.-based Financial Technologies (FTI), at number 248 on Inc's list, racked up $17.3 million in sales in 2000, up from $1.3 million in 1996, for a growth rate of 1,175 percent. Founded in 1995, FTI had 23 employees in 2000, up from two in 1996.

Deals such as an agreement with Georgia-based Flash Foods to install and service 150 ATMs at its outlets in the Southeast helped land FTI on the list for the second year in a row, said FTI President Tommy Glenn.

"It's a real honor for us to make it two years in a row, because it's hard to maintain that kind of strong growth," he said.

Glenn believes the Inc listing may have helped FTI establish some new business relationships in the past year. "So far, it's been a good thing for us," he said.

FTI, which operates a network of about 3,300 ATMs, in July created a new division called ATM Wholesale that sells new and refurbished ATMs and parts.

Atlanta-based Lynk Systems, a third-party transaction processor, came in at number 324. With a jump from $19 million in sales in 1996 to $194.5 million in 2000, Lynk grew at a rate of 926 percent. Lynk had 456 employees in 2000, up from 130 in 1996. This is Lynk's third time on the list.

"To be honored by Inc magazine three years in a row for exceptional revenue growth is a direct result of our sustained investment in technology, people and diversification," said Ken Paull, Lynk's executive vice president of sales and marketing. "Lynk has been a key player in the ATM industry over the years, securing some of the most established ISOs in the industry. One of my goals is to position Lynk as the recognized leader by heightening our focus on ATM service quality and integrated solutions."

To be eligible for the Inc. 500, a company had to be independent and privately held through 2000, have at least $200,000 in sales in the base year of 1996 and have sales for 2000 that exceeded their 1999 sales. Holding companies, regulated banks and utilities were not eligible.

Inc. verifies information using tax forms and financial statements from certified public accountants and through interviews conducted with company officials.

This year's Inc. 500 set records in terms of both collective sales and growth rates, with the honorees racking up a collective total of $12.5 billion in sales and an average 5-year growth rate of almost 2,000 percent.

George Gendron, Inc.'s editor-in-chief, said, "The economy may have slowed, but entrepreneurial enterprises have always been, and will continue to be, the nation's foremost engine of growth and job creation."