The 2009 IW U.S. 500: Breaking Down The 500
The IndustryWeek U.S. 500 list of the nation's largest manufacturers indicates that 2008 was not a complete disaster. Total IW 500 revenue in 2008 rose to $5.8 trillion from $5.4 trillion the previous year, showing that U.S.-based manufacturers are still growing.
The top three companies on the list remain unchanged from 2007 with oil producers Exxon Mobil Corp., Chevron Corp. and ConocoPhillips occupying the same spots, respectively. While oil prices fell during the latter part of 2008, a record $147 per barrel high in July was enough to drive Exxon's profits to another all-time record of $45.2 billion on revenue of $466.3 billion.
See AlsoCreating the IW U.S. 500A Tale of Two Industries Nordson's 1.1 Billion Reasons for Optimism See The IW U.S. 500
Meanwhile, food processor Archer Daniels-Midland Co. jumped 12 spots to No. 12 on the list, buoyed by higher selling prices in response to rising commodity costs. As expected, manufacturers associated with the homebuilding industries struggled, with such companies as Weyerhaeuser Co. falling 66 spots to No. 134.
Among the companies falling off the IW 500 this year because of acquisitions are Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. (acquired by InBev), Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. (acquired by Mars Inc.) and Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. (acquired by Teva Pharmaceuticals).
One of the many newcomers to the list since last year include adhesives and coatings equipment maker Nordson Corp. (See "Nordson's 1.1 Billion Reasons for Optimism").
View the complete IW U.S. 500 list here. The list can be viewed alphabetically or by industry, ranking and financial performance.
| The First 20 | ||
| IW 500 Rank 2009 | Company | 2008 Revenue ($ millions) |
| 1 | 466,278 | |
| 2 | 267,639 | |
| 3 | 241,932 | |
| 4 | 182,515 | |
| 5 | 148,979 | |
| 6 | 146,277 | |
| 7 | 119,114 | |
| 8 | 118,364 | |
| 9 | 103,630 | |
| 10 | 83,503 | |
| 11 | 77,804 | |
| 12 | 69,816 | |
| 13 | 63,747 | |
| 14 | 63,640 | |
| 15 | 61,101 | |
| 16 | 60,909 | |
| 17 | 60,420 | |
| 18 | 58,681 | |
| 19 | 57,514 | |
| 20 | 54,124 | |
| Top 15 Rising Stars | |||
| 2009 Rank | 2008 Rank | Company | Rank Change |
| 194 | 404 | +210 | |
| 322 | 463 | +141 | |
| 328 | 468 | +140 | |
| 228 | 363 | +135 | |
| 286 | 419 | +133 | |
| 347 | 479 | +132 | |
| 332 | 440 | +108 | |
| 382 | 487 | +105 | |
| 309 | 403 | +94 | |
| 224 | 312 | +88 | |
| 311 | 398 | +87 | |
| 131 | 210 | +79 | |
| 333 | 410 | +77 | |
| 390 | 461 | +71 | |
| 402 | 472 | +70 | |
| Falling Fast | |||
| 2009 Rank | 2008 Rank | Company | Rank Change |
| 407 | 241 | -166 | |
| 408 | 309 | -99 | |
| 351 | 255 | -96 | |
| 427 | 336 | -91 | |
| 431 | 351 | -80 | |
| 134 | 68 | -66 | |
| 465 | 401 | -64 | |
| 449 | 389 | -60 | |
| 420 | 361 | -59 | |
| 240 | 183 | -57 | |
| 359 | 303 | -56 | |
| 378 | 322 | -56 | |
| 251 | 197 | -54 | |
| 395 | 342 | -53 | |
| 405 | 354 | -51 | |
| Top Industrial Sectors By Revenue | ||
| Industry | # of Companies | Revenue (millions) |
| 46 | $1,584,099 | |
| 53 | $632,835 | |
| 61 | $447,366 | |
| 9 | $343,634 | |
| 20 | $304,193 | |
| 18 | $285,472 | |
| 25 | $281,072 | |
| 39 | $257,957 | |
| 11 | $249,048 | |
| 13 | $141,726 | |
| Leaders in Key Industries | ||||
| Rank | Company Revenue | (in millions) | Revenue Growth % | Profit Margin % |
| 16 | $60,909 | -8.25 | 4.39 | |
| 18 | $58,681 | 7.16 | 7.99 | |
| 25 | $42,731 | 2.08 | 7.53 | |
| 32 | $33,887 | 5.84 | -3.72 | |
| 52 | $23,174 | 8.79 | 7.21 | |
| 62 | $18,627 | 14.09 | 10.11 | |
| 141 | $7,642 | 5.86 | 7.89 | |
| 230 | $3,984 | -12.94 | -23.89 | |
| 233 | $3,937 | 6.23 | 8.52 | |
| 271 | $3,180 | 21.75 | 24.62 | |
| 24 | $43,251 | 9.57 | 11.89 | |
| 35 | $31,944 | 10.70 | 18.18 | |
| 55 | $21,807 | 4.16 | -20.15 | |
| 83 | $13,796 | 1.51 | 1.17 | |
| 199 | $4,937 | 10.22 | 4.59 | |
| 10 | $83,503 | 9.19 | 14.46 | |
| 19 | $57,514 | 7.48 | 1.01 | |
| 36 | $31,755 | 3.16 | 6.32 | |
| 45 | $25,269 | 3.30 | 13.69 | |
| 70 | $15,849 | 41.43 | 3.39 | |
| 37 | $30,146 | -17.68 | -14.08 | |
| 78 | $14,901 | 6.74 | 6.37 | |
| 107 | $11,142 | 25.60 | 28.36 | |
| 172 | $5,948 | 1.50 | 88.38 | |
| 188 | $5,311 | 25.17 | 8.36 | |
| 8 | $118,364 | 13.50 | 7.04 | |
| 9 | $103,630 | 4.90 | 11.90 | |
| 15 | $61,101 | -0.05 | 4.06 | |
| 17 | $60,420 | 18.19 | 29.26 | |
| 28 | $39,540 | 13.22 | 20.36 | |
| 4 | $182,515 | 5.66 | 9.54 | |
| 47 | $24,807 | 9.90 | 9.72 | |
| 61 | $18,907 | -2.58 | 2.21 | |
| 72 | $15,376 | 17.98 | 6.88 | |
| 163 | $6,521 | 10.47 | 9.69 | |
| 50 | $23,754 | 40.78 | 8.89 | |
| 69 | $15,869 | -1.86 | 9.57 | |
| 109 | $10,770 | 22.89 | 7.12 | |
| 128 | $8,305 | 7.48 | 2.72 | |
| 144 | $7,561 | 2.32 | 4.23 | |
| 12 | $69,816 | 58.61 | 2.58 | |
| 26 | $42,201 | 13.32 | 6.87 | |
| 44 | $26,862 | -0.14 | 0.32 | |
| 84 | $13,652 | 9.73 | 9.48 | |
| 90 | $13,212 | 7.61 | -0.60 | |
| 118 | $9,600 | -18.44 | -4.07 | |
| 225 | $4,076 | -5.35 | 2.56 | |
| 260 | $3,420 | 10.44 | 3.89 | |
| 313 | $2,477 | -3.61 | 1.83 | |
| 362 | $2,012 | 4.86 | 7.57 | |
| 112 | $10,498 | 7.71 | 9.47 | |
| 181 | $5,774 | 6.53 | 12.00 | |
| 276 | $3,098 | 12.23 | 6.26 | |
| 284 | $2,934 | 1.05 | 8.07 | |
| 305 | $2,531 | 18.45 | 9.76 | |
| 21 | $51,324 | 14.16 | 6.93 | |
| 40 | $28,437 | 18.09 | 7.22 | |
| 66 | $17,608 | 2.21 | 1.31 | |
| 87 | $13,431 | 37.21 | 14.53 | |
| 99 | $12,145 | 13.32 | 7.82 | |
| 86 | $13,515 | 9.89 | 16.51 | |
| 98 | $12,348 | 9.63 | 16.31 | |
| 133 | $8,050 | -3.67 | -25.29 | |
| 147 | $7,155 | 12.52 | 15.75 | |
| 160 | $6,718 | 11.96 | 17.08 | |
| 29 | $38,062 | 9.93 | 2.57 | |
| 64 | $18,060 | -18.95 | 16.82 | |
| 76 | $14,995 | 1.99 | -5.20 | |
| 80 | $14,342 | 9.92 | 5.26 | |
| 85 | $13,570 | -15.16 | -5.08 | |
| 5 | $148,979 | -17.75 | -20.71 | |
| 6 | $146,277 | -15.18 | -10.03 | |
| 77 | $14,972 | -1.64 | 6.80 | |
| 79 | $14,724 | 19.76 | 0.91 | |
| 148 | $7,138 | 13.18 | 1.11 | |
| 46 | $24,829 | 13.43 | -5.16 | |
| 59 | $19,415 | 6.29 | 8.70 | |
| 129 | $8,267 | -8.97 | -20.05 | |
| 151 | $7,042 | -5.09 | -40.02 | |
| 161 | $6,710 | 6.38 | 3.97 | |
| 1 | $466,278 | 17.85 | 9.70 | |
| 2 | $267,639 | 23.47 | 8.94 | |
| 3 | $241,932 | 27.73 | -7.03 | |
| 7 | $119,114 | 24.95 | -0.95 | |
| 11 | $77,804 | 20.32 | 4.53 | |
| 13 | $63,747 | 4.34 | 20.31 | |
| 22 | $48,296 | -0.25 | 16.78 | |
| 38 | $29,527 | 13.94 | 16.53 | |
| 49 | $23,850 | -1.44 | 32.74 | |
| 53 | $22,833 | 1.94 | 19.35 | |
| 202 | $4,843 | 4.13 | 3.71 | |
| 253 | $3,567 | 9.65 | 6.08 | |
| 292 | $2,738 | 3.63 | -9.96 | |
| 344 | $2,161 | 9.10 | 7.47 | |
| 354 | $2,071 | 9.49 | 7.41 | |
| 43 | $26,901 | -12.51 | -0.28 | |
| 51 | $23,663 | 42.61 | 7.74 | |
| 65 | $17,796 | 5.06 | -62.19 | |
| 113 | $10,427 | 25.19 | 2.22 | |
| 124 | $8,718 | 20.00 | 5.54 | |
| 58 | $19,488 | -0.79 | -0.40 | |
| 262 | $3,393 | -4.41 | 2.39 | |
| 288 | $2,881 | -1.73 | -7.61 | |
About the Author
Jonathan Katz
Former Managing Editor
Former Managing Editor Jon Katz covered leadership and strategy, tackling subjects such as lean manufacturing leadership, strategy development and deployment, corporate culture, corporate social responsibility, and growth strategies. As well, he provided news and analysis of successful companies in the chemical and energy industries, including oil and gas, renewable and alternative.
Jon worked as an intern for IndustryWeek before serving as a reporter for The Morning Journal and then as an associate editor for Penton Media’s Supply Chain Technology News.
Jon received his bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Kent State University and is a die-hard Cleveland sports fan.