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No. 3
Revenue growth FY 2021 to 2023: 188%
2023 revenue: $10.7 million
Northern Lights Locating & Inspection strives to make the best workplace possible, which makes a lot of sense when you consider what’s at stake. Its crews locate underground electrical utility lines, gas lines and the like. A contractor accidentally cuts into one of those, and project delays and increased expenses are the least of the worries. “Utility locating isn’t just putting paint and a flag on the ground and clearing out the ticket,” Chief Operating Officer Caitlin Flater says. Rather, it’s a relationship “with contractors working in the field, making sure we’re keeping them safe. That’s really what this is all about.”
A place where people want to work: Understandably, such a job can be stressful. So removing unnecessary difficulties for employees and keeping them engaged are company priorities. To hear from more voices in the field, the company changed from having large safety meetings to having smaller ones. The company provides top-of-the-line equipment. Technology initiatives have simplified workflow. “It’s our job to set our employees up to win,” Flater says.
Building a better mousetrap: Northern Lights developed its own ticket-management software in 2004. In 2017, the company launched a cellphone app. “That’s an opportunity that we see in the future that we’d like to expand a platform for more of our customers,” Flater says, “and even competitors of ours have shown interest.”
A growing awareness: Flater and company President J.D. Harris say they have seen a shift in attitudes over the years. Utility companies are focused on safety. Contractors are focused on safety. Yet the demands to get projects done on time remain. “The industry has changed some,” Harris says. “They look more towards quality, and that is Northern Lights. That’s what we hang our hat on.” Northern Lights now does work in nine states. It is involved in local 811 organizations. Its number of employees has more than tripled over the past two years. “Our on-time performance is crucial,” Flater says. “If we’re on time, that means contractors get to start their jobs on time and know that when they’re digging, they’re digging safely.”•
Check out more of IBJ’s ranking of Indy’s fastest-growing companies.
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