Inergy, L.P.

Type: Public
On the web: http://www.inergypropane.com
Employees: 2,971
Employee growth: (1.7%)

Inergy has put its energy into acquiring propane companies (more than 60 purchases since its founding in 1996). The company retails about 362 million gallons of propane a year and wholesales about 384 million gallons under such names as Bradley Propane, Country Gas, Direct Propane, Hoosier Propane, Independent Propane, McCracken, Pro Gas, and Star Gas Propane. It serves a retail base of 700,000 customers through 321 service centers in 28 states. Inergy provides wholesale services to about 350 distributors in 40 states and Canada. Inergy also owns natural gas storage facilities, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and natural gas liquids (NGL) businesses, and sells and leases propane equipment.

Key numbers for fiscal year ending September, 2007:
Sales: $1,483.1M
One year growth: 6.9%
Net income: $67.0M
Income growth: 583.0%

Officers:
President, CEO, and Director: John J. Sherman
EVP Propane Operations and Director; President and COO, Inergy Propane: Phillip L. (Phil) Elbert
EVP and CFO: Liquefied Petroleum Gas Dealers

Competitors:
AmeriGas Partners
Energy Transfer
Ferrellgas Partners