05.05.2009 — Everybody knew the numbers on the 2009 CE Pro 100 list would be somewhat troubling. So, the 11.7 percent drop in CE Pro 100 companies' custom revenues shouldn't be a surprise.

Hey, we're in a recession! What did you expect?

The truth is, though, that there are some truly bright spots in the CE Pro 100 data that offer integrators reasons to optimism.

Here are a few:

Bottoms Up. The No. 100 company on the 2009 list, Richmond, Va.-based Structured Cable of Va., reports $2,190,000 in custom revenue. That's up $1,800 from what was reported by 2008 No. 100 company El Dorado Home Theater.

Tweeter Is Gone. That, in itself, is certainly not good news. When prolific specialty electronics dealer Tweeter went out of business thousands of people lost their jobs.

To the optimistic, though, Tweeter's departure from many markets leaves lots of audio/video enthusiasts looking for a good place to buy their next system. The same holds true for many Circuit City customers, who also lost their store during the past year.

Numbers Aren't Very Different. Yes, the 11.7 percent decline is the big number that will jump out at CE Pro readers, but a close look at the 2009 CE Pro 100 list reveals that, for companies of certain sizes, the drop off from 2008 list is less dramatic.

The fact the numbers stayed this close in these areas during a recession seems to bode well for the strength of the industry.

Let's look at the differences in CE Pro 100 companies custom revenues incrementally:



Click here to view more tidbits from the CE Pro 100.

		CE Pro 100 Reports 12% Decline in Revenue Average company earned $6.59 million in 2008, down from $7.4 million. Average number of installations drops 5 percent. Crunching the Numbers Trends, takeaways and trite observations about the CE Pro 100 integration companies. How the Top 3 Companies Remained the Same Guardian Home Technologies, Modia and Audio Command Systems once again are the top three companies in the CE Pro 100. Download the Complete CE Pro 100 List Get the list and find out who made this year's most prestigious custom installation ranking. Verifying the CE Pro 100: How It's Done This year, 87 of the 100 companies provided verification in the form of copies of tax returns or letters from an outside CPA. Positive Signs from the CE Pro 100 How many other industries would be elated to be down just 12 percent during this "great recession"? Integrators Reveal Favorite Brands The CE Pro 100 highest-revenue-earners indicate their top brands in each of 34 custom electronics categories. Inside the CE Pro 100 Brand Analysis We're taking the CE Pro 100 Brand Analysis one step further, looking at some of the products from manufacturers in several of the 34 product categories. 6 Secrets to Success CE Pro 100 companies were asked to offer advice on marketing and employee management. Some (hire a CFO) are easy to understand and some (what's this about a car wash?) aren't so simple.