PITTSBURGH -Franchise Timeshas named Linc Network LLC one of the country’s 200 largest franchise companies, based on worldwide system sales for 2006.

Inclusion on the annual list signifies a company’s status as one of the largest players in the franchising industry. The magazine compiled the list after months of collecting sales and unit count data from more than 1,000 companies, ranging from multinational household names to lesser-known franchisors. Collectively, the companies of the Top 200 managed worldwide sales of nearly $445 billion, a 6.4 percent increase from 2005.

To qualify for consideration by the magazine, at least 20 percent of a franchise organization’s total units must be operated by franchisees. Ranked No. 143 and one of 16 companies new to the Top 200, Linc surpassed this criterion with 85 percent of its franchise locations being operated by independently owned mechanical contractors. Another important qualification was systemwide sales, which consisted of the total sales in 2006 from both Linc’s company- and franchisee-operated locations.

Linc’s franchise locations form the Linc Service Network, a 135+-member organization spanning the United States, Canada, and Bermuda. These locations, known as Linc Service® Contractors, follow the disciplines of the Linc System® in delivering preventive maintenance as well as HVAC service and bundled energy solutions to the commercial market. So far this year, Linc has added 12 new franchise locations to its service network.

“We’re very proud to be associated with the top franchise organizations in the country,” said Scott Giacobbe, Linc Network president and CEO. “Receiving this kind of recognition is a strong tribute to the power and reach of the Linc Service Network. Our continued growth throughout the U.S. and beyond will enable us to reach even greater heights in the years to come.”

Linc Network LLC, headquartered in Pittsburgh and Atlanta, is the franchisor of the Linc System, a business format for operating a commercial HVAC service business. For more information, visit www.lincservice.com.

Publication date:11/26/2007