MELTON FRANCHISE SYSTEMS, OPERATOR OF COVERALL CLEANING CONCEPTS® OF MID-STATE CALIFORNIA , NAMED ONE OF INC. 500’S FASTEST GROWING PRIVATE COMPANIES IN AMERICA

For the second straight year, Melton Franchise Systems, operator of Coverall Cleaning Concepts of Mid-State California, has been named one of the fastest-growing privately-held companies in the U.S. by Inc. magazine, in its annual ranking of the Inc. 500.  

“Our rapid growth is evidence that more and more companies are counting on Melton franchise Systems for their commercial cleaning needs,” stated Mark Melton, President and Founder of Coverall of Mid-State California.  “At a time when the commercial cleaning industry is exploding, we’re showing that through our network of local Coverall franchise owners we can be counted on to do an extraordinary job.”

Melton’s Coverall headquarters are based in Carpinteria and include additional offices in Santa Maria , Burbank , Fresno and Bakersfield . Coverall of Mid-State California currently supports over 250 Coverall franchise owners serving well over 1,800 business customers located throughout Santa Barbara , Ventura , San Luis Obispo , Los Angeles , Fresno , Tulare and Kern counties.

“Coverall of Mid-State California’s inclusion in this years Inc.500 is true testament to the success of the Coverall franchise model,” stated Ted Elliott, President and COO of Franchisor, Coverall Cleaning Concepts.  “The Inc. 500 is highly regarded, and everyone at Coverall is proud to be included.”

To be eligible for this year's Inc. 500, companies had to be independent and privately held through their fiscal year 2003, have had at least $200,000 in net sales in the base year of 1999 for Inc. 500 alumni and 2000 for new applicants, and $2 million in net sales for 2003.  In addition, their 2003 sales had to exceed 2002 sales.  Companies are ranked on averaged year-over-year sales growth. Inc. verifies all information using tax forms and audited financial statements from certified public accountants and by conducting interviews with company officials.

The companies that made this list have thrived despite continued stagnation in the economy, posting an average year-over-year sales growth of 265%. em>Inc. 500 companies posted aggregate 2003 revenue of $12.6 billion, and 82% o them were profitable.  And while the United States shed 410,000 jobs in 2003, Inc. 500companies provided employment for more than 70,000 people.

Further demonstrating the resilience of this year’s Inc. 500crop is the fact that 102 of this year’s honorees started in 1999—meaning that they weathered the start-up costs of the overcapitalized boom and thrived during the impending bust that was one of the toughest periods for young companies in recent memory.

“The best thing you can say about this year’s crop of Inc. 500entrepreneurs is that they didn’t buy into the hype,” said Inc. editor-in-chief John Koten.  “When people were practically giving away funding in the late 1990s, these companies didn’t overextend, and when everyone hit the panic button a few years later, they stayed calm and seized opportunity.”

About Melton Franchise Systems, Inc.
Santa Barbara residents Mark and Holly Melton formed Melton Franchise Systems, Inc. to launch Coverall of Mid-State California in 1997. Coverall of Mid-State California has been recognized as "Master Franchise of the Year" for the past two years by Coverall Cleaning Concepts.

About Coverall Cleaning Concepts
Coverall Cleaning Concepts is one of the nation’s leading commercial cleaning Franchising companies, servicing nearly 40,000 customers in over 85 metropolitan cities worldwide. Coverall’s extraordinary growth is attributed to its system-wide network of Regional Support Centers, franchisees and support staff that are dedicated to serving the needs of its customers.  Small and large office buildings, industrial complexes, medical facilities, banks, department stores, and corporate headquarters are among the many types of accounts Coverall services.  When it comes to value, quality and responsiveness, Coverall Cleaning Concepts is the company Facility Managers have trusted for more than 19 years.

About the Inc. 500
The Inc. 500 ranks privately held companies according to averaged year-over-year sales growth over the past four years. With approximately 75% o all new job creation in the U.S. coming from small businesses, the Inc. 500 is a prescient indicator of the companies and industries that are driving the economy forward. Eighty-five companies (17%) n this year’s Inc. 500 say they plan to go public at some point. Over the years, the Inc. 500 has identified the next generation of world-class companies, with Microsoft, Stonyfield Farms, Timberland, Oracle, The Princeton Review, Morningstar, E* Trade, Intuit, and Domino’s Pizza all appearing on the list before they became industry powerhouses.