Briefs

Forbes: Lincare is a great company CLEARWATER, Fla. - Lincare joined an elite group of companies in December when Forbes magazine named it to its Platinum 400 - the Best Big Companies in America.” To select the 2004 list, Forbes ran computer screens across 26 industries for companies with at least $1 billion in revenue and high rankings for corporate practices as well as long- and short-term sales and earnings growth and stock market performance. After additional scrutiny, writers and editors selected the best managed company in each industry. Christmas Eve fire hits Prime Care Medical WELLS, Maine - An evening fire broke out at an HME here Christmas Eve because hospital bed mattress covers, which are highly combustible, were stored too close to the building's heating units, according to local fire officials. The fire at Prime Care Medical destroyed the storage area. The company's office sustained mostly smoke damage. Fortunately, Prime Care maintains very little inventory on site and has been able to operate effectively since the fire, Manager Amy Kelly told the York County Coast Star. The rest of the building, which included two apartments and a real estate office, sustained some smoke damage. The fire broke out at 9:30 p.m. Short takes Construction Laborers' Local 465 picketed last month outside the construction site of the future corporate headquarters of Great Lakes Home Health and Hospice and Home Medical Equipment in Jackson, Mich. Union members are upset that Battle Creek-based Duckworth Bros. Concrete Construction and Pumping, and not union workers, got the job... MEDIchair, Canada's largest and fastest growing HME franchise operation is opening a regional office and training center in west Toronto. The facility will be used to provide sales and product training and marketing support for MEDIchair franchisees in Ontario and Eastern Canada ... The Waterbury Regional Chamber of Commerce name John Loyer and Lynn Tata of J& L Medical Services Entrepreneurs of the Year. Since the company opened in March 2003, revenues have exceeded its business plan projections by 115%.