It had grown to become the third-largest player in the Gulf of Mexico by bargain hunting during a period when things were so bad many supply boats had been scrapped or moved to other parts of the world. But five years later, the logic of consolidation meant an end to Hornbeck's independence. Powell Industries For Powell Industries, life this year is kind of like it was back in 1991. But the next year, business for the chemical and refinery companies, which provide a key market for this maker of electric control devices, slowed down. However, after years of expanding through acquisitions, it was taken over by a competitor following a similar strategy.
Some ideas never take off.
DRCA Medical was a high flier back in 1990 with its plan to open clinics specializing in getting injured workers back on the job with full-time therapy. After that strong year it was a frustrating decade for investors. It was a fitting exit considering Allwaste's past. In the decade leading up to that takeover, Alwaste completed 90 acquisitions. The company gathered information used to help find promising oil and gas prospects into a valuable library that could be resold.