With a three-year growth rate of 46 percent, Rochester, NY-based labelmaker Hammer Packaging has been ranked on Inc. magazine’s 2008 list of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the country.

“The Inc. 5000 gives an unrivalled portrait of young, underreported companies across all industries doing fascinating things with cutting-edge business models, as well as older companies that are still showing impressive growth,” says Inc. 5000 project manager Jim Melloan. Hammer was ranked No. 4,824 on the list.

“It’s an honor to be recognized as one of the Top 5,000 companies in America for 2008. Our success is due largely to investing in leading-edge technology and hiring the right people,” says James E. Hammer, president/CEO of Hammer Packaging. “We will continue to pursue a ‘lead, don’t follow’ business strategy to achieve profitable growth year upon year.”

Hammer Packaging, established in 1912, has expertise in sheetfed offset, web offset and flexography. It serves customers in the global beverage, food, horticulture and household products industries. Core products include cut & stack labels, in-mold labels, shrink-sleeve labels, roll-on shrink-on labels, roll-fed labels and pressure-sensitive labels.