Small Business of the Year Finalist: Altec Computers & PC Medics

Altec Computers & PC Medics
Address: 3045 E. Chestnut Expressway
Employees: 18

Michael Van Matre started selling mainframe computers in 1988, but it wasn’t until 2001 that he officially incorporated his company, Altec Computers & PC Medics, which sells and services all major computer brands.  

Its most common brand, Van Matre said, is its custom Altec GT and GTX computers.

“We get real busy this time of year with schools across the country,” he said. “They like these custom machines … they’re very energy-efficient.”

The business comprises two retail locations: 3045 E. Chestnut Expressway, and 3845 S. Campbell Ave., as well as the “medics,” which Van Matre said use a fleet of four vehicles and are available for on-site service calls around the clock.

While Van Matre declined to disclose revenues, he said the company has averaged 30 percent growth every year. He said local retail sales have been a bit soft because of the recession, but online business – which accounts for about 30 percent of sales overall – picked up the slack.

“The economy in the U.S. might have been a little soft, but our orders (from other countries) picked up,” he said noting that sales in the United Kingdom have been particularly strong.

Van Matre said the company is debt-free, which allows for some flexibility in future growth.  

The company is working to add business clients – most clients are individual customers – and by the end of 2010, Van Matre expects to open a third location, either in Springfield’s northwest corridor or in Branson.

“We pretty much have a store-in-a-box that we could go set up any time,” he said.

After online sales, Van Matre said he’s expecting continued growth for the service end of the business.

He’s in the midst of putting together a PC Medics franchise package, which could be available in 2011.

“Everybody has a computer. They always break, all these nasty little viruses going on,” he said.
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