10 World’s Biggest Utility and Industries Cooperatives- According to World Cooperative Monitor Report in 2022, International Cooperative Alliance, there are 10 World’s Biggest Utility and Industries Cooperatives in 2020. Commonly, in utility and industries sectors, these cooperatives have billions of turnovers in 2020. With this business performance, these cooperatives can prove that they can go beyond to get profits and improves the economic conditions of its members.
Principally, cooperative is the type of the business unit that can accommodate the goal of their members. Helping people through cooperative can be useful due to the cooperative can help to overcome the problems of their members. In the beginning, the history of cooperative came from the movement of people with the same vision to develop the better life. Based on the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) definition, Cooperative is people-centred enterprises owned, controlled, and run by and for their members to realise their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations. Basically, cooperative has multi voters or shareholders but relatively has the same goal. Principally, the cooperative has some values internally. Some of them are self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity.
In these articles, the rank of cooperatives is in industrial sectors with the exception of the food industry. Some of the cooperatives are engaged in management of infrastructure for a public service, such as electricity, gas, water, energy and other public services. Of all industrial cooperative, just few of them has developed to be giant cooperative in the World.
Frankly, this rank of industrial cooperatives has the source of the data. All of the data was obtained from World Cooperative Monitor (Exploring the cooperative economy) Report 2022 published by International Cooperative Alliance. By the way, here are the rank of 10 World’s Biggest Utility and Industries Cooperatives in 2020.
The rank of 10 World’s Biggest Utility and Industries Cooperatives
| Ranks | Industry and utilities | Turnover in 2020 | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| (Billion US$) | |||
| 1 | Corporación Mondragón | 13.11 | Spain |
| 2 | Basin Electric Power Coop. | 2.069 | USA |
| 3 | Osaka Kouiki ReadyMixed Concrete Cooperative Association | 1.43 | Japan |
| 4 | Oglethorpe Power Corporation | 1.38 | USA |
| 5 | Tri-State G&T | 1.35 | USA |
| 6 | Central Electric Power | 1.3 | USA |
| 7 | Norlys Amba (Ex Eniig Amba) | 1.28 | Denmark |
| 8 | SACMI | 1.26 | Italy |
| 9 | Andel Group | 1.22 | Denmark |
| 10 | Assoc. Electric Coop.Inc. | 1.139 | USA |
| Source : World Cooperative Monitor 2022, International Cooperative Alliance | |||
Brief Description of 10 World’s Biggest Utility and Industries Cooperatives
1.Corporación Mondragón
The Mondragon Corporation is the Spanish cooperative that has main office in Mondragón, Basque Country, Spain. Historically, this cooperative was founded in 1956 by Catholic Priest, José María Arizmendiarrieta. Along with development of its business, Mondragon Corporation operates in finance (Laboral Kutxa), industry (Abantail, Alecop, LKS Consultores, KREAN, MCCTelecom, Mondragon Lingua, Mondragon Sistemas, Ondoan), retail (Eroski), and knowledge (Mondragon University). Financially, in 2020, Mondragon has turnover around 13.11 billion US Dollar ($) with total employees around 80 thousand people.
2.Basin Electric Power Coop.
Basin Electric Power Cooperative is the electric generation and transmission that has main office in North Dakota. To date, Basin Electric served its service to some states in USA. As of 2021, Basin Electric operates 5,222 megawatts (MW) of wholesale electric generating capability and has 7,263 MW of capability. Geographically, some of the states in USA that has been served by Basin Electric namely, Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Furthermore, The Basin electric power has some subsidiary companies, namely Basin Telecommunications Inc, Basin Cooperative Services, Dakota Gasification Company, Dakota Coal Company, Montana Limestone Company, Prairie Winds, and Souris Valley Pipeline Ltd. Financially in 2020, Basin Electric Power has turnover around 2.07 billion US Dollar ($).
3.Osaka Kouiki ReadyMixed Concrete Cooperative Association
Osaka Kouiki Ready Mixed Concrete Cooperative Association is Japan’s largest ready-mixed concrete cooperative that covers a wide area of Osaka and Hyogo prefectures. Operationally, this cooperative has main office in Kawaramachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka. Historically, this cooperative started its business since 1995 and to date, this cooperative has more than 300 ready-mixed concrete cooperatives in Japan. Financially, in 2020, Osaka Kouiki Ready Mixed Concrete Cooperative Association has turnover around 1.43 billion US Dollar ($).
4.Oglethorpe Power Corporation
Oglethorpe Power Corporation is electric utility cooperative that has main office in Georgia, United States. Historically, Oglethorpe Power Corporation started its business since 1974. Operationally, service area of Oglethorpe around 65 percent of the state of Georgia. Financially, in 2020, Oglethorpe Power Corporation has turnover around 1.38 billion US Dollar ($).
5.Tri-State G&T
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. is a non-profit cooperative power supplier that has main office in Avenue Westminster, Colorado. Along with business development, Tri-State has 45 members, including 42 electric distribution cooperatives and public power districts in four states. Accumulate, Tri-State G&T provides power to more than a million electricity consumers across nearly 200,000 square miles of the West. Financially, Tri-State G&T has turnover around 1.35 billion US Dollar ($).
6.Central Electric Power
Central Electric Cooperative, Inc. is American electric cooperative that was founded in 1937. Basically, Central Electric serves approximately 25,000 members with over 3,000 miles of distribution line covering the regions of Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Forest, Mercer, and Venango counties in Western Pennsylvania. Operationally, Central Electric Cooperative, Inc has main office in Parker, Pennsylvania. In financial aspects, in 2020, Central Electric Power has turnover around 1.3 billion US Dollar ($).
7.Norlys Amba
Norly a.m.b.a is Denmark cooperative that has main office Silkeborg,Central Denmark Region. Basically, Norly a.m.b.a runs some business units in Internet, TV & streaming, electric charging, and Natural gas. Financially, in 2020, Norlys Amba has turnover around 1.28 billion US Dollar ($).
8.SACMI
SACMI (Società Anonima Cooperativa Meccanici Imola) is an international manufacturer of machines and complete plants cooperatives that has diversified business. By the way, Sacmi do the business in the ceramic tile, beverage, packaging, quality control process, chocolate processing machines, and plastics industries. Historically, SACMI was founded in 1919 by 9 unuployment men including Luigi Santandrea, Filiberto Gamberini, Tiepolo Castaldi, Paolo Nonni, Giovanni Bartoli, Guido Selvatici, Vincenzo Franceschelli, Aldo Galassi, and Armando Panari. Operationally, this cooperative has main office in Imola, Italy. Financially, in 2020, SACMI has turnover around 1.26 billion US Dollar ($).
9.Andel Group
Andel is the largest energy and distribution cooperative in Denmark. Along with business evelopment, Andel has 400,000 members with 2.8 million customers and has employed around 1,700 of people. Basically, in running its business, Andel has some subsidiary company namely, Cerius and Radius Elnet, Clever, Energi Danmark, Fibia and Andel Energi. Financially, Andel Group has turnover around 1.22 billion US Dollar ($).
10.Assoc. Electric Coop.Inc.
Associated Electric Cooperative Inc. wholesale power cooperative that was founded in 1961. Geographically, this cooperative serves in Missouri, northeast Oklahoma and southeast Iowa with more than 900,000 customers. Operationally, this cooperative has main office Springfield, Missouri. Financially, in 2020, Assoc. Electric Coop.Inc has turnover around 1.14 billion US Dollar ($).
Bibliography of 10 World’s Biggest Utility and Industries Cooperatives
International Cooperative Alliance.2022. Cooperative identity, values & principles Accessed via https://www.ica.coop/en/cooperatives/cooperative-identity on January 9th, 2023.
Corporación Mondragón. 2023. Accessed via https://www.mondragon-corporation.com/ on January 9th, 2023
Basin Electric Power Coop.2023.Acccesed via https://www.basinelectric.com/ on January 9th, 2023
Osaka Kouiki Ready Mixed Concrete Cooperative Association. 2023. Accessed via https://www.osaka-kouiki.or.jp/ on January 9th, 2023
Oglethorpe Power Corporation. 2023. Accessed via https://opc.com/ on January 9th, 2023
Tri-State G&T. 2023. Accessed via https://tristate.coop/ on January 9th, 2023
Central Electric Power. 2023. Accessed via https://www.cepci.org/ on January 9th, 2023
Norlys Amba. 2023. Accessed via https://norlys.dk/om-norlys/organisationen/bestyrelsen-i-norlys-a-m-b-a/ on January 9th, 2023
SACMI. 2023. Accessed via https://www.sacmi.com/ on January 9th, 2023
Andel Group. 2023. Accessed via https://andel.dk/en/andel-together/the-group/ on January 9th, 2023/
Assoc. Electric Coop.Inc. 2023. Accessed via www.aeci.org/ on January 9th, 2023