Altra Holdings Inc., a global designer, producer and marketer of a wide range of electromechanical power transmission products was recently named in Forbes "100 Best Small Public Companies in America." Altra, headquartered in Braintree, Mass., made the Forbes list for the second consecutive year. With over 3,400 employees located at manufacturing and sales facilities around the world, Altra has forecasted sales of $720 to $730 million in 2012, a 6.7 to 8.9 percent increase over 2011.The Forbes list includes companies that have been publicly traded for at least a year with revenues between $5 million and $1 billion. Stock performance versus each company’s peer group was also considered. “We have been able to maintain solid gross margins and strong operating income on a year-over-year basis despite some slowing in a variety of end markets and significant foreign exchange headwinds,” said Carl Christenson, president and CEO.“As part of our strategic plan, we completed the acquisition of Lamiflex, a Brazilian coupling manufacturer and are currently completing construction of a new manufacturing facility in Changzhou, China (near Shanghai). These accomplishments, along with many other initiatives undertaken in 2012, will allow us to provide a return on investment to our shareholders, an enriching and creative work environment for our associates, and the best value-added electromechanical power transmission solutions to our customers.”