VALLEY FIRMS MAKE LIST OF FAST-GROWING EXPORTERS.

Byline: Enrique Rivero Daily News Staff Writer

It's good to be at the top - even if there are 99 others crowding the spot.

Three San Fernando Valley companies have made World Trade Magazine's list of the 100 fastest-growing high-tech exporters in the country - a list that includes 10 Los Angeles area firms out of a total 36 in the state.

North Hollywood-based Advanced Semiconductor Inc. ranked 37; Calabasas-based computer network switch maker Xylan Corp. was No. 51; and Burbank-based high pressure hydraulic and pneumatic equipment maker Haskel International Inc. stood at 67. The list appears in the 85,000-circulation monthly magazine's October issue.

Inclusion in the annual list is both a feather in the companies' hats and an indication of the direction they are headed - up (and overseas). About 10,000 high tech companies with less than 1,000 employees were considered for the list, said Christopher O. Schulz, publisher of the 9-year-old Irvine-based magazine.

``Everybody wants to find tomorrow's Fortune 500 companies and these are indicative of companies that are on a growth curve,'' he said. ``It also shows the growth that comes from promoting exports and international commerce, and that's very much the purpose of our magazine.''

Only one company from high-tech-rich Irvine made the list: STM Wireless Inc., a maker of wireless communications products that ranked 81. Most of the state's companies on the list are located in Northern California.

To be on the list, export sales had to be at least 25 percent of 1997 total sales; revenues for the year had to range from $25 million to $500 million; and companies had to have a minimum 40 employees.

Companies were ranked by growth in employment for the year, with total revenues used as tie breakers.

Overall, average employment growth at the companies on the list was about 6 percent. But they expect to grow an average 9.5 percent in the next 13 months, according to the magazine.

While some of the companies may be hurt by the continuing economic turmoil in Asia, there's still plenty of demand in Europe and Latin America to hold promise for U.S. exports, Schulz said.

``They can certainly be affected by Asia,'' he said. ``The key is for them to look around for other export markets.''

Advanced Semiconductor's appearance on the list makes the 9-year-old, privately-held company ``a player'' in the competitive semiconductor field, said Pat Diamond, director of sales and marketing.

According to the list, employment at the company last year grew by about 50 percent to about 150 people. Sales were $33.3 million, about 80 percent of which came from overseas trade, according to Diamond.

The company's revenues should grow 25 percent to 50 percent, but staffing isn't likely to increase much - which doesn't necessarily disqualify Advanced Semiconductor from the list, according to Schulz.

``It makes us a player, it gives us credibility - instead of us telling people we're credible, there's evidence of it,'' Diamond said.

Xylan posted $210 million in revenues last year. About half the 5-year-old company's business is overseas, according to Steve Kim, founder and chief executive officer.

According to the list, the company's staffing grew about 44 percent last year to 460 employees. Kim said he expects both revenues and staffing to swell 30 percent next year.

Overall, the company's appearance on the list will be good for Xylan's employees, who now number about 1,000. ``We're proud of what we're doing - it's not just me doing it, it's all the employees together accomplishing it,'' he said.