Rare, 7-time win places Car Keys Express in an elite group of companies achieving long-term, rapid growth.
Louisville, KY, August 12, 2025—Inc. Magazine has announced that Car Keys Express, the US-based global leader in automotive key replacement, has won the coveted Inc. 5000 Award for the seventh time in the company’s history. They join some of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies by earning a spot in this prestigious ranking once again.
This recognition highlights the company’s consistent trajectory of innovation and expansion. Car Keys Express first won the Inc. 5000 in 2016, then returned with wins in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and now 2025. Fewer than 2% of Inc. 5000 winners achieve the distinction seven times.
Inc. 5000 ranks companies based on 3-year revenue growth. Of the 30 million small businesses in the US, comparatively few are recognized, and a fraction of winners have made the list more than once. Impressively, Car Keys Express’ seventh award comes after a period of sustained growth, making qualifying for the award significantly more difficult.
Alongside the company’s financial success, this year’s award reflects Car Keys Express’ continued efforts to simplify and modernize key replacement for both businesses and consumers. With a growing portfolio of patented technologies—including the world’s first Universal Smart Key and Key Genius programmer—Car Keys Express remains the performance leader and thought leader in an industry historically dominated by manufacturers and dealers.
“Over the past two decades, we’ve been honored to take home a lot of awards, but this one is, in many ways, the most special,” said Mark Lanwehr, Founder and CEO of Car Keys Express. “To win this award seven times for a company our size is so rare, it’s hard not to be humbled by the contributions of our dedicated team members. This milestone marks more than just growth—it reflects our role in the evolution of an industry. For too long, car key replacement was dominated by legacy players with outdated models. We've challenged that status quo by pioneering smarter, more accessible solutions. As the market continues to shift, we're leading that transformation—setting new standards, inventing new technologies, and defining what comes next. This award is a powerful reminder that leadership means not just growing within an industry—but creating and persisting to define its future.”
The full Inc. 5000 list, along with detailed company profiles and insights, is available at inc.com/inc5000.
About Car Keys Express
Car Keys Express is the global leader in automotive key replacement for businesses, retailers, and consumers. The company invented the world's first Universal Car Remote, Universal Car Keys, and Universal Smart Key, and is the only American company that manufactures a full line of aftermarket versions of modern car keys. Car Keys Express offers a complete line of retail-friendly solutions to allow retailers to build a key replacement program or enhance an existing program. Car Care Express, a division of Car Keys Express, offers mobile vehicle reconditioning service for businesses and consumers. Founded in 2002, Car Keys Express is continually recognized for excellence in the industry, winning Inc. Magazine’s, “Inc. 5000” award, recognizing America’s fastest-growing companies in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2025, Inc.’s “Best in Business” Award in 2024, AAPEX "Best New Product" Award in 2015, 2019 and 2023, Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017, and EnterpriseCorp’s FAST Innovation Award Winner in 2017, among others. To learn more, visit www.CarKeysExpress.com.
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