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Improving bottom lines for Top 400 U.S. contractors

Date Posted: June 15 2016

The nation's construction industry is doing just fine, thank you, and has finally returned to spending levels not seen since the Great Recession.

"The market finally has come all the way back to pre-recession levels for U.S. general contractors and construction managers," says the Engineering News Record, in its annual list of the Top 400 construction contractors (by revenue). "The Top 400 generated $344.14 billion in contracting revenue in 2015, an increase of 3.7 percent from 2014’s $331.94 billion. The figure marks a record high for the Top 400, eclipsing the previous record of $338.38 billion in 2008, reported in our 2009 Top 400."

Barton Malow (Southfield) and Walbridge (Detroit) continued to be the top two general contractors in Michigan. The two have been exchanging the top spot in recent years, and in 2015, Barton Malow was tops in the state and ranked No. 35 overall in the U.S., improving seven positions. Walbridge wasn't far behind, ranking No. 41 overall, a drop from No. 38 in 2015.

Other Michigan-based contractors who appeared on the ENR's top 400 list include the Christman Co. Lansing (No. 102, +9 spots vs. 2015); Rockford Construction, Grand Rapids (No. 138, +24); Aristeo Construction Co., Livonia (No. 173, +30); Commercial Contracting Group, Auburn Hills (No. 242, -38); Wieland, Lansing (No. 246, not listed in 2015); Granger Construction Co., Lansing, (No. 255, -6); Roncelli Inc., Sterling Heights, (No. 292, -42); Pioneer General Contractors Inc., Grand Rapids, No. 323, +15); Clark Construction Co. Inc., Lansing, (No. 333, +15), andTriangle Associates, Grand Rapids (No. 383, unlisted in 2015).

The only Top 400 Michigan-based contractor to drop off the list this year was George W. Auch, Pontiac, which was No. 381 in 2015.

The top five U.S. contractors this year were Bechtel of San Francisco; Fluor of Irving, Texas; The Turner Corp. of New York, CB&I of The Woodlands, Texas, and Kiewit Corp., Omaha, Neb.