ENR ranks nation's top contractors
Three Michigan-based construction contractors are among the top 100 (in terms of revenue) in an annual survey released last month by the Engineering News Record.

Michigan's two perennial giants in general contracting experienced little change in their ranking from 2004 to 2005. Detroit-based Walbridge-Aldinger moved from #37 to #34, while Barton-Malow (Southfield) was unchanged at #35.

Balfour-Beatty, a British construction firm that has U.S. offices in Novi, dropped from #66 to #68.

"For large general contractors," the ENR report said, "2004 was a solid year for business. After three years of sluggish markets and uncertainty, activity picked up in most market sectors and in most regions. The turnaround wasn't spectacular, just strong enough to keep construction firms optimistic, but not idealistic, about the next few years."

Following are Michigan construction contractors that made the top-400 ENR list in 2005: Angelo Iafrate of Warren (#137); Christman of Lansing (#151); Rockford of Belmont (#208); J.M. Olson of St. Clair Shores (#254); Roncelli of Sterling Heights (#278); Granger of Lansing (#281); George Auch of Pontiac (#289); Clark Construction of Lansing (#342); Pioneer General Contracting of Grand Rapids (#344) and Demaria Building Co. of Detroit (#378).

Among out-of-state contractors that have a major presence in Michigan were Skanska (#6); Alberici (#60); The Boldt Co., (#85); Miron Construction (#123); Graycor (#130) and Lunda Construction (#245).

The top three contractors in the nation are Bechtel, KRB and Centex.

State lawmakers seek to help Wal Mart
Separate bills aimed at helping Wal Mart expand in Michigan have been introduced in the state House and Senate.

According to the Michigan AFL-CIO, Wal-Mart is seeking to build a new distribution center in Mount Pleasant and they want new government subsidies to help pay for it.

Sen. Alan Cropsey (R-DeWitt) has introduced SB 434, which would allow Wal-Mart to receive money from the Transportation Economic Development Fund to make road improvements at the site of their proposed distribution center.

Senator Cameron Brown (R-Sturgis) has introduced SB 175, which would allow a local community to offer a tax abatement for new distribution centers, like the one Wal-Mart wants to build in Mount Pleasant.

Both bills have passed the Senate and are now in the House of Representatives.

"It doesn't make sense to take taxpayers' money to subsidize a wealthy corporation that cheats its workers by paying low wages and not providing benefits," said a statement by the Michigan AFL-CIO. "Meijers is a union store, they don't ask for state taxpayer handouts, yet they pay up to twice as much in wages and provide health care for their workers. It's time for the taxpayers of Michigan to stand up to Wal-Mart and say "NO" to corporate welfare that comes at the expense of working families."