Commercial & Heavy Construction Contractors Industry Overview

Excerpt from Commercial & Heavy Construction Contractors Report

Companies in this industry construct nonresidential buildings and structures such as highways and dams. Major companies include Bechtel, Fluor, Jacobs Engineering, Peter Kiewit Sons', and Turner Construction (all based in the US) as well as HOCHTIEF (Germany), Skanska (Sweden), and STRABAG (Austria).

Competitive Landscape

Demand depends heavily on the health of the US economy, including corporate profits and local government budgets. The profitability of individual companies depends on accurate project bids and efficient operations. Large companies have advantages in their ability to engage in multiple projects simultaneously and in many types of construction. Small companies can compete effectively by specializing, working in a limited geography, or serving as subcontractors on larger projects. The industry is capital-intensive: average annual revenue per worker is more than $350,000. The industry is highly fragmented.

Products, Operations & Technology

Major industry services are constructing nonresidential buildings (industrial, commercial, institutional) and heavy and civil engineering projects. Commercial and institutional building construction accounts for more than 55 percent of industry revenue; heavy and civil engineering construction, for 40 percent; and industrial building construction, less than 5 percent.