Heavy & Civil Engineering Construction Industry Profile

Companies in this industry construct highways, streets, and bridges; utility systems; and other heavy and civil engineering projects, including subdivisions of land. Major companies include Bechtel, Fluor, Granite Construction, Kiewit, and The Walsh Group (all based in the US), as well as ACS Group (Spain), China State Construction (China), Skanska (Sweden), and VINCI (France).

Global construction output of all types is expected to reach $15 trillion by 2030, according to Oxford Economics. North America, Western Europe, and the Asia Pacific market are some of the top markets in terms of construction output.

The US heavy and civil engineering construction industry includes about 40,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $320 billion.

Construction of nonresidential buildings, including industrial buildings such as manufacturing and food processing plants, as well as commercial structures such as office buildings and shopping malls, is covered in a separate industry profile.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Heavy construction activity depends heavily on the health of the 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 to provide wider ranges of services. Small companies can compete effectively by specializing, working in a limited geography, or serving as subcontractors on larger projects.

The US industry is highly fragmented, the 50 largest ...