The Southeast's Top Contractors

Region's Top Contractors Report Nearly $21.2 Billion in 2004 Revenue

By Scott Judy

Southeast Construction presents its fifth annual Top Contractors ranking. From our survey's findings, it appears that 2004 was a good year for many firms.

For example, 67 firms - nearly 45 percent of the total list - reported double-digit revenue growth in 2004. Additionally, 40 reported at least a 25 percent gain, and 15 firms had at least a 50 percent improvement. Four firms - C.R. Klewin Southeast, ContraVest Construction Co., Aviation Constructors and Creative Builders - reported revenue growth of at least 100 percent over 2003.

To obtain the revenue information listed here, we sent our survey form to both last year's respondents as well as hundreds of other firms included in our database, the McGraw-Hill Construction Network and other sources.

The information provided here is based upon each firm's returned survey form.

Like last year, this latest list ranks the top 150 general contracting and construction management firms working in the Southeast. As in past years, the list includes building contractors, heavy/highway firms and all general contracting firms in between.

It should be noted that this list reflects only those companies that chose to participate by filling out the magazine's survey form and submitting their revenue information. And there were several notable firms that participated last year that did not submit their information again this year.

One was last year's second-ranked contractor, APAC, which a year ago reported approximately $894 million in revenue. With the several other firms that chose to not submit their information this year, well over $1 billion from last year's ranking is not included this time around.

That fact should make this year's numbers that much more impressive.

Centex Takes Top Spot

Our main Top Contractors ranking is based upon each firm's 2004 revenue generated from projects within the four-state region only. Within the main ranking we also include more extensive information about each of the ranked firms, including address and phone number, Web site address, year established, number of regional employees, the top officer for the area and a breakdown of the contractor's focus of work.

Taking the top spot in this year's Top Contractors ranking was Centex Construction, which reported nearly $895.2 million in revenue from its Southeast operations for 2004. Centex - which previously operated as Centex Rooney Construction but rebranded itself effective Jan. 1 - took the top spot as the result of an approximately $348.2 million jump in revenue over 2003.

The company's overall increase in regional revenue was spread across the four-state area. Its Florida revenues grew by about $147.3 million, to total nearly $522.2 million. In Georgia, the company's volume increased by about $97.7 million to tally roughly $149.1 million.

And in North Carolina, 2004 revenues grew by about $112.3 million to total roughly $209.1 million. South Carolina revenues fell, from $23.8 million to nearly $14.8 million

Connie Oliver, vice president of corporate communications for Centex in Dallas, cited the "significant growth" in the company's South Florida operations. "They have had a tremendous amount of growth in the last year," Oliver said, estimating an approximately 40-50 percent increase in backlog for the Fort Lauderdale office.

Oliver also credited the company's Charlotte offices - established within the past four years - for the improved numbers. Indeed, Centex's North Carolina revenue numbers for 2004 more than doubled compared to 2003.

Survey Findings

Here are some other findings from this year's ranking:

• Last year, the Top 150 Contractors reported approximately $19.7 billion in 2003 revenue. The total regional revenue figure reported on this year's four-state list improved to $21.2 billion.
  
  
• As was the case last year, Florida revenue makes up the biggest part of the cumulative revenue total. This year's list represents roughly $12.1 billion in Florida revenue, up from last year's $11.5 billion. Also, this year's ranking includes 124 firms reporting Florida revenue.
  
  
• The cumulative total of revenue reported from Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina tallied roughly $9 billion, up from last year's approximately $8.1 billion. On a state-by-state basis, the amount of revenue reported included: Georgia - approximately $4 billion, up from last year's $3.8 billion; North Carolina - roughly $3.3 billion, up somewhat from last year's $3 billion total; and South Carolina - $1.6 billion, an improvement from last year's $1.25 billion.
  
  
• The average revenue number reported on the ranking equaled roughly $141 million, an increase from last year's $130.4 million average. The firms coming closest to that figure were Odebrecht Construction and BBL Florida, which reported $146.7 million and $136 million, respectively. The median firms, ranked 75th and 76th, were PCL Construction Services and Facchina-McGaughan (formerly AMEC), each reporting roughly $100 million.
  

Click here for the Top Contractor's List