When we summed up the annual revenue figures for this year’s Top 50 Electrical Contractors List, I must admit that I was a little surprised. I had a feeling that most of the big players in this group held their own last year, but I wasn’t very confident they could top that impressive 2014 group total of $21.8 billion in electrical and datacom services revenue. But not only did they top it, they beat it by $1 billion! In doing so, they extended their streak of besting the previous year’s total to five years. When you stop and think about everything that’s happened in the United States and foreign markets during this time, you might be impressed too.
Here are a few stats that support this record-breaking 2015 revenue total of
$22.8 billion:
• 61% of the group characterized last year’s business climate as “strong.”
• 86% of the participants met or exceeded their sales goal.
• 8 contractors grew their revenue total over the prior year by more than 20%.
What’s even more interesting is learning what these heavy hitters had to say about their performance and projections for 2016.
An astounding 94% of the Top 50 expects to meet or exceed their sales goal this year. Nine companies are forecasting an increase of 6% to 10%, and another eight contractors expect to bump up their total by more than 10%. Of course, this makes me stop and wonder if this elite group of 50 can make it six in a row? To do so will require some strategic thinking on their part, along with some selective bidding and solid growth management plans.
For a closer look at EC&M’s Top 50, read this month’s cover story and see what freelance writer Tom Zind learned when speaking to some of the key executives at these companies.
Related
Shifting gears a bit, a couple of my team members and I will be hitting the road in a few weeks and heading to Boston for the NECA Show. This will give us an opportunity to speak with a number of other electrical contractors and learn how they’re getting along in their respective markets. If you happen to be attending the show, stop by our booth and say hello.
An exciting development around this year’s show is our launch of a newsletter dedicated specifically to the NECA Show. We plan to share with you what we learn at the technical workshops and speaker sessions. And as I’ve done the last couple of years, I’ll round up some interesting new products for you to take a look at from my travels around the exhibit hall floor. So for those of you who can’t attend, be on the lookout for a show-focused newsletter in your electronic mailbox. We’re producing a total of five newsletters based on the happenings at this year’s show.
