The Work Is There, But Firms Say They Have To Work Smarter

It was an up-and-down year in 2003 for many firms on ENR's Top 400 Contractors list. Soft markets in many sectors, combined with big opportunities, kept firms on their toes. But overall, a sluggish domestic construction market has many contractors looking at how they manage their business.

The ENR Top 400 Contractors generated a total of $193.35 billion in 2003, down 0.5% from $194.39 billion in 2002. On the domestic side, revenue fell sharply. The Top 400 showed a 4.7% decline from $179.79 billion in 2002 to $166.53 billion last year. International work saved many of the Top 400 companies, with combined revenue of $26.82 billion for the group, up a dramatic 40% from 2002's $19.60-billion mark.