Top 18 Biggest Construction Companies in the World and What Makes them Great
Attention, construction project managers! Here is the list of the biggest construction companies in the world and projects that make them great.
The construction industry in the United States creates about $1 trillion in structures and infrastructure every year. The spending adds about $3.4 billion to the Gross Domestic Product and puts a lot of money into the economy. Unlike some industries where giants rule the industry, there are many individual companies in construction. There are small 5 or 6 people subcontracting companies, as well as companies with upwards of 100,000 people.
However, some construction companies stand out due to their size and growth. These companies might be the biggest in the world, but they grew to their size through hard work, excellent services in design and construction, and with the help of highly skilled employees. Now they increase their brand awareness through impressive feats of construction.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- The construction industry in the United States creates about $1 trillion in structures and infrastructure every year.
- Some construction companies stand out due to their size and growth.
- The following is a list of the biggest construction companies in the world and what makes them great.
- Vinci, a French-based company with over 185,000 employees, had a revenue last year of over $44 billion USD and is working on 43 other projects in 19 countries, including renovations on the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London and the Femern Tunnel in Denmark.
- Actividades de Construcción y Servicios (ACS), a Spanish-based global construction company, has over 200,000 employees and revenue almost $40 billion USD. ACS has construction projects all over the globe and will be starting on the new California Natural Resources Agency and the Quellón Hospital in Chile.
- Bechtel, the largest construction company in the United States, has over 50,000 employees and about $32.8 billion in annual revenue, and completed Phase 1 of the Dulles Metrorail project, one of the largest infrastructure projects in the United States.
- China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), another one of the biggest construction companies in the world, has many subsidiaries, one of the most notable being the John Holland Group. CCCC has a projected annual revenue of 54.4 billion U.S dollars.
- Larsen and Toubro Construction, the largest construction company in India, employs over 104,000 people and has an annual revenue of $17 billion.
- Bouygues, a French-based company with over 118,000 employees and close to $37 billion USD in revenue, has many subsidiaries and is involved in many parts of the construction and infrastructure industries.
- PowerChina, one of the biggest construction companies in the world, is one of the largest companies in China and works primarily in energy and infrastructures. The company employs over 135,000 people and has an annual revenue of around $45.5 billion U.S. dollars.
- Skanska, a Swedish-based company with over 43,000 employees and annual revenue of $18 billion U.S., has many subsidiaries around Sweden and the world and specializes in infrastructure and general building construction. Skanska USA is famously known for leading the construction of the MetLife Stadium and the La Guardia Central B Terminal Redevelopment.
The 18 Biggest Construction Companies in the World
#1 VINCI | France
VINCI is a French-based company that also works on the global stage. They do have a specific construction group as well as others, but they keep the Vinci name. As if to prove they’re a global force, they will be working on renovations on the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London, the Femern Tunnel in Denmark, and 43 other projects in 19 countries. Vinci employs over 185,000 people all over the world. And their revenue last year was over $44 billion USD.
#2 Actividades de Construcción y Servicios | Spain
Actividades de Construcción y Servicios, or ACS, is a Spanish based global construction company. They have many subsidiary companies, most notably Dragados, Hochtif, and Turner. ACS has construction projects all over the globe and will be starting on the new California Natural Resources Agency and the Quellón Hospital in Chile. But they work on projects even bigger than these often. They are one of the largest companies as ACS alone has over 200,000 employees, and their revenue is almost $40 billion USD.
#3 Bechtel | USA
Bechtel is currently the largest construction company in the United States, and it happens to be one of the biggest construction companies in the world. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, they are the 8th largest privately-owned American company for their engineering, project construction management, and procurement. With over 50,000 employees and about $32.8 billion in annual revenue.
They routinely work on massive projects in the United States and abroad. They completed Phase 1 of the Dulles Metrorail project, which was one of the largest infrastructure projects in the United States. However, they routinely work in Africa and Europe as well as the United States. Of the few North American companies, Bechtel makes the list of the top companies for construction contractors in the world.
#4 China Communications Construction Company | China
China Communications Construction Company, also abbreviated to CCCC, is another one of the biggest construction companies in the world. They, too, have many subsidiaries, one of the most notable being the John Holland Group, one of Australia’s leading engineering firms. They’ll be working on the new Hong Kong Airport Platform, an impressive feat of construction engineering. They employ about 100,000 people and have a projected annual revenue of 54.4 billion U.S dollars.
#5 Larsen and Toubro | India
Larsen and Toubro is the parent company of Larsen and Toubro Construction. It is usually abbreviated to L & T Construction, and they are the largest construction company in India. L & T Construction is one of the biggest construction companies in the world as well. They will start work on an iconic bridge across the River Krishna. L & T Construction employs over 104,000 people and has an annual revenue of $17 billion.
#6 Bouygues | France
Bouygues is a French-based company with many subsidiaries. Not all of the subsidiaries have Bouygues in the name; however, they’re involved in many parts of the construction and infrastructure industries. One of their upcoming projects will be the new campus for Cardiff University in Wales. Bouygues is one of the biggest construction companies in the world; as such, they work all over the world. They employ over 118,000 people with close to $37 billion USD in revenue.
#7 Power China | China
PowerChina is one of the biggest construction companies in the world and is one of the largest companies in China. Like most of the other companies on this list, they too work internationally. They work primarily in energy and infrastructures. And will be working on a large infrastructure project in Kenya this year, along with others. The company employs over 135,000 people and has an annual revenue of around $45.5 billion U.S. dollars.
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#8 Skanska AB | Sweden
Skanska is a Swedish based company that has many subsidiaries around Sweden and the world, making them one of the biggest construction companies in the world. Skanska’s specialties in construction are in infrastructure and general building construction. They will build bridges and roads, as well as homes, hospitals, and schools.
Skanska USA is one of North America’s top leaders in project development and construction. They are famously known for leading the construction of the MetLife Stadium, which homes the New York Giants and New York Jets and 82,500 people. One of their more recent projects in the United States is the La Guardia Central B Terminal Redevelopment. Skanska employs roughly 43,000 people and has an annual revenue of $18 billion U.S. dollars.
#9 Hochtief Aktiengesellschaft | Germany
Hochtief Aktiengesellschaft is a construction company based in Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. They were founded in 1874, have approximately 54,000 employees and a revenue of €22.631 billion in 2017.
They are famously known for their construction of the Bosphorus Bridge, which was the first of three suspension bridges that span the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey, around 1970. Historically, it was the longest suspension bridge outside the United States and the first road to cross the Strait.
#10 Technip FMC | United Kingdom
TechnipFMC is one of the biggest construction companies in the world. They are based in London but have bases of operation in Africa, the Asian Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and in the Americas. One of their large projects will be the largest Hydrogen Generation Unit in India, since they focus on subsea, off and onshore, and surface. TechnipFMC employs 44,000 people and has an average annual revenue of almost $13 billion U.S. dollars.
#11 Balfour Beatty | United Kingdom
Balfour Beatty has been a leader in the U.S commercial construction industry for almost 80 years. Many know this construction firm for its work on dams, railways, and power stations. They were the contractors of the elegant tribute of the Pentagon Memorial and the Zero Carbon Building, which was Hong Kong’s first zero-carbon building. They received a Hong Kong Green Building Award for their sustainable construction. Their headquarters are located in Dallas, Texas, USA & London. They have approximately 26,000 workers and they receive a revenue around $4.5 billion.
#12 STRABAG | Austria
The STRABAG Group focuses on civil engineering, transportation infrastructures, and building construction. They constructed CLYMB, the world’s largest indoor skydive in Abu Dhabi. They have around 76,000 employees and were founded in 1835. Their headquarters is in Vienna Austria, and have a revenue of $18 billion.
#13 China State Construction Construction Engineering Corp. Ltd. | China
China State Construction is a global investment and construction group that has built many large-scale infrastructure projects in bridges, rail transit, & urban utility tunnels. They built the Shanghai World Financial Center that stands as the 12th tallest building in the world. China State’s headquarters are in Beijing China, and they have approximately 270,000 employees. They were listed in the 2009 Shanghai Stock Exchange and they make a revenue of $28.49 billion USD.
#14 Kiewit Corporation | United States of America
They are one of the largest contractors in the world and are one of the highly respected Fortune 500 construction companies. Kiewit Corporation is an employee-owned organization from Omaha, Nebraska since 1884. This construction firm has 22,000 employees and earned a revenue of $9 billion USD. Many know Kiewit Corporation for their services in TD Ameritrade Park and NCAA’s College World Series facilities.
#15 Laing O’Rourke | United Kingdom
Laing O’Rourke is UK’s largest privately owned multinational construction company that focuses on engineering, construction, & asset management. They are responsible for the building of the elegant London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games facilities. With 12,800 employees they earn a revenue of £2,928.9 million.
#16 Whiting-Turner | United States of America
Whiting-Turner is one of the top construction firms because they provide general construction management services all across the board with projects of all sizes and in markets such as healthcare, education, transportation, utilities, retail, technology, and so much more. With headquarters in Baltimore Maryland, Whiting-Turner employs 13,000 workers and has a revenue of $8.4 billion USD. Not only does Whiting-Turner Contracting company have outstanding management services, but they made Forbes’ list at #201 for Best Employers for Diversity 2020 and #48 for America’s Largest Private Companies 2019.
#17 Turner Construction | United States of America
With their headquarters in New York City, they are one of New York’s leading construction firms and international construction services company. The remarkable Yankee Stadium, home of the MLB Yankees, is Turner Construction’s largest project at 1.3 million square foot major league baseball stadium. Along with yankee stadium, Turner Construction originally built Madison Square in 1962. Madison Square Garden is the home of the NBA New York Knicks team and the NHL New York Rangers. Not only does Madison square host sporting games, but they host more events than any other venue in the world besides London’s O2.
#18 Gilbane Building Company | United States of America
Gilbane Building Company has experience in this industry for over 146 years. They are a family-owned firm and are considered a leader in real estate development. Gilbane Building Company is responsible for their services for New Mexico’s new Holloman Air Force medical clinic. With headquarters in Rhode Island and 2,880 employees, Gilbane Building Company has a revenue of $6 billion USD. Gilbane has received five Construction Users Round Table Safety Awards.
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