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Bechtel Named Top U.S. Contractor for Eleventh Straight Year

13 May 2009 SAN FRANCISCO, California Engineering News-Record (ENR), the leading U.S. trade publication for the engineering and construction industry.

“We are proud to be recognized by ENR once again as the top U.S. construction company,” said Chairman and CEO Riley Bechtel. “This recognition is a tribute to our employees and our customers. Two thousand eight was a good year for Bechtel and with our healthy backlog of work, diversified portfolio, and our skilled and dedicated workforce, we fully expect to weather the current economic downturn.”

Bechtel turned in a solid performance in 2008 for both total revenue and new work booked. However, the increases in both categories were tempered by a fourth-quarter slowdown as the global recession rippled into the engineering and construction industry.

Fueled by good performance across its diversified global portfolio, Bechtel continued delivering world-class projects. North American operations accounted for about 40 percent of its 2008 revenue and generated two-thirds of new work. Business was also strong in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Bechtel’s project completion highlights for 2008 included the West Coast Route Modernization project in the United Kingdom, with faster, more reliable service adding 60,000 seats per day on a busy line from London to Glasgow; an LNG receiving terminal in Louisiana, one of the largest in the world; and the Sohar aluminum smelter in Oman, completed on time while training 750 Omanis in a variety of construction trades.

The ENR Top 400 Contractors’ list is based on construction revenue. See a description of ENR’s ranking in ENR’s Top 400 Contractors’ issue here.