Top Metal Builders for 2018

What does that mean? It means 2018 was a very good year for the largest metal building contractors. Larger buildings, more steel and more projects all translate into substantial growth in spite of some significant potential restrictions such as the shortage of labor, rising prices and slower lead times.

It is a truism in any survey of top contractors that they are more likely to participate in good years than bad years, and this year we had a record number of companies submit their numbers, topping out at more than 170. That meant making the list was more competitive than in any year in nearly a decade. Consider that the 100th largest company reported 526 tons used in 2017, but the 100th largest in 2018 used 677 tons of steel.

If the survey had only reported a leap in tonnage, we could pass it off to increased participation, but with a jump in the size of the buildings coming along with it, we can conclude the 100 largest metal building contractors are likely getting more market share and seeing the lion’s share of the growth of the market. That would track with other industries that have seen consolidation at the top of the market and greater fragmentation at the bottom.

As mentioned, the growth comes in spite of severe market constraints that have restricted contractors. For several years, when asked what was the biggest challenge they faced, the top metal builders have pointed to the shortage of skilled labor. That holds true again with about a third of our respondents indicating the lack of workers was the hardest difficulty they had to overcome in 2018.

When you add in the 3 percent who report subcontractor availability as a challenge, the labor shortage shows an even larger impact.

In addition to the labor shortage, a couple of other challenges tend to be perennial topics among contractors. About 5 percent of top metal builders indicated they faced significant weather challenges, which is just about the same as in the previous two years.

Complaints about declining markets and the regulatory environment (with the exception of permitting) disappeared from the challenges reported in 2018. It’s unlikely those issues disappeared entirely, but they weren’t as pressing as others.

One significant and well-documented issue in 2018 was the imposition of steel tariffs. The result of that action showed in two places. Seven percent of the top metal builders said rising steel prices was their biggest challenge, and 8 percent indicated longer lead times was the hardest challenge to overcome. While lead times are influenced by market growth— and it was a very good year—the imposition of tariffs also caused a rapid increase in orders, so contractors could beat anticipated price increases. That bubble of growth impacted the delivery process for the entire year, slowing projects.

The lead time issue combined with reports of slower permitting processes (another result of a robust market) gave lots of the top metal builders headaches trying to schedule projects and make sure labor and subcontractors were available when needed.

Company List

a.j. Veneklasen Inc.—Both
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Chris Veneklasen
www.ajvinc.com
General contractor, metal building, new construction, design-build, construction planning

Arizona Corporate Builders LLC—Square Footage
Tempe, Ariz.
Peter Stravinski, Dave Manarin, Greg St. Clair
www.azcorporatebuilders.com
Metal buildings, design-build and hard bid

Ayars & Ayars Inc.—Both
Lincoln, Neb.
Mike Ayars
www.ayarsayars.com
Design-build general contractor

BARNES building & management group inc.—Both
Weymouth, Mass.
Marty Barnes
www.barnesbuildings.com
Supply and install metal buildings, metal siding and roofing, structural and miscellaneous iron fabrication

Bayland Buildings Inc.—Both
Green Bay, Wis.
Employee Owned
www.baylandbuildings.com
Design-build general contractor

BMB Inc.—Both
Gretna, Va.
Blair Holding Corp.
BMBsteel.com
Furnish and erect Nucor pre-engineered buildings

Borghesi Building & Engineering Co. Inc.—Tonnage
Torrington, Conn.
www.borghesibuilding.com
Full-service design-build general contractors with in-house engineering

Bremco Construction Inc.—Square Footage
Long Beach, Calif.
William O. Lewis, Greg Darling
www.bremcoconstruction.com
General contractor, design-build, metal buildings, new construction

Brett Construction Co.—Both
Lexington, Ky.
Brett T. Setzer, Keith Fryman, Denny Boom, Banks Hudson
www.brettcon.com
Design-build contractor

Brevard Constructors Inc.—Both
Titusville, Fla.
Tim Gordon, Rusty Gordon, Marty Gordon
Brevardconstructors.com
Metal buildings

Briner Buildin Inc.—Both
Bluffton, Ind.
Mike Swinford, Dave Dunwiddie, Chris Elser, Bryan Harshbarger
www.brinerbuilding.com
Design-build general contractor

Building Innovation Group Inc.—Both
East Rochester, N.Y.
Stephen S. Holmes
www.buildingigroup.com
General contractor

Buildings By Design LLC—Both
Brush, Colo.
Travis Lefever, Pat Walter
www.buildingsbydesign.com
General contractor specializing in PEMB facilities

Burkey Corporation—Tonnage
Reading, Pa.
Eric G. Burkey
www.burkeyconstruction.com
Construction management, general construction, commercial and residential

C. Tucker Cope & Associates Inc.—Both
Columbiana, Ohio
Charles Tucker Cope, Linda S. Cope, Charles Thomas Cope
www.ctuckercope.com
Design-build general contractor

Cannon Building Systems—Square Footage
Lees Summit, Mo.
Keith Cannon
www.cbsikc.com
Metal buildings, metal roofing, retrofit

CDMG—Both
Canonsburg, Pa.
Vicki Anderson–CEO, John Murray, Scott Snyder, Mark Price, Tony Deluca
www.cdmg.com
Metal buildings, construction engineering and management, heavy industrial construction

Cedar Falls Building Systems Inc.—Both
Menomonie, Wis.
Mark Lewis
www.cfbsi.com
Design-build general contractor specializing in commercial, manufacturing, industrial and retail facilities

Century Construction Co.—Both
Richmond, Va.
ESOP
www.centuryconstruction.com
General contractor who specializes in retail, commercial and industrial buildings

CHG Building Systems Inc.—Both
Renton, Wash.
Charles H. Grouws, Ryan Grouws, Steven Grouws
www.chgbuildingsystems.com
Furnish and erect metal building systems, structural steel and architectural sheet metal

Christensen Construction & Design Co. Inc.—Tonnage
Estherville, Iowa
Steven P. Christensen
www.ccon1.com
Metal buildings, metal roofing, reroof, design-build, general construction

Clark Builders—Both
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Employee Shared Ownership, Turner Construction Partnership
clarkbuilders.com
General contractors serving industrial, commercial and institutional market sectors

Clouse Construction Corp.—Both
New Riegel, Ohio
Leonard Clouse, Lynn Clouse, Brian Clouse
www.clouseconstruction.com
Design-build general contractor, specializing in pre-engineered steel buildings, conventional steel

Concept Builders Ltd.—Both
Atlantic, Iowa
William Welter, Lesli Welter
Metal buildings

CRF Metal Works LLC—Tonnage
Pasco, Wash.
Jay Brantingham
www.crfmetalworks.com
Metal buildings, structrual fabrication, mechanical piping

Crossland Construction Co. Inc.—Both
Columbus, Kan.
Ivan Crossland Jr., Bennie Crossland, Curt Crossland, Mike Crossland, Patrick Crossland
www.crossland.com
Industrial and commercial construction company specializing in general contracting, construction management and design-build. We self-perform steel erection, concrete, earthwork, site utilities and carpentry.

Cullison-Wright Construction Corp.—Both
Ocala, Fla.
Jerry Cullison, Sara Cullison, Barry and Sandy Mansfield
www.cullisonwright.com
Metal buildings, metal roofing, new commercial construction, design-build, construction manager

D & B Building Systems—Tonnage
Hubbard, Iowa
Tim Doering, Mike Doering, Steve Doering, Justin Minteer
www.dandbsystems.com
Metal buildings, reroof, agricultural

DeGraff Construction/Development—Tonnage
Ripon, Calif.
Chad DeGraff
degraffdevelopment.com
Metal buildings

Design Builders and Contractors—Both
Elk Mound, Wis.
Doug Awe, Lucas Weissinger
designbuilderswi.comGeneral contractor, commercial, pre-engineered metal buildings

Design Systems Builders Inc.—Tonnage
Nashville, Tenn.
Del Hickman, Dean Taylor
www.dsb-inc.com
We erect the products and systems engineered and manufactured by Butler Manufacturing Co.

Doss Brothers Inc.—Square Footage
Lawrenceburg, Tenn.
Barry Doss, Jeff Doss
www.dossbrothers.com
New construction, metal buildings

Downs Construction Co. LLC—Square Footage
Thomasville, N.C.
Anthony Downs, Tammy Downs
downsconstruction.netMetal buildings

Dublin Building Systems—Both
Dublin, Ohio
Tom Irelan, Rich Irelan, Bob Howe
www.dublinbuilding.com
Design-build general contractor and furnish and erect contractor

Dunn Building Co. LLC—Both
Birmingham, Ala.
Dunn Investment Co.
dunnbuildingcompany.com
General contractors and specialty subcontractors in pre-engineered metal buildings, metal roofing, siding and heavy concrete

Epic Construction—Both
Kieler, Wis.
Brad Bierman, Chad Walsh
www.epicgc.com
General contractor and metal building supplier/erector

FED Corp.—Tonnage
Gladwin, Mich.
Brock Dennings
www.fedcorp.com
Design-build general contractor, supply, erect metal buildings

Felderman Design-Build—Both
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Ryan Harris
www.felderman.com
Single-source, design-build firm that provides design and contractor services from concept to completion.

Ferguson Construction Co.—Both
Sidney, Ohio
Martin L. Given
www.ferguson-construction.com
General contractor

Fleming West Building Co.—Both
Mesa, Ariz.
Aaron Wolf
www.flemingwest.com
Steel solutions–conventional/multi-story, heavy/complex structures

Foundation Steel—Square Footage
Swanton, Ohio
Charlotte Dymarkowski
www.foundationsteel.net
Structural steel, metal building, rebar placement

Gorski Engineering Inc.—Both
Collegeville, Pa.
Jerry Gorski
www.gorskiengineering.com
Design-build general contracting and development services for commercial, industrial and institutional clients

Grassmere Construction Ltd.—Tonnage
Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada
Michael J. Booth
www.grassmere.com
Pre-engineered metal buildings, metal over metal re-roofing

Hammers Construction—Tonnage
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Steve Hammers, Dave Hammers
hammersconstruction.com
Commercial general contractor

Hammers Construction Inc.—Tonnage
Perham, Minn.
Joe Hammers
www.hci-mn.com
New construction

Hance Construction Inc.—Both
Washington, N.J.
Arthur E. Hance
www.hanceconstruction.com
Construction management, general contracting, metal buildings, roofing, retrofit and new construction for industrial, commercial and premier residential

Hansen-Rice Inc.—Both
Nampa, Idaho
Burke Hansen, John Rice
www.hansen-rice.com
Design-build, general contractors, steel erection, insulated metal panels, roofing

Harrell Construction Co. Inc.—Both
Jacksonville, Fla.
Glenis l. Harrell Jr., Jason Harrell
www.harrell-construction.com
Design-build furnish and erect PEMB services

Heath Steel—Both
Fort Collins, Colo.
Randy DeMario
www.heathsteel.com
Metal buildings

Hoover Building Specialists LLC—Both
Honey Brook, Pa.
Richard Hoover, Douglas Hoover, Dustin Fox
www.hooverbuildings.net
General contractor performing design-build, new construction and renovations of commercial buildings

Huff Metal Buildings—Tonnage
Modesto, Calif.
Tom Cosentino
www.huffcon.com/huff-metal-buildings-solution
Metal buildings

Image Building Systems—Square Footage
Phoenix
Ryan Klosterman
www.imagebuildingsystems.com
Metal buildings

Industrial Building Systems—Tonnage
Milford, Conn.
William Lewis
www.ibsct.com
Supply and install pre-engineered buildings

Innovative Steel Ltd.—Tonnage
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Arnold Rink
www.innovativesteelltd.com
Metal buildings

J&M Steel Solutions Inc.—Both
Lehi, Utah
Scott Jeppson, Craig Madsen
www.j-msteel.com
Erection of PEMB for private clients, GCs and industrial companies. Supply and erect PEMB for various clients

James Ware Construction Inc.—Square Footage
Sturgis, Mich.
James Ware, Kathryn Ware
jameswareconstructioninc.com
Metal buildings–new construction

JBS Contracting Inc.—Both|
Mt. Pleasant, Mich.
James Kremsreiter, John Stadtfeld, Lee Roethlisberger, Becky Connors
www.jbscontracting.com
Construction management, general contractor, metal buildings, new construction, remodels

JDG Construction Management Ltd.—Square Footage
North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Joe Gvozdanovich
jdgconstruction.ca
Metal buildings

Jensen Builders Ltd.—Both
Fort Dodge, Iowa
Dale Jensen
www.jensenbuilders.com
Design-build general contractor that specializes in self-performing concrete, carpentry and metal building erection.

JH Kelly LLC—Both
Longview, Wash.
Dan Evans
www.jhkelly.com
Industrial and commercial construction

Jones Contracting Inc.—Square Footage
Albertville, Ala.
Russ Jones
GC, site work, foundation, metal buildings, new construction

Keller Inc.—Both
Kaukauna, Wis.
100% Employee Owned
www.kellerbuilds.com
Design-build general contractor

Kessel Construction Inc.—Tonnage
Bradford, Pa.
Tim Asinger, Kristin Asinger, Richard Kessel, Ann Kessel
www.kesselco.com
Metal buildings (design-build), roofing (metal), new construction

Keystone Steel Structures—Square Footage
Honey Brook, Pa.
Elam King
keystonesteelstructures.com
Metal building erection

King Construction & OHD Inc.—Both
Iowa Falls, Iowa
Lance Sharar, Lincoln Sharar
www.kingconstruction.biz
Design-build, metal buildings, metal re-roof, concrete work, overhead doors.

Lemartec Corp.—Both
Miami
MasTec
www.lemartec.com
Turn-key provider of general construction and construction management with expertise in steel design and construction

LeMaster Steel Erectors Inc.—Both
Noblesville, Ind.
Bob LeMaster, Jim Bigler
www.lemastersteel.com
Subcontractor, supply and install metal buildings, metal siding and roofing, architectural metal panels, structural steel installation

Lichtefeld Inc.—Both
Louisville, Ky.
Paul Lichtefeld Sr., Paul Lichtefeld Jr., Stan Lichtefeld, Mark Lichtefeld
lichtefeldinc.com
Commercial and industrial design-build contractors

LMBI Inc. dba Landmark Metal Builders—Square Footage
Sierra Vista, Ariz.
Dominic Moss, Brandon Moss
www.landmarkmetal.com
Metal building supply and erect, structural and misc. steel supply and erect, metal roofing and architectural metals supply and install

Lock Steel Building Co.—Square Footage
Carrollton, Mo.
Matt Lock
www.locksteel.com
PEMB contractor, metal buildings, metal roofing, new construction

M & F Litteken Co.—Both
Wichita Falls, Texas
Kevin Darnell, President; Jean Darnell, Vice-President; Shane Darnell, Vice-President
www.mflitteken.com
General contractor, design-build contractor utilizing pre-engineered building systems

Maverick Steel Inc.—Square Footage
Byers, Colo.
Ronnie Williams, Tammi Williams
www.mavericksteel.net
Metal buildings

Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services—Both
Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Robert K. Mericle
www.mericle.com
Authorized Butler Builder for Northeastern Pennsylvania. Build bulk industrial, office, flex, and medical space in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazleton, Pa. MSA as a speculative developer and general contractor.

Metal Building Specialists LLC/Coastal Metal Buildings LLC—Both
Rocky Mount, N.C.
Jerry Mott, Karen Mott, Catherine Jordan
www.mbscarolinas.com
Furnish and install metal building systems

Miedema Metal Building Systems Inc.—Both
Hudsonville, Mich.
Tom Miedema
mmbsinfo.com
General contractor specializing in pre-engineered metal buildings

MMS Northeast Inc.—Both
Hampton Falls, N.H.
Stephen Moore
www.steel-bldgs.com
Supply and erect contractor–private and public projects–national accounts supplier

Moltus Building Group—Both
Midland, Mich.
Michael Prezzato, Justin Limpscomb
www.moltusbuild.com
General contractor, specializing in pre-engineered metal buildings

New-Belle Construction—Tonnage
Belle Vernon, Pa.
James D. Kelly, Ryan S. Kelly
www.newbelleconstruction.com
General construction, metal buildings

Norsteel Building Systems Ltd.—Tonnage
West Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
Brandon Miller, Jason Eising
www.norsteelbuildingsystems.com
Pre-engineered steel buildings and all associated works

North Valley Building Systems Inc.—Tonnage
Chico, Calif.
Andrew J. Wood
www.northvalleybuilding.com
General contractor, pre-engineered metal buildings, reroofing, design-build

Nuway Construction—Square Footage
Goshen, Ind.
Andy Nesbitt, Jan Oostland
nuwayconstruction.com
Desgin-build general contractor for commercial and industrial companies.

NW Steel Design LLC—Tonnage
Silver Creek, Wash.
Mark Bolender
www.nwsteeldesign.com
Metal buildings

P.J. Hoerr Inc.—Square Footage
Peoria, Ill.
Robert Hoerr, Joseph Hart, Paul Bright, Kirk Anderson
www.pjhoerr.com
Commercial general contractor with projects in the healthcare, industrial, religious and educational area

Page Construction LLC—Square Footage
Sarah, Miss.
David Page, Mandy Lamb
www.pageconstructionllc.net
Pre-engineered metal building installation and sales

Patterson Horth Inc.—Both
Indianapolis
Mike Patterson, Tim Horth, Jason Jeffries
www.pattersonhorth.com
Commercial, industrial, power plants, LNG PEMBs

PDS Engineering & Construction Inc.—Both
Bloomfield, Conn.
Ronald Jodice, William Jodice, Frank Borawski
www.pdsec.com
Metal buildings, new construction, addition, renovations

Precision Erection Co. Inc.—Both
Russell Springs, Ky.
Stephen P. Branscum
www.pecinc.com
Erection of metal building systems

Quality Erectors & Construction Co. Inc.—Both
Benicia, Calif.
Jesse Esquivel, Karen Esquivel
www.qec-inc.com

Quanta Building Group LLC—Both
Coppell, Texas
Alex Valladares
quantabuild.wixsite.com/quanta
Metal and structural steel erection

Quick Zip Steel Buildings Ltd.—Square Footage
Austin, Manitoba, Canada
Agatha Zacharias
quickzipsteelbuildings.com
Metal buildings, re-roof, and new construction

Redhawk Metal Buildings LLC—Both
Richfield, Wis.
Jeffrey Gunderson, Richard Knabe
www.redhawkmetalbuildings.com
Pre-engineered metal building furnish and erect

Rhoads & Johnson LLC—Both
Fenton, Mich.
Kevin Johnson
www.rhoadsjohnson.com
Metal buildings, new construction

Riedel-Wilks Building Structures Inc.—Both
Huntington, W.Va.
Scott Riedel, Gary staten, Jeff Handloser
www.riedel-wilks.com
Design-build general contractor specializing in PEMB applications and industrial supplier of pre-engineered buildings

Rudolph Libbe Inc.—Tonnage
Walbridge, Ohio
www.rlgbuilds.com
General contractor, metal building, metal roofing, retrofit

Russell P. LeFrois Builder Inc.—Both
Henrietta, N.Y.
Richard LeFrois
www.lefrois.com
General construction, steel erection

Scenic Ridge Co.—Both
Gordonville, Pa.
Jay Elam King
www.scenicridge.com
Metal buildings, steel fabrication and erection, general construction

Seacon LLC—Both
Issaquah, Wash.
Bob Power, Rob Howie, Steven Caniglia, Eric Reese, Bruce Adair, Ben Blegen
www.seaconllc.com
General contractor, construction manager, design-build project development, supplier of structural, pre-engineered metal buildings

Septagon Construction Co. Inc.—Tonnage
Sedalia, Mo.
Stace Anderson, Brad Leonard, Michael Russell
www.septagon.com
General contractor, design-build, reroof and construction management in non-residential markets specializing in pre-engineered buildings

SMS Superior Metal Services—Both
Boerne, Texas
Executive Management Group
smsmetalco.com
Metal buildings, metal roofing, retrofit, new construction, metal construction supply

Soule Building Systems Inc.—Both
Santa Rosa, Calif.
Josh Johnson
www.soulebuildings.com
Metal buildings

Span Construction & Development—Both
Madera, Calif.
ESOP
spanconstruction.com
Supply and erect PEMB, design-build general construction

Staffco Construction Inc.—Both
Fairborn, Ohio
Jon Stafford, Mike Stafford
staffcoconstruction.com
New construction, renovations, pre-engineered metal buildings, design-build

Stanker & Galetto Inc.—Square Footage
Vineland, N.J.
F. Mark D’Onofrio
www.stankergaletto.com
Construction management, general construction, development, metal buildings

Steadfast Structures Inc.—Both
Tucson, Ariz.
Matthew North
www.SteadfastStructures.com
Metal buildings, new construction, tenant improvement, remodels

Steel Building Specialists Inc.—Both
Halethorpe, Md.
Gary Cearfoss
www.sbsmd.com
Metal buildings, general contracting, new construction and renovations

Steel Vision Construction Inc.—Both
Rigby, Idaho
Michael L. Bressler
www.steelvisionconstruction.com
Metal building contractor

Steel Worx Solutions LLC—Both
Groveland, Fla.
Stephanie van Rooyen
www.steelworxusa.com
Furnish and erect contractor with concrete and fabrication capabilities

Steelsmith Inc.—Both
Pittsburgh
Donald T. Gilmore
www.steelsmithinc.com
Metal building supply and construction

Stewart Richey Construction—Both
Bowling Green, Ky.
Houchens Industries
www.stewartrichey.com
A group of specialty contractors

Sure Steel Inc.—Both
South Weber, Utah
Mark Carter, Jim Burwell
www.suresteel.com
Supply and install of structural steel, PEMB and metal panels

Systems West Construction—Both
Yakima, Wash.
Dave Randall, Sam Myers
www.systemswest.us
Turnkey general construction

Tedesco Construction Services Inc.—Both
Lewiston, N.Y.
Jeffrey M. Tedesco, Justin M. Tedesco
www.tedescoconstruction.com
Metal buildings

The Pangere Corp.—Square Footage
Gary, Ind.
Steve N. Pangere, Nick S. Pangere, Anthony S. Pangere
www.pangere.com
Metal buildings, steel erection, metal roofing and siding, and general construction

Thomas Phoenix International—Square Footage
Eastampton, N.J.
Eric T. Kay, Sean T. Smith
www.thomasphoenix.com
Comprehensive metal building erection, new construction, retrofit, repair

Ultimate Steel Erection Inc.—Both
Rexburg, Idaho
Kay Burrell
www.ultimatesteelerection.com
Metal building supplier and erector

Urban Construction Co.—Tonnage
Wausau, Wis.
Mike Kilinski, Dale Pickruhn, Brian Karlen
urbanconstructionco.com
Metal buildings, metal roofing, new construction

US Erectors Inc.—Both
Pleasant Hill, Iowa
Brad Churchill
www.us-erectors.com
Metal buildings, retrofit, data centers, new construction, design-build, re-roofs

W.K. Thomas and Associates—Both
Butler, Pa.
W. Brent Thomas
wkthomas.net
Metal buildings and metal re-roofing, new construction

Wagler & Associates Inc.—Both
Angola, Ind.
Leon Wagler, Menno Wagler
www.waglerassoc.com
Design-build general contracting, specializing in agricultural and commercial construction

Wagner Construction Co. LLC—Square Footage
Leesburg, Fla.
Brennan Smith, Jeffrey Sweet Jr.
www.wagner-florida.com
General contractor, commercial construction

Weaver Commercial Contractor Inc.—Both
Wooster, Ohio
Ron Wenger, Gary Miller
www.weavercc.com
Design-build contractor

Whitener & Jackson Inc.—Tonnage
Manassas, Va.
Edward H. Jackson
www.wj-inc.com
Full-service general contractor with metal building franchise

Woodruff Construction LLC—Square Footage
Fort Dodge, Iowa
Don Woodruff, Jason Rechkemmer, Nick Ford, Dave O’Brien
www.woodruffcompanies.com
General contractor