COMPANY·HISTORIES
SIC 1541

General Contractors, Industrial Buildings & Warehouses

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

14companies1896–1988founding years14still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedRooney Brothers Co.
1896
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedPhilipp Holzmann AG
1917
FoundedJ.A. Jones, Inc.
1920
FoundedAbrams Industries Inc.
1925
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedKubota Corporation
1930
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedPeter Kiewit Sons' Inc.
1941
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
FoundedSundt Corp.
1946
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedKitchell Corporation
1950
FoundedBouygues S.A.
1952
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedMontedison S.p.A.
1966
FoundedBFC Construction Corporation
1969
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedBritish Aerospace plc
1978
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedThe Turner Corporation
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
FoundedRust International Inc.
1988
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Rooney Brothers Co. →
Active · founded 1896
A privately held company, Rooney Brothers Co.
Philipp Holzmann AG →
Active · founded 1917 · Germany
Philipp Holzmann AG is Europe's largest construction company, the second-largest international building contractor in…
J.A. Jones, Inc. →
Active · founded 1920
J.A.
Abrams Industries Inc. →
Active · founded 1925
Atlanta-based Abrams Industries Inc.
Kubota Corporation →
Active · founded 1930 · Japan
Kubota Corporation prides itself on being flexible and adjusting as necessary to compete under changing economic…
Peter Kiewit Sons' Inc. →
Active · founded 1941
Peter Kiewit Sons' Inc.
Sundt Corp. →
Active · founded 1946
A major general contractor in the United States and abroad, Tucson-based Sundt Corp.
Kitchell Corporation →
Active · founded 1950
Kitchell Corporation is one of the most prominent construction companies operating in the western part of the United…
Bouygues S.A. →
Active · founded 1952 · France
Bouygues S.A.
Montedison S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1966 · Italy
Montedison S.p.A.
BFC Construction Corporation →
Active · founded 1969 · Canada
BFC Construction Corporation is one of Canada's largest construction companies.
British Aerospace plc →
Active · founded 1978 · United Kingdom
British Aerospace plc (BAe) is the largest defense contractor in Europe, as well as being a leading aerospace company.
The Turner Corporation →
Active · founded 1984
Founded in 1902 by Henry C.
Rust International Inc. →
Active · founded 1988
With operations in North and South America, Europe, and the Pacific Rim, Rust International Inc.
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