COMPANY·HISTORIES
SIC 1542

Nonresidential Construction, Not Elsewhere Classified

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

30companies1896–1984founding years26still active4no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedRooney Brothers Co.FoundedRooney Brothers Co.
1896
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedThe Clark Construction Group, Inc.
1906
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedPerini Corporation
1918
FoundedJ.A. Jones, Inc.
1920
FoundedStarrett Corporation
1922
FoundedAbrams Industries Inc.FoundedAbrams Industries Inc.
1925
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
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.
FoundedBouygues S.A.
1952
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedSimon Property Group, Inc.
1960
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedMontedison S.p.A.FoundedMontedison S.p.A.
1966
FoundedBFC Construction CorporationFoundedLennar 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.
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.
Rooney Brothers Co. →
Active · founded 1896
A privately held company, Rooney Brothers Co.
The Clark Construction Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1906
The Clark Construction Group, Inc.
The Clark Construction Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1906
The Clark Construction Group, Inc.
Perini Corporation →
Active · founded 1918
Ranked in the top ten percent on Engineering News Record's 1992 list of the top 400 contractors, Perini Corporation…
Perini Corporation →
Active · founded 1918
Ranked in the top ten percent on Engineering News Record's 1992 list of the top 400 contractors, Perini Corporation…
J.A. Jones, Inc. →
Active · founded 1920
J.A.
J.A. Jones, Inc. →
Active · founded 1920
J.A.
Starrett Corporation →
Active · founded 1922
Starrett Corporation is a construction manager or general contractor of buildings, mainly in the metropolitan New York…
Starrett Corporation →
Active · founded 1922
Starrett Corporation is a construction manager or general contractor of buildings, mainly in the metropolitan New York…
Abrams Industries Inc. →
Active · founded 1925
Atlanta-based Abrams Industries Inc.
Abrams Industries Inc. →
Active · founded 1925
Atlanta-based Abrams Industries Inc.
Peter Kiewit Sons' Inc. →
Active · founded 1941
Peter Kiewit Sons' Inc.
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.
Sundt Corp. →
Active · founded 1946
A major general contractor in the United States and abroad, Tucson-based Sundt Corp.
Bouygues S.A. →
Active · founded 1952 · France
Bouygues S.A.
Bouygues S.A. →
Active · founded 1952 · France
Bouygues S.A.
Simon Property Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1960
Simon Property Group, Inc.
Simon Property Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1960
Simon Property Group, Inc.
Montedison S.p.A. →
Defunct · founded 1966 · Italy
Montedison S.p.A.
Montedison S.p.A. →
Defunct · 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.
BFC Construction Corporation →
Active · founded 1969 · Canada
BFC Construction Corporation is one of Canada's largest construction companies.
Lennar Corporation →
Active · founded 1969
Florida's largest home builder and one of the largest residential builders in the country, Lennar Corporation began as…
Lennar Corporation →
Active · founded 1969
Florida's largest home builder and one of the largest residential builders in the country, Lennar Corporation began as…
British Aerospace plc →
Defunct · founded 1978 · United Kingdom
British Aerospace plc (BAe) is the largest defense contractor in Europe, as well as being a leading aerospace company.
British Aerospace plc →
Defunct · 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.
The Turner Corporation →
Active · founded 1984
Founded in 1902 by Henry C.
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