Urban growth around the world will generate big demand for new infrastructure, particularly in the energy sector. But uncertain economic conditions, added project risk and workforce skill gaps will challenge engineering and construction firms to take advantage of new opportunities, says a survey of 161 CEOs and top executives of large global industry companies.
In its 2012 global construction survey, released Jan. 30, management consultant KPMG International says respondents report some performance improvements over the past year, with 56% of the firms noting increased backlog in 2011 and only 18% reporting a decline. Based in a total of 27 countries, firms range in size from $250 million to about $5 billion in revenue.