Infrastructure & Energy Projects Continue to Carry the Weight

PSMJ’s latest quarterly survey shows continued strength in regulated markets

Despite the prolonged lackluster plateau of some pockets of the A/E industry such as Education and Government, the end of 2011 provided some rebound in the Housing and Commercial sectors, and continued strength in the Healthcare and Power/Utilities markets. Information gleaned from the latest Quarterly Market Trends (QMT) report from PSMJ Resources, Inc., shows optimism amongst company leaders on par with survey data from 2006 and 2007.

Since 2003, PSMJ has surveyed A/E firm leaders on a quarterly basis regarding what they are seeing in the marketplace. The survey queries respondents on conditions in a variety of markets and submarkets as well as overall health of revenue, backlog, and proposal activity. The 2011 fourth quarter survey shows growing optimism on what the near-term future holds. Nearly half (49%) of respondents expect revenues in the first quarter of 2012 to be up over the previous quarter. PSMJ observes this trend to be consistent with the general year-end cyclical characteristics of the industry.

A notable trend, based on proposal activity, is that markets where capital spending is driven by regulation, such as Environmental, has remained strong over the last five years. “We don’t anticipate a rebound in state or local spending until 2014,” says Gregory Hart, a PSMJ consultant. “But opportunities are ripe for A/E organizations to be aggressive in pursuing infrastructure work.” Projects in Water/Wastewater, Utility Distribution, Renewable Energy, and Transportation still abound.

To learn more about PSMJ’s QMT or to participate in the next survey, call 800.537.PSMJ. Subscribers to PSMJ’s monthly newsletter receive the full QMT report in their mailbox each quarter. This report includes our take on the latest movements as well as data broken out into key market and geographic segments. To keep your finger on the pulse of recovery in the A/E space, visit www.psmj.com and become a member of PSMJ today!