{"id":34629,"date":"2026-03-12T14:56:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T21:56:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/with-record-backlog-balfour-beatty-targets-more-u-s-data-center-jobs\/"},"modified":"2026-03-12T14:56:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T21:56:12","slug":"with-record-backlog-balfour-beatty-targets-more-u-s-data-center-jobs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/with-record-backlog-balfour-beatty-targets-more-u-s-data-center-jobs\/","title":{"rendered":"With record backlog, Balfour Beatty targets more U.S. data center jobs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> [ad_1]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech\">\n    <button class=\"text-to-speech__button button\"><br \/>\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"text-to-speech__button__icon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/static\/img\/play.svg?313321260226\" alt=\"-\"><br \/>\n        Listen to the article<br \/>\n        <span class=\"text-to-speech__button__audio-length\">5 min<\/span><br \/>\n    <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls\">\n        <audio controls=\"\" class=\"js-text-to-speech\" preload=\"none\"><source src=\"https:\/\/text-to-speech.divecdn.com\/newspost\/814581\/2026-03-12_13.38.14\/balfour-beatty-record-backlog-us-data-centers.wav\" type=\"audio\/mp3\"><\/source><\/audio><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls__text\">\n            This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\">feedback<\/a>.\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Data centers are all the rage in the U.S., and London-based Balfour Beatty wants in on more of the action, the contractor said during its <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/quote\/BBY.L\/earnings\/BBY.L-H2-2025-earnings_call-386301.html\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>full-year earnings call on Wednesday<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cI think this is a really significant opportunity for Balfour Beatty moving into the future,\u201d said Philip Hoare, speaking on his <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/balfour-beatty-new-ceo-philip-hoare\/759945\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>first earnings call as chief executive<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Hoare pointed to the company\u2019s 20-plus year history of delivering the shells and cores of these projects as evidence of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/balfour-beatty-growth-weakness-construction\/807223\/#:~:text=That%20included%20%24750%20million%20of%20correctional%20facility%20work%20in%20the%20Southeast%20and%20%24400%20million%20for%20data%20centers%20in%20Virginia%20and%20Oregon.\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>its expertise in the segment<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span>. The firm\u2019s experience in project financing, operations and maintenance of data centers will help it nab future opportunities and grow in the U.S. market, Hoare said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cThe opportunity to expand from the strong footprint that we have in Washington State and in Oregon, we&#8217;ve recently won a new project in Virginia, and there are opportunities emerging across Texas, Georgia, Pennsylvania, all areas where we have real strength as a business,\u201d Hoare said. \u201cThis is an example of where we can take those customer relationships, those deep relationships that we&#8217;ve built over many years and move that around the U.S., to drive growth.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Indeed, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/data-centers-construction-2026-trends\/810016\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>data center construction has dominated<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span> the U.S. market. Construction spending <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/construction-spending-data-center-boom\/741437\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>increased by 0.1% in January<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span> to a seasonally adjusted rate of $1.25 trillion, according to Associated Builders and Contractors. Data center construction drove more than 75% of the overall monthly gain.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\"><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Profit, revenue up<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Balfour Beatty <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.balfourbeatty.com\/media\/h5kfn0a5\/2025-full-year-results-announcement.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>delivered on its full-year expectations<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span> and achieved a record backlog on the back of strong construction segments both in the U.K. and the U.S., the contractor announced on Wednesday.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The firm generated approximately 10.8 billion pounds ($14.5 billion) in revenue for 2025, an increase of 7.5% year over year from 2024\u2019s 10 billion pounds. It also saw profit gains \u2014 the builder posted 323 million pounds in pre-tax profit on the year, an approximately 51% increase from 2024\u2019s pre-tax profit of 214 million pounds.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Balfour Beatty said its profit and revenue increased year-over-year as a result of strong performances in the U.K. power transmission projects and its U.S. Buildings portfolio.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Some of the firm\u2019s U.S. Buildings projects include the Broward County Convention Center &amp; Hotel expansion in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and horizontal Phase 2 work at The Wharf in Washington, D.C.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>However, old problems plagued the firm in other areas of the business. Strong growth and operational delivery in the U.S. Buildings segment was weighed down as a result of schedule delays and cost overruns on a Texas highway project, said CFO Phil Harrison.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Harrison \u2014 who is <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/balfour-beatty-cfo-step-down\/813141\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>stepping down from the role<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span> later this year \u2014 expects more revenue growth for the firm\u2019s Buildings segment in 2026 and for the Texas project to reach completion later this year.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The firm\u2019s Infrastructure Investment\u2019s division also suffered as a result of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.multifamilydive.com\/news\/balfour-beatty-communities-housing-pleads-guilty-fined-65-million-defraud-military\/619159\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>legal costs from its military housing<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span> issues. Balfour Beatty Communities, a Malvern, Pennsylvania-based subsidiary of the contractor and one of the largest suppliers of privatized military housing, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.multifamilydive.com\/news\/balfour-beatty-communities-housing-pleads-guilty-fined-65-million-defraud-military\/619159\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>pleaded guilty in 2022<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span> to defrauding the U.S. military.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>As a result, the Department of Justice and the company agreed to establish an independent compliance monitor, which is a person appointed to ensure that a party adheres to the terms of a settlement agreement or compliance program. Balfour Beatty and the DOJ had previously agreed to extend the monitorship to June 6, Harrison told investors.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>If the monitorship concludes by that date, the firm expects more normal profits in 2027, Harrison said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cOur financial business position is solid, and the strategic investments made in previous years have set the stage for future growth,\u201d Harrison said. \u201cThe momentum in earnings is expected to carry on beyond 2026, giving us confidence in continued progress over the medium term.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<section class=\"storylines-carousel-wrapper hide-small show-large\" id=\"desktop-carousel\"\/>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\"><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Record backlog<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Alongside its profit and revenue, Balfour Beatty also reported a record backlog, which it refers to as its \u201corder book,\u201d of 22.7 billion pounds for 2025. The total is a 23.3% increase from 2024\u2019s 18.4 billion pounds.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>\u201cIt&#8217;s not just the size and scale of that order book, it&#8217;s the great quality work that we see within it and the resilience that that brings to our business,\u201d Hoare boasted.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Balfour Beatty is not alone with its pipeline of work. Other construction firms across the U.S. reported record backlogs for 2025, including <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/turner-2025-annual-report-data-centers\/813694\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>New York City-based Turner Construction<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span>; <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/highway-bill-higher-iija-granite-construction\/812167\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Watsonville, California-based Granite Construction<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span>; and <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/aecom-highway-bill-revenue-profits-drop\/811907\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Dallas-based AECOM<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span><span><span><span><span><span>. Data center and infrastructure demand, both focuses of Balfour Beatty, were all cited by the builders in their earnings calls and reports.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>[ad_2]<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/balfour-beatty-record-backlog-us-data-centers\/814581\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">This article was originally posted at Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] Listen to the article 5 min This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback. Data &#8230; <a title=\"With record backlog, Balfour Beatty targets more U.S. data center jobs\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/with-record-backlog-balfour-beatty-targets-more-u-s-data-center-jobs\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about With record backlog, Balfour Beatty targets more U.S. data center jobs\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[457],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34629","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-construction-dive","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34629","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34629"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34629\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34629"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34629"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34629"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}