Global Industry Trade Magazine Ranks BE&K Companies Among Top Performers

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--June 25, 2003--BE&K, and its subsidiary companies, ranked among the top achievers in design, industrial construction and telecommunications industries in Engineering News Record's annual "Top 500 Design Firms." BE&K ranked number two among the top 10 pulp and paper firms in the world, number four among the top 15 global chemical design firms, number eight among the top 500 industrial process and petrochemical design firms in the world, number 12 in solid waste, and number 17 among the world's top fossil fuel design firms.
    BE&K's telecommunications subsidiary NorthStar Telecommunications Group maintained its number three ranking in the Top 20 telecommunications design firms with $72 million in design revenues, and it claimed the number one spot in transmission lines and cables with $71.9 million in revenue.
    At $250.2 million in total revenues the BE&K companies ranked 37 in overall design earnings. According to Engineering News Record, the total 2002 design revenues at $59.11 billion, reflected a 3.8% increase in 2001 earnings.
    BE&K, through its global network of affiliate companies, provides engineering, procurement, construction and maintenance services to the process, manufacturing, industrial, automotive, pulp and paper, power, and telecommunications industries. Forbes ranks BE&K among the "Top 500 Privately Held Companies in the U.S." and Engineering News Record magazine consistently ranks BE&K among the Top Contractors and Designers in the world. BE&K has also been recognized as a construction industry leader in family friendly business practices and it was recently honored as a Diversity Champion by Working Mother magazine.
    For more information: Robin Paulding at (205) 972-6688 or www.bek.com.newsroom