Construction companies are winning environmental remediation contracts.
In Milwaukee, Michels Corporation secured a $115.4 million contract for a complex dredged material management facility. They beat the estimated cost by $35 million.
The project involves containing 1.9 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment from three rivers. That’s equivalent to 13 football fields filled 50 feet deep with toxic material that needs permanent, engineered containment.
The Traditional Advantage
Michels won with construction fundamentals, not environmental specialization.
Their winning approach centers on equipment efficiency and logistics optimization. The facility uses vacuum-type dredging and hydraulic pumping systems that eliminate approximately 1 million gallons of diesel fuel consumption compared to traditional trucking methods.
Environmental projects reward operational excellence over credentials.
Scale Matters in Environmental Work
Michels brings 8,000 employees and 18,000 pieces of heavy equipment to complex projects. This scale advantage becomes critical when environmental work demands 24/7 operations and specialized techniques like circular steel pile installation.
The Milwaukee project required over 775 circular steel piles and advanced soil mix cutoff wall technology. These are construction methods, not environmental techniques.
Market Timing Creates Opportunity
The environmental remediation market is projected to reach $190.2 billion by 2030. Government funding is driving this growth, with over $1.2 billion allocated for Superfund cleanups in 2023 alone.
Contractors with proven project management can capture market share. Environmental expertise can be learned. Construction execution takes decades to master.
What This Means for Construction Professionals
Three takeaways from Milwaukee: Environmental remediation looks more like infrastructure work than specialized services.
Established contractors can use existing skills to compete in environmental markets.
Government funding and environmental urgency create opportunities for construction companies.
Construction expertise translates to environmental success.
