Quanta Services Acquires Eight Companies

Increasingly smaller contractors are merging into large national service firms. Along this line, Quanta Services Inc. (Houston, TX) recently completed the acquisition of eight companies with expected annualized revenues of approximately $100 million in 2000. These acquisitions consist of both platform companies and smaller ``tuck-in'' companies that will integrate into existing operating units. The details of the purchase were not disclosed.

"These contracting companies not only significantly enhance our ability to deploy fiber optic networks to our telecommunication and broadband customers, but also allow us to expand our services to new utility customers and new geographic areas," stated John Colson, Quanta Services' chief executive officer. "We continue to have discussions with numerous attractive strategic acquisition candidates in order to service our customers' growing needs."

The companies acquired include:

• World Fiber Inc. (Hendersonville, N.C.) — engaged in the installation of broadband systems in Texas, North Carolina, Maryland, and Pennsylvania
  
• Arby Construction Inc. (New Berlin, Wis.) — providing underground installation services to the telecommunications, gas, and electric utility industries
  
• Grand Electric Company (Denver, Colo.) — providing electrical contracting services
  
• Wade D. Taylor Inc. (Athens, Ga.) — providing services to the gas utility industry
  
• Network Communications Services Inc. (Duarte, Calif.) — providing specialty splicing services to the broadband industry
  
• Brown Engineering and Testing Inc. (Giddings, Texas) — engaged in hydrostatic testing and related services to the gas utility industry
  
• DB Utilities Inc. (Garland, Texas) — providing trenching services to utilities and contractors
  
• Kingston Contracting Inc. (Burlingame, Calif.) — providing electrical services to the transportation industry.

Quanta is a provider of contracting services to telecommunications and cable television operators, electric utilities and governmental entities. The Company also installs transportation control and lighting systems and provides electric power and communication services for industrial and commercial customers. Quanta Services performs projects nationwide and has principal offices in over 25 states.

Edited by: Jerry R. Borland, P.E.