ST. LOUIS – St. Louis-based IBEW/NECA contractors ArchKey Solutions, Guarantee Electrical Co. and PayneCrest Electric, Inc. are all rank among the “Top 600 Specialty Contractors” nationally, according to the annual rankings by Engineering News Record (ENR). All three rank within the top 200 contractors nationwide and are members of the Electrical Connection, a partnership of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1 and the St. Louis Chapter of the National Electrical Contractor Association (NECA).

The rankings are based on 2024 revenues. ENR ranked ArchKey 25^th, Guarantee 120^th and PayneCrest 197^th among all subcontractors nationally. Among the top 50 electrical firms nationally, ArchKey ranked 9^th and Guarantee ranked 35^th. See the full rankings.

In the article accompanying the annual rankings ENR noted, “This year marked the fourth consecutive annual revenue growth for the Top 600, with the 2025 total for the prior year up 11.8% to $239.9 billion. Also, 97.3% of ranked specialty contractors that reported profit status said it rose in 2024—up from 95.8% previously. While 68.5% of Top 600 specialty contractors reported higher revenue this year, that percentage is down from 73.3% last year and 79.4% two years ago.”

While there are headwinds, ENR reported contractors were adapting. “The economic fallout from the Trump administration’s tariff war has already breached jobsites through acute materials cost increases and accelerated project timelines, say ENR’s Top 600 Specialty Contractors.  Yet added pressures are also boosting innovation in a market where data demands are rapidly transforming how contractors work together, executives say.”

ENR also noted a “gradual uptick in employees who are aged between the 18 and 25” in skilled trade professions such as electricians and communication technicians.  “Last year, a CNBC broadcast report found that such a shift in career interest could be fueled by economic uncertainty, steering Gen Z and younger workers away from potential college debt into the security of a salaried career in the skilled trades.”

The trend continues to energize the Electrical Connection partnership’s $3 million annual investment in training to ensure the industry is supplied with a skilled workforce proficient in electrical and communications technology.  At its IBEW/NECA Electrical Industry Training Center, IBEW/NECA continues to fortify its 78-course curriculum and a nearly 85-year legacy of training. Learn more about the trends.

The Electrical Connection partnership provides safe and reliable commercial, industrial and residential electrical construction, maintenance, repair and replacement services across Missouri, the nation and the world. It is an important resource for business and civic leadership for new technology, including disruptive technologies, advancing electrical and communication infrastructure.  Learn more at www.electricalconnection.org.

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