THE Business for Sale Marketplace

Founded in 1991, this highly-regarded company provides construction materials inspection and testing services (concrete, steel, masonry, soil) and ancillary engineering services in the greater Washington, DC metro area and southern PA. It supports contractors that build airports, highways, sewer and stormwater managment projects and other public and private construction projects. It is positioned do well in the recession, as 70% of its end users are public projects. And, since most its work relates to infrastructure building and maintenance, it should do even better when the federal economic stimulus program is funded. Examples of its work include testing concrete to determine that compression strength (measured in pounds of pressure applied until a breaking point is reached) is what was specified by the architect or that the bolts holding together a steel structure are tightened correctly and the welds have no cracks. The firm is involved in many of the larger public and private construction projects in the greater Washington, DC metro area. Approx. 60% of work is derived from existing customers and contracts and is not competitively bid. 30% comes from referrals and bids with the remaining 10% from marketing efforts. Although many of its workers are certifed by various organizations and although the company employs several professional engineers, the owner is not and does not need to be an engineer or have any certifications. Managment (current vice-president) is in place and willing to stay on with the new owner. The owner wants to retire, but will stay on for transitional or longer-term employment. All equipment used in the business as well as $1,000,000 in net current assets (current assets minus current liabilities) are included in the $3.5M price .