Giants say they are diversifying into service and maintenance while the economy is good because they know what goes up must come down. A new wrinkle in this year s Book of Giants is the appearance of the consolidators, and they have helped to boost the Giants bottom line. Controlled growth he term controlled growth probably is self-explanatory but it should be noted that some Giants have been implementing this philosophy in recent years while the industry has been booming. These companies have resisted the temptation to grab as many jobs as they could. Part of the managed growth philosophy is to concentrate on productivity instead of volume.
Productivity begins with the process of project selection, Houston explains.
That means planning everything early and in the most efficient way possible. We only take on what we can handle, and we handle everything we do with careful measurements. This process will get us through the inevitable slowdown. The Dallas area is experiencing healthy times that will sustain itself a while longer, Houston says, but already he is feeling some effects of a moderation. 58 Ficon Corp., Woodbridge, Va.