http://www.succession-planning-for-business.com/Succession-Planning-blog.html Barlow Associates has been helping Engineers and Architects for over 40 years with Succession Planning; Acquisitions, Sales and Mergers, Internal Transfer of Ownership. en-us Succession Planning Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:33:23 GMT Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:33:23 GMT succession-planning-for-business.com http://www.succession-planning-for-business.com/Succession-Planning-blog.html#KKE-Architects-sold-to-DLR KKE Architects has been sold to architectural and engineering-services firm DLR Group, the companies announced Monday. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed. DLR Group has about 40 employees in the Twin Cities, while Minneapolis-based KKE has roughly 70. The acquisition will allow the combined firm to better compete in existing and new markets, the companies said in a press statement. DLR and KKE's Minneapolis office already had a close relationship. In April, the firms formed a strategic alliance to seek business in China. At the time, company officials said a merger was a possibility. As part of the deal, DLR Group and KKE's Minneapolis locations will combine and operate under the brand DLR Group KKE. The firm will operate out of DLR's existing office in downtown. KKE's locations in Las Vegas; Tuscon, Ariz.; and California will also be folded into DLR locations. DLR has about 450 staff in 19 locations around the United States. Adding KKE is a significant step towards growing DLR Group by extending our geographic reach, elevating our design expertise and strengthening our position in our current market sectors, said DLR Group Managing Principal Griff Davenport in a press statement. KKEs leadership adds diversity and a depth of design excellence to benefit each of the clients that our 500 DLR Group employee-owners serve every day from 22 offices across the country, and now in China. DLR's 2009 architectural billings in Minnesota totaled $6.6 million, ranking it 18th on the Business Journals 2009 Top 25 List of Architectural Firms. KKE is the sixth-largest architectural firm in the Twin Cities with $19.6 million in billings, down from fourth two years ago. KKE's projects in Minnesota include work at the Mall of America in Bloomington and the University of Minnesota McNamara Alumni Center. Read more: KKE Architects sold to DLR - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:15:12 GMT http://www.succession-planning-for-business.com/Succession-Planning-blog.html#Florida-Firm-WilsonMiller-to-Join-Stantec North American design firm Stantec announced today it has signed a letter of intent to acquire WilsonMiller, Inc., a Naples, Florida headquartered company with more than 265 employees and 10 offices throughout the state. WilsonMiller is a multidisciplinary planning, design, and engineering firm providing services for infrastructure, transportation, land management, and environmental projects to public and private clients. "We believe that WilsonMiller will be a catalyst for future growth of Stantec in Florida, which despite the current difficult economic climate, still remains one of the largest markets in the country," says Bob Gomes, Stantec President & CEO. "The addition of WilsonMiller will give Stantec a stronger local presence in the state. They bring a talented team that managed their company very well through the recession and is now well positioned to take advantage of opportunities in both the public and private sectors." WillsonMiller has operated in Florida for over five decades serving the government, urban land, transportation, and the natural resources & rural land markets. The Company has an impressive portfolio of projects including the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail, a scenic trail extending from Key Largo to Key West, the urban redevelopment for the City of Tampa's Channel District, and Ave Maria Town and University, a Rural Land Stewardship Area award winning plan. Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:10:02 GMT http://www.succession-planning-for-business.com/Succession-Planning-blog.html#Wilbur-Smith-in-merger-talks Wilbur Smith Associates, an international transportation engineering firm headquartered in Columbia since the 1950s, is in merger discussions with a Massachusetts firm specializing in utilities. Wilbur Smith spokeswoman Danielle Gadow confirmed that the company, located at 1300 Gervais St. in a building that bears its name, is negotiating with CDM of Cambridge, Mass. Its a strategic opportunity for both firms, she said. We have complimentary capabilities. CDM is strong in water, wastewater and the environment. Wilbur Smith is strong in transportation. Its a complimentary mix. Gadow said she didnt know the timetable of any possible merger. She termed the discussions as in the due diligence phase. She said she did not know how any merger would affect the roughly 150 employees in Columbia. Im not in a position to say. Wilbur Smith, which has offices in 23 states and eight foreign countries, has 1,000 employees. CDM has 4,500 employees. Both companies are employee-owned and any merger would have to be approved by those employees, Gadow said. Wilbur Smith Associates was founded in 1952 by Wilbur S. Smith, South Carolinas first state traffic engineer, and his brother James M. Smith. Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:10:02 GMT http://www.succession-planning-for-business.com/Succession-Planning-blog.html#Aecom-Buys-Tishman-Construction Aecom Technology Corp. has acquired Tishman Construction Corp. for $245 million, in a deal that combines one of the world's largest engineering and design firms with the storied New York-based construction business. The companies have overseen some of the world's largest complex construction projects. Los Angeles-based Aecom is currently working on New York City's new Second Avenue subway and Saadiyat Island, a $30 billion development off the coast of Abu Dhabi. Tishman's signature construction projects include the original World Trade Center; MGM Mirage's CityCenter in Las Vegas; and the new Goldman Sachs Group Inc. headquarters in Lower Manhattan. It's also handling the construction of One World Trade Center, which at 1,776 feet is expected to become the tallest building in the U.S. The U.S. construction industry continues to struggle and some U.S. firms look abroad for new sources of business. Both Aecon and Tishman have weathered the downturn, benefiting from increased government spending on infrastructure world-wide, even as private-sector construction has sputtered. Economists expect spending on U.S. nonresidential construction to drop 20 in 2010 compared with last year, according to a survey released Wednesday by the American Institute of Architects. "For the most part, construction still seems to be dead in the water," said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America. Tishman, Aecom Projects See some of the firms' major buildings and construction projects. A publicly traded company with $6 billion in annual revenues and 45,000 employees, Aecom derives roughly three-quarters of its business from government contracts. Tishman, a closely held firm with about $1 billion in revenue, generates about 40 of its business from public-sector work. Last year Tishman opened an office in Abu Dhabi, where it is developing several projects including an Angsana Resort and Spa. Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:20:55 GMT http://www.succession-planning-for-business.com/Succession-Planning-blog.html#TTEK-to-Buy-Part-of-PA-Consulting Tetra Tech Inc., a leading worldwide provider of consultancy engineering, program management, construction, and technical services, has entered into an agreement to acquire PA Consulting Groups international development practice business based in the U.S. The companies did not provide any information on the terms of the deal. Headquartered in London, PA Consulting generates approximately $35 million of annual revenue from its consultancy business in the U.S., providing services to energy and infrastructure sector. Following the completion of the acquisition, expected in quarter ending September 2010, PA s international development consultancy business will be merging with the Technical Support Services segment of Tetra Tech. The new business, through the addition of an expanded customer base and technical skills, is expected to substantially improve the energy management consulting business of Tetra Tech. Tetra Tech maintains a strong balance sheet. The company completed three acquisitions in the third quarter of 2009 with annual revenues of approximately $25.0 million. It concluded another acquisition in early fourth quarter of 2009 with about $25.0 million of annual revenues. The company continues to focus on the strategic acquisition of firms to enhance its service offerings and expand its geographic presence. However, an exceedingly slow economic recovery will continue to affect the performance of the company. Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:16:00 GMT http://www.succession-planning-for-business.com/Succession-Planning-blog.html#Industry-and-Energy-Associates-Joins-Stantec North American design firm Stantec has acquired Industry and Energy Associates, LLC (IEA), a 60-person engineering company headquartered in Portland, Maine, with a regional office in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Focused on the power and energy industries, IEA's experience and client base further develops Stantec's existing power practice area. "IEA is a very good fit for our Industrial practice," says Bob Gomes, Stantec president & CEO. "Their experience in all types of power generation and distribution is impressive and will certainly build on our capabilities in the power and energy market." IEA's engineering and project management services include both traditional and renewable energy projects, ranging from cogeneration, coal, and electrical transmission work to the design of wind, waste-to-energy, and biomass systems. The company has worked on energy projects all over the world, including a recent renewable power project on Galapagos Island in Ecuador. Sponsored by the United Nations Development Program, this effort involved combining three wind turbines and solar power into a system that now generates about 50 percent of the island's electrical needs. "Stantec's reputation in sustainable design and environmental management connects us to a whole new network of resources for our clients," says IEA president Ken Rogers. "Leveraging this experience with ours will also allow us to branch into new markets we could not have reached on our own." Stantec's power practice focuses on all aspects of energy, including transmission, utility routing, environmental mitigation and monitoring, and pollution prevention and management. In recent years the firm has become more involved in renewable energy projects, including leading the site design, power transmission, and environmental permitting for dozens of wind farms across North America. Wed, 07 Jul 2010 20:39:55 GMT http://www.succession-planning-for-business.com/Succession-Planning-blog.html#KCI-Technolgies-Announces-Acquisition-of-ASC-Geosciences KCI Technologies Inc., a multi-disciplined engineering firm with offices in the Northeast, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, is pleased to announce the acquisition of ASC geosciences inc., a Florida-based company specializing in geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering, materials testing, forensic engineering, and construction inspection. With sales exceeding $3.3 million last year, ASC's 21 employees will continue working from its three offices and laboratory facilities in Lake City, Lakeland, and Fort Myers, Florida, as well as KCI's office in Tampa. "This acquisition is a great opportunity for us to grow in the Southeast and position ourselves for the impending economic turnaround," said KCI President Nathan J. Beil, PE. "Their addition allows us to offer geotechnical and materials testing services and supplement our existing construction inspection work force while extending our geographic reach. Their clients will benefit from the multi-discipline service offerings of KCI, while our clients will have access to local expertise not previously available through the firm." KCI and ASC are familiar with each other, having worked together on various projects for Sprint Nextel and TECO Energy. ASC's president, Anu Saxena, PE, will serve as vice president and regional practice leader specializing in geotechnical engineering. He has more than 20 years of professional experience in geotechnical engineering and testing as well as forensic engineering and litigation support. A 1988 graduate of Cornell University with a master's degree in civil engineering, Saxena is a registered professional engineer and a certified neutral evaluator in Florida. He currently serves on the board of the University of South Florida Foundation and recently completed a term as president of the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce. ASC Chief Executive Officer, D.S. "Sax" Saxena, PE, who founded the firm in 1984, has been named corporate practice leader of the KCI's newly formed forensic engineering practice. Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:54:50 GMT http://www.succession-planning-for-business.com/Succession-Planning-blog.html#Poyry-Acquires-Nuclear-Operators-Platform Poyry has acquired 100 of the shares of Brennus Ingenieurs Conseils, the company which runs Numex, Europe's platform for operators of nuclear power plants (NPP). Numex is renowned by the nuclear energy industry as a facilitator of exchange of NPP related maintenance experience and as a forum for best-practice maintenance procedures. The current members of Numex include NPP operators in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Finland, UK, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland. The company said that through this joining of forces, Poyry underlines its commitment to the nuclear energy sector and its strategy to provide solutions along the entire value chain of nuclear energy. With this acquisition, Poyry will carry on with Numex 's mission of enhancing valuable maintenance experience exchange between nuclear power plant managers and engineers worldwide, the company added. Philipp Elkuch, president of Poyry's Nuclear Business Area , said: "With its more than 20 years of experience, Numex represents a wealth of experience which is not only important for today's operation of NPPs, but is also crucial as an input for the upcoming wave of investments into new nuclear power plants. Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:48:49 GMT http://www.succession-planning-for-business.com/Succession-Planning-blog.html#URS-Agrees-to-Buy-Scott-Wilson-With-Higher-Bid-as-CH2M-Bows-Out URS Corp., a U.S. engineering- advisory company, agreed to buy U.K.-based Scott Wilson Group Plc after sweetening its offer to about 223 million pounds ($333 million) to trump a competing proposal from CH2M Hill Cos. The purchase is for 290 pence a share, URS and Scott Wilson said today in a statement. Closely held CH2M of Englewood, Colorado, said it withdrew its bid. The moves ended a bidding war for Basingstoke, England- based Scott Wilson, an engineering adviser whose projects include Londons Crossrail train line. CH2M offered 189 million pounds on June 28, hours after Scott Wilson accepted a 161 million-pound bid from San Francisco-based URS. URSs higher bid is justified based on what we see as expanded growth prospects, Stewart Scharf, a Standard & Poors equity analyst in London, said today in a note to clients. He recommends buying URS shares. URS and Scott Wilson said their boards approved the transaction. Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:48:49 GMT http://www.succession-planning-for-business.com/Succession-Planning-blog.html#CDI-Acquires-L.R.-Kimball CDI Corp. (NYSE: CDI) announced today that it has acquired the business of L. Robert Kimball & Associates, Inc. (L.R. Kimball), a 550-person professional services firm which provides architecture, civil and environmental engineering, communication technology and consulting services. Financial terms of the cash transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to earnings beginning in the third quarter 2010. Founded in 1953 and headquartered in Ebensburg, PA, L.R. Kimball provides fully-integrated project design and planning for clients throughout the US through a network of nine offices primarily in the Mid-Atlantic region. This acquisition establishes CDI's presence in the architecture and engineering (A&E) infrastructure marketplace and enables the company to provide professional services for aviation, civil, correctional, educational, environmental, judicial, public safety and transportation projects for federal, state and local government agencies as well as private industry organizations. In 2010, L.R. Kimball was ranked #155 on the Engineering News-Record annual "Top 500 Design Firms" list. Effective immediately, L.R. Kimball becomes part of the CDI Engineering Solutions division. L.R. Kimball's headquarters location will remain in Ebensburg. "This is an important step in our strategic plan to utilize acquisitions to expand into the infrastructure vertical, provide more higher value, higher gross margin services and to create a balanced portfolio of engineering services," said Roger H. Ballou, President and Chief Executive Officer of CDI. "We were attracted by L.R. Kimball's exceptional project management skills, its enduring long-term client relationships and its culture that understands the value of discipline, integrity and professionalism." "This transaction represents an opportunity to accelerate our growth," added L.R. Kimball Founder & Chairman L. Robert Kimball. "We wanted to align our capabilities with a firm that could both leverage our A&E strengths across a new base of clients and offer our current clients additional services and technology on a national and global services delivery platform." Continuing his role as President of L.R. Kimball, and serving as a new Senior Vice President of CDI Engineering Solutions, Jeff Kimball also noted that, "This represents an exciting opportunity for our employees to take the L.R. Kimball reputation to the next level as we meet our clients' needs." "We are pleased to have the L.R. Kimball team as part of the Engineering Solutions family," said Robert Giorgio, President of CDI Engineering Solutions. "The L.R. Kimball brand and its innovative practices will form the nucleus of our new CDI-Infrastructure vertical." Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:59:29 GMT http://www.succession-planning-for-business.com/Succession-Planning-blog.html#Energy-consultant-Pyry-expands Pyry has acquired 97.8 of the shares of ETV-Erterv, the largest privately owned power engineering consultancy firm in Hungary, enhancing its capability in the nuclear sector. The value of the transaction has not been disclosed. ETV offers conventional power plant engineering, services for radioactive waste related projects as well as in the design services in the transmission and distribution sector. The company, which employs 170 people, had net sales of some EUR12 million ($14.8 million) in 2009. "Pyry's existing nuclear consulting engineering network will be enhanced with ETV's profound knowledge of the Russian nuclear power plant technology, said Ari Asikainen, President, Energy business group, Pyry. Together, ETV and Pyry will have a staff of 400 providing consultancy and engineering services. Fri, 18 Jun 2010 12:54:05 GMT http://www.succession-planning-for-business.com/Succession-Planning-blog.html#Genivar-acquires-ANO-Architects-Inc Montreal-based engineers Genivar Inc. said Wednesday its architectural services partner PBK Architects Inc. has bought ANO Architects Inc., a consultant with 25 employees in Timmins and Sudbury, Ont., for an undisclosed price. PBK, with 100 employees, is based in Vancouver with offices in Toronto, Ottawa, Cornwall, Timmins, Thunder Bay and Sudbury. It has handled projects across the country and in the United States, ranging from recreation, transit and transportation to technology and municipal buildings. ANO specializes in commercial, recreational, health-care, educational and industrial projects. The acquisition will open up new opportunities for the enlarged company across Canada and in the Caribbean in partnership with Genivar, said Elisa Brandts, president of PBK. Genivar Inc. is the successor of Genivar Income Fund. Unitholders on May 27 approved the conversion from an income fund to a publicly traded tax-paying corporation. Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:18:19 GMT http://www.succession-planning-for-business.com/Succession-Planning-blog.html#Burns-&-McDonnell-to-Acquire-Kansas-City-Based-Bridge-Design-Specialist-Harrington-&-Cortelyou,-Inc. Burns & McDonnell has reached an agreement to acquire Harrington & Cortelyou, Inc., a consulting engineering firm with a well-established national reputation for engineering design of fixed and movable highway and railway bridges. Based in Downtown Kansas City, Harrington & Cortelyou (H&C) has been providing engineering and construction management services since 1907. The firm has designed and supervised construction of more than 800 bridges in Missouri, including several major bridge improvements in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The addition of Harrington & Cortelyou makes perfect strategic sense for both firms. We see exciting growth opportunities going forward. The transaction is expected to be complete on or before June 30. At that time, 12 H&C staff members will join Burns & McDonnell and operate as Harrington & Cortelyou, Inc., a Burns & McDonnell Company. H&C will continue to operate from offices at 911 Main Street in Downtown Kansas City. Burns & McDonnell has traditionally not pursued acquisitions as a growth strategy but this opportunity to merge with a highly respected firm with historic roots in Kansas City was too good to pass up, said Burns & McDonnell Chairman and CEO Greg Graves. The addition of Harrington & Cortelyou makes perfect strategic sense for both firms. We see exciting growth opportunities going forward. Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:18:19 GMT http://www.succession-planning-for-business.com/Succession-Planning-blog.html#Charleston's-HEG-Engineering-Consultants-merges-with-Weston-&-Sampson-as-Southeast-Regional-HQ Weston & Sampson, rated as a top 200 engineering design firm by Engineering News Report, has announced that Charleston's HEG Engineering Consultants will serve as their Southeast regional headquarters as a result of a recent merger. Recognized for Excellence for the past ten years, Weston & Sampson has been recognized with six Engineering Excellence Awards. Weston & Sampson's services include engineering, landscape architecture, operations and maintenance and construction services. It is hoped that this merger of 350+ employees of the combined engineering design companies will foster new growth during our economic recovery. Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:40:34 GMT http://www.succession-planning-for-business.com/Succession-Planning-blog.html#Jacobs-Acquires-TechTeam-for-$59-M Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. decided to acquire TechTeam Government Solutions Inc. (TTGSI), a wholly owned subsidiary of TechTeam Global Inc. (TEAM - Snapshot Report) for $59.0 million. Jacobs will acquire 100 stock in the company and the acquisition is expected to close by the end of 2010. TechTeam is an Information Technology (IT) Solutions company, which provides services to the federal, state and local government agencies together with the United States Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Army and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Thus, the acquisition will not only increase government customers for IT services, but more and more contracts will also flow in. Jacobs is one of the leading providers of professional, technical and construction services to industrial, commercial and government clients. We believe that Jacobs track record of contract wins will help it to perform well in future. Another reason for the company to sustain in these difficult market conditions is its liquidity. The company has maintained a high level of liquidity, with a net cash position of $743 million from $240.4 million at the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2010. Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:38:07 GMT http://www.succession-planning-for-business.com/Succession-Planning-blog.html#GENIVAR-Income-Fund-Acquires-Terrain-Group-Inc.,-an-Engineering,-Planning,-and-Surveying-Firm The GENIVAR Income Fund, a leading Canadian engineering firm, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Terrain Group Inc., an Atlantic Canada-based engineering, planning, and surveying firm with a staff of over 150 employees based in offices in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, as well as Alberta. Terrain Group specializes in municipal engineering, planning, land surveying, transportation and environmental services. "This is an exciting period for GENIVAR and I would like to warmly welcome Terrain Group's staff into our team. This strategic acquisition brings additional scale to GENIVAR's operations. Indeed, our firm now has a national presence extending from Nova Scotia to British Columbia," said Pierre Shoiry, GENIVAR's President and CEO. "We have established an important foothold in Atlantic Canada thanks to Terrain Group's strong local presence in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and Moncton, Fredericton, Saint John and Sussex, New Brunswick. The firm also has an office in Edmonton, Alberta. We intend to build on our base in Atlantic Canada by attracting new partners and expanding our services in all of our market segments. Terrain Group will also enhance GENIVAR's expertise and client base. GENIVAR remains committed to the land surveying and planning services that Terrain Group offers, in addition to the company's engineering capabilities. We foresee additional growth opportunities by virtue of the fact that the municipal infrastructure, transportation and environmental sectors will be strong in the years to come," added Mr. Shoiry. Thu, 03 Jun 2010 11:59:49 GMT