Today Abbott Construction announced that they have merged with STO Building Group to become a member of the STO family of companies. The merger will allow both firms to leverage each other’s geographic reach to better serve clients with multiple locations and enhance the services and areas of expertise they can offer across that expanded footprint.
“We see joining the STO family as an exciting next step in what we can offer our clients and our employees without sacrificing who we are and have been for the past 35-plus years,” says Troy Stedman, president and CEO of Abbott. “We know from first-hand experience working together that our companies value integrity, collaboration, and a client-first way of doing business, so formally joining forces makes perfect sense.”
“From our existing relationship working with Abbott on two significant joint venture projects, we are confident that this merger is a great fit for both companies,” says David Layton, president and CEO of Layton Construction, who Abbott will report through. “And with Layton’s proximity to the Pacific Northwest and existing presence in Southern California, we’re looking forward to helping Abbott grow in those core markets.”
Founded in 1983, Abbott is a West Coast commercial builder known for superior planning and execution. They work with clients in a variety of sectors such as healthcare, hospitality, education, non-profit, retail, and tenant interiors. Some of their most notable recent projects include the Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and University of Puget Sound Welcome Center in Tacoma, WA; FAA Northwest Mountain Regional Headquarters in Des Moines, WA; Big Fish Games Seattle headquarters, the UCLA Margo Leavin Graduate Art Studios in Culver City, CA, and h. Club Los Angeles.
“The Pacific Northwest has been a key strategic market for the STO Building Group, and Abbott is a terrific addition to our family of companies,” says Robert Mullen, STO Building Group CEO. “By joining forces, both firms can leverage each other’s geographic reach and take advantage of each other’s strengths, relationships, geographies, and resources to better serve our clients across the globe.”
Formerly operating as the Structure Tone Organization, STO restructured as the STO Building Group in 2018 to provide a platform for growth that allows each of its member companies to maintain their cultural identity while leveraging the strengths of a multicompany organization. In the last four years, Canadian firm Govan Brown and US firms Ajax Building Company, BCCI Construction, and Layton Construction have merged with STO Building Group.
“The opportunity to merge with such an incredible firm as Abbott is exactly why we shifted our structure to STO Building Group,” says James Donaghy, STO Building Group executive chairman. “We value the reputation and heritage of the firms who merge with our organization, and each has kept its identity as a way to honor that legacy. As we continue to grow, we want to respect that history, but also reflect the collective expertise our companies offer and allow our employees to benefit from the larger organization’s resources.”
Now part of the STO Building Group family of companies, Abbott will keep its identity, and its current leaders will retain an ownership position in the organization and maintain their roles as the senior leadership team of the business. It is anticipated that new job opportunities will be created as a result of the merger to support the company’s projected growth for 2021 and beyond.
Related Stories
Student Housing | Jan 12, 2024
UC Berkeley uses shipping containers to block protestors of student housing project
The University of California at Berkeley took the drastic step of erecting a wall of shipping containers to keep protestors out of a site of a planned student housing complex. The $312 million project would provide badly needed housing at the site of People’s Park.
Giants 400 | Jan 11, 2024
Top 20 Convention Center Construction Firms for 2023
Clark Group, PCL Construction Enterprises, AECOM, Hensel Phelps, and Gilbane Building Company top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest convention center and event facility general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report.
AEC Tech | Jan 8, 2024
What's driving the surge of digital transformation in AEC today?
For centuries, the AEC industry has clung to traditional methods and legacy processes—seated patterns that have bred resistance to change. This has made the adoption of new technologies a slow and hesitant process.
Giants 400 | Jan 8, 2024
Top 60 Senior Living Facility Construction Firms for 2023
Whiting-Turner, Ryan Companies US, Weis Builders, Suffolk Construction, and W.E. O'Neil Construction top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest senior living facility general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report.
K-12 Schools | Jan 8, 2024
Video: Learn how DLR Group converted two big-box stores into an early education center
Learn how the North Kansas City (Mo.) School District and DLR Group adapted two big-box stores into a 115,000-sf early education center offering services for children with special needs.
Green | Jan 8, 2024
DOE releases RFI on developing national definition for a Zero Emissions Building
The Department of Energy released a Request for Information (RFI) for feedback from industry, academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other stakeholders on a draft national definition for a Zero Emissions Building.
Codes and Standards | Jan 8, 2024
Australia to be first country to ban engineered stone countertops
In 2024, Australia will be the first country to ban engineered stone countertops. The ban came after a years-long campaign supported by doctors, trade unions, and workers over concerns that the material was causing increased silicosis cases among workers cutting and handling it.
Roofing | Jan 8, 2024
Researchers devise adaptive roof tile concept that adjusts to ambient temperatures
Scientists at the University of California Santa Barbara published a paper that proposes adaptive roof tile technology that can adjust to ambient temperatures. Using a wax motor, tiles could switch from a heating or cooling state enabling savings on heating and cooling costs.
MFPRO+ Special Reports | Jan 4, 2024
Top 10 trends in multifamily rental housing
Demographic and economic shifts, along with work and lifestyle changes, have made apartment living preferable for a wider range of buyers and renters. These top 10 trends in multifamily housing come from BD+C's 2023 Multifamily Annual Report.
Giants 400 | Jan 2, 2024
Top 80 Hotel Construction Firms for 2023
Suffolk Construction, STO Building Group, PCL Construction Enterprises, AECOM, and Brasfield & Gorrie top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest hotel and resort general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.