HDR, a global architectural firm based in Omaha, Neb., has joined forces with CEI Architecture, a Vancouver, B.C.-based firm with about 70 employees.
The merger went into effect on July 26. As it has in other countries, such as Germany and Australia, in which it expanded through acquisitions and then combined its name with the acquired company’s, HDR now goes to market in Canada as HDR|CEI. The corporation is based in Omaha.
HDR has had a presence in Canada since 1996, when it started with a project office in Toronto. It expanded in Canada by acquiring Kingston, Ont.-based Mill & Ross Architects in August 2007, and G+G Partnership Architects, a healthcare design firm, in 2009. Those offices consolidated into one in Toronto, which currently has about 120 employees.
The CEI deal is HDR’s first foray into western Canada, according to a company spokesperson, who adds that HDR’s offices in Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa, and London, Ont., will continue to operate as before.
CEI, which was founded in 1996, focused its attention on western Canada, with offices in Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta, and in the British Columbia cities of Victoria and Penticton, according to Canadian Architect magazine.
Doug Wignall, AIA, HDR’s President, said the alliance brings together two firms with similar philosophies about design, business orientation, and customer service. Both firms have particular expertise in public-private partnerships in the healthcare sector.
“This common platform is essential to building a solid foundation for future growth,” said Wignall.
CEI’s Founding Partner, Bill Locking, is now a Senior Vice President with HDR|CEI. He believes this merger will help HDR expand into new sectors in Canada such as recreation, K-12 education, and commercial development.
Locking says news of the union has received overwhelmingly positive responses from key clients, who “understand that we will remain the same highly professional team.”
What is changing, he said, is the firm’s capability to deliver global research, benchmarking, and professional expertise.
HDR, founded in 1917, has more than 1,450 architecture employees working in offices that provide complete design, engineering, planning, and consulting services in the U.S., Canada, United Arab Emirates, Germany, Australia, and the People’s Republic of China.
All told, HDR has 10,000 employees in more than 225 locations around the world.
Related Stories
| Jul 28, 2014
Post Tower Wins CTBUH 10-Year Award
The 10 Year Award recognizes proven value and performance in a tall building, across one or more of a wide range of criteria, over a period of 10 years since its completion.
| Jul 27, 2014
Maturing ‘plug and play’ sector could take market share from AEC Giants [2014 Giants 300 Report]
The growth of modular and containerized data center solutions may eventually hinder the growth of traditional data center construction services.
| Jul 27, 2014
Top Data Center Construction Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Holder, Turner, and DPR head Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest data center contractors and construction management firms in the U.S.
| Jul 27, 2014
Top Data Center Engineering Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Fluor, Jacobs, and Syska Hennessy top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest data center engineering and engineering/architecture firms in the U.S.
| Jul 27, 2014
Top Data Center Architecture Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Gensler, Corgan, and HDR head Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest data center architecture and architecture/engineering firms in the U.S.
| Jul 25, 2014
Grocery stores choosing Green Globes for building sustainability certification
The Green Building Initiative (GBI) has announced a wave of Green Globes certifications for new grocery stores, including New Seasons Markets, Whole Foods, Price Chopper, Aldi’s, Harris Teeter, Wegmans, and Publix.
| Jul 24, 2014
SLATERPAULL Architects to merge with Hord Coplan Macht
The merger will create a full-service practice with offices in Baltimore, MD, Denver, CO and Alexandria, VA that offers integrated architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, planning and historic preservation services.
| Jul 24, 2014
MIT researchers explore how to make wood composite-like blocks of bamboo
The concept behind the research is to slice the stalk of bamboo grass into smaller pieces to bond together and form sturdy blocks, much like conventional wood composites.
| Jul 24, 2014
Glazing options in correctional and detention facilities
Like it or not, the number of incarcerated people in the U.S. continues to rise. With that, increased security in all aspects of these facilities continues to be a priority. This is where security glazing products that allow line of sight for supervisors to observe and still maintain secure separation can play a key role. SPONSORED CONTENT
| Jul 23, 2014
Holistic care model, regulatory changes make outpatient facilities a high priority [2014 Giants 300 Report]
With the Affordable Care Act still in its infancy, Building Teams are seeing reverberations in the investment decisions of healthcare providers, including new ideas about the types of buildings they are asked to create.
