Today the STO Building Group and RC Andersen Construction announced the two firms have joined ranks, making RC Andersen the newest member of the STO Building Group family of companies. The merger enhances the services and geographic reach both firms can offer clients in the growing industrial and distribution sector
“Joining the STO Building Group allows our clients to benefit from the added services we can offer them, anywhere across their geographic platform,” says Robert Andersen, founder and President of RC Andersen. “The merger also allows us to provide more opportunities for our employees, from the employee ownership program to the extended resources and other benefits of being part of a larger group of companies.”
Founded in 2006 and based in New Jersey, RC Andersen is a general contractor in the industrial sector that offers comprehensive construction management and project management for property owners, developers, and tenants. The company is focused on delivering high-quality projects as quickly as possible in a time when the demands of e-commerce have made it increasingly critical to generate warehouse distribution space and cold storage facilities expeditiously and efficiently. Some of the firm’s key clients include Prologis, Trammell Crow Company, Amazon, Hillwood, Bridge Development, Matrix Development, Clarion, and Bluewater Property Group.
“Our STO Building Group companies have been working across North America with clients in the booming industrial and distribution facility market, and we don’t see that slowing down anytime soon,” says Robert Mullen, STO Building Group CEO. “RC Andersen’s particular expertise will only enhance the specialized knowledge and experience we’re able to offer clients in this sector, as well as provide RC Andersen’s existing clients with extended services and geographic reach across our platform.”
Mullen tells BD+C that STO has known Andersen and his company for several years, “and have always admired their position in the market.” And thanks to the prominence of another STO-affiliated company, Layton Construction, “we have become increasingly involved in the distribution and warehouse market, where RC Andersen is already a known leader.” Utah-based Layton Construction merged with the organization in 2019.
STO Building Group’s family of companies model has helped the firm move up eight spots on ENR’s Top Contractors list—from #14 to #6—in just the last two years, while allowing each member company to maintain its name, reputation, and leadership structure. Seattle’s Abbott Construction merged with STO last year.
“Opportunities to merge with great companies like RC Andersen are the very reason we shifted our company structure to the STO Building Group platform,” 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 name 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.”
RC Andersen will retain its name, logo, and cultural 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 2022 and beyond.
“This merger assures the future of RC Andersen and our employees for decades to come,” Bob Andersen tells BD+C. “We see this transition is an exciting next step in the evolution of our business.”
Editor's note: Some comments from Robert Andersen and Robert Mullen were added after this article was posted initially.
Related Stories
Contractors | May 26, 2023
Enhanced use of data is crucial for improving construction job site safety
Executives with major construction companies say new digital tools are allowing them to use data more effectively to reduce serious safety incidents and improve job site safety.
Contractors | May 24, 2023
The average U.S. contractor has 8.9 months worth of construction work in the pipeline, as of April 2023
Contractor backlogs climbed slightly in April, from a seven-month low the previous month, according to Associated Builders and Contractors.
Mass Timber | May 23, 2023
Luxury farm resort uses CLT framing and geothermal system to boost sustainability
Construction was recently completed on a 325-acre luxury farm resort in Franklin, Tenn., that is dedicated to agricultural innovation and sustainable, productive land use. With sustainability a key goal, The Inn and Spa at Southall was built with cross-laminated and heavy timber, and a geothermal variant refrigerant flow (VRF) heating and cooling system.
Architects | May 23, 2023
DEI initiatives at KAI Enterprises, with Michael Kennedy, Jr. and Gyasi Haynes
Michael Kennedy, Jr. and Gyasi Haynes of KAI Enterprises, St. Louis, describe their firm's effort to create a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion—and how their own experiences as black men in the design and construction industry shaped that initiative.
Multifamily Housing | May 23, 2023
One out of three office buildings in largest U.S. cities are suitable for residential conversion
Roughly one in three office buildings in the largest U.S. cities are well suited to be converted to multifamily residential properties, according to a study by global real estate firm Avison Young. Some 6,206 buildings across 10 U.S. cities present viable opportunities for conversion to residential use.
K-12 Schools | May 22, 2023
The revival of single-building K-12 schools
Schools that combine grades PK through 12 are suddenly not so uncommon. Education sector experts explain why.
Healthcare Facilities | May 19, 2023
A new behavioral health facility in California targets net zero energy
Shortly before Mental Health Awareness Month in May, development and construction firm Skanska announced the topping out of California’s first behavioral health facility—and the largest in the nation—to target net zero energy. Located in Redwood City, San Mateo County, Calif., the 77,610-sf Cordilleras Health System Replacement Project is slated for completion in late 2024.
Government Buildings | May 18, 2023
GSA launches first biennial construction award program
Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the new biennial GSA Construction Award program, which is seeking submissions this summer. The program was created to honor outstanding achievements in construction, with a focus on quality and craftsmanship, collaboration and team dynamics, sustainability, innovation, and technology. The first Construction Awards ceremony will take place in 2024.
Affordable Housing | May 17, 2023
Affordable housing advocates push for community-owned homes over investment properties
Panelists participating in a recent webinar hosted by the Urban Institute discussed various actions that could help alleviate the nation’s affordable housing crisis. Among the possible remedies: inclusionary zoning policies, various reforms to increase local affordable housing stock, and fees on new development to offset the impact on public infrastructure.
University Buildings | May 17, 2023
New UC Irvine health sciences building supports aim to become national model for integrative health
The new College of Health Sciences Building and Nursing & Health Sciences Hall at the University of California Irvine supports the institution’s goal of becoming a national model for integrative health. The new 211,660-sf facility houses nursing, medical doctorate, pharmacy, philosophy, and public health programs in a single building.
