Hughes Associates and The RJA Group announced today the merger between the two companies, which will position the combined organization as a global leader in providing a range of fire protection engineering and consulting services in the commercial, institutional, industrial and power marketplace.
(VIDEO: Dave Boswell, President and CEO of Hughes Associates, Inc., and Martin Reiss, CEO of The RJA Group, Inc. discuss the merger of the two companies. Watch now.)
The transaction creates one of the largest providers of lifecycle building consultancy services that will include, risk analysis, system design, commissioning, research, testing and project management solutions that encompass fire protection, security and related disciplines.
"The built environment is going through a transition where engineers are involved throughout the design, development and construction of a project," said David Boswell, president of Hughes Associates. "In order for our business to continue the growth cycle we've been experiencing, we have to add the skilled and complementary services needed to fulfill the requirements that our clients are seeking. RJA brings to the table a flawless global record and reputation as well as an unprecedented staff with widespread technology expertise."
Combined, both companies have more than 79 years of experience and bring together 500 employees, offices throughout the world and more than $100 million in revenue. Hughes Associates will now expand into a larger international footprint while RJA will utilize the extensive research and development Hughes is known for.
"This merger is mutually beneficial for Hughes and RJA," said Martin Reiss, president of RJA Group. "We will be able to further leverage our technical resources in order to provide even greater opportunities to service our clients. This partnership will also provide great career growth potential for our employees."
Detroit-based Huron Capital is providing the financing for the merger. Phil Rogers has been appointed as the CEO for the merged companies and brings over 38 years of experience in facilities management, engineering, energy construction and real estate. The transition will be completed by years-end and will include a new name and branding.
About Hughes Associates
Hughes Associates, Inc. operates as a fire protection and life safety engineering and consulting company. It offers services in the areas of fire protection engineering and design, building and fire code compliance and representation, accessibility code consulting, and fire protection systems commissioning. Hughes is a technical leader in specialized consulting, including fire research and testing, dust hazards, forensic, and risk and external hazards. Core fire protection capabilities are supplemented by electrical engineering, environmental, training, and security services. The company serves healthcare, transportation, higher education, A&E services, government, DoD and DoE, power generation, transmission and distribution, historic buildings and museums, and industrial and petrochemical clients. Hughes was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland with offices worldwide. www.haifire.com
About RJA
Rolf Jensen & Associates, Inc. (RJA) is a professional consulting firm providing an extensive range of value-added engineering and construction management services on projects involving life safety, fire protection, and building codes for commercial, institutional and industrial clients worldwide. Operating from offices in the United States, Asia and The Middle East, RJA consultants have participated on more than 50,000 projects in 60 countries around the world. Founded in 1969, RJA is recognized as a global leader in fire protection engineering, construction management, life safety and building code consulting. www.rjainc.com
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Dec 12, 2023
Top 20 Veterans Affairs Facility Engineering Firms for 2023
IMEG, Specialized Engineering Solutions, KPFF Consulting Engineers, and Heapy head BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest Veterans Affairs facility engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 12, 2023
Top 50 Military Facility Engineering Firms for 2023
Jacobs, Burns & McDonnell, WSP, and AECOM head BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest military facility engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Office Buildings | Dec 12, 2023
Transforming workplaces for employee mental health
Lauren Elliott, Director of Interior Design, Design Collaborative, shares practical tips and strategies for workplace renovation that prioritizes employee mental health.
Giants 400 | Dec 11, 2023
Top 80 Local Government Building Engineering Firms for 2023
AECOM, Arup, KPFF Consulting Engineers, and WSP head BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest local government building engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 11, 2023
Top 50 State Government Building Engineering Firms for 2023
AECOM, EXP, Arup, and PRIME AE Group top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest state government building engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Codes and Standards | Dec 11, 2023
Washington state tries new approach to phase out fossil fuels in new construction
After pausing a heat pump mandate earlier this year after a federal court overturned Berkeley, Calif.’s ban on gas appliances in new buildings, Washington state enacted a new code provision that seems poised to achieve the same goal.
Green | Dec 11, 2023
U.S. has tools to meet commercial building sector decarbonization goals early
The U.S. has the tools to reduce commercial building-related emissions to reach target goals in 2029, earlier than what it committed to when it signed the Paris Agreement, according to a report by the U.S. Green Building Council.
MFPRO+ News | Dec 11, 2023
U.S. poorly prepared to house growing number of older adults
The U.S. is ill-prepared to provide adequate housing for the growing ranks of older people, according to a report from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. Over the next decade, the U.S. population older than 75 will increase by 45%, growing from 17 million to nearly 25 million, with many expected to struggle financially.
Office Buildings | Dec 11, 2023
Believe it or not, there could be a shortage of office space in the years ahead
With work-from-home firmly established, many real estate analysts predict a dramatic reduction in office space leasing and plummeting property values. But the high-end of the office segment might actually be headed for a shortage, according to real estate intelligence company CoStar Group.
University Buildings | Dec 8, 2023
Yale University breaks ground on nation's largest Living Building student housing complex
A groundbreaking on Oct. 11 kicked off a project aiming to construct the largest Living Building Challenge-certified residence on a university campus. The Living Village, a 45,000 sf home for Yale University Divinity School graduate students, “will make an ecological statement about the need to build in harmony with the natural world while training students to become ‘apostles of the environment’,” according to Bruner/Cott, which is leading the design team that includes Höweler + Yoon Architecture and Andropogon Associates.
