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
Senior Living Design | Oct 19, 2023
Senior living construction poised for steady recovery
Senior housing demand, as measured by the change in occupied units, continued to outpace new supply in the third quarter, according to NIC MAP Vision. It was the ninth consecutive quarter of growth with a net absorption gain. On the supply side, construction starts continued to be limited compared with pre-pandemic levels.
Warehouses | Oct 19, 2023
JLL report outlines 'tremendous potential' for multi-story warehouses
A new category of buildings, multi-story warehouses, is beginning to take hold in the U.S. and their potential is strong. A handful of such facilities, also called “urban logistics buildings” have been built over the past five years, notes a new report by JLL.
Building Materials | Oct 19, 2023
New white papers offer best choices in drywall, flooring, and insulation for embodied carbon and health impacts
“Embodied Carbon and Material Health in Insulation” and “Embodied Carbon and Material Health in Gypsum Drywall and Flooring,” by architecture and design firm Perkins&Will in partnership with the Healthy Building Network, advise on how to select the best low-carbon products with the least impact on human health.
Contractors | Oct 19, 2023
Crane Index indicates slowing private-sector construction
Private-sector construction in major North American cities is slowing, according to the latest RLB Crane Index. The number of tower cranes in use declined 10% since the first quarter of 2023. The index, compiled by consulting firm Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB), found that only two of 14 cities—Boston and Toronto—saw increased crane counts.
Office Buildings | Oct 19, 2023
Proportion of workforce based at home drops to lowest level since pandemic began
The proportion of the U.S. workforce working remotely has dropped considerably since the start of the Covid 19 pandemic, but office vacancy rates continue to rise. Fewer than 26% of households have someone who worked remotely at least one day a week, down sharply from 39% in early 2021, according to the latest Census Bureau Household Pulse Surveys.
Giants 400 | Oct 17, 2023
Top 70 Sports Facility Engineering Firms for 2023
Alfa Tech Consulting Engineers, ME Engineers, AECOM, and Henderson Engineers top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest sports facility engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Engineers | Oct 12, 2023
Building science: Considering steel sheet piles for semi-permanent or permanent subsurface water control for below-grade building spaces
For projects that do not include moisture-sensitive below-grade spaces, project teams sometimes rely on sheet piles alone for reduction of subsurface water. Experts from Simpson Gumpertz & Heger explore this sheet pile “water management wall” approach.
Giants 400 | Oct 11, 2023
Top 90 Industrial Sector Engineering Firms for 2023
Jacobs, IPS, CRB Group, and Burns & McDonnell head the ranking of the nation's largest industrial facility sector engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Products and Materials | Oct 10, 2023
‘Works with WELL’ product licensing program launched by International WELL Building Institute
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) recently launched the Works with WELL product licensing program. Works with Well certification allows manufacturers to demonstrate that their products align with WELL strategies.
Mass Timber | Oct 10, 2023
New York City launches Mass Timber Studio to spur more wood construction
New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) recently launched New York City Mass Timber Studio, “a technical assistance program to support active mass timber development projects in the early phases of project planning and design.”