WSP, the international engineering design and environmental consulting firm, will double its size in the Houston market by combining its existing operations there with the office of ccrd, a national MEP engineering and commissioning firm based in Houston, which WSP acquired last November.
The combined office, with about 60 employees, will be managed by David Sinz, PE, a vice president and managing director of WSP’s Houston office. David Duthu, PE, who was managing director of ccrd’s Houston office, is now co-leader of WSP’s national Science + Technology practice.
Aside from bolstering its Houston operations, the ccrd acquisition expanded WSP’s presence into markets throughout the Southeast and south-central U.S., according to WSP’s executive vice president Steve Burrows. (Founded in 1980, ccrd has offices in Austin, Texas, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Miami, Nashville, Tenn., Orlando, Fla., Phoenix, Richmond, Va., Kansas City, Mo., and Washington, D.C.)
David Cooper, PE, president of WSP’s U.S. Property & Building sector and chief commercial officer for WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff, called the combination in Houston “a natural step forward.” He says the acquisition so far “has been everything both firms hoped it would be.”
Montreal-based WSP Global has 500 offices in 39 countries. Last Fall, it agreed to pay Balfour Beatty US$1.24 billion in cash to buy Parsons Brinckerhoff, a deal that increased WSP’s workforce by 77% to 31,000.
The purchase price for ccrd was not disclosed.
Separately, WSP and ccrd had already been active players and competitors in Houston’s healthcare, science, and technology sectors, having worked on innumerable hospitals, government, energy, and research construction projects. They are also active in Houston’s hospitality, commercial, residential, and industrial sectors.
Related Stories
| Nov 21, 2014
Nonresidential Construction Index rises in fourth quarter
There are a number of reasons for optimism among respondents of FMI's quarterly Nonresidential Construction Index survey, including healthier backlogs and low inflation.
| Nov 21, 2014
NCARB: Number of architects in U.S. grows 1.6% in 2014, surpasses 107,500
The architecture profession continues to grow along with a gradually recovering economy, based on the results of the 2014 Survey of Architectural Registration Boards, conducted by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.
| Nov 20, 2014
Lean Led Design: How Building Teams can cut costs, reduce waste in healthcare construction projects
Healthcare organizations are under extreme pressure to reduce costs, writes CBRE Healthcare's Lora Schwartz. Tools like Lean Led Design are helping them cope.
| Nov 19, 2014
The evolution of airport design and construction [infographic]
Safety, consumer demand, and the new economics of flight are three of the major factors shaping how airlines and airport officials are approaching the need for upgrades and renovations, writes Skanska USA's MacAdam Glinn.
| Nov 19, 2014
Construction unemployment hits eight-year low, some states struggle to find qualified labor
The construction industry, whose workforce was decimated during the last recession, is slowly getting back on its feet. However, in certain markets—especially those where oil drilling and production have been prospering—construction workers can still be scarce.
Sponsored | | Nov 19, 2014
3 technology trends on the horizon
As technology continues to evolve exponentially, construction firms have ongoing opportunities to enhance the quality, speed, and efficiency of building projects and processes. SPONSORED CONTENT
Sponsored | | Nov 19, 2014
Long-life coatings vs. long-life screws
Are you concerned with the long-life protection of your metal building project? SPONSORED CONTENT
Sponsored | | Nov 19, 2014
Fire resistive, blast-resistant glazing: Where security, safety, and transparency converge
Security, safety and transparency don’t have to be mutually exclusive thanks to new glazing technology designed to support blast and fire-resistant secure buildings. SPONSORED CONTENT
| Nov 19, 2014
Must see: Arup, Damian Rogers propose urban surf park in Melbourne
The surfing pool would offer 98-foot-wide waves that would run the length of the 500-foot-long enclave.
| Nov 18, 2014
Architecture Billings Index dips in October, still shows positive outlook design services
Headed by the continued strength in the multifamily residential market and the emerging growth for institutional projects, demand for design services continues to be healthy, as exhibited in the latest Architecture Billings Index.