The general contractor on the Connecticut powerplant project that suffered a fatal explosion in February says it plans to contest $8.3 million in federal penalties proposed on Aug. 5 for safety violations. O&G Industries Inc., Torrington, Conn., was one of 17 site contractors fined a total of $16.6 million by the U.S. Labor Dept.’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration for 371 alleged violations related to the blast at the 620-MW Kleen Energy LLC combined-cycle plant in Middletown. Six workers were killed; 50 were injured. Photo By AP/WideWorld Kleen Energy powerplant project in Connecticut was the site of a fatal explosion
The AECOM Technology Corp. acquisition juggernaut, running now for at least five years, is showing few signs of slowing down, despite the recession. The Los Angeles-based engineer said on Aug. 5 that it would spend a total of nearly $680 million to buy two more companies, less than a month after its $245-million purchase of Tishman Construction Co. propelled the firm deeper into the construction management business. AECOM announced an agreement to acquire Davis Langdon, a U.K.-based cost and project management consultant, for $324 million. The much-rumored purchase is set to add 2,800 global employees and $430 million in 2009
The U.S. military’s multibillion-dollar program to build up facilities and infrastructure on the Pacific island of Guam to handle new troops could face scope and schedule changes, based on conclusions of the program’s final environmental review, released on July 28. But local officials on the island remain concerned about the military’s growing island footprint and impacts to cultural and ecological resources. Guam’s Apra Harbor is planned as the site for deep-water port facilities to accommodate nuclear carrier ships, but the Navy is deferring a decision on a specific location until further study of likely environmental damage. The military’s new facilities
The U.S. military’s multibillion-dollar program to build up facilities and infrastructure on the Pacific island of Guam to handle new troops could face scope and schedule changes, based on conclusions of the program’s final environmental review, released on July 28. But local officials on the island remain concerned about the military’s growing island footprint and impacts to cultural and ecological resources. Guam’s Apra Harbor is planned as the site for deep-water port facilities to accommodate nuclear carrier ships, but the Navy is deferring a decision on a specific location until further study of likely environmental damage. The military’s new facilities
U.K.—based designer W.S. Atkins plc will significantly boost its U.S. market stake with the Aug. 2 announcement of plans to acquire Tampa, Fla.-based transportation engineer and construction manager PBSJ Corp. in a $280-million cash transaction. The proposed deal also provides the U.S. firm with a needed capital infusion for growth and an ownership transition following several tough years financially and recent efforts to seek a buyer. CLARKE The deal would link Atkins, the industry’s 11th largest global design firm with $2.2 billion in 2009 revenue, with an employee-owned engineer that ranks 28th on ENR’s list of the Top 500 Design
Global design giant AECOM Technology Corp., Los Angeles, and leading New York City-based building construction manager Tishman Construction Corp. are linking up to share needed capabilities in a changing construction market. AECOM announced July 14 that it has paid $245 million to acquire Tishman. The deal, which had been rumored for the last several weeks, adds a construction powerhouse to the growing AECOM family of firms operating around the world, while offering Tishman a springboard to expand its operations beyond struggling commercial building markets in the U.S. “The addition of Tishman to the AECOM enterprise reflects our commitment to execute
CH2M Hill said June 30 that it would not seek to acquire U.K.-based engineering firm Scott Wilson Group plc after URS Corp. announced it would raise its initial $187-million bid to $337 million, an offer the U.K. firm’s board is urging its shareholders to accept. Denver-based CH2M Hill had made a $286-million counteroffer to buy the transportation specialist on June 28. “While Scott Wilson is an excellent company and an attractive cultural fit with CH2M Hill, it is not felt to be value enhancing to us at the current valuation,” says Lee McIntire, chairman and CEO of CH2M Hill. “We
URS is deciding if its desire to acquire U.K.-based engineering firm Scott Wilson Group plc is strong enough to further sweeten its buyout offer to match a $285.5 million counteroffer made June 28 by CH2M Hill. URS, based in San Francisco, said on June 29 that it is “considering” boosting a $242-million bid to match, but provided no other detail. But at least one financial expert believes the price could continue to rise since both prospective buyers have enough ready capital and have been aggressive in the past in making acquisitions. “Both firms appear to have room before the deal
Rear Adm. Greg Shear, retiring chief of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, likely had a few sleepless nights in 2006 when he first took over the U.S. Navy’s construction and facilities management arm, worrying about how it would handle a then-record $9-billion building mission. But at least that would be the peak, he told Navy brass. Three years later, the NAVFAC program has grown nearly 80% to $16 billion and is reaching around the world. “So, I’m not a good prognosticator,” he says. Changing military missions, new political priorities, global disasters and other contingencies have combined to test NAVFAC’s ability
Environmental giant CDM is in talks about a possible link with transportation engineer Wilbur Smith. A merger or acquisition if completed would combine two businesses with strong brands in their respective markets and more than 100 years of combined operating history. Both are based on the U.S. east coast but operate internationally. CDM is a Cambridge, Mass.-based engineering and construction management firm and Wilbur Smith & Associates Inc. is a Columbia, S.C., transportation designer. The transaction is in “due diligence,” says a CDM spokeswoman, declining to note the nature or timing of any new association. “This would be a good
