The outlook for architecture and engineering companies in Orange County and nationwide is showing signs of slow improvement.
Some are looking offshore for faster gains.
Irvine-based architecture firm McLarand, Vasquez, Emsiek & Partners Inc. made a push into China two years ago and now is seeing significant business there.
All of its work in China falls under its office here.
“We have several million square feet of office and housing under construction in China,” Associate Partner Matthew McLarand said. “It’s been really exciting. We are continuing to receive commissions.”
Serious Push
MVE Partners first tried to break into China’s market in 2002, but it made its first serious push in the past few years, as the recession cut into business here.
“This is a fairly new venture for us,” McLarand said.
MVE is working in major Chinese metropolitan areas such as the capital Beijing and industry center Dalian, as well as several smaller cities.
“Whenever there has been a recession or downturn, we’ve tried to look ahead and see where the opportunities are and follow the money,” McLarand said.
WATG is another Irvine-based architecture company that has looked overseas to offset the slow spell here.
The company has been doing international work for some time, but it has recently intensified its search amid the spotty U.S. market, according to spokeswoman Connie Chen.
“Right now, China is our biggest market,” Chen said. “There’s a just a lot of development going on.”
Business in China translates to business for WATG’s office in Irvine. It also oversees projects the firm is working on in Vietnam and Panama.
WATG is also looking at potential developments in the Middle East and Africa.
Some other firms are zeroing in on niches of growth at home.
Newcomer Grows
Burns & McDonnell is a newcomer to Orange County that’s growing quickly on energy-related projects. The Kansas City, Mo.-based engineering company opened an office in Brea in July 2010, and since then has hired about 65 people.
It landed $18.6 million in local billings in its first year here.
“Cities and counties are struggling with budgets, so they’re not doing much,” said Renita Mollman, associate vice president and general manager of the Southern California office. “The utility market in California is our focus.”
Burns & McDonnell’s office in Brea is working with Southern California Edison on the Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project, which is expected to increase transmission capacity on sources of renewable energy. The project calls for Burns & McDonnell’s know-how in wind solar en-ergy and transmission line work, Mollman said.
The OC office oversees three of 11 segments of the project, which totals about 87 miles of electric transmission lines between Kern and Los Angeles counties.
Energy-related work tends to be “longer-term projects,” Mollman said.
Burns & McDonnell anticipates steady additions to its work force in coming months.
San Francisco-based architecture and design firm’s Gensler Newport Beach has recently gained business here, with local billings up 4% over the last 12 months through June.
The Newport Beach office is nearly finished with its work on the $543 million expansion of John Wayne Airport, which is expected to open a new terminal in November.
Now it’s getting “a lot of pre-design at the city and government level,” according to Kim Graham, managing director of the Newport Beach office. She said that’s “a lot of planning but not much execution” so far.
Turn To Energy
Gensler Newport Beach also has turned to the energy sector for growth here. It’s working on several projects for alternative energy companies, according to Graham, and has a service agreement with Southern California Edison on an on-call basis for work on labs in OC and emergency operations centers throughout Southern California.
Gensler Newport Beach is no stranger to going global. It counts a number of overseas projects that grew out of long-term relationships with clients based in OC.
Quest Software Inc. in Aliso Viejo is one of the clients that Gensler works with in many locations around the U.S., Graham said. The firm also works with Hyundai Motor America Inc., CB Richard Ellis Group and Chase Bank “here in our community, as well as across the globe.”
