Billings Rise 9% at Largest Environmental Firms; Jobs Also Up
Orange County environmental firms grew strongly in 2000, but still more slowly than in 1999. After seeing billings at the 30 largest companies rise 12% in 1999, the increase slowed to 9% for a base of $430.8 million last year, according to the Business Journal’s list.
Following suit, employment for Orange County’s environmental firms also increased by 9% after an 11% increase in 1999.
Those numbers are nothing to cause alarm, according to one industry official, and are part of a natural, steady growth for environmental firms nationally.
Once again, IT Corp. led the industry locally. The Pittsburgh, Pa.-based company has an office in Irvine and grew 5% in 2000, topping $86 million in billings. Employment grew 3%, but that growth was down slightly from the previous year.
IT Corp. would not disclose a list of its clients. However, it said it derives 55% of its derives 89% of its billings from public jobs. Camp Dresser & McKee Inc. hired six employees, growing its workforce by 6%.
Another acquisition created the new No. 6 firm, Harding ESE Inc. MACTEC Inc. merged two of its subsidiaries,Harding Lawson Associates Inc., last year’s No. 8 firm, and Environmental Science and Engineering Inc., No. 19 in 1999.
“The merger of HLA and ESE presented a natural synergy for MACTEC,” said Harding ESE president Dr. Perry Campbell. “The merger produces cost efficiencies, a unified marketing approach and provides clients with a technically stronger and more diverse staff skill mix at the local Harding ESE offices.”
MACTEC is a major player for the Department of Energy. It ranks No. 7 among DOE contractors nationwide.
GE/Energy & Environmental dropped from No. 5 to No. 6. The company declined to provide specific numbers. Business Journal estimates indicate the company’s performance was about the same as in 1999, with $15.9 million in billings and 60 employees.
The highest ranking locally headquartered company, P & D; Consultants, dropped from No. 7 to No. 8 on the list. Still, with 80% of its business from public projects, P & D; saw its billings increase 8%. Among its major clients are the Metropolitan Water District, the state and the Transportation Corridor Agencies.
Tait Environmental Management remained at No. 9. Headquartered in Santa Ana, Tait saw its billings climb 8%, from $12 million to $13 million. The firm counts petroleum and oil companies among its clients.
GeoSyntec Consultants rounds out the top 10. With its national headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla., GeoSyntec was the biggest gainer among the top 10 firms. Its billings soared 25%, from $9.6 million to $12.0 million. The firm increased its workforce 17% by adding 10 employees.
The two largest gainers of the 30 firms listed were No. 11 HDR Engineering Inc. and No. 16 Burns & McDonnell Engineering Co., both of which benefited from large contracts with Caltrans. Both firms are also new to the list. HDR saw its billings grow from $3.1 million to $11.6 million, a 274% increase. Burns & McDonnell went from $2 million to $8 million, a 300% increase.
Burns & McDonnell department manager Clay R. Rumbaoa said of the Caltrans contract, “This is like a springboard. We are one of the four consultants on the project and we’re working to keep up with the work, big-time.”
The increased workload has forced the firm to subcontract some of the project, but it also plans to continue hiring to meet the work demand.
ENSR International and Gradient Engineers Inc. were the only other companies new to the list, just making the cut by tying for the No. 29 spot.
Three companies dropped from the list: Alton Geoscience and Environmental Science & Engineering due to acquisition, and Spintek Systems of Huntington Beach (No. 27 last year), which filed for bankruptcy. n
