Criterium Engineers: CRITERIUM ENGINEERS MAKES ENR "TOP 500 DESIGN FIRMS" LIST

CRITERIUM ENGINEERS MAKES ENR "TOP 500 DESIGN FIRMS" LIST - AGAIN


	By combining quality service, a strategy of diversification, and selective account management, Criterium Engineers was able to match the growth of other engineering firms on the list..

For Immediate Release May 20, 1999

Contact: Peter Hollander 800-242-1969.

"It Doesn't Get Better Than This" was the theme of this year's Engineering News Record (ENR) top 500 list. Criterium Engineers, building consulting engineers, has been ranked number 488 by ENR based on gross billings in 1998 of over $12 million.

ENR is one of the leading professional engineering magazines with circulation in excess of 100,000 and readership of about 380,000. Each year, the magazine surveys design firms nationwide and ranks the top 500, based on overall billings in the previous year. Criterium Engineers is unique among all firms on the list in that it consists of more than 60 local consulting franchises. Each serves a defined geographic area. Services are consistent from office to office and quality is maintained through a set of standards, high quality materials produced by the national office for use by all affiliated offices, and an ongoing program of continuing education and peer reviews.

Criterium Engineers specializes in property condition assessments, building evaluation, reserve studies, litigation support, construction monitoring and design for real estate owners, investors, and managers.

Much of the growth among engineering firms, according to ENR, was a function of healthy federal, state, and local budgets, which permitted long overdue investment in infrastructure. There has also been "a steady level of private sector spending." The engineering business also experienced consolidation, as many businesses did in 1998, and this fueled the growth of a number of large firms.

Some of Criterium Engineers' markets, however, experienced a decline in 1998 from 1997 levels. These included real estate investment trusts and the commercial mortgage market. Nevertheless, by combining quality service, a strategy of diversification, and selective account management, Criterium Engineers was able to match the growth of other engineering firms on the list. "We work for the most established investors and advisors in the industry," said Curtis Cord, National Accounts Director. "These firms are less vulnerable to market fluctuations."

Criterium Engineers' first quarter results for 1999 reflect a strong market and return to stability (without speculation or added risk). According to H. Alan Mooney, P.E., president of the company, "we are on track to exceed our projections; our offices are extremely busy and we are looking forward to a banner year."

ENR reports that general building services amounted to nearly $7 billion last year, or roughly 19 percent of the $36.5 billion in engineering and design services provided by the top 500 firms.

Making the ENR list is significant for Criterium Engineers for it underscores the value of the organization to its thousands of local clients. Each office operates as a local business providing reliable and cost effective services to the community in which it is based. However, unlike other small consulting firms, Criterium offices have resources available to them that can only be found in the nation's leading and largest firms. Services such as technical support, training, consultation, and excellent errors and omissions liability insurance help each local office stand out among all other firms in the area. According to Alan Mooney, "Through our unique organization, each local office can offer a diversified range of services because they have the resources of the national organization to draw upon." For the location of the Criterium Engineers office nearest you, please call 800/242-1969 or visit our web site at www.criterium-engineers.com.

Return to Articles of Interest