Jacobs Engineering has completed its acquisition of JL Patterson & Associates, a professional services firm specialising in the rail sector.
Jacobs said the acquisition of Patterson, which operates mainly in California, would help it bid for full-service work in the growing West Coast rail markets.
With Patterson, Jacobs acquires a framework contract for BNSF railways, America’s second biggest rail freight firm, and a number of deals with public transit agencies.
This move provides many additional opportunities for our employees to contribute to larger, more complex rail projects– Jacqueline Patterson, Patterson’s president
The deal reflects Jacobs’ expectation that as much as $17bn of work in commuter rail programmes will be coming onstream in the next few years.
The Pasadena firm is particularly interested in bidding for roles in the planning, design and construction management of North America’s seven Class 1 railways, the 150,000km privately owned freight network that facilitates about 69% of US freight miles travelled.
Jacqueline Patterson, Patterson’s president, said: "We’re delighted to be combining forces with Jacobs. This decision enables us to leverage the additional resources of the Jacobs network to meet the needs of our clients in a growing market. In addition, this move provides many additional opportunities for our employees to contribute to larger, more complex rail projects."
Randy Pierce, Jacobs’ senior vice president for buildings and infrastructure, said: "We’re already very familiar with JLP’s outstanding credentials, having worked closely with it to deliver rail projects for many years. JLP is a premier rail company that has grown rapidly to become a recognised leader in rail consulting."
Jacobs did not disclose the terms of the deal.
