HDR and CUH2A Unite FAQs
16 Jun 2008
HDR and CUH2A to Form World’s Most Comprehensive Science and Technology Design Firm: Frequently Asked Questions
HDR and CUH2A will form the most comprehensive S&T firm in the world. What does that mean?
Whether in the ability to design for nearly every field of science, the ability to offer a full range of integrated architecture, engineering, and planning services or the ability to serve clients throughout the U.S. and around the world, no other firm will have such breadth and depth of capabilities focused on science and technology.
As traditional single discipline laboratories emerge into true transdisciplinary labs, the future of science R&D has physical sciences, life sciences, and healthcare converging to bring big breakthroughs and the fastest development of research. With HDR’s internationally recognized experience in the physical sciences and healthcare combined with CUH2A’s internationally recognized experience in the life sciences, the merged company has capabilities spanning across the entire spectrum of science to enable the future of R&D.
Why are HDR Architecture and CUH2A merging?
The world of science is changing and clients are crossing global boundaries and working across disciplines to create the big breakthroughs in research.
The merger allows each company access to previously impenetrable markets and regions. As a result, HDR and CUH2A will each fast forward their company’s strategic development by at least 10 years and will enable the combined company to focus further on the shared vision of bettering the human condition globally. The two companies create sustainable facilities that help the world’s best researchers to discover cures for insidious diseases, the best healthcare providers to deliver medical solutions to enrich people’s lives, and the most prestigious government agencies to defend communities against bio-threats.
And, by combining their expertise across the sciences, the two firms together will have the ability to deliver unsurpassed knowledge and perspective in the emerging field of translational research where “bench to bedside” facilities combine research with clinical care.
How will the combined practice be operated?
From an operations standpoint, the agreement calls for a merging of CUH2A’s and HDR’s S+T staffs to create a combined practice operating as a separate division within HDR Architecture. CUH2A’s management team, along with integrated members of the HDR team, will lead the combined S+T practice.
What is the name of the combined company?
From a corporate perspective, the overall company is HDR. Given the strong name recognition of CUH2A in the market, we will use “CUH2A, A Division of HDR” as the primary name for the S+T group for the foreseeable future.
In which offices will the combined company offer S+T services?
The combined company will serve academic, government and corporate S+T clients through more than 40 offices globally, including:
· Albuquerque, NM
· Alexandria, VA
· Atlanta, GA
· Austin, TX
· Bethesda, MD
· Boise, ID
· Boston, MA
· Charlotte, NC
· Charleston, SC
· Chicago, IL
· Cincinnati, OH
· Dallas, TX
· Denver, CO
· Dubai, UAE
· Greenville, NC
· Houston, TX
· Kerala, India
· Kingston, Canada
· London, England
· Madison, WI
· Milwaukee, WI
· Minneapolis, MN
· New York, NY
· Omaha, NE
· Ottawa, Canada
· Pasadena, CA
· Phoenix, AZ
· Portland, OR
· Princeton, NJ
· Reno, NV
· Rochester, MN
· Sacramento, CA
· San Diego, CA
· San Francisco, CA
· Seattle, WA
· St. Paul, MN
· Sunnyvale, CA
· Tampa, FL
· Tucson, AZ
· Washington, DC
· West Palm Beach, FL
What are the terms of the acquisition? Has it closed yet?
The contract is expected to close the week of June 25, 2008. As HDR and CUH2A are both privately held companies, financial terms will not be disclosed.
What revenues did the two firms report for 2007? How will the merger affect future growth?
HDR Architecture reported approximately $260 million in gross revenues; CUH2A reported approximately $74 million in gross revenues. The merger offers many synergistic growth opportunities that will impact these numbers moving forward including:
· The combination of our internationally recognized expertise in physical sciences (HDR) and life sciences (CUH2A) to serve the full spectrum of scientific R&D
· The combination of our industry leading healthcare (HDR) and biomedical research (CUH2A) portfolios to serve the burgeoning academic medical market driven by the trend toward translational research and “bench to bed” R&D programs
· Geographic enhancement for CUH2A’s S+T practice in the extensive network of regional offices in the U.S., as well as offices in the United Kingdom and the UAE
· Geographic enhancement for HDR’s healthcare practice in the Northeastern and Southeastern United States as well as other strategic global locations.
· A more dynamic S+T marketing program as a result of a deeper portfolio, greater resources and a stronger reputation
What are the different strengths of each of the companies?
CUH2A is well known in the S+T marketplace for its research facilities for science organizations within the corporate, academic and government sectors all over the world. These facilities include biopharmaceutical, biomedical, academic, and bio containment R&D facilities, headquarter facilities, public health laboratories, vivaria, strategic facility planning and science park development.
HDR is internationally recognized for its strength in nanotechnology, metrology, physical sciences and medical research laboratories, along with information technology and other mission critical facilities for academic, government, corporate, and healthcare clients. Additionally, HDR has been ranked as the top healthcare design firm for the past five years by Modern Healthcare.
What are the future roles of key executives at HDR and CUH2A?
Under the new corporate structure, CUH2A’s Scott Butler and CUH2A Chairman Mike Konsko will become members of the HDR Architecture management team, while two of HDR Architecture’s senior executives, Roger Stewart, HDR’s Director of Civic and S+T Programs, and Mike Moran, HDR’s Eastern Region Director of Operations, will join CUH2A’s management team to support Butler, who will be leading the combined S+T practice.
Are additional mergers in the S+T field anticipated?
No additional mergers are being considered in the S+T market at this time. For the foreseeable future, all efforts will be focused on providing continued and uninterrupted service to our clients, as well as efficiently integrating the best practices from both firms into the new combined company.
How do the corporate cultures compare?
The cultures are extremely compatible, and this was one of the critical issues both firms have carefully evaluated from the onset of discussions. First and foremost, the people in both firms are committed to a mission of planning and designing projects that make positive contributions to our communities – bettering the human condition globally. Additionally, both firms value personal integrity, hard work, employee satisfaction and professional development. Both firms operate as integrated A/E practices as well as multi-office companies committed to excellence in design, with broad experience with large-scale, complex projects.
How are the two firms’ commitments to sustainability similar?
Both HDR and CUH2A have very similar commitments to sustainability, not only for internal corporate practices, but also in terms of integrating high-performance building strategies into the design and engineering of building projects. CUH2A currently has about 170 LEED APs; combined with HDR’s 206 LEED APs, we estimate that our leadership role in this arena will rise to one of the top five firms in the nation.
Katie Sosnowchik
Public Relations
HDR, Inc.
katie.sosnowchik@hdrinc.com
Ellen Randall
Public Relations
HDR CUH2A
erandall@cuh2a.com