By Joshua Burd
RC Andersen Construction, a Fairfield-based contractor, is joining the STO Building Group in a merger aimed at helping both firms expand their foothold in the industrial market.
Both RC Andersen and STO, the New York-based parent of Structure Tone, say the move will enhance the services and geographic reach that they can offer clients in the white-hot logistics sector. The companies announced the deal last week, noting that RC Andersen brings a client list that has included Prologis, Trammell Crow, Amazon, Hillwood, Bridge Industrial, Matrix Development Group, Clarion Partners and Bluewater Property Group.
“Joining the STO Building Group allows our clients to benefit from the added services we can offer them, anywhere across their geographic platform,” said Robert Andersen, founder and president of RC Andersen. “The merger also allows us to provide more opportunities for our employees, from the employee ownership program to the extended resources and other benefits of being part of a larger group of companies.”
Founded in 2006, RC Andersen offers construction and project management for property owners, developers and tenants, according to a news release. The company noted that it has focused on delivering high-quality projects as quickly as possible in a time when the demands of e-commerce have made it increasingly critical to generate warehouse space and cold storage facilities expeditiously and efficiently.
The firm will retain its name, logo and cultural identity, while its current leaders will maintain their roles as the senior leadership team.
“Our STO Building Group companies have been working across North America with clients in the booming industrial and distribution facility market, and we don’t see that slowing down anytime soon,” said Robert Mullen, CEO of STO Building Group. “RC Andersen’s particular expertise will only enhance the specialized knowledge and experience we’re able to offer clients in this sector, as well as provide RC Andersen’s existing clients with extended services and geographic reach across our platform.”
In announcing the deal, STO noted that its “family of companies” model has helped the firm move up eight spots on ENR’s Top Contractors list — from 14 to 6 — in just the last two years, while allowing each member company to maintain its name, reputation and leadership structure. Most recently, it acquired Utah-based Layton Construction and Seattle’s Abbott Construction in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
STO, which is owned by Global Infrastructure Solutions Inc., said last week that it expects to create new job opportunities as a result of the merger to support its projected growth for 2022 and beyond. RC Andersen’s current leaders are also now GISI shareholders.
“Opportunities to merge with great companies like RC Andersen are the very reason we shifted our company structure to the STO Building Group platform,” said James Donaghy, STO Building Group’s executive chairman. “We value the reputation and heritage of the firms who merge with our organization, and each has kept its name as a way to honor that legacy. As we continue to grow, we want to respect that history, but also reflect the collective expertise our companies offer and allow our employees to benefit from the larger organization’s resources.”
