Burns & McDonnell Makes Rare Acquisition

Employee-owned Burns & McDonnell has been a model of organic growth in recent years, but its next step forward is coming through the acquistion of a Wisconsin-based industrial contractor, AZCO, Inc. The two companies have collaborated on projects for decades, according to a news release issued this mornign by Burns & McDonnell.

The acquistion should bolster the Kansas City company’s ranking as the nation’s top company for engineering and construction services in the power sub-sector, creating what officials say will be “one of the most comprehensive environmental, engineering, procurement, and direct-hire construction and fabrication companies in the world.”

“Acquisitions are common in our industry, but extremely rare at Burns & McDonnell,” said Ray Kowalik, CEO-Elect at Burns & McDonnell. “AZCO is a natural partner for us. Their industry-leading construction and pipe fabrication capabilities are a perfect fit into our multibillion dollar construction arm.”

Kowalik said AZCO would align with the firm’s construction expertise as well as its culture, driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, and both organizations are 100 percent employee-owned.