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Business Without Borders
No matter where you're currently doing business, chances are that changes in the global economy are impacting your operations somehow. We'd like to take a few minutes to share with you some trends we're watching, and how our capabilities and experience can save you time, trouble, and money.
The evidence? According to Engineering News Record magazine, SSOE is one of the fastest growing design firms in terms of revenue. In fact, our revenue is up by 20% in the last 12 months alone. It doesn’t stop there; in that same period, we added 5 new locations across the country to our 10 existing worldwide locations (read more about our new locations in the next story). We also ensured that our technology is growing along with us by using cutting edge tools to get your projects done more quickly, more cost-effectively, and more accurately (see page 5 for details). To make sure we have the bench strength and expertise you deserve, we increased our staff by more than 35% in the past 3 years
Next time you see us it might be in your local grocery store instead of the job site. We’ve decided it’s not enough to hop on a plane to come visit. We want to be a member of the community.
As part of our growth strategy, you will now find SSOE offices in St. Paul, Minnesota; Midland, Michigan; Washington DC; and Shanghai, China (see story on page 2). Our St. Paul office, led by David Smith, P.E., is a prime example of how our growth promotes your growth. One of the clients this office serves is Freedom Fuels in nearby Mason City, Iowa. Due to growing energy costs and environmental concerns, this emerging business in the biodiesel market stands at the brink of tremendous growth. Our creative project approach, including partners who help with financing and experts who help with process development, are making this investor’s dream a reality (read more on page 3). In addition, St. Paul serves local clients like Northshore Mining, a client and industry experiencing tremendous growth due to China’s increasing demand for iron (see page 2 for how we’re helping mining companies grow their operations safely).
In addition to adding to our capabilities with nationally recognized talent such as Ed Royzman, we are also taking significant strides to maintain the experts we already have. SSOE understands we’ll only experience continued growth by nurturing and adding to the brightest professionals in the industry. To ensure we’re retaining the best, SSOE is expanding the reach of our ownership structure. This structure will add seven principals (see sidebar for a list of our new principals) and give more than 15% of our regular, full-time employees a chance to own a piece of the pie.
Vincent DiPofi, P.E.
Division Manager; Food, Pharmaceutical and Personal Care
Monica Dugan, SPHR
Director of Human Resources
James Jaros, JD, CPA
Chief Financial Officer
Catherine Malicki
Director of Marketing
David Rose, AIA
Division Manager, Commercial and Institutional Facilities
Eduard Royzman, P.E.
Principal Account Executive, Washington D.C.
Enzo Colonna
Division Manager
SSOE China
Starting business operations in China involves navigating a complex process of bureaucratic requirements which are prevalent in emerging economies. Language barriers, remote locations with decision makers on several continents, cultural differences, and even time differences are bigger obstacles than most companies can navigate alone.
With that in mind, SSOE brought on-board Enzo Colonna, managing director of SSOE China, who has over 12 years of experience managing projects and operations in China. SSOE China combines our familiarity with the domestic U.S. market and the business conditions motivating you to move overseas, with our knowledge of how to do business in China. This makes your move to China possible quick, easy, and cost-effective.
From offices in both the U.S. and Shanghai our expertise leads you through the Chinese design and construction project delivery process, which is even more demanding than in the U.S. The Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM) project delivery method is how 95% of projects are completed in international markets. SSOE China has established relationships—that means you don’t have to spend your time searching for and evaluating partners. We have the relationships, expertise and the systems all in place. That’s one stop shopping.
SSOE has offered a broad range of services to the mining industry for more than 10 years, but as the need for resources in China drives rapid growth, one of the most pressing issues is safety.
As recognized experts in designing cost-effective, cutting-edge fire protection and life safety systems, the mining and metals specialists at SSOE lead the development of plans to ensure safe workplaces. SSOE fire protection engineer Nick Mariano, P.E., recently presented a case study from his own experience demonstrating the importance of five-year life safety and fire protection plans to the Society of Mining Metallurgy and Exploration’s Minnesota chapter. After two major fires in a short period, the mining firm in question was dropped by its insurance carrier and faced possible closure. Understanding how crucial a driver this insurance was to the mining company’s business, SSOE used our knowledge of this industry to quickly develop a long-term fire protection upgrade strategy. This plan convinced a new insurance carrier to grant the mining company a policy and allowed them to secure financing for continued operations. As a result of this initial relationship, SSOE is now the company’s trusted partner for ongoing fire protection needs. Through regular communication, SSOE has gained valuable insights into this client’s business, and now, instead of waiting to respond to a crisis, we are able to suggest ongoing improvements that help avoid future crises.
Mining is one of the oldest forms of securing natural resources and energy in history. In order to help develop and improve renewable sources of energy, SSOE is now combining our expertise in both the petrochemical and food industries.
