Despite Michigan’s High Unemployment Rate, SSOE’s Growth in State Continues with New Jobs and Expanding Offices
TOLEDO, Ohio, April 24, 2007 – With a presence in Michigan for 30 years and three offices in the state, SSOE, Inc. – one of the nation’s largest architecture and engineering firms – is planning at least 25 percent growth in each of its Michigan offices in the next year, despite the struggles of the state’s industrial base and an unemployment rate significantly higher than the national rate.
Headquartered in Toledo and with deep roots in Michigan, SSOE currently employs approximately 160 professionals in the state, 26 percent of whom were hired in the last 12 months. The firm’s growth in Michigan, which is home to 25 percent of SSOE’s owners, includes offices in:
Midland – is preparing for a 50 percent growth; the office currently employs 25.
Portage – has doubled its office size to 6,500 square feet to accommodate the 40 percent growth in staff; a 25 percent growth is expected by year end; the current staff count is 22.
Troy – within the past two years has increased staff by 30 percent and plans to add additional staff by year end; the office currently employs 116.
“Our firm grew 30 percent in 2006, and our Michigan locations were major contributors to that trend,” said Tony Damon, CEO of SSOE. “Michigan – like several other states we have offices in – offers solid footing for creative professionals who are eager to impact the design of facilities across the nation and around the world. In a global economy, services such as ours are in high demand, despite local conditions; and that means creative professionals become extremely valuable assets.”
SSOE is one of the global leaders in architectural services for the auto industry, as well as for clients in the healthcare, retail, education, science and technology, biofuels, chemical, food, glass, mining and personal care industries.
The firm’s Michigan clients include:
- University of Michigan Healthcare Systems
- Beaumont Hospital
- Mercy Healthcare System
- Rite Aid
- Toyota Ann Arbor
- Dow Chemical
- Marathon Petroleum Company
- Michigan Consolidated Gas Company
- Consumers Energy
- Great Lakes Gas Transmission
- Coca-Cola
- Sara Lee
- Ralston
- Pfizer
SSOE’s Michigan office also manages projects from other states for the following clients:
- Quaker
- ConAgra
- Hershey
- Lowes
- PetSmart
- Mervyns
- Safeway
- Albertson
SSOE recently launched a nationwide recruitment effort to hire 200 architects and engineers by the end of 2007 to assist in meeting its growth in nearly every market that it serves. The firm operates from 16 offices across the United States and in China. Last month, SSOEopened a new office in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park to serve the growth of that region particularly in the pharmaceutical, education, biofuels, and science and technology sectors.