The integrated, multidisciplinary URS you see in Asia Pacific today is the product of a long history, which unites the traditions of engineering and environmental sciences.
URS Corporation’s oldest predecessor company was founded in 1904. URS was established in 1951, and incorporated in 1957 as Broadview Research—a research group active in the area of physical and engineering sciences. In 1967, management developed a growth strategy focused on building a multidisciplinary professional services firm. In 1968, Broadview Research acquired United Research Incorporated of Cambridge, Massachusetts. During this period, the name Broadview Research was changed to United Research Services and later shortened to URS.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, URS continued to expand through internal growth and strategic acquisitions that enhanced our engineering, architectural and environmental practices. These acquisitions included Madigan-Praeger; Coverdale and Colpitts; John A. Blume and Associates; Hill Dreman Chase; and Dalton, Dalton and Newport.
In 1996, URS further expanded with the acquisition of Greiner Engineering, which broadened our presence in the transportation market. The Woodward-Clyde Group joined URS in 1997, bringing additional environmental capabilities and a broader international presence to the organization. When Dames & Moore Group joined the Company in 1999, it further widened our geographic base, strengthened our program and construction management expertise, added to our FORTUNE 500 client base and expanded our presence in the mass transit market.
In 2002, the acquisition of EG&G Technical Services, a provider of management and technical support services to U.S. government agencies—the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security in particular—positioned URS in the ranks of the leading U.S. federal services contractors. The 2007 acquisition of Washington Group International enhanced URS’ ability to provide integrated engineering and construction services throughout the project life cycle—from planning, design and engineering through construction to operations and maintenance, and decommissioning and closure. The acquisition also expanded our capabilities in the power and nuclear management markets, as well as in transportation, mining, defense, and industrial infrastructure and process.
Headquartered in San Francisco, URS has approximately 45,000 employees in a network of offices in more than 30 countries. The Company provides the full range of program management; planning, design and engineering; systems engineering and technical assistance; construction and construction management; operations and maintenance; and decommissioning and closure services. URS’ business is focused on four key market sectors: Federal/National Governments, Infrastructure, Power, and Industrial & Commercial. Our clients include the U.S. federal government, national governments of other countries, state and local government agencies in the United States and internationally, and FORTUNE 500 companies and other multinational corporations.