On June 1, KJWW Engineering Consultants acquired EME, LLC, a mechanical and electrical engineering design firm located in downtown Chicago. EME’s 58 employees include 30 mechanical engineers and 13 electrical engineers, with 17 registered as Professional Engineers. The office will remain on the 12th floor of 200 W. Jackson Blvd.
KJWW now has 125 Chicago-area employees. This includes 67 at the Naperville Office, established in 1999. As of June, the firm employs 380 people in six locations across the Midwest. They offer structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and technology design services, along with Medical Equipment Solutions, systems commissioning and construction administration services.
Founded in 1979, EME has designed projects for healthcare, higher education, government, industrial and commercial interests in the U.S. and abroad. They specialize in the design of central utility plants.
KJWW President Paul VanDuyne, P.E., said, “This additional talent at this important location strengthens our commitment to providing full building engineering services to our Chicago clients. With our breadth of experience on all project types, we will be able to coordinate and streamline engineering decisions, and do it more conveniently than ever. The initial feedback from clients is very positive.”
According to EME founder Ken Yoshitani, P.E., in the past 30 years, EME has done design work for the Chicago Merchandise Mart, the Art Institute of Chicago, Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, St. Margaret Mercy Hospital, MacNeal Hospital, Commonwealth Edison and the Dirksen Federal Building. They also have power plant experience with Nicor, PPL Global, DuPage County and Loyola University Medical School. Two high-profile Chicago projects they are currently working on are the new Dana Hotel and the former Carson-Pirie-Scott Building, to be known as the Sullivan Center.
He said, “Our firm’s philosophy emphasized teamwork, responsiveness and consistency, which will meld well with KJWW’s commitment to service, innovation and quality.”
Focusing on enhanced client services, VanDuyne said, “Our new location in downtown Chicago allows us to be close to the architectural firms we work with, providing convenient access for meetings, collaboration and project coordination. Plus, now our staff can choose either a downtown or suburban location.”
Recent Chicago-area projects designed by KJWW include the new FBI Building, Harpo Studios, Sherman Hospital in Elgin, IL, and Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, IL. Other healthcare clients include Northwestern University, Loyola University Medical Center, St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital Center, and Advocate Good Samaritan. Higher education projects in the region have been completed for the University of Illinois at Chicago, William Rainey Harper College, Judson College, the University of Chicago, the College of DuPage, Benedictine College and Wheaton College.
EME’s Bob Winter, P.E., is the branch manager of the new downtown office of KJWW. He said, “EME’s extensive experience with hospitals, universities, commercial and power plant design will expand the expertise offered by KJWW. We look forward to a smooth transition.”
KJWW Principal Jeff Pratt, PE, who manages the firm’s office in Naperville, IL, is responsible for the transitioning of the two firms, working with standards, design techniques, and corporate cultures. He said, “We will be providing video conferencing, an integrated voice over IP phone system and inclusion into our network to assure excellent communications between all office locations. We have spent the last nine months coordinating our efforts toward a successful integration.”
He explained that in addition to training, mentoring and regular communications, there will actually be employees transferring between the two offices, which will readily blend the two organizations.
About KJWW
KJWW offers a range of engineering services including structural, mechanical, electrical and technology for healthcare, education, government, commercial and industrial facilities. The firm was ranked in the top 20 engineering firms in the country by Building Design & Construction. KJWW’s staff comprises more than 380 full-time employees in six offices throughout the Midwest. The firm is headquartered in Rock Island, IL, and has offices in Chicago, St. Louis, Madison, Wis., Des Moines, IA, and Naperville, IL. For more information, visit www.kjww.com.
