PLAINS TWP. — Architectural and engineering firm Borton-Lawson has been acquired by Ohio-based Verdantas, a private equity-backed engineering company, according to a statement released last week.
The price of the transaction was not disclosed.
The move will allow Borton-Lawson, with its deep Pennsylvania roots, to expand its offerings and grow, officials said.
“I am truly humbled by the culture we have created and the business we have built,” Borton-Lawson President and CEO Frank Joanlanne said.
“Joining Verdantas, a nationally recognized firm, will allow us to get to that next level by offering all employees opportunities to grow, enhancing our service offerings to clients, and enabling further investment in the latest technology,” Joanlanne added.
As previously reported by the Times Leader, Chris Borton established Borton Engineering Associates Inc. in 1988 at 186 South Franklin St. in Wilkes-Barre to provide general civil engineering services. Shortly after, he was joined by Thomas Lawson, PE, to expand the service offerings and in 1992 the firm became Borton-Lawson.
Borton-Lawson launched an in-house sister company, Precise Visual Technologies, in 2017. Joanlanne assumed Borton’s role as CEO of both companies upon Borton’s retirement the following year.
Borton-Lawson has 170 employees located across Pennsylvania, with offices on Baltimore Drive in Plains Township, as well as in the Lehigh Valley and Pittsburgh.
Verdantas, which employs over 650 people in 29 offices across the United States, is a provider of engineering, planning, science, and technical services to clients on environmental and sustainable infrastructure solutions
Officials said the acquisition of Borton-Lawson will strengthen its offerings in the areas of facilities, transportation, real estate, water, and energy clients, the statement added.
“Borton-Lawson’s impact on our clients will be immediate, as we add bench strength to our sustainable civil infrastructure capabilities while also bringing new offerings that deliver facility solutions and value-added digital capabilities to the clients we serve across the U.S.,” Verdantas CEO Gerry Salontai said.
Verdantas is backed by RTC Partners, a private equity firm “that is actively seeking additional platforms and add-on acquisitions in its markets.”
“We are very pleased to welcome the team at Borton-Lawson and Precise Visual Technologies to Verdantas,” said Tony Brindisi, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at RTC Partners.
“Borton-Lawson brings new technical and professional expertise enabling us to enhance our service offering for clients, broadening opportunities for employees, and creating value for shareholders.”
