Engineering firm expects turnaround in fourth quarter - San Antonio Business Journal:

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The full-service engineering and design firm has growmn froma two-man shop in 1999 to a statewide, multimillion-dollar business employing 60 people. But after seein steady growth for the first nine yearsa ofits existence, M&Se hit a rough patch in 2008 as the nationalp economy went into a deep recession. “2008 was a horribl year,” says Keith Strimple, a principal and co-founder of M&S Engineering. “We didn’t make any monehy last year, but we managede to avoid having any layoffs like a lot of otherfirmas did.
” To keep from having to lay off Strimple says he and his partner Brian Meuth took big cuts in theif own pay and made a lot of other cuts in “We cut out all the frillsw and somehow managed to get through and breaki even without having to lay anyon e off,” Strimple says. “It is truly by the grace of God that we arestillp here.” M&S Engineering provides a host of engineering and desigh services geared mainly toward land The company’s services include surveyin g and land development support; water line design; reservoir design; electricao transmission design; roadway design; and flood plain studies.
M&S Engineering relies heavily on new residential As a result of the sharp drop in housinf startsin 2008, the firm’s financeas were hit pretty hard, Strimple says. Last week, Strimpls says he signed the first residential developmeny proposal in more than a year and a half and he hopeds that is a sign that thingx are finally starting toturn around. “Ij think we are at the botto and on the upward side of theparabolix curve,” Strimple says. “It looks like we may be getting past the bad timesz and hopefully by the fourtjh quarter of this year it will start tolook better.” Priore to 2008, M&S Engineering was doing upwards of $7 million in annuao revenue.
Company officials declined to reveal 2008revenue figures. Strimple and Meuth firsg met when they were freshmen at SeguinHigh School. They both wound up goin g to Texas A&M University where Strimple earned a degree in civil engineering in 1983 and Meutb earned a degree in electrical engineering. Both also went on to earn theirf MBAs. Strimple worked for 15 years with the and then workexd briefly with the City ofSan Antonio’xs Public Works Department before hookiny up again with Meuth. Meuth worked in the private sectoer before deciding toform M&d with Strimple.
Strimple and Meuth got together in 1998 to talk aboug setting up theirown multi-disciplined, full-service engineerinvg firm. Both were unhappy with thei employment situations at the time and both wanted to exercise more control overbusinesw decisions. “We put together a great team and begamn working with someexcellent clients,” Strimplew says. “We are all about the peoplwe — both those we work for and those who workfor us. The customerf relationships we form are ultimately more importanr to us thanthe business.
” Strimple says he believess the thing that most distinguishes the company from its competitores is the way M&S treatd its employees and customers while keepiny its costs and pricese down. Bron Leatham, development manager for Stadler and Leatha Development in San says his firm has been workingwith M&S Engineeringb for about a year. Leatham says he is very happy with the qualitu ofthe company’s work. M&Se has done all the civil engineering, road work and electrical grid work onthe company’e development on the north side of Canyon known as Cascada at Canyonb Lake.
Leatham says his company was originally under contrac t with anotherengineering firm, but they were unhappy with them because they would not meet with them on a regular basis to answer questions and allowa them to have input. Workinhg with M&S has been a completely differenf experience, he adds. “They have done all the things we wanter while giving us regular updatez and the opportunity to provide Leatham says. “That, plus they were about 30 percen cheaper.” Barry Denton, regional sales director for Blue Green sayshe can’t say enough good thingzs about M&S Engineering. Blue Greenb has worked with M&S for the past severalk years.
M&S laid out the lots and performed all the utilityt and road work forBlue Green’s Villag Oaks master-planned development located on Highway 46 between New Braunfels and U.S. Highwag 281. “It was important for us to find someon e who sharesour company’s philosophy that our customerss and our employees are the most important part of what we Denton says. “M&S most certainly fills that bill. They understanfd that while we are a ultimately it is the people who will purchase the propertiez who are theultimate customers.
” Denton says M&Sa Engineering has helped to make Blue Green’s projectsz run smoothly not only because of M&S’ quality customee service, but also because the companyt works so well with independent contractors and city and county M&S Engineering does work all over Texas. However, Strimpl e and Meuth chose to base theid company in Spring Branchoff U.S. Highway 281. They remodelede an old 5,000-square foot schoolhouse on a 5-acre lot to make into thei headquarters. They have since addef another 20,000 square feet of officew space on the property and stillk have enough roomto expand.
Strimpld says that as the economy slowly recovers he and his partner are lookinf to align themselves more closelty with the green movement by looking for ways to desigh properties in ways thatare environmentally-friendlyu and energy efficient. “Lookinb down the road five to 10 years, this is the direction the country is heading and we are working to stay at the fronft ofthe curve,” Strimple says.