Randy Griffith
rgriffith@tribdem.com
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One of Ebensburg’s premier employers has been purchased by a Philadelphia-based corporation in a move leaders from both companies say should expand opportunities for the local organization.
Acquisition of L. Robert Kimball & Associates Inc. by CDI Corp. was announced Monday.
“This transaction represents an opportunity to accelerate our growth,” founder and Chairman L. Robert Kimball said.
“We wanted to align our capabilities with a firm that could both leverage our architectural and engineering strengths across a new base of clients and offer our current clients additional services and technology on a national and global services delivery platform.”
The sale should have no negative effects on Kimball’s Ebensburg operation or its
550 employees, Kimball spokesman Roger Zwingler said.
“There will be virtually no change to local operations,” Zwingler said. “We will continue to service our clients as we have in the past with the full force of our services. Down the road, there will be tremendous opportunities.”
CDI was attracted by Kimball’s expertise in a wide range of infrastructure development, including civil engineering, highway engineering, schools, prisons and communications technology, said Vincent J. Webb, CDI vice president of communications and marketing.
“It is not a business we have right now,” Webb said. “It is also a business segment that has good growth opportunity in future years.”
“It is what we do,” Zwingler said. “It is building the United States’ infrastructure.”
Both companies were founded more than a half-century ago by entrepreneurial engineers. As Kimball developed its specialties in the infrastructure and project development areas of architecture and engineering, CDI focused on mechanical and chemical engineering for project management and professional services in the aerospace, government services, infrastructure, life sciences, and process and industrial markets, Webb said.
CDI’s clients that needed infrastructure projects would have to find another partner, Webb said.
“We also felt we should have that civil engineering and architectural engineering capability to help the clients,” Webb said. “It should be a very good story for both companies.”
The Kimball division will remain headquartered in Ebensburg. Kimball President Jeff Kimball has been named senior vice president of CDI Engineering Solutions.
“This represents an exciting opportunity for our employees to take the L.R. Kimball reputation to the next level as we meet our clients’ needs,” Jeff Kimball said.
Financial terms of the cash transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 1953, L.R. Kimball has a network of nine offices primarily in the Mid-Atlantic region. CDI has offices throughout North America, with additional operations in Kuwait and Mexico.
Kimball has been a strong supporter of the local community, Ebensburg Mayor Randy Datsko said.
“The company has done a lot to help with the downtown streetscape, our recreation facilities and with the airport, especially,” Datsko said. “I certainly hope the new venture would continue that community service.”
