US construction giant opens base in city centre
AGLOBAL engineering firm has opened a new office in Birmingham city centre. Bechtel, which is headquartered in San Francisco, has launched the base in Waterloo Street to be closer to its customer base and regional supply chain.
The group specialises in engineering, construction and project management and employs 50,000 people worldwide.
The new city centre office will serve as a hub for business development, allowing the company to expand as it pursues further projects across the region in the highways, rail, power, communications and aviation markets.
The US remains Birmingham’s largest market for overseas investment, representing 20 per cent of all projects into the city during 2017/18, according to the data from the Regional Observatory.
The city is also home to 706 international companies – more than any other English city outside London.
Paul Gibbs, Bechtel’s UK managing director, said: “The Birmingham office is the catalyst to expand our footprint in the UK.
“Having permanent staff, locally based in Birmingham, allows us to be closer to customers such as High Speed 2 and Highways England and further develop our relationships with them. It also enables us to better integrate and understand the local stakeholders and supply chain.”
Leader of Birmingham City Council Ian Ward added: “To have a global company of the size and stature of Bechtel choose Birmingham as a base for expansion will help to generate more economic growth and new jobs for the city, both today and in the future.
“The company’s move is further testament to the wealth of talent, and vast opportunities within Birmingham’s supply chains, that the city can offer international businesses.”
Bechtel’s Waterloo Street office provides a physical site to support its existing presence in Birmingham.
The company already has more than 100 people working with the team on phase two of HS2 at its offices in Two Snowhill. echtel also has UK offices in Warrington, Gloucester, Bristol and London.
Steve Kay, Bechtel’s principal vice- president, said: “The Midlands has enormous potential for growth in infrastructure and Birmingham is ideally positioned for us. We’re looking forward to a long and successful presence in the city.
“It’s great to be back working here, so many years after I undertook my graduate training in the rail industry in Birmingham.”