LHB

What LHB does

LHB, Inc. is a privately held, employee-owned architecture, engineering, and planning firm founded in 1966 in Duluth, Minnesota. The firm operates across 14 market sectors — including bridges and structures, climate solutions and renewable energy, commercial, education, government, housing, mining and heavy manufacturing, oil and gas, pulp and paper, roads and highways, and power and utility infrastructure — and offers 13 service disciplines ranging from architecture, civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering to landscape architecture, planning, surveying, interior design, historic preservation, and climate action research. Notable technical capabilities include displacement ventilation system design, finite element structural analysis, 3D design and visualization, and 3D scanning technology.

The firm serves a primarily public-sector and institutional client base across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the broader Midwest, including the Minnesota Department of Transportation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, City of Duluth, Metro Transit, multiple K-12 school districts, and enterprise clients such as Essentia Health, SAPPI Fine Paper, and Allete/Minnesota Power. LHB generates revenue on a project-based professional services fee model, with project scopes ranging from approximately $10,000 to $100 million, secured through direct client engagement, RFP responses, and competitive bidding. The firm also operates LHB Technical Staffing LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary that provides contract staffing services.

LHB maintains offices in Duluth (headquarters), Minneapolis, Cambridge (Minnesota), and Superior (Wisconsin), with a headcount in the 251-500 range. The firm is led by CEO Jason A. Mangan and has been recognized with the 2021 AIA Minnesota Firm Award for outstanding contributions to architecture, with a portfolio spanning over 18,000 housing dwelling units, 70+ housing design awards, and four decades of bridge and structural specialty.

Name

LHB

Legal name

LHB, Inc.

Website

https://lhbcorp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

LHB is an employee-owned architecture, engineering, and planning firm founded in 1966, serving government agencies, municipalities, and enterprises across Minnesota and Wisconsin through 14 markets and 13 service disciplines on project-based engagements ranging from $10K to $100M.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architecture, Engineering, and Planning Services

NAICS

Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Engineering Services (541330), Engineering Services (54133), Interior Design Services (541410)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Engineering design services (line design, substation design, civil/structural) (EUADAKAG)

Keywords

• Architecture design services
• Civil structural engineering
• Urban planning consulting
• Sustainable building design
• Transportation infrastructure design

Headquarters

HQ city

Duluth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Design Services: Fee-for-service architecture, engineering, and planning services billed on project basis. Projects range from small-scale design work to large infrastructure projects with multimillion-dollar scopes.
2. Contract Staffing: LHB Technical Staffing LLC provides contract staffing services, placing specialized technical talent with clients requiring embedded workforce support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

LHB is a multidisciplinary architecture, engineering, and planning firm providing integrated design services across 13 service disciplines and 15 market sectors including government, education, housing, transportation, energy, and industrial clients. Core services span architectural design, civil/structural/mechanical/electrical engineering, planning, landscape architecture, surveying, climate action planning, historic preservation, and contract staffing through subsidiary LHB Technical Staffing LLC.

Product overview

LHB is an architecture, engineering, and planning firm offering professional services across 14 market sectors and 13 distinct service disciplines. The company provides an integrated, multidisciplinary approach combining Architecture, Civil Engineering, Climate Action Planning & Research, Contract Staffing (via LHB Technical Staffing LLC), Electrical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Historic Preservation, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Mechanical Engineering, Planning & Urban Design, Structural Engineering, and Survey services. These services are applied across markets including Bridges & Structures, Climate Solutions & Renewable Energy, Commercial, Community & Cultural Centers, Education, Government, Housing, Land Development & Planning, Mining & Heavy Manufacturing, Oil & Gas, Parks Trails & Recreation, Power & Utility Infrastructure, Pulp & Paper, and Roads & Highways. The firm operates as a full-service design partner serving clients throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LHB Technical Staffing LLC: A contract staffing subsidiary that supports clients with unique staffing needs by leveraging deep connections and knowledge to find the right talent for every job.

Products and services

• Architecture Services Human-centered architectural design across multiple market sectors, including sustainable and net-positive building design. Architecture is provided as part of LHB's integrated multidisciplinary service offerings to government, education, housing, commercial, and institutional clients.
• Civil Engineering Civil engineering services including transportation infrastructure, utility design, site design, and stormwater management, provided as part of LHB's integrated multidisciplinary service offerings.
• Structural Engineering Structural engineering services for buildings, bridges, industrial facilities, and specialty structures using concrete, steel, timber, and masonry, including finite element analysis capabilities.
• Mechanical Engineering Mechanical engineering services including HVAC design, industrial process piping, fire protection engineering, and indoor air quality solutions such as displacement ventilation systems using 100-percent fresh air.
• Electrical Engineering Electrical engineering services including power distribution, emergency power systems, lighting design, and renewable energy systems.
• Environmental Engineering Environmental engineering services for regulated industries including pipeline integrity management, regulatory compliance, and remediation design.
• Landscape Architecture Landscape architecture services creating vibrant outdoor spaces with community-focused and ecologically responsive design.
• Interior Design Human-centered interior design services focusing on occupant wellness, sustainability, and space functionality.
• Planning & Urban Design Urban planning and design services including community visioning, campus planning, and corridor studies.
• Climate Action Planning & Research Climate solutions including greenhouse gas inventories, climate planning, sustainability policies, and emerging technologies research for the built environment.
• Historic Preservation Historic preservation services including conditions assessments, historic structures reports, and design documents for buildings and bridges.
• Survey Services Land surveying services including boundary surveys, topographic surveys, construction staking, 3D scanning, and GIS mapping.
• Contract Staffing (LHB Technical Staffing LLC) Specialized contract staffing services leveraging industry connections to find talent for specialized industries, providing embedded workforce support alongside client teams.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 18,000 dwelling units in housing portfolio
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments14 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• KLJcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKLJ serves as a design partner to LHB on the Rice Lake Road Corridor project, providing traffic engineering, environmental documentation, roundabout design, and public engagement services. This is a significant infrastructure project where LHB serves as prime consultant.
• Braun IntertecsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides soil borings and pavement recommendations as part of the LHB-led project team on the Rice Lake Road Corridor project. Specialized geotechnical and materials testing services.
• SlipstreamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContracted by Minnesota Department of Commerce's CARD program alongside CEE and LHB to lead a field demonstration of Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems in Minnesota to evaluate energy and comfort benefits, especially in cold climates.
• CEE (Center for Energy and Environment)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Slipstream and LHB under Minnesota Department of Commerce CARD program contract to evaluate VRF systems in Minnesota cold climate conditions.
• Saint Paul Port AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLHB was hired to study feasibility of a net zero energy office/warehouse and build a prototype for the Saint Paul Port Authority, demonstrating leadership in sustainable commercial development.
• Minnesota Department of Commerce (CARD Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCARD program contracted Slipstream, CEE, and LHB to lead VRF systems field demonstration evaluating energy and comfort benefits in Minnesota's cold climate.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Stantec: Global A&E firm with deep transportation, water, buildings, and energy practices. Competes with LHB on MnDOT, municipal, and infrastructure work across the Midwest, though at vastly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• HDR: Employee-owned A&E firm (similar ownership model) with strong transportation, healthcare, and water practices. Directly competes with LHB on bridge, highway, and government work in Minnesota and the broader Midwest.
• Kimley-Horn: National planning, engineering, and design consulting firm with strong transportation, land development, and environmental practices. Competes with LHB on roadway, land development, and municipal planning work.
• AECOM: Global infrastructure consulting firm with a major transportation, water, and environment practice. Competes for large federal, state, and municipal programs in the Midwest where LHB also bids.

Direct peers

• WSB: Minnesota-headquartered engineering and planning firm offering transportation, municipal, environmental, and construction services. Closest geographic and service-line peer to LHB, with overlapping public-sector clients in MN/WI.
• Bolton & Menk: Midwest-based A&E consultancy with comparable municipal, transportation, water, and planning practices. Direct competitor for MnDOT, city, and county RFPs in Minnesota and Iowa.
• Short Elliott Hendrickson (SEH): Employee-owned Midwest A&E firm serving government, transportation, water, and education markets. Highly comparable client mix and regional footprint to LHB.
• HGA (Hammel, Green and Abrahamson): Minnesota-based architecture and engineering firm with strong healthcare, education, and cultural-mandate practices. Directly comparable to LHB's architecture-led market sectors and Midwest client base.
• TKDA: Minnesota-based multi-discipline firm offering architecture, engineering, and planning services. Closely comparable in scale, service mix, and Midwest public-sector focus to LHB.

Regional players

• BWBR: St. Paul-based architecture firm focused on healthcare, education, and civic projects. Comparable to LHB's architecture services and shares the Minnesota institutional-client market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LHBAEfirm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/91808
• Instagraminstagram.com/lhbstories/?hl=en
• Xx.com/lhb_aefirm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds17 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LHB