What Bennett & Pless does

Bennett & Pless, Inc. is a private, employee-owned structural engineering firm founded in 1964 in Atlanta, Georgia, and headquartered at 47 Perimeter Center East. The company is the largest single-discipline structural engineering firm in the South, operating across 14+ specialized market sectors including data centers, manufacturing (automotive, aerospace, semiconductor, food processing), life sciences, healthcare, industrial and cold storage, commercial and office, adaptive reuse, high-end residential, hospitality, education, parking, telecommunications, and sports and entertainment. Services span the full project lifecycle: condition and due diligence assessment, feasibility and forensic analysis, new building design, existing building renovation, adaptive reuse, and specialty structure advisory, including specialized offerings in cold storage thermal design, GMP-compliant life sciences structures, and telecom tower due diligence (over 5,000 U.S. field visits and 7,500+ worldwide assessments).

The firm's technical stack combines standardized BIM and structural analysis tools (Revit, TEKLA, RAM, TNX) with sustainability tracking via Tally and Environmental Product Declarations under its SE 2050 Embodied Carbon Action Plan. AST (formerly Advanced Structural Technologies), acquired in July 2026, contributes advanced BIM, steel detailing, and design-build capabilities. The firm distributes work through 11 offices across the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, Texas, and Midwest, and pursues a direct, relationship-driven enterprise go-to-market targeting owners, developers, architects, contractors, and facility teams.

Bennett & Pless generates revenue exclusively through professional services fees (project-based, quote-driven, time-and-materials or fixed-fee consistent with A/E industry norms) with pricing not publicly disclosed. Customer concentration is moderate and diversified across marquee enterprise logos (Eli Lilly, Volkswagen, Airbus, Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta Braves) and broader project-based mid-market work. Growth has been heavily via inorganic roll-up: seven mergers since 2017 (Carpenter Wright, LHC Structural Engineers, Hees & Associates, WiSEngineers, Linton Engineering, Favor Engineering, and AST), with sister company BPL Enclosure extending into building enclosure consulting. The company is governed by Chairman Ed Gazzola and CEO Bill Brown (the fourth CEO in the firm's 60-year history) under a long-term, employee-owned ownership transition plan that the firm has used to deliberately avoid AEC industry consolidation.

Name

Bennett & Pless

Legal name

Bennett & Pless, Inc.

Website

https://bennett-pless.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Bennett & Pless is an employee-owned, single-discipline structural engineering firm founded in 1964, headquartered in Atlanta, with 180+ employees across 11 offices serving 14+ sectors including data centers, life sciences, healthcare, manufacturing, and sports venues for enterprise owners, developers, architects, and contractors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Structural Engineering Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (541330)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Construction Engineering & Constructability Consulting (BPAHAIAN), Structural & Civil Engineering for Sites (Design, Reinforcement, Foundations) (HDAIAKAI)

Keywords

• Structural engineering services
• Building structure design
• Structural assessment consulting
• Commercial structural engineering
• Industrial structural design

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Structural Engineering Professional Services: Professional services revenue generated through the delivery of structural engineering services including assessment, analysis, design, and advisory for new buildings, existing buildings, adaptive reuse, and specialty structures. Services are billed project-based, likely on a fee-per-project or time-and-materials basis consistent with A/E professional services industry norms.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bennett & Pless is a single-discipline structural engineering firm that delivers structural assessment, analysis, design, and advisory services for complex building projects across 14+ specialized market sectors including data centers, life sciences, healthcare, manufacturing, industrial, commercial office, hospitality, high-end residential, education, parking, telecommunications, sports and entertainment, signs and billboards, and adaptive reuse. Services span the full project lifecycle from due diligence, condition assessment, and feasibility studies through new building design, existing building renovation, adaptive reuse, and construction support. The firm also operates a sister company, BPL Enclosure, providing integrated building enclosure consulting.

Product overview

Bennett & Pless is a single-discipline structural engineering firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of services centered on structural assessment, design, and advisory solutions. The core offering is structural engineering services encompassing condition assessments, due diligence, forensic analysis, new building design, existing building renovation, adaptive reuse, and specialty structures. Services are delivered across 14 specialized market sectors including Data Centers, Manufacturing, Life Sciences, Industrial, Healthcare, Commercial Office, Hospitality, High-End Residential, Education, Sports & Entertainment, Telecommunications, Parking, Signs & Billboards, and Adaptive Reuse. The firm operates BPL Enclosure as a sister company for building enclosure consulting. Additional offerings include Florida Milestone Inspections for compliance with state structural requirements, and participation in the SE 2050 sustainability initiative for embodied carbon reduction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BPL Enclosure: Sister company specializing in comprehensive building enclosure consulting services. Partners with Bennett & Pless to offer structural and enclosure expertise for building performance and design.

Products and services

• Structural Engineering Services Comprehensive structural engineering services covering condition assessment, due diligence, feasibility studies, forensic analysis, new building design, existing building renovation, adaptive reuse, and specialty structures for owners, architects, developers, contractors, and facility teams.
• Adaptive Reuse Structural Engineering Structural engineering services for transforming existing buildings into new uses, including historic preservation, building repositioning, and renovation for breweries, cultural centers, offices, and mixed-use developments.
• Commercial and Office Structural Design Structural engineering for commercial office buildings, high-rise office structures, and complex mixed-use podium developments, supporting flexible floor plans, efficient construction, and future adaptability.
• Data Center Structural Engineering Structural engineering for hyperscale data centers, colocation facilities, enterprise data centers, and multi-building data center campuses, addressing heavier equipment loads, evolving cooling requirements for AI-driven facilities, and future scalability.
• Healthcare Facility Structural Engineering Structural engineering for hospitals, specialty clinics, ambulatory surgery centers, and outpatient medical facilities, supporting heavy medical equipment loads, technology integration, infection control standards, and uninterrupted facility operations.
• High-End Residential Structural Engineering Structural engineering for luxury custom homes, mountain residences, coastal homes, and urban retreats featuring complex architectural elements such as floating stairs, expansive glazing, cantilevers, and challenging terrains.
• Hospitality Facility Structural Engineering Structural engineering for hotels, resorts, convention centers, and restaurants, supporting flexible layouts, heavy foot traffic, specialized operational demands, and guest comfort requirements.
• Industrial Facility Structural Engineering Structural engineering for cold storage facilities, distribution centers, warehouses, and temperature-controlled environments, addressing thermal movement, high-capacity operations, heavy racking systems, tilt-up construction, and crane support.
• Life Sciences Structural Engineering Structural engineering for R&D laboratories, pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, biotech facilities, cleanroom environments, and pilot plants, supporting vibration control, GMP compliance, process utilities, and fast-track project delivery.
• Manufacturing Facility Structural Engineering Structural engineering for advanced manufacturing facilities spanning food processing, automotive assembly, aerospace, and semiconductor manufacturing, supporting heavy machinery loads, hazardous materials containment, thermal systems, and automated production processes.
• Parking Structure Engineering Structural engineering for parking facilities including new parking deck design, repair, restoration, condition assessments, and life-cycle cost analysis to address environmental stress and heavy vehicle loads.
• Sign and Billboard Structural Engineering Structural engineering for freestanding signs, pylon signs, pole signs, and billboard structures, including wind load analysis, foundation design, and nationwide brand signage deployment.
• Sports and Entertainment Structural Engineering Structural engineering for stadiums, arenas, training complexes, athletic facilities, and multi-use sports and entertainment venues, supporting long-span roof systems, dynamic crowd loads, vibration control, sightline requirements, and fast-track delivery.
• Telecommunications Structural Engineering Structural engineering for telecom towers, rooftop installations, broadcast facilities, and satellite ground stations, including TIA/EIA-222 standard compliance, due diligence, site inspections, capacity upgrades, and reinforcement design.
• Educational Facility Structural Engineering Structural engineering for K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and campus systems, supporting flexible, technology-enabled learning environments, sustainable designs, and modernization of existing campuses.
• Florida Milestone Inspections State-mandated structural inspections for Florida residential condominium and co-op buildings meeting criteria of three or more habitable stories and 30+ years of age, including Phase 1 visual inspection and Phase 2 invasive inspection when needed under SB 4-D and Florida Statutes Section 553.899.
• Building Information Modeling and Steel Detailing (via AST) Highly coordinated structural solutions delivered through advanced Building Information Modeling (BIM) and steel detailing, supporting cold storage, industrial, manufacturing (semiconductor), and design-build projects, offered via the AST division.
• Building Enclosure Consulting (BPL Enclosure) Comprehensive building enclosure consulting delivered through sister company BPL Enclosure, combining building performance, resilience, and structural expertise for owners and developers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 15 million square feet of warehouse and distribution space completed since 2020
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments14 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Advanced Structural Technologies (AST)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026AST, a structural engineering firm founded in 2002 and headquartered in Edina, Minnesota, merged with Bennett & Pless on July 1, 2026. AST is recognized for delivering highly coordinated structural solutions through advanced BIM and steel detailing, with expertise in cold storage, retail, industrial, manufacturing (semiconductor), and design-build projects throughout the US and Canada. The merger adds Midwest presence (Minneapolis/Edina office), strengthens BIM and steel detailing capabilities, and expands client relationships in key growth sectors. Founded by John Levar and Dave Buchanan.
• Favor EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2026Favor Engineering, founded in 2015 and based in Roanoke, VA, merged with Bennett & Pless. Founders Craig Favor and Mike McCusker joined the Bennett & Pless team. The merger strengthens the firm's presence in the Mid-Atlantic region and adds practical, efficient design capabilities with a client-focused approach aligned with Bennett & Pless core values. Bennett & Pless Regional VP Ken Griffin noted a 30-year professional relationship with Craig Favor.
• Linton EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Linton Engineering merged with Bennett & Pless, adding the Virginia (Loudoun County) office location and high-end residential structural engineering capabilities.
• WiSEngineerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024WiSEngineers joined Bennett & Pless in the Nashville office, adding specialized engineering capabilities.
• Hees & AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Hees & Associates joined Bennett & Pless, adding the Sarasota office. Karl Hees, PE, SE, SI, F.A SCE serves as the contact for the Sarasota location.
• BPL EnclosurecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2019BPL Enclosure is a sister company of Bennett & Pless specializing in comprehensive building enclosure consulting services. The partnership brings together structural and enclosure expertise, offering clients a seamless, collaborative approach to building performance and design. BPL Enclosure maintains its own leadership and owner structure separate from Bennett & Pless.
• LHC Structural EngineerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018LHC Structural Engineers merged with Bennett & Pless, adding Raleigh office. The firm was formerly known as Lasater Hopkins Chang, PC (established 1966), Lasater Hopkins Engineers (formed by Robert E. Lasater, Sr. and Robert P. Hopkins in 1971), and later LHC Structural Engineers.
• Carpenter Wright EngineerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Carpenter Wright Engineers (Nashville-based) merged with Bennett & Pless, adding Nashville and Knoxville offices. David Wright had previously joined John Carpenter Engineers, and the firm became Carpenter Wright Engineers before the merger.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Thornton Tomasetti: Global single-discipline structural engineering firm with similarly deep expertise across buildings, sports, and infrastructure; directly competes with Bennett & Pless on complex structural engagements in data centers, life sciences, and adaptive reuse, but operates at materially larger national/international scale.
• Walter P Moore: Structural and civil engineering consultancy with comparable practice mix across sports venues, healthcare, education, and parking structures; a direct peer in market segments Bennett & Pless serves, with overlapping geographic presence in Texas and the Southeast.
• Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE): Engineering firm specializing in structural assessment, forensic investigation, and adaptive reuse — overlapping directly with Bennett & Pless's existing-building, due diligence, and adaptive reuse service lines, with national reach Bennett & Pless does not yet have.
• Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH): Structural engineering and building envelope consulting firm with similar single-discipline depth and combined structural + enclosure offering (parallel to Bennett & Pless's BPL Enclosure sister company); competes for life sciences, healthcare, and adaptive reuse engagements nationally.
• Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA): Structural and seismic engineering firm with comparable large-project expertise in high-rise, sports, and complex commercial structures; direct peer in design quality and technical specialization, though concentrated on the West Coast.
• KPFF Consulting Engineers: Engineering firm with deep structural and civil practice serving similar building and infrastructure markets including adaptive reuse, healthcare, and education; operates at larger national scale than Bennett & Pless with employee-owned governance model.
• DeSimone Consulting Engineers: Structural engineering firm with overlapping service mix including high-end residential, hospitality, adaptive reuse, and complex commercial projects; competes directly with Bennett & Pless in luxury residential and hospitality segments.

Broad incumbents

• HDR, Inc. Large multi-discipline engineering and architecture firm that includes structural engineering among a much broader portfolio of services; competes with Bennett & Pless on healthcare, education, and data center pursuits where bundled delivery is preferred.
• Burns & McDonnell: Multi-discipline engineering firm with strong presence in manufacturing, industrial, and mission-critical sectors including data centers; an incumbent that competes for the same industrial and large-program structural engagements B&P targets.

Emerging players

• AISC Steel Solutions Center / CSD Structural Engineers: Mid-sized structural engineering firm concentrating on data centers, cold storage, and industrial facilities; overlaps directly with Bennett & Pless's AST-acquired BIM/steel detailing capabilities and the cold storage and data center service lines.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bennett-pless

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Bennett & Pless