VLMK Engineering + Design
VLMK Engineering + Design is a privately held structural and civil engineering consulting firm, founded 1971 and headquartered in Portland, OR, with offices in Vancouver, WA and Scottsdale, AZ. It serves architects, owners, developers, contractors, and brokers across commercial, industrial, retail, and institutional building projects, specializing in concrete tilt-up construction.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What VLMK Engineering + Design does
VLMK Engineering + Design is a privately held structural and civil engineering consulting firm founded in 1971 in Portland, Oregon. The firm designs and engineers commercial, industrial, retail, multi-family, institutional, and religious building projects using concrete, steel, wood, masonry, and light-gauge metal construction types, with a documented specialty in concrete tilt-up construction — VLMK helped bring tilt-up to the Pacific Northwest and maintains committee participation in the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and Tilt-up Concrete Association (TCA). Its service portfolio centers on Structural Engineering and Civil Engineering, supplemented by Industrial Building Design, Master Planning, Entitlement Services, Due Diligence Services, Studies + Evaluation, Industrial Tenant Improvement, Special Projects, and Promotional Materials.
The firm operates from three offices: Portland, OR (headquarters since 1971), Vancouver, WA (opened 2022 inside the Columbia Tech Center), and Scottsdale, AZ (opened 2023 in the Scottsdale Summit Business Center). It runs a sales-led go-to-market as both prime consultant and subconsultant, winning work primarily through long-standing client relationships and regional reputation rather than external marketing. Customers span architects, owners/developers, contractors, and brokers, with marquee repeat engagements including structural engineering for 500+ Grocery Outlet locations, ongoing industrial work for Schnitzer Properties, and multi-decade relationships with regional distributors such as Caruso Produce, Columbia Distributing, and Southern Wine & Spirits.
VLMK bills on a project-by-project basis under multi-year client engagements, employs approximately 50+ engineers, designers, CAD technicians, and support staff licensed as PEs and SEs across multiple states, and is led by President Chris Palmateer (since 2024) alongside Senior Principals Kevin Kaplan, Trent Nagele, Jason Sahlin, Justin Elliott, and Havlin Kemp — comprising the third generation of leadership since the firm's founding. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors and no parent company, and it has not publicly disclosed revenue, pricing, or funding.
VLMK Engineering + Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- VLMK Engineering + Design
- Legal name
- VLMK Engineering + Design
- Website
- https://vlmk.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- VLMK Engineering + Design is a privately held structural and civil engineering consulting firm, founded 1971 and headquartered in Portland, OR, with offices in Vancouver, WA and Scottsdale, AZ. It serves architects, owners, developers, contractors, and brokers across commercial, industrial, retail, and institutional building projects, specializing in concrete tilt-up construction.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
VLMK Engineering + Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Structural and Civil Engineering Consulting Services
- NAICS
- Engineering Services (541330), Architectural Services (541310)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Construction Engineering & Constructability Consulting (BPAHAIAN)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)
Keywords
Where VLMK Engineering + Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
VLMK Engineering + Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Engineering Consulting Services: Professional engineering services billed on a project basis, including structural engineering, civil engineering, master planning, special projects, entitlement services, tenant improvements, permitting, and due diligence for building projects.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based consulting services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
VLMK Engineering + Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VLMK Engineering + Design provides consulting engineering services for the built environment, with Structural Engineering and Civil Engineering as core offerings, supplemented by Industrial Building Design, Master Planning, Entitlement Services, Due Diligence, Industrial Tenant Improvement, Special Projects, and Promotional Materials. The firm designs and analyzes commercial, industrial, retail, multi-family, institutional, and religious building projects using concrete, steel, wood, masonry, and light gauge metal construction, and is recognized as a regional leader in tilt-up concrete construction.
Product overview
VLMK Engineering + Design is a consulting engineering firm that provides structural and civil engineering services for the built environment. The firm's service portfolio centers on Structural Engineering and Civil Engineering as core offerings, supplemented by specialized service modules including Industrial Building Design, Master Planning, Entitlement Services, Due Diligence Services, Studies + Evaluation, Industrial Tenant Improvement, Special Projects, and Promotional Materials. The company serves clients across commercial, industrial, and institutional market sectors throughout the Northwest and beyond, operating from offices in Portland (HQ), Vancouver, WA, and Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Structural Engineering Core structural engineering consulting covering design and analysis for commercial, industrial, retail, multi-family, educational, religious, and entertainment building types using concrete, steel, wood, masonry, and light gauge metal construction types.
- Civil Engineering Civil engineering services for site development and building construction, ranging from site layout and design of large industrial parks to commercial and retail developments.
- Industrial Building Design Comprehensive planning and building design services for industrial users and developers, including master-planned industrial developments, commercial and light-industrial business parks, warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and multi-tenant flex and incubator spaces.
- Master Planning Master planning experience for small and large scale industrial complexes, including site planning, land use planning, zoning reviews, infrastructure studies, and development review submittals.
- Entitlement Services Assistance with land use planning, permit coordination, and navigating jurisdictional requirements including administrative reviews, conditional use permits, site development permits, variances, and rezoning.
- Due Diligence Services Property condition inspections, zoning code reviews, site development constraint evaluations, infrastructure entitlement requirements, survey and easement review, and natural hazard and soils/geotechnical report reviews.
- Studies + Evaluation Engineering investigations, feasibility studies, seismic evaluations, and reviews for code compliance covering zoning, fire and life-safety, ADA, and landscaping.
- Industrial Tenant Improvement Design and engineering services for light industrial tenant improvements including space planning, building occupancy and fire-life safety code reviews, and building and site renovation.
- Special Projects Smaller engineering projects including equipment support and anchorage, evaluation and design of repairs, temporary structures, residential additions, and specialized structures.
Quantifiable outcome
- Structural Engineering for over 500+ Grocery Outlet locations
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use VLMK Engineering + Design
Customer profileNamed customers18 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
VLMK Engineering + Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
VLMK Engineering + Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Woodblock ArchitecturecoreLong-standing architectural partner collaborating on multiple projects including Voodoo Doughnuts locations, Boys & Girls Club, and Modern Times Brewery. VLMK provides structural engineering while Woodblock provides architectural design.
- Axis Design GroupcoreArchitectural partner for Sheppard Auto Group project. Axis Design Group provides architectural design while VLMK provides structural engineering services.
- Schnitzer PropertiescoreOngoing partnership with Schnitzer Properties for industrial development projects including Sherwood Commerce Center (445,000 SF) and Tropical Speedway Commerce Center (150,851 SF). VLMK provides comprehensive planning, architectural design, structural engineering, civil engineering, and permitting services.
- Deacon ConstructionminorGeneral contractor partner for Modern Times Brewery project. VLMK worked with Woodblock Architecture and Deacon Construction on this micro-brewery expansion.
- Perlo ConstructionminorConstruction partner for Composites One project. VLMK provided structural engineering for Simonson & Associates Architects and Perlo Construction on this 71,100 SF distribution facility.
- TVA ArchitectsminorArchitectural partner for Columbia Tech Center Buildings 687-688 project. VLMK provided structural engineering and construction administration for this 49,000 SF mass timber project.
- Caruso ProducecoreLong-term client relationship. VLMK provided civil and structural engineering services and architectural design for Caruso Produce's 95,672 SF distribution warehouse in Canby, OR.
- Scott Edwards ArchitectureminorArchitectural partner for Mike's Drive-In renovation project. VLMK provided structural engineering for the conversion of a former bank into a restaurant.
- LRS ArchitectsminorArchitectural partner for Fanno Creek Place project. VLMK provided structural engineering expertise for 135,000 SF concrete tilt-up office buildings.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves13 records
Expansion highlights5 records
VLMK Engineering + Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Mead & Hunt: Mead & Hunt is a national architecture, engineering, and planning firm with structural and civil consulting serving institutional, industrial, and public-sector clients. Overlaps with VLMK in Pacific Northwest structural engineering for commercial and institutional building types.
- Stantec: Stantec is a global AEC firm with broad structural, civil, and architectural capabilities serving industrial, commercial, and institutional clients across North America. Competes with VLMK for large multi-site enterprise rollouts but at vastly greater scale and through a wider portfolio.
Direct peers
- DCI Engineers: DCI Engineers is a Pacific Northwest-founded structural engineering consultancy with offices across the Western U.S., serving similar industrial, commercial and institutional clients to VLMK. Its scale and tilt-up expertise make it a direct competitor for the same set of architects and developers.
- Otak: Otak is a Portland-based multidisciplinary firm offering structural, civil, and architectural engineering with a strong industrial and community-development practice. Overlap with VLMK in Pacific Northwest structural/civil consulting for developers and architects.
- KPFF Consulting Engineers: KPFF is a structural and civil engineering consulting firm with deep Pacific Northwest roots that has expanded nationally, offering nearly identical services (structural engineering, civil/site design, master planning) to architects, owners, and contractors. It is the closest direct competitor to VLMK in target services and geography.
- Coffman Engineers: Coffman Engineers is a Pacific Northwest-headquartered multi-discipline engineering firm offering structural, civil, mechanical and electrical engineering. Senior VLMK principal Kevin Kaplan joined from Coffman, confirming competitive overlap in structural engineering for commercial and industrial buildings.
- Murraysmith: Murraysmith is a Pacific Northwest consulting firm specializing in civil and structural engineering for water, transportation, and building infrastructure. Comparable to VLMK in serving public and private clients with structural/civil design, though tilted more toward infrastructure and water.
- Catena Consulting Engineers: Catena is a structural engineering consulting firm serving architects, developers, and contractors across the Pacific Northwest with comparable scopes (new buildings, renovations, tenant improvements). Direct comparable in service mix and regional focus to VLMK.
- Barghausen Consulting Engineers: Barghausen is a Pacific Northwest-based civil and structural engineering consultancy serving architects, developers, contractors and retailers with master planning, site civil, and structural design. Highly comparable service mix to VLMK across all four core customer segments.
- Miller Consulting Engineers: Miller Consulting Engineers is a Pacific Northwest structural engineering firm that serves architects and developers on commercial, industrial, healthcare and institutional projects. Direct peer for structural design services with comparable size and client mix to VLMK.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
VLMK Engineering + Design social profiles
Digital presenceVLMK Engineering + Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
VLMK Engineering + Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
VLMK Engineering + Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
VLMK Engineering + Design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about VLMK Engineering + Design
What does VLMK Engineering + Design do?
VLMK Engineering + Design provides consulting engineering services for the built environment, with Structural Engineering and Civil Engineering as core offerings, supplemented by Industrial Building Design, Master Planning, Entitlement Services, Due Diligence, Industrial Tenant Improvement, Special Projects, and Promotional Materials. The firm designs and analyzes commercial, industrial, retail, multi-family, institutional, and religious building projects using concrete, steel, wood, masonry, and light gauge metal construction, and is recognized as a regional leader in tilt-up concrete construction.
Is VLMK Engineering + Design a public or private company?
VLMK Engineering + Design is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was VLMK Engineering + Design founded?
VLMK Engineering + Design was founded in 1971. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is VLMK Engineering + Design based?
VLMK Engineering + Design is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does VLMK Engineering + Design make money?
One revenue line is on record: engineering Consulting Services.
Who are VLMK Engineering + Design's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Mead & Hunt and Stantec. Direct peers are DCI Engineers, Otak, KPFF Consulting Engineers, Coffman Engineers, Murraysmith, Catena Consulting Engineers, Barghausen Consulting Engineers and Miller Consulting Engineers.
Does VLMK Engineering + Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for VLMK Engineering + Design.
What industry is VLMK Engineering + Design in?
VLMK Engineering + Design's product category is Structural and Civil Engineering Consulting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAIAN, Construction Engineering & Constructability Consulting, with a secondary code of BPAHAKAA, Architectural Design Services. Its NAICS code is 541330 and its SIC code is 8711.