What Primera Engineers does

Primera Engineers is a woman-owned (WBE) and employee-owned (ESOP since 2019) engineering design and consulting firm founded in 1987 and headquartered in Chicago. The firm operates four service divisions — Buildings, Transportation, Utilities, and Business Consulting — delivering multidisciplinary engineering across mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural, civil, telecommunications, commissioning, energy, architecture, sustainability, life safety, lighting, transportation, natural gas, power delivery, and project/construction management disciplines. It serves government, education, healthcare, utility, aviation, commercial, and industrial clients, generating project-based professional services fees through competitive bidding on public-sector contracts, RFP responses, and client referrals.

The firm holds ISO 9001:2015 certification (described as one of only a few engineering firms in the U.S. with this status, maintained since 2007) and operates from offices in Chicago, Lisle, Denver, Grapevine (DFW), Chadds Ford (Philadelphia area), Crown Point (Indiana), and College Park (Atlanta). Its delivery stack uses industry-standard CAD, BIM, and GIS tools alongside an AI image classification proof-of-concept for utility asset identification. Long-standing client relationships include ComEd (since 1991 with a 2008 blanket contract), City of Chicago (since 1991), Denver International Airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), the U.S. Navy, and BBVA Bancomer (first international project, 2011).

Strategic positioning rests on WBE/FBE certifications that unlock set-aside procurement, an ESOP plus open-book management culture, and recognitions including ENR Top 500 Design Firms, ENR Top Green, ENR Top Midwest, MEP Giants, and consecutive Crain's Top Women-Owned Business awards (2022-2025). The company surpassed $60M in revenue in 2025 with approximately 400 employees across 25 states as of 2026, growth catalyzed by the 2024 acquisition of Corey Electrical Engineering which anchored the Denver market and aviation practice.

Name

Primera Engineers

Legal name

Primera Engineers, Ltd.

Website

https://primeraeng.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Primera Engineers is a woman-owned, employee-owned engineering design and consulting firm delivering multidisciplinary buildings, transportation, utilities, and business consulting services to government, utility, aviation, education, and commercial clients across the U.S.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Engineering Design and Consulting Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (541330), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Architectural Services (54131)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Engineering design services (line design, substation design, civil/structural) (EUADAKAG), T&D project/program management & owner’s engineering (EPCM/PMC) (EUADAKAF), Construction Program Management (Multi-site/Portfolio) (IMAFAAAF), Systems Engineering & Technical Program Management (BPAHAIAI)

Keywords

• Engineering design services
• Transportation engineering
• Utility engineering
• Building MEP design
• Construction management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Engineering Design and Consulting Services: Professional services revenue generated through project-based fees for engineering design, consulting, and construction management services across Buildings, Transportation, Utilities, and Business Consulting divisions. Projects range from single-discipline assignments to complex multidisciplinary efforts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Primera Engineers provides multidisciplinary engineering design and consulting services through four core divisions: Buildings, Transportation, Utilities, and Business Consulting. Services span mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP), structural, civil, telecommunications, commissioning, energy, architecture, sustainability, life safety, lighting, transportation, natural gas, power delivery, project and construction management, and business consulting. Projects range from single-discipline assignments to complex multidisciplinary efforts delivered for government, utility, healthcare, education, and commercial clients.

Product overview

Primera Engineers is a woman-owned engineering design and consulting firm that operates as a unified professional services organization with four core service divisions: Buildings, Transportation, Utilities, and Business Consulting. The company does not offer a software product or platform but rather provides comprehensive engineering and consulting services delivered by multidisciplinary teams. Services span mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP), structural, civil, telecommunications, commissioning, energy, architecture, sustainability, life safety, lighting design, fire protection, transportation engineering, natural gas, power delivery, project and construction management, and business consulting. The four divisions work collaboratively, with Business Consulting offering change management, data analytics, GIS, and program/project management services that complement the technical engineering offerings across Buildings, Transportation, and Utilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Primera Foundation: A not-for-profit entity established in 2018 to support STEM education and provide scholarships for students interested in science, technology, engineering, and math careers.

Products and services

• Buildings Division

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered community, core, expansion, major project, internal and industry.

• Society of Women Engineers (SWE)communityStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2025Primera Foundation partnered with the Society of Women Engineers in May 2025 for scholarship support and empowerment of women in engineering.
• Corey Electrical EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2024Primera's first acquisition joined forces with woman-owned Corey Electrical Engineering, Inc. in June 2024 to solidify Primera's presence in the Denver area. The Corey team brought 37-year history of electrical engineering services in the education sector and strengthened Primera's Aviation team with experience at Denver International Airport.
• Huntsville UtilitiesexpansionStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 July 2023Primera expanded into Alabama through a partnership with Huntsville Utilities in July 2023. This represented Primera's entry into the Alabama market for utility engineering services.
• The City of Naperville's Electric UtilitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2023Primera formed a strategic partnership with The City of Naperville's Electric Utility in April 2023 to provide electric utility engineering services. This partnership expanded Primera's presence in the Chicago metropolitan area utilities market.
• HOKmajor projectStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 January 2022Dallas Fort Worth International Airport selected the HOK/Primera team for Facilities Design/Design Management Services. This is a significant partnership for aviation infrastructure projects at DFW.
• Great Game of Business (GGOB)internalOthers · 1 January 2017Primera began practicing open book management through the Great Game of Business (GGOB) principles starting in 2020, teaching employees how the business works and empowering decision-making.
• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)industryOthers · 1 January 2000Primera became a founding member of the Chicago Chapter of the USGBC in 2000, demonstrating early commitment to green building and LEED certification expertise.
• Female StrongcommunityStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimera Foundation partnered with Female Strong for the All Girls STEM Camp, supporting STEM education for young women in underserved communities.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PrimeraEngineers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/primera-engineers
• Instagraminstagram.com/primeraeng
• Xx.com/PrimeraEng

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Primera Engineers