What Ruby+Associates does

Ruby+Associates is a US structural engineering firm founded in 1984 by David Ruby, specializing in steel construction engineering with a core methodology centered on "constructability" — integrating construction knowledge into the design process to compress schedules, reduce costs, and improve safety. The firm is headquartered in Bingham Farms, Michigan, with a second Michigan office in Grand Rapids, and holds engineering licenses across 42 US states, the District of Columbia, and three Canadian provinces, enabling it to serve clients nationwide. Service offerings span construction engineering, building design, connection design, erection engineering, heavy lift engineering, building analysis and reinforcement, conveyances, and the proprietary LeanSteel® design-detail methodology. Clients include General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, NASA, the US Navy, UPS, United Wholesale Mortgage, major healthcare systems, and stadium developers; the firm has engineered signature projects including the Ford Field lifts (two largest steel lifts in North American history), the GM Ultium battery cell manufacturing facilities, and a children's hospital cited as the world's tallest.

The firm operates a project-based professional services revenue model with fees determined by scope, complexity, and client requirements; no SaaS or productized revenue streams exist. Business development is relationship-driven, targeting steel fabricators, erectors, general contractors, architects, and large end-clients in automotive, healthcare, aerospace, government, and real estate. Since November 2023, Ruby+Associates has operated as a subsidiary of Degenkolb Engineers under the brand "Ruby+Associates, a Degenkolb Company," forming a combined firm of more than 300 professionals across 10 office locations. Leadership transitioned from founder David Ruby to his daughter Tricia Ruby (CEO from 2011) and, post-acquisition, to Tricia Ruby's current Principal and Group Director role. The firm is privately held with no external funding rounds; its competitive position rests on its authorship of the AISC Design Guide 23 on constructability, a registered LeanSteel® methodology, and 60+ years of accumulated expertise in connection and erection engineering.

Name

Ruby+Associates

Legal name

Ruby+Associates

Website

https://rubyandassociates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ruby+Associates is a Michigan-based structural engineering firm specializing in constructability-focused steel design, connection engineering, and erection planning for enterprise clients in automotive, healthcare, aerospace, and government sectors. It operates as a subsidiary of Degenkolb Engineers following a 2023 acquisition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Structural Engineering Consulting Services: Project-based professional services revenue from providing structural engineering services including construction engineering, building design, connection design, erection engineering, and heavy lift engineering to clients in construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ruby+Associates is a structural engineering consulting firm that provides constructability-focused design and engineering services for complex steel structures. The firm sells core services including Construction Engineering, Building Design, Connection Design, Erection Engineering, Heavy Lift Engineering, Building Analysis/Reinforcement, Conveyances, and the proprietary LeanSteel® Design/Detail methodology to steel fabricators, erectors, general contractors, architects, automotive manufacturers, healthcare systems, aerospace operators, and government clients.

Product overview

Ruby+Associates is a structural engineering firm specializing in steel construction, offering a unified portfolio of engineering services centered on constructability—the integration of construction knowledge into design to improve efficiency and maximize cost and schedule savings. The company's core services include Construction Engineering, Building Design, Connection Design, Erection Engineering, Heavy Lift Engineering, Building Analysis/Reinforcement, Conveyances, and the proprietary LeanSteel® Design/Detail methodology. LeanSteel® serves as the firm's differentiated approach, combining design and detailing services to streamline the steel supply chain. Unlike a software product company, Ruby+Associates delivers professional engineering services as its primary offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LeanSteel®: An innovative project delivery approach that streamlines design-build projects, optimizing the steel supply chain and providing efficient, cost-effective solutions for clients.

Products and services

• Construction Engineering Provides responsive and decisive on-site engineering solutions in a rapidly developing construction environment, integrating construction knowledge into design to improve efficiency and maximize cost and schedule savings. Targeted at steel fabricators, erectors, general contractors, and construction managers on complex steel projects.
• Building Design Structural engineering design services that shorten construction schedules, reduce costs, and deliver outstanding projects through constructability-focused approaches for architecturally ambitious or structurally complex steel buildings.
• Connection Design Steel connection design services for both shop and field fabrication, optimized for constructability to ensure efficient and safe structural assemblies. Targeted at fabricators and steel erectors seeking expert connection engineering integrated with construction knowledge.
• Erection Engineering Designs comprehensive plans to stage and erect structural steel systems in the safest and most efficient manner possible, including detailed erection and rigging plans for steel construction projects. Targeted at steel erectors, general contractors, and project owners executing complex steel lifts.
• Heavy Lift Engineering Engineering services for complex heavy lift operations, including strand jack lifts, crane lifts, and alternative erection methods for large-scale structural elements. Targeted at industrial, aerospace, and infrastructure projects such as 850-ton lifts and the largest steel lifts in North American history.
• Building Analysis/Reinforcement Structural analysis and reinforcement services for existing buildings, evaluating load capacity and designing strengthening solutions. Targeted at building owners and managers addressing structural adequacy, change of use, or aging infrastructure.
• Conveyances Design services for conveyor systems, mezzanines, and material handling structures in industrial and manufacturing facilities, such as automotive body shops and battery cell plants. Targeted at manufacturing and industrial clients.
• LeanSteel® Design/Detail A streamlined design-detail process that optimizes the steel supply chain by integrating design and detailing services, providing efficient and cost-effective solutions for steel-intensive projects. Ruby's proprietary approach that accelerates steel delivery through combined design and detailing capabilities, targeted at steel fabricators and design-build project teams.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced construction costs through constructability integration
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Degenkolb EngineerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023In November 2023, Ruby+Associates was acquired by Degenkolb Engineers, a structural engineering firm founded in 1940. The combined firm has over 300 professionals in 10 office locations. Ruby+Associates operates as Ruby+Associates, a Degenkolb Company, expanding Degenkolb's presence beyond the western US for the first time in its 83+ year history. The acquisition enhances capabilities in healthcare, science/technology, education, and federal projects.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• WSP: Global professional services firm with a major structural engineering practice serving commercial, healthcare, transportation, and industrial clients. Overlaps with Ruby on building design and construction engineering but as part of a much larger diversified portfolio.
• HDR Inc. Engineering and architecture firm with strong healthcare, education, and federal practices. Comparable on healthcare and institutional structural engineering but broader in scope and significantly larger scale.
• Arup: Global engineering consultancy with deep structural steel expertise across buildings, sports venues, and industrial facilities. Overlaps with Ruby's construction engineering and heavy lift work but at significantly larger scale and broader service portfolio.
• Degenkolb Engineers: Ruby+Associates' parent company following the November 2023 acquisition. Degenkolb is a 80+ year-old structural engineering firm with deep healthcare, education, science/technology, and federal practices across the western U.S. Provides direct comparability on structural engineering services, though broader in scope and geography.
• Burns & McDonnell: Large diversified engineering firm with industrial and manufacturing facility design capabilities, including structural work for auto and aerospace clients. Comparable on industrial/manufacturing customer base but broader scope.
• SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill): Global architecture, engineering, and urban planning firm with pioneering structural steel practice. Overlaps with Ruby on complex steel building design but operates at much larger scale and as part of integrated design practice.

Direct peers

• Thornton Tomasetti: Global structural engineering firm with strong steel and tall-building practices, including construction engineering and connection design. Comparable in delivering complex steel structures for marquee clients across healthcare, sports venues, and aviation.
• Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH): Structural engineering firm with deep expertise in steel, building analysis, and reinforcement work. Comparable on building analysis/reinforcement and structural design for complex existing and new structures.
• Walter P Moore: Structural and civil engineering firm with significant steel expertise, serving sports, healthcare, and commercial markets. Directly comparable to Ruby on connection design, erection engineering, and constructability-driven building design.
• Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA): Structural and civil engineering consultancy known for complex steel and tall-building projects globally. Comparable on building design, connection design, and serving major developers and contractors on iconic steel structures.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/ruby_on_instagram
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ruby-associates-inc-structural-engineers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Ruby+Associates