Louis Berger Group
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Engineering, Architecture, Planning, Environmental services, Program and construction management, Economic development |
| Predecessor | Berger Group Holdings |
| Founded | 1953 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Founder | Dr. Louis Berger |
| Fate | Acquired by WSP Global in 2018 |
| Successor | WSP Global |
| Headquarters | Morristown, New Jersey , United States |
Area served | Worldwide (over 50 countries) |
Key people | Fredric S. Berger (former chairman) |
| Products | Engineering, architecture, planning, environmental services, program and construction management, economic development services |
| Owner | WSP Global |
Number of employees | Approximately 6,000 (Unknown (prior to 2018 acquisition)) |
| Parent | WSP Global |
Louis Berger (previously known as Berger Group Holdings) operates as a comprehensive firm specializing in engineering, architecture, planning, environmental services, program and construction management, along with economic development. Its headquarters are located in Morristown, New Jersey. Established in 1953 by Dr. Louis Berger in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the company grew to employ close to 6,000 professionals across over 50 countries worldwide. In 2018, it was acquired by WSP Global.
The organization caters to federal, state, and municipal government agencies, global multilateral organizations, and private sector clients. By 2011, Louis Berger had become the third largest private-sector partner of USAID, and by 2015 was ranked 25th among U.S. design firms based on total revenue according to Engineering News-Record.
The company has faced significant legal and compliance issues including settlements related to fraud allegations concerning contracts in Afghanistan, acknowledgment of violations under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act due to bribery incidents in Asia, and suspension by the World Bank for corrupt activities. Additionally, in 2019 the National Transportation Safety Board determined that Louis Berger’s insufficient peer review processes contributed to the collapse of the Florida International University pedestrian bridge, highlighting failures to detect critical structural deficiencies and to execute corrective measures.
Background
Louis Berger was established in 1953 by Louis Berger in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Born in 1914 in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Dr. Berger earned his civil engineering degree from Tufts College in 1936 and completed a master’s degree focused on soils and geology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1940. During World War II, he served in the United States Coast Guard, where he was responsible for designing waterfront infrastructure along the Mississippi River and later commanded a base in Greenland. After his military service, he obtained a PhD specializing in soil mechanics from Northwestern University and joined the faculty at Pennsylvania State University. In 1952, Dr. Berger transitioned from academia to found the engineering consulting firm that evolved into Louis Berger.
Fredric S. Berger, son of the founder, began his involvement with the company in 1972 and held the position of chairman from 2007 until his death in April 2015. He possessed a bachelor’s degree in economics from Tufts University and a master’s degree in civil engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Fredric played a key role as a founding member of the American University of Afghanistan and served on its board between 2004 and 2015. In 2013, he was appointed to advisory roles with both the U.S. Institute of Peace and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.
Early years
Among the firm’s earliest notable assignments were design contributions to the Pennsylvania Turnpike—the nation’s first turnpike—and to Interstate 80 between Denville and Netcong, recognized as New Jersey’s inaugural interstate highway project. Additionally, it designed the Herat-Islam Qala Highway in Afghanistan during 1965.
International development work
Louis Berger embarked on its first overseas assignment in 1959 when it was chosen by USAID alongside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf District to develop plans for a 435-mile highway connecting Yangon and Mandalay in Myanmar. Although initially declined by Myanmar’s government, Louis Berger revised the design incorporating more cost-effective solutions.
In December 2010, Discovery Science Channel documented the construction efforts for a new bridge spanning the Sava River in Belgrade, Serbia.
By 2012, Louis Berger had completed work on the Juba-Nimule Road within South Sudan as part of the Sudan Infrastructure Services Project. This marked South Sudan’s first paved highway linking its capital city Juba with Nimule at the border with Uganda.
Organization
Louis Berger functions through three main segments: a U.S. division (previously known as Louis Berger Group), an international division, and a services division that offers base logistics, worldwide operations and maintenance, comprehensive power solutions, as well as fueling and facility management services. The company is headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey, with regional management offices located in Washington D.C., France, the United Arab Emirates, India, and Panama. In 2018, it was acquired by the Canadian firm WSP Global for $400 million.
Industry rankings
According to Engineering News-Record, Louis Berger was positioned at number 25 among U.S. design firms by total revenue in 2015 and ranked 10th among program management companies. Additionally, in 2014, it held the 37th spot within environmental firms.
Afghanistan and Iraq
In November 2010, Louis Berger consented to a $69.3 million settlement addressing fraud allegations under the False Claims Act. The whistleblower lawsuit contended that the company charged the U.S. government for internal expenses not related to its reconstruction contracts in Afghanistan.
Protection payments to Taliban
A lawsuit initiated in 2019 on behalf of Gold Star families accused Louis Berger and other contractors of making unlawful "protection payments" to the Taliban during reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. These payments allegedly financed insurgents responsible for American casualties. In 2009, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recognized such payments as a significant source of Taliban funding.
Bribery in India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Kuwait
Between 1998 and 2010, executives at Louis Berger disbursed $3.9 million in bribes to officials across India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Kuwait to obtain contracts, violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. In 2015, the company accepted criminal liability and agreed to pay a $17.1 million fine as part of a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice. These corrupt payments were connected to World Bank-financed projects in Vietnam and led to a one-year debarment from World Bank activities due to corrupt practices.
Roads and Bridges
- Dragon River Bridge, Vietnam
- Bang Na Expressway, Thailand
- Kabul-Kandahar Highway, Afghanistan
- Third Bridge over Panama Canal, Panama
- Ada Bridge, Serbia
- Pennsylvania Turnpike, Pennsylvania
- Juba-Nimule Road, South Sudan
- Ohmi-Odori Bridge, Japan
Aviation
- Suvarnabhumi Airport
- Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport
- Ovda Air Base
- Queen Alia International Airport
Rail
- Kamalapur railway station
- Doha Metro
- MRT Blue Line
- Mumbai Monorail
- North South Railway (Saudi Arabia)