R. W. Beck, Inc.
| Company type | Private (formerly) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Engineering design, Infrastructure consulting |
| Founded | 1942 |
| Founder | Robert W. Beck |
| Defunct | 2009 |
| Fate | Acquired by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) and integrated into Leidos Engineering LLC |
| Successor | Leidos Engineering LLC |
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington , United States |
Area served | United States, Singapore |
Key people | Robert W. Beck (founder) |
| Products | Engineering design and consulting services for energy, water, wastewater, and solid waste sectors |
| Owner | Leidos (parent company) |
Number of employees | Approximately 650 (At peak (date not specified)) |
| Parent | Leidos (formerly SAIC) |
R. W. Beck, Inc. operated as an engineering design firm with expertise in both public and private sector infrastructure projects.
Established in 1942 by Robert W. Beck in Columbus, Nebraska, the company later relocated its headquarters to Seattle and maintained several offices across the United States, as well as one in Singapore. Today, R.W. Beck Inc. functions as a division within Leidos.
History
Robert W. Beck, who was among the founding members of the American Public Power Association, initiated the company which became a partnership named R.W. Beck & Associates in 1954. During this period, the firm broadened its scope to include hydroelectric developments and electrical design management services. In 1957, it played a role in creating the country's first Joint Action Agency, the Washington Public Power Supply System (currently known as Energy Northwest). The 1960s saw the addition of water and wastewater service lines, followed by solid waste consulting introduced in the 1970s. The organization formally incorporated as R.W. Beck, Inc. in 1996.
At its height, R.W. Beck provided services to sectors such as energy, water, wastewater, and solid waste management, employing approximately 650 professionals including engineers, economists, and analysts. Its clientele encompassed utilities, municipal governments, financial entities, and private investors. Among its subsidiaries was Beck Disaster Recovery Inc. (BDR), which specialized in emergency management advisory services for government bodies nationwide.
By 2008, R.W. Beck maintained close to sixteen offices throughout the United States—covering cities like Boston, Denver, Seattle, Orlando, and Nashville—and had established an office in Singapore in 2004.
In 2007, R.W. Beck expanded through the acquisition of Plexus Research, Inc., a Massachusetts-based consultancy focused on utility technologies such as Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and Automatic Meter Reading (AMR). That same year also saw the purchase of Barnes & Click, Inc., a Texas company serving industries involved in hydrocarbon processing including petroleum refining and petrochemical sectors.
In July 2009, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) completed its acquisition of R.W. Beck; by 2011, the firm was fully integrated into SAIC's Energy, Environment & Infrastructure LLC division—currently operating under the name Leidos Engineering LLC.