URS Corporation
Former global engineering, design, construction, and government-services company.
Last updated August 22, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
URS Corporation was a major American engineering and construction-services company that provided planning, architecture and engineering, program management, construction management, operations, maintenance, environmental services, and technical support. Its historical roots extended to a predecessor founded in 1904, while the modern organization was established in 1951 as a research group and incorporated in 1957 as Broadview Research. The company later developed from a specialist research organization into a multidisciplinary professional-services firm serving industrial, infrastructure, energy, environmental, transportation, government, and defense-related customers. A central feature of URS's growth was acquisition. In the late 1960s, the company acquired United Research Incorporated of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and adopted the United Research Services name, later shortened to URS. During the 1990s and 2000s it expanded through acquisitions including Greiner Engineering, Woodward-Clyde Group, Dames & Moore Group, EG&G Technical Services, Washington Group International, Scott Wilson Group, Apptis, and Flint Energy Services. These transactions broadened its capabilities in civil and environmental engineering, transportation, program and construction management, federal technical services, energy infrastructure, information technology, and oil-and-gas construction. URS operated as a full-service global contractor with offices across several regions and, by June 2013, more than 50,000 employees in nearly 50 countries. Its customer base included commercial and industrial companies, public agencies, utilities, national governments, and the United States federal government. The company worked on complex facilities and infrastructure such as the Kennedy Space Center, the Sellafield nuclear site in the United Kingdom, hospitals, power plants, cement facilities, transportation projects, and large public-sector programs. Federal contracting became particularly important after the 2002 acquisition of EG&G Technical Services and the 2007 acquisition of Washington Group International. URS was publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange from 1978 until its acquisition. The company encountered operational and financial pressure in its oil-and-gas division after acquiring Flint Energy Services for approximately $1.25 billion in 2012. After reporting that fiscal-year 2013 revenue and earnings were below expectations, URS announced management changes and senior departures in that division. Activist investor Jana Partners subsequently disclosed a significant ownership position and pressed management on corporate structure and shareholder value, amid speculation that the company could be separated or sold. AECOM announced an agreement to acquire URS in July 2014 in a transaction valued at approximately $4 billion in cash and shares, together with about $2 billion of assumed debt. The acquisition was completed on October 17, 2014, and URS became part of AECOM on October 20. The standalone URS corporate identity was subsequently absorbed into AECOM rather than continuing as an independent listed company. The brand is therefore historically significant in engineering and government services but is no longer an independent operating company.
History
URS Corporation traced its oldest predecessor to 1904. The modern organization was established in 1951 as United Research Services and incorporated in 1957 under the name Broadview Research, initially operating as a research group focused on physical and engineering sciences. In 1967, management adopted a growth strategy aimed at creating a broad, multidisciplinary professional-services company. The following year Broadview Research acquired United Research Incorporated of Cambridge, Massachusetts. The organization subsequently used the United Research Services name before shortening it to URS. The company expanded substantially through acquisitions. In 1996, it purchased Greiner Engineering, adding established civil and structural-engineering capabilities. Woodward-Clyde Group followed in 1997, strengthening civil, geotechnical, environmental, and international services. In 1999, URS acquired Dames & Moore Group and transport consultancy Thorburn Colquhoun, increasing its program-management, construction-management, environmental, and transportation expertise. The acquisition of EG&G Technical Services in 2002 established a stronger position in U.S. federal technical contracting. A major later step was the 2007 acquisition of Washington Group International for approximately $3.1 billion. URS operated the acquired activities as its Energy and Construction Division, expanding its presence in power, industrial, infrastructure, and government work. The company continued international and public-sector expansion through the acquisition of British engineering firm Scott Wilson Group in 2010 and Apptis Holdings in 2011. In 2012, it acquired Calgary-based Flint Energy Services for approximately $1.25 billion, creating a much larger oil-and-gas construction and services operation. By June 2013, URS had more than 50,000 employees working in nearly 50 countries. Its service model covered the full project life cycle, including planning, design, construction, commissioning, operations, maintenance, environmental remediation, and decommissioning. Important assignments included managing and operating much of the Kennedy Space Center complex for NASA, supporting operations and projects at the Sellafield nuclear site in the United Kingdom, managing the reconstruction of the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and participating in the delivery of power-generation and cement-manufacturing facilities. The company's final period as an independent business was marked by pressure in its oil-and-gas division and disappointing fiscal 2013 results. Management changes and senior departures were announced in early 2014. Jana Partners then disclosed an activist investment and advocated engagement concerning URS's board and corporate structure. In the same period, market speculation considered whether the company might be broken up or sold. AECOM announced in July 2014 that it had agreed to acquire URS in a transaction combining cash and shares and including assumed debt. The acquisition closed on October 17, 2014, with URS becoming part of AECOM on October 20. Its NYSE listing and independent corporate existence ended through that transaction.
- 2014
AECOM acquisition completed
[1]AECOM completed its acquisition of URS, ending URS's independent public-company status.
- 2012
Flint Energy Services acquired
[1]URS acquired the Calgary-based oil-and-gas construction-services company Flint Energy Services.
- 2010
Scott Wilson acquisition completed
[1]The acquisition of the British engineering firm Scott Wilson expanded URS's international engineering and infrastructure activities.
- 2007
Acquisition of Washington Group International
[1]URS acquired Washington Group International and operated it within an Energy and Construction Division.
- 2002
Acquisition of EG&G Technical Services
[1]The transaction strengthened URS's position as a U.S. federal government technical-services contractor.
- 1997
Acquisition of Woodward-Clyde Group
[1]The acquisition added civil, geotechnical, environmental, and international engineering capabilities.
- 1978
Begins NYSE trading
[1]URS began trading on the New York Stock Exchange, initially under the Thortec name before using the URS ticker.
- 1968
United Research acquisition expands multidisciplinary strategy
[1]Broadview Research acquired United Research Incorporated and moved toward the United Research Services identity.
- 1957
Broadview Research incorporated
[1]The research organization was incorporated as Broadview Research.
- 1951
Modern URS organization established
[1]United Research Services was established as the modern organizational predecessor of URS.
Products and positioning
Integrated engineering, construction, operations, and government-services provider for complex infrastructure, energy, environmental, and public-sector projects.
Engineering consulting
Engineering and design services
URS provided multidisciplinary planning, architecture, civil, structural, geotechnical, environmental, transportation, industrial, and systems-engineering services. These capabilities supported infrastructure, energy, industrial, government, and commercial projects from feasibility and concept development through detailed design and implementation.
Construction services
Program and construction management
The company managed complex capital programs and construction projects, coordinating design, procurement, contractors, schedules, costs, quality, commissioning, and client requirements. Its work included hospitals, transportation infrastructure, power facilities, industrial plants, and major public-sector programs.
Government services · 2002
Federal technical services
Following the EG&G Technical Services and Washington Group acquisitions, URS became a significant contractor to the U.S. federal government. Its work included technical support, facilities management, defense-related services, systems support, and operations for agencies and federally owned sites.
Environmental services
Environmental and nuclear services
URS supported environmental assessment, remediation, nuclear-site operations, waste management, decontamination, decommissioning, and related construction. Its assignments included work at the Sellafield nuclear complex in the United Kingdom and at U.S. government nuclear facilities.
Energy services
Energy and industrial infrastructure
Through its energy, construction, and oil-and-gas operations, URS delivered engineering and construction services for power generation, industrial processing, cement manufacturing, and oil-and-gas facilities. Examples included the Port Washington Generating Station and a large Holcim cement plant in Missouri.
Controversies
2012
Martin Olav Sabo Bridge cable failures
Two major support cables on the Martin Olav Sabo Bridge in Minneapolis failed in February 2012. The incident led to temporary closures of Hiawatha Avenue and nearby light-rail service while emergency support work was undertaken. URS had been the bridge's design consultant.
2011
Los Alamos plutonium-handling incident
At a Los Alamos nuclear facility operated in part by URS, plutonium was mishandled in an incident described as creating a near risk of an uncontrolled nuclear reaction. The event was associated with concerns about weakened safety protocols and changes to the criticality-safety team.
2007
I-35W bridge collapse litigation
After the Minneapolis I-35W bridge collapsed in August 2007, killing 13 people and injuring 145, lawsuits filed in 2008 and 2009 named URS in connection with earlier fatigue and redundancy work. The National Transportation Safety Board attributed the collapse to inadequate load capacity caused by a design error in gusset plates, combined with increased bridge weight and construction loads. URS settled the related litigation in 2010 without admitting negligence or wrongdoing, and was not involved in the work being performed on the bridge at the time of collapse.
Brand decisions
2014
Agree to be acquired by AECOMM&ABackground
Following weaker fiscal 2013 performance, activist-investor pressure, and speculation about a possible corporate breakup, URS pursued a transaction with AECOM.
Action taken
AECOM announced an agreement to acquire URS in July 2014 using cash and shares, with assumed debt included in the transaction structure.
Aftermath
The acquisition closed on October 17, 2014, and URS became part of AECOM on October 20. URS ceased to exist as an independent listed company.
Transaction consideration and assumed debt. Approximately $4 billion in cash and shares plus approximately $2 billion of assumed debt (2014)
2012
Acquire Flint Energy ServicesM&ABackground
URS sought to expand its oil-and-gas construction and services presence through the acquisition of Calgary-based Flint Energy Services.
Action taken
URS announced the acquisition in February 2012 for approximately $1.25 billion.
Aftermath
The oil-and-gas division later became associated with operational and financial difficulties that contributed to weaker-than-expected fiscal 2013 results and management changes.
Acquisition value. Approximately $1.25 billion (2012)
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/urs-corporation · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled