Outside the Region: Bold Rock Engineering joins AKF Group

Richmond, VA According to AKF, a global leader in mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection engineering (MEP/FP), information and communication technology (ICT), as well as commissioning, design, and consulting, has expanded into the Southeastern U.S. with the acquisition of Bold Rock Engineering Group, an MEP/FP and commissioning firm serving the region for nearly four decades. 

Bold Rock’s commitment to higher education, workplace, hospitality, and healthcare clients complements AKF’s already strong portfolio in these practice areas, as does its expertise in the transportation, government, and utilities sectors. 

Bold Rock’s notable projects include the redevelopment of Main St. Station, Richmond’s historic railroad station; the expansion and renovation of Washington Dulles International Airport’s International Arrivals Building; Loudon County’s Metro Rail Station Parking; the new Regattas Dining Hall at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Va.; and the recently renovated 410-key Richmond Marriott.

“This partnership makes sense for all parties involved,” said AKF CEO, Dino DeFeo, PE, “for AKF, for Bold Rock, and especially for our clients. Collectively, we’ll build on our experience to deliver innovative and client-centric solutions exceeding our clients’ expectations.”  

“Having collaborated with Bold Rock on successful projects,” DeFeo said, “we felt this was an excellent opportunity to grow the AKF family by acquiring a firm with a shared vision and culture of Engineering Leadership.”

AKF’s presence in Richmond also empowers the firm to provide additional support to existing clients, such as VCU Health, James Madison University, Inova Health, and Children’s National Medical Center.

“This is a natural progression for AKF. We’ve experienced great success with the launch of our Baltimore office, and our new office in Richmond enhances our growing operations in the Southeast,” said DeFeo. “We’re also excited to be a part of and contribute to the growth in Richmond and across Virginia.”

Bradley Lownsbury, Bold Rock’s managing principal, said, “We’ve always championed a client-first focus and simply put, joining AKF benefits our clients. As AKF Richmond, we are now a firm with local roots and global reach.”

Lownsbury also emphasized AKF’s robust offering of integrated services including IT/AV/security, fire and life safety, architectural code consulting, lighting design, and energy and sustainability as additional advantages for clients in the region.

With a long history in the state, Bold Rock Engineering has provided MEP engineering and commissioning services to architects, developers, and building owners throughout the Southeast. Bold Rock has worked with the region’s market leaders in a variety of sectors including higher education, hospitality, healthcare, cultural, commercial, government, historic preservation, transportation, and power and energy services.

AKF is a global leader providing mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection engineering (MEP/FP), information and communication technology (ICT), as well as commissioning, design, and consulting for the built environment.

With the addition of its Richmond office, AKF now has more than 500 dedicated team members and ten offices worldwide, including New York, NY; Boston, MA; Philadelphia, PA; Baltimore, MD; Minneapolis, MN; New Haven, CT; and Hamilton, NJ. AKF also has two offices in Mexico: Puebla and Mexico City.