Outside the Region: Thornton Tomasetti opens office in Copenhagen; Postawa named director

Copenhagen, DK Thornton Tomasetti, the international engineering firm, has opened a new office. Principal and UK director Les Postawa is serving as director of Thornton Tomasetti A/S.

The new office will initially focus on providing structural and façade engineering services, with support from the firm’s sustainability team. Local clients will have access to services provided by all of the firm’s practices, including protective design, which offers trusted security and counter-terrorist solutions to protect structures from threats.

“A growing list of successful projects with Danish clients has led to the establishment of our new location in Copenhagen, operating through our Danish subsidiary, Thornton Tomasetti A/S,” Phill Thompson, principal and European region leader, said.

“We have long-standing connections with international and local architects in Denmark,” Postawa said. “These opportunities, combined with the uncertainty of Brexit, indicated that time was right to establish a permanent presence within the European Union, and Copenhagen was the natural choice. Architects and developers here are eager to engage consultants such as Thornton Tomasetti who have the ability and experience to design creatively and innovatively in a variety of materials.”

The firm held an official launch hosted by the British Embassy in Copenhagen where clients and collaborators, joined by the British ambassador and staff, celebrated its arrival in Denmark. Since the new location is closely allied with the firm’s UK offices, the embassy has been providing support and introductions for the venture. Additional assistance was given by the organization Copenhagen Capacity, which supports companies entering the Copenhagen metro area.

The firm sees strong potential for its Applied Science practice, which offers advanced computer simulation and analysis of extreme loads on structures, and will be pursuing defence-related work. 

“Our Applied Science practice already works with several Danish defence companies, and we have found that our services – from modelling of blast effects on buildings to shock testing of naval equipment using explosives – have generated considerable interest in the short time we have been in Denmark,” Thompson said.

Thornton Tomasetti is currently located in temporary space in Copenhagen. A search for a permanent location and senior leader to spearhead the operation is underway.