Madison-based architectural and engineering firm Strang, Inc. has had a notable presence in Wisconsin’s capital city since it started there nearly 90 years ago.
But the firm, which now has 80 employees nationwide, has been enjoying an expanded presence in the Milwaukee area in recent years, according to Robert “Matt” Matson, Jr., Strang’s senior vice president for business development and marketing in the region.
“In Madison we are well known and respected, but the market is two-and-a-half times smaller than Milwaukee. We knew we needed to be here to grow the business and be able to tap into the Milwaukee labor market, as well,” Matson said.
The firm’s Milwaukee area office, tucked away in a busy business park at Busse Road and Rockwood Drive in Waukesha, has grown from four to 22 people over the last four years, Matson said.
“In 2021 we did more work outside of Wisconsin than inside, and we do a fair amount of that out-of-state work from this office,” he said. “One of our architects was just out in Wyoming.”
In just the last year the firm finished an expansion at the Waukesha office that provided space for the additional employees as well as more conference rooms, Matson said.
Recently the firm put a three-person team in place at the Waukesha office whose skills complement each other, Mattson said. The team includes Matson; John Kolodzinski the firm’s director of mechanical engineering; and Rick Gilbertsen, senior vice president and project director.
“Rick has lots of experience working with marquee clients, and John is an accomplished mechanical engineer who is very well known. They have been a great catalyst for growth,” Mattson said.
The firm’s work is spread across five primary segments, with the bulk of its clients being science and advance manufacturing companies, corporate commercial firms, and government.
Some of the company’s local clients include WEC Energy Group, MATC, UWM and BRP.
“We just completed a plan at MATC and are doing some work for UW-Milwaukee now” Mattson said. “We’ve also done some work for culture and performing arts groups, including an historic renovation study for the Pabst Mansion.”
