Dredging/David Evans / R & H / Technology Center

David Evans and Associates bought an Olympia firm that specializes in bridge engineering.

President’s FY 2008 Budget Continues to Fund Channel

Portland - President Bush sent his 2008 Fiscal Year budget proposal to Congress this month, asking for another $15 million for the Columbia River Improvement Project. The Columbia River Channel Coalition and the Port will work to increase that amount during the Congressional appropriations process.

To date, the Corps completed 37 miles of deepening work. Federal funds have already been appropriated for 2007. Over the course of this year, the Corps will work to deepen another major section of the river, miles 71 to 91, from 40 to 43 feet.

In other Federal Budget news, the President also requested $3.2 million for the Dredged Material Management Plan for the Lower Willamette River. The plan is a comprehensive 20-year strategy for managing the sediments the Corps needs to remove in order to maintain a 40-foot navigation channel. The President’s request ensures that the Army Corps of Engineers will have enough funding to complete the crucial project.

David Evans Buys Washington Firm

Portland - David Evans and Associates, Inc. (DEA) has acquired structural and civil engineering firm CES, Inc. Engineering. CES has 15 employees based in Olympia, Wash., and serves Pacific Northwest clients in the public and private sectors. The addition of CES will complement DEA’s structural , construction and transportation engineering programs.

Founded in 1994 with an emphasis on bridge engineering services, CES added services in roadways, construction , hydraulics, inspection and testing related to transportation infrastructure improvement as the firm grew.

DEA has over 20 offices in seven states and employs more than 1,000 people. DEA is an employee-owned corporation and consistently ranks among ENR’s Top 100 Pure Design firms in the U. S.

R & H Shuffles Top Executives

Portland - R&H Construction Co. president, John Bradley, will now assume the role of CEO of the company. In his place, chief operating officer, John Ward , will become president of R&H Construction. T h e announcement of the new titles is the last step in a transition that has been taking place throughout the last year.

Ward joined the R&H team in 1981, originally serving as a superintendent and project manager before becoming the vice president of operations in 1991. Over the last sixteen years, he has overseen the efforts of all projects undertaken by R&H. John Ward ’s extensive industry knowledge, leadership and problem solving skills have been tremendous assets to the company during his tenure. As president of R&H, Ward will oversee all aspects of construction operations and general management of the company.

Benaroya Sells Oregon Technology Center

Hillsboro - The Benaroya Company, Seattle, sold the Oregon Technology Center to German-owned SolarWorld AG for $40 million. Benaroya and RPI acquired the building, located in the Sunset Corridor area of Hillsboro, Ore. from The Park Company of Oregon, LLC in September of 2006. The t ransaction included a more than 400,000 sq ft technology complex on 46 acres, including clean rooms, crystal growing areas and office space. The building was originally designed by Komatsu Silicon America to manufacture silicon wafers for semiconductors.

Solar World AG will further develop the Hillsboro factory and will, by the end of 2009, be able to produce solar silicon wafers and solar cells capable of genera ting 500 megawatts of electricity per year. The SolarWorld Group will move its current production facilities from Vancouver, Wash. to Hillsboro, Ore. This will make the Oregon site the largest solar-wafer and cell factory in the United States. Production is expected to begin summer 2007.

The SolarWorld Group is one of the top companies in the solar power industry worldwide. The group is dedicated exclusively to the core business of solar energy, combining all stages of the solar value chain, from the raw material silicon to turnkey solar power plants. The company operates production facilities in Germany, Sweden and the United States.