DeSimone Consulting Engineering Launches New Steel Procurement Service

Global engineering services leader DeSimone Consulting Engineering has announced a new steel procurement service to offer greatly enhanced cost and delivery efficiencies for clients. Structural engineer and steel design and procurement expert Dain Drake will lead the new venture as a Principal based in the company’s Houston, Texas, office.

DeSimone’s new service will transform how the company accesses high quality steel products to deliver best-in-class structural design and delivery services for complex engineering projects, particularly in the infrastructure and industrial sectors.

“With a dedicated steel procurement practice, our clients will benefit from combined DeSimone resources that drive efficiency, value, and certainty of execution while advancing sustainability in construction materials,” said Stephen DeSimone, Chairman and CEO of DeSimone Consulting Engineering. “Dain Drake’s unique experience in steel procurement will be critical to providing expanded and enhanced services to our clients.”

Drake will lead direct sourcing of steel to build economies of scale across the DeSimone platform, which last year acquired Canada-based Dowco Group of Companies to provide 3D modeling, steel detailing, and other pre-construction services. DeSimone’s steel procurement capabilities further strengthen its position as a leader in global engineering at a pivotal time when macroeconomic factors―including inflation and critical supply scarcity―continue to impact traditional industry operating models.

“As the steel market continues to undergo significant shifts, we’re bringing another piece of the building process in-house,” said DeSimone. “Aligning these critical functions will give us more control over supply and cost while building on our track record for developing innovative, sustainable solutions for our clients.”

Drake brings 25 years of steel design and fabrication experience to DeSimone. Prior to joining DeSimone, he operated his own firm providing end-to-end steel design and fabrication services to a range of clients. He began his career with United Structures of America, Inc., one of the largest manufacturers of pre-engineered metal buildings in the United States.

Said Drake, “I’m excited to join the innovative DeSimone team, where dedication, knowledge, and service are of the highest quality. Adding material procurement to Desimone’s ability to advance creative solutions to the complex challenges we face in the built environment is a unique and rare asset for the discerning client.”

Among his most recent projects, Drake is leading steel procurement and fabrication for the $1.2 billion Trumbull Energy Center in Lordtown, Ohio, which will help power nearly one million homes and meet growing demand for energy in the region. He also worked on the $200 million factory expansion for sustainable packaging company Genera Energy, Inc. in East Tennessee and the massive Blue Sky Water Reclamation facility in Taylor, Texas.

“Dain’s tremendous experience will be a major asset as we continue our focus on delivering processes, technologies and innovation that contribute to the success of every project,” concluded Stephen DeSimone. 

About DeSimone Consulting Engineering: Founded in New York City in 1969, DeSimone Consulting Engineering provides leading structural engineering, façade design consulting, integrated design and detailing, and construction consulting services across building types. Known for delivering thoughtful, innovative, and sustainable solutions to clients around the world, the firm places a premium on providing trusted, dedicated service from offices in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, South America, the Middle East, and Asia. www.de-simone.com/