North American design firm Stantec has acquired Seattle-based, 130-person Sparling, and their lighting design division Candela. A recognized industry authority in electrical engineering and architectural lighting design, the company has award-winning expertise in technology, wireless, audiovisual, lighting and acoustic design. Sparling has offices in Seattle, San Diego, and Portland with a list of top-tier public and private sector clients. The transaction is expected to close in late February.

“Sparling brings a talented team of individuals to our organization in a region that is very important to Stantec,” said Bob Gomes, Stantec president and chief executive officer. “From the Pacific Northwest, they’ve established themselves as a creative, client-focused industry leader and will be a major complement to our growing buildings practice.”

Following nearly seven decades of operation, Sparling has serviced clients in a variety of sectors, including healthcare, corporate/commercial, entertainment, academics, government, military, and hospitality, among others.

“This is a major strategic opportunity for us,” said Eric Overton, Sparling president and CEO. “We can now expand our reach in our key core markets, and will have the opportunity to compete for large, high profile, complex projects with greater project diversity.  Most importantly, our clients will now have access to a broader set of services. I could not be more proud of the history and legacy of Sparling and our strong future going forward with Stantec.”

From its base of more than 15,000 employees, Stantec currently has nearly 6,500 team members working across the United States, including more than 1,800 in the US West.