PAT Engineering sees Michigan as construction hotbed

To say PAT Engineering is bullish on Michigan is a bit of an understatement. The construction engineering firm sees its Rochester Hills office as the hub for many of its parent company's offices from around the world, mainly because of the work that is expected to come from the Great Lakes State. "Michigan by 2022 is expected to be a very big construction marketplace," says Rick Weaver, vice president of PAT Engineering. "The forecast for Michigan is outstanding." PAT Engineering is one of several companies that form the PAT Group of International EPIC Construction Companies, which is based in Doha, Qatar. PAT Group opened PAT Engineering in Rochester Hills in 2009 as its U.S. office. It has since become the manager of its companies in Germany and Iraq and plans to add 2-6 more companies in other countries in the next year. Weaver says PAT Group laid the foundation for growth in its first 18 months. It now employs a management team of eight people with about 100 independent contractors in Rochester Hills and expects to significantly add to that location's staffing over the next year. The management staff is projected to grow by a handful of people in the next year and hiring for positions in the rest of the firm is expected to continue at a consistent pace for the remainder of 2012. Source: Rick Weaver, vice president of PAT Engineering Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.