AECOM - History

History

AECOM was launched as an independent company in 1990, though its history can be traced back to the early 20th century and the inception of the Ashland Oil & Refining Company in Kentucky. Through a series of acquisitions and technological developments prior to the buyout, Ashland grew to include chemical, petrochemical, highway construction and construction materials firms within its realm, laying the groundwork for the creation of Ashland Technology in 1985. One of Ashland's acquisitions included Daniel, Mann, Johnson & Mendenhall (DMJM), a transportation-related engineering firm, in 1984. Richard Newman was president of DMJM at the time of the acquisition and was later named president of Ashland Technology. When Ashland chose to return to its core petroleum refining business in the late 1980s, Newman recommended an employee buyback proposal, resulting in the spin-off of Ashland Technology and the creation of AECOM in 1990.

After scuttling a first attempt in 2002, AECOM went public during May 2007 with an initial public offering on the NYSE, netting $468.3 million.

On July 28, 2008, AECOM completed its purchase of Earth Tech Inc., a consulting and engineering firm, from Tyco International for $510 million.

In September 2008, AECOM and Citation Technologies launched a new international EHS Audit Protocol Platform and regulatory research tool - “IAPC Interactive.”