STO Building Group Acquires Abbott Construction

NEW YORK, New York/SEATTLE, Washington (November 30, 2020)—Abbott Construction announced that it has merged with STO Building Group to become a member of the STO family of companies. The merger will allow both firms to leverage each other’s geographic reach to better serve clients with multiple locations and enhance the services and areas of expertise they can offer across that expanded footprint.

“We see joining the STO family as an exciting next step in what we can offer our clients and our employees without sacrificing who we are and have been for the past 35-plus years,” said Troy Stedman, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Abbott. “We know from first-hand experience working together that our companies value integrity, collaboration and a client-first way of doing business, so formally joining forces makes perfect sense.”

“From our existing relationship working with Abbott on two significant joint venture projects, we are confident that this merger is a great fit for both companies,” said David Layton, president and CEO of Layton Construction, who Abbott will report through. “And with Layton’s proximity to the Pacific Northwest and existing presence in Southern California, we’re looking forward to helping Abbott grow in those core markets.”

Founded in 1983, Abbott is a West Coast commercial builder known for superior planning and execution. They work with clients in a variety of sectors such as healthcare, hospitality, education, nonprofit, retail, and tenant interiors. Some of their most notable recent projects include the Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and University of Puget Sound Welcome Center in Tacoma, Washington, FAA Northwest Mountain Regional Headquarters in Des Moines, Washington, Big Fish Games Seattle headquarters, the UCLA Margo Leavin Graduate Art Studios in Culver City, California, and h Club Los Angeles.

“The Pacific Northwest has been a key strategic market for the STO Building Group, and Abbott is a terrific addition to our family of companies,” said Robert Mullen, STO Building Group CEO. “By joining forces, both firms can leverage each other’s geographic reach and take advantage of each other’s strengths, relationships, geographies, and resources to better serve our clients across the globe.”

Formerly operating as the Structure Tone Organization, STO restructured as the STO Building Group in 2018 to provide a platform for growth that allows each of its member companies to maintain their cultural identity while leveraging the strengths of a multi-company organization. In the last 4 years, Canadian firm Govan Brown and United States firms Ajax Building Company, BCCI Construction and Layton Construction have merged with STO Building Group.

“The opportunity to merge with such an incredible firm as Abbott is exactly why we shifted our structure to STO Building Group,” said James Donaghy, STO Building Group executive chairman. “We value the reputation and heritage of the firms who merge with our organization, and each has kept its identity as a way to honor that legacy. As we continue to grow, we want to respect that history, but also reflect the collective expertise our companies offer and allow our employees to benefit from the larger organization’s resources.”

Now part of the STO Building Group family of companies, Abbott will keep its identity, and its current leaders will retain an ownership position in the organization and maintain their roles as the senior leadership team of the business. It is anticipated that new job opportunities will be created as a result of the merger to support the company’s projected growth for 2021 and beyond.