PS&S Deepens South Jersey Hold with Marathon Engineering Deal

WARREN, NJ – April 29, 2026 – In a significant strategic maneuver, full-service architecture and engineering firm PS&S announced today it has absorbed the practice and employees of Marathon Engineering, a specialized firm based in Swedesboro, New Jersey. The employee and practice transfer agreement marks a calculated expansion for PS&S, bolstering its presence in the competitive southwest and central New Jersey markets while simultaneously addressing a critical, industry-wide shortage of experienced technical talent.

The move integrates Marathon's team and its portfolio of civil engineering, environmental, and site development projects into the PS&S platform, promising a seamless transition for a client base spanning the industrial, commercial, and infrastructure sectors.

A Strategic Play for Regional Dominance

This agreement is far more than a simple expansion; it represents a key move in PS&S's long-term growth strategy. The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry has seen a surge in mergers, acquisitions, and similar transfer agreements, driven by firms seeking to gain a competitive edge, expand their geographic footprint, and secure skilled labor. PS&S's action aligns perfectly with this trend, positioning the 64-year-old firm to solidify its market share in a vital economic corridor of New Jersey.

“This agreement adds valuable technical depth to our organization in this region of the state,” said PS&S President and CEO John Sartor. “By integrating these experienced professionals into PS&S, we are enhancing our ability to deliver responsive, high-quality service to clients throughout the region while continuing to build on our long-term growth strategy.”

This strategy is not new for the firm. In 2020, PS&S initiated a five-year plan focused on both organic growth and strategic acquisitions. This plan has already led to significant headcount increases in Southern New Jersey and a 2025 acquisition of an engineering practice in Allentown, Pennsylvania, which boosted its process engineering capabilities. The Marathon transfer is the latest chapter in this deliberate campaign to enhance service lines and regional presence. By absorbing a known local player, PS&S not only acquires a book of business but also deepens its roots in a community where Marathon had an established reputation.

Solving the Industry's Persistent Talent Crunch

Beyond market share, the transfer provides an elegant solution to one of the most pressing challenges in the engineering sector: the scarcity of experienced professionals. The press release explicitly notes the addition of Marathon’s “mid-level and senior technical staff at a time when experienced engineering talent remains in high demand across the industry.” This highlights the human capital at the core of the deal.

Rather than engaging in a protracted and costly recruitment cycle to find individual hires, PS&S has acquired a cohesive, proven team with established workflows and client relationships. This “acquihire” approach provides an immediate infusion of valuable expertise in civil engineering and environmental services. For a company ranked among the top national design firms by Engineering News Record, maintaining a deep bench of talent is crucial for tackling complex, large-scale projects and sustaining its reputation for quality.

“Our priority is to ensure continuity of service while providing these professionals with long-term opportunity within a highly collaborative and well-resourced organization,” Sartor stated, emphasizing a commitment to retention. This focus on creating a supportive environment is a best practice for post-merger integrations, aiming to retain the very talent that made the acquisition attractive in the first place. By offering the transferred employees access to PS&S’s broader resources and a clear path for career growth, the firm aims to ensure this strategic talent acquisition translates into long-term value.

Seamless Transition and Enhanced Capabilities for Clients

For Marathon Engineering's existing clients, the message from both parties is one of stability and enhanced service. The structure of the deal as a “practice transfer” is designed to ensure that ongoing projects continue without a hitch, now backed by the extensive resources of PS&S.

Rick Riccardi, founder of Marathon Engineering, provided direct assurance to his long-standing clients. “Our valued clients in this region of New Jersey will be served well by PS&S,” he said. “Our clients’ projects that we have served for many years will continue without interruption. PS&S’ depth of expertise, multidisciplinary capabilities and technology resources will provide a strong base for future growth in this region.”

This transition means that clients who previously relied on Marathon for specialized civil and environmental site work now gain access to PS&S's full suite of services, which includes architecture, surveying, and comprehensive environmental consulting at the local, state, and federal levels. This one-stop-shop capability can streamline project management, reduce coordination complexities, and provide more holistic solutions for complex development and infrastructure challenges.

The move reflects a broader industry understanding that client relationships are a valuable asset, intrinsically linked to the professionals who cultivate them. By keeping the Marathon team intact and integrating them into a larger, more technologically advanced platform, PS&S is betting that it can not only retain but also expand upon the service relationships that Marathon Engineering spent years building in South Jersey. As the two entities merge their operations, the combined force is poised to offer a more robust and responsive service portfolio to businesses and public entities across the region.