Shigemura, Lau, Sakanashi, Higuchi Joins Coffman Engineers

Hawaii-based structural engineering company augments Coffman’s multidiscipline services

HONOLULU, Hawaii, November 1, 2022 — Coffman Engineers announced today they have finalized an asset purchase agreement with structural engineering firm Shigemura, Lau, Sakanashi, Higuchi and Associates, Inc. (SLSH). Coffman welcomes SLSH’s four owners and all six staff members to the company. Representatives from both firms finalized the agreement in a signing ceremony on October 31st.

The decision to join Coffman is part of SLSH’s ownership transition plan to provide continued support to their staff and established clients while the ownership plans for retirement. SLSH owners Howard Lau, PE, Craig Sakanashi, PE, Wayne Higuchi, SE, and Beverly Ishii-Nakayama, SE, join Coffman as principal advisors. In addition, all six employees become Coffman employees and move a short distance into Coffman’s Honolulu office. The addition of SLSH expands Coffman’s Honolulu structural group from three to thirteen.

“We were selective and committed to finding the right firm to partner with that would benefit our clients and staff. We were motivated by Coffman’s drive for the same level of client care and attention to detail that our clients have become accustomed to. Our work and values are also complementary. We look forward to bringing our teams together to start a new chapter and to serve our clients with increased resources,” said Howard Lau, SE, Shigemura, Lau, Sakanashi, Higuchi and Associates’ President.

SLSH has provided consulting structural engineering services to private and public clients throughout the Pacific Region for more than 52 years. SLSH’s experience strengthens Coffman’s structural engineering capabilities and complements the company’s other engineering disciplines.

SLSH and Coffman have an ongoing working relationship and share many of the same clients. The two companies’ markets and clients align, particularly in military/DoD, healthcare, housing, and education.

“We are honored and humbled that SLSH has chosen Coffman as part of their leadership transition. We have a lot to learn from their 52 years of doing business in Hawaii. We welcome them to our office ‘ohana and are prepared to continue the level of service they have established with their clients,” said John Thielst, Coffman’s Senior Vice President, Managing Principal, Pacific Region.

SLSH, as Coffman Engineers, will continue to support clients and honor their project commitments with the same staff and quality.

Deal Highlights

• September 28, 2022 – Letter of Intent (LOI)  signed.
• October 10, 2022 – LOI announcement.
• October 31, 2022 – Deal closed.
• November 1, 2022 – SLSH employees become Coffman employees.
• Before the end of year – SLSH employees move to Coffman’s Honolulu office.

Join us in welcoming Shigemura, Lau, Sakanashi, Higuchi and Associates to Coffman! We look forward to our bright future together. For more information, view the press release and fact sheet.

About Shigemura, Lau, Sakanashi, Higuchi and Associates, Inc. (SLSH)

SLSH is a Hawaii-based full-service consulting structural engineering firm providing services to clients in both the private and public sectors. The firm was started in 1970 by Stanley Shigemura and has provided engineering services for the past 52+ years for various types of projects utilizing all available construction materials, including light wood framing, light gauge steel framing, heavy timber, structural steel, pre-engineered prefabricated metal building components, masonry, reinforced concrete, post-tensioned concrete, pre-tensioned pre-stressed concrete, pre-cast concrete, and tilt-up concrete construction.

SLSH specializes in designs for corrosive marine and tropical environments and utilizes the latest computer software to solve complex structural engineering challenges. SLSH uses the latest technology and software to arrive at solutions more rapidly, investigate more structural options, and results in cost-effective solutions for clients.