The design services market is highly fragmented, with a large number of small players. The top ten competitors in the market made up to 3.85% of the total market in 2018. The high degree of fragmentation of the market is attributed to the presence of a large number of independently operating graphic and interior designers and freelance designers in the market. However, this is expected to change slightly in the near future, with the expansion of small firms geographically through acquisitions, and with the focus of smaller firms on the market trends to expand their businesses. John Wood Group PLC was the largest competitor in the design services market with 1.25% of the market, followed by Altran Technologies, SA with 0.54% in 2018. Other major players in the global design services market include Gensler, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., Arcadis NV, AECOM, Stantec, Perkins+Will, HOK Group, and HKS.

John Wood Group PLC was the largest competitor in the design services market in 2018. It helps provide energy products and services that aim to improve the quality of lives across the globe. The company provides innovative pipeline designs for wind turbines, and tidal energy expertise. It is headquartered in Aberdeen, UK.

John Wood Group Plc’s growth strategy is to consolidate its position in the engineering design services market by utilizing its design expertise to help its clients reduce costs and boost efficiencies. For instance, the company worked with Statoil for the past two decades, and in 2017, was awarded an evergreen master services agreement to support the life cycles of Statoil’s offshore and onshore facilities.

Altran Technologies, S.A. was the second largest competitor in the design services market in 2018. Altran Technologies is an engineering consulting company which offers digital experience and design innovation solutions and advisory services worldwide. The company was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in Paris, France. Altran Technologies employs approximately 47,000 employees globally.

Altran Technologies’ growth strategy is to expand its business in design services through acquisitions. For instance, in March 2018, the company acquired design and engineering services firm, Aricent, for EUR 1.73 billion ($2.0 billion), to increase its range of services.

Other major players in the design services market are adopting similar strategies for business expansion. For instance, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.’s growth strategy aims at managing its portfolio with strategic acquisitions and mergers. In 2017, it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all the outstanding shares of CH2M, a leading design, engineering and program management firm in the infrastructure and government sectors. This step will enhance the expertise of Jacob Engineering and will help it to have a broader outreach.