Applied Engineering Today: Methods and Mindsets

Applied has gone through countless changes over the last four decades. We’ve moved buildings, expanded to new locations, sold and supported different kinds of engineering software, and tailored our service offerings to meet our clients where they need us.

Today, Applied has offices in Bismarck, ND, Fargo, ND, Brooklyn Park, MN, and Milwaukee, WI – allowing us to provide local support to manufacturers all over the Midwest. We’ve grown to over 100 engineers specializing in everything from design and automation to highly specialized analysis and software engineering.

Adjusting Applied’s Business Model to Meet Our Clients’ Needs

In the last 5 years, Applied has transitioned away from software sales, and into a strictly services-based model, allowing us to focus on the relationships we’ve built over the last 40 years, and the ones we create every day. As part of this shift, we’ve defined two distinct teams to support our clients: our Resource Team and our MESA Group.

Our Resource Team finds the right engineers for our clients’ projects, processes, and culture. Those engineers integrate directly with client teams, bringing the support of the entire Applied organization with them. This team helps our clients mitigate risk when trying new technologies, roles, or processes. We help lighten the load when our clients are beyond capacity or on a hiring freeze but still have deadlines to meet. We bring fresh perspective and out-of-the-box solutions to tackle unique challenges.

Our MESA Group is a highly skilled group of senior engineers specializing in mechanical engineering, electrical and controls engineering, software engineering, and high-caliber analysis, including Finite Element Analysis. This group works internally and can handle one aspect of a client’s project, or take it all the way from concept to execution.

A Culture that Stands the Test of Time

While plenty about Applied’s culture and workplace has changed over the decades (gone are the days of smoking indoors!), what makes us who we are hasn’t. We’re still a team of helpers and hard workers, dedicated to quality work and strong relationships. We still value professional and personal growth – and above all, we value people. We recognize that life is unpredictable and everyone has their own story, and we do our best to meet people – our employees, clients, vendors, and partners – where they are. The result is a workplace that feels safe, supportive, and full of people who care.

That’s the throughline across 40 years of new offices, new technologies, and new business models: hard work, real relationships, and people who show up for each other. Wherever the next 40 years take us, that’s not changing.

Tune in next month for another article in this series: 40 Insights for 40 Years.

Missed an installment? Catch up here!