An engineering and construction firm is expanding its presence in Wilmington.

SEPI Inc., a company headquartered in Raleigh that offers engineering, land planning, land development, construction inspection and other services, bought Wilmington-based Atlantic Coast Survey, according to a news release.

"The addition of 16 staff significantly increases SEPI’s Wilmington market presence ahead of a new office buildout and move to Wilmington’s Autumn Hall location," the release stated.

The purchase also "supports SEPI’s long-range strategy of diversifying their service offerings, building and expanding Geomatics services, and expanding throughout the Southeast. Together the company’s broad base of expertise will provide an enhanced client experience benefiting both our public and private sector clients," according to the release.

Wilmington native Steve Moore, senior vice president and director of growth and development, is the Wilmington market leader for SEPI.

“The opportunity to add Atlantic Coast Survey to our SEPI family broadens our in-house capacity to further serve our valued existing and future clients, with greater capacity, responsiveness, and excellent service," Moore said in the release.

SEPI was founded in 2001 by Sepi Saidi.

"She transformed the company to be a premier multi-disciplinary engineering firm ranked annually in the ENR Top 500 with a mission to serve clients as a trusted resource, contribute to projects that improve the quality of life in its communities, and provide a rewarding employee experience through its diverse and inclusive team culture," the release stated. "She has continued to lead the firm to be $40 million in revenue, with more than 300 employees in several states across the southeast. This growth has been the catalyst and underlying theme for the past two years."

Miles McCall, founder and president of Atlantic Coast Survey said in the release, “It was important that I find the right company that offered a breadth and depth of talent along with a human dimension. SEPI offers all of that, and I am thrilled to become a part of the team."

In addition to its office in Wilmington, SEPI has eight locations throughout the Southeast including offices in Asheville, Charlotte, its headquarters in Raleigh; Charleston and Beaufort in South Carolina; and Clearwater, Palmetto and Fort Lauderdale in Florida.