CP&A was founded in 1987 by Bill Casper and Rich Phillips after relocating from a California consulting firm. 

We started with pre‑established worldwide recognition as structural engineers specializing in container cranes.  To provide our ongoing clients with full multi‑discipline crane engineering services we expanded our staff and associates to include mechanical and electrical expertise.  

For the container industry, we are unique in that we have a multidiscipline combination of mechanical, structural, electrical, and computer science engineering, as well as anti‑corrosion coating technology.

We have also expanded our crane expertise to now include most types of cranes from Goliath to B.O.P handlers on drill ships.  Ports and crane manufacturers around the world use our services to design and procure all types of load handling equipment.

Our first project was a secret rail‑mounted self‑propelled 100 foot cube building at Boeing's radar range to hide experimental stealth airplane concepts from view of Soviet satellites. 

Since then, Boeing has been a repeat client for dozens of projects for special structures such as an aluminum platform subjected to deafening white noise, several overhead crane projects, and earthquake upgrades at the Everett assembly building reported to be the World's largest building under one roof.

We have intentionally limited staff growth to high quality self‑directed engineers (the rare individuals who are team players, innovative, talented, and highly productive).  The firm has grown, not by numbers but, by productivity per engineer using extensive custom and commercial software.

For other industries and local clients we offer high quality structural and mechanical engineering services for projects that range from mundane, such as a conventional retaining wall, to specialized and complex, such as an aluminum framework designed to withstand multi‑millions of fatigue cycles from rocket motor tests.

We are located in Tacoma, Washington within convenient driving distance from the Ports of Vancouver British Columbia, Seattle, Tacoma, and Portland.