Engineering as we know it today arises from a specialization of functions previously often integrated into various activities and usually referred to as "engineering". For example, military engineering, or simply "engineering", chemical engineering, civil engineering, industrial engineering. As technical development progressed, these functions were identified and “Grandes Écoles” created to train engineers in specialties corresponding to the needs of France: École des Ponts et Chaussées (1747), École des Mines (1783 ), Polytechnique (1794), Centrale (1829) to name but a few.

In the XIX th and early XX th century, the engineer trained in these schools worked mostly in government service or in the technical design office of an industrial or construction. The major competitive advantage of companies at this stage of economic development resided above all in their technical capacity and in trade secrets. Growth often took place through vertical integration of everything needed to produce, including the design office. Independent engineering appeared at this time, but rather as a player with specific technologies relating to heavy industrial processes (petroleum, chemicals), generally protected by patents.

The end of the “Trente Glorieuses” (1945-1975) marked a turning point in the supply-demand balance and marked the rise of the marketing function. Business strategies therefore increasingly evoke "refocusing on the core business" and many functions are outsourced, including certain technical and design aspects. Independent process engineering then took off. In a parallel movement, governments are also concentrating on their priority missions and we are witnessing a gradual movement towards the privatization of certain services or the outsourcing of part of their missions, including those of "consulting firms". techniques".

In France, the “Code des Marchés Publics” initiated at the same time (Law n ° 75-1334 of December 31, 1975 relating to subcontracting) was intended to regulate relations between public authorities and private companies. By identifying the successive stages and roles of the stakeholders, then by instituting equality before public procurement as a principle, the code revealed, through the notion of conflict of interest, the incompatibility for a company to position itself at at the same time on more than one of the defined roles. The outsourcing of company design offices or the opening up to competition of missions previously carried out by State services or administrations, then led to the emergence and then growth of the majority of French project engineers, including Egis.
Engineering market
The engineering market has evolved differently in each country depending on the presence or absence of trained personnel - engineers or technicians - and the greater or lesser place left by the administrations. However, the creation of specialized offices that are large enough and of modest size to meet often local requests for technical expertise seems to be a fairly universal step. This results in a very low concentration of the market and the relatively recent emergence of large international firms.

If the engineering market in France tends to contract, it is quite different at the global level.

Simple and relatively modest missions are within the reach of any company and competition depends solely on the interplay of supply and demand: in countries where training for engineers is insufficient and where demand exists, this market may arise. reveal carrier; however, the costs incurred by operations far from the company's country of origin and any customs barriers must be taken into account. As soon as the competitive landscape includes a sufficient supply - trained local engineers and technicians, existence of small structures offering engineering - competitive pressure becomes strong without any advantage for large structured engineering companies

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