By Paula Oliver
Innovation is an overused word in engineering design, where it seems all the possible ways of getting a building to stand up have already been discovered.
But local structural design specialist Holmes Consulting Group is finding new ways and expanding internationally.
"The US is a mouth-watering market for us, as long as we can overcome the 'Buy America' attitude," says Holmes' managing director, Bill Gordon.
"But it helps to come from one of the most active seismic regions in the world when you're dealing in California."
Holmes Group employs 80 staff within four offices in New Zealand.
The company's major contracts over the past 10 years include Te Papa, Auckland International Airport and the refurbishment of Parliament buildings.
Gaining such high-profile contracts has not been easy for Holmes Group, which was founded in 1956 by a young and brash Lyall Holmes.
Well-known in the theatre world, he designed the landmark Christchurch Town Hall, before his untimely death in 1970, at the age of 47.
Holmes Group then developed a focus which ultimately left it vulnerable to the 1980s sharemarket crash.
"We had a focus on high-rise buildings, and it meant we took a hammering in the crash, says Mr Gordon. "Suddenly we had to rethink everything."
He says the group's present structure will stand up to any tremors it may strike.
"Two things hit us. We needed to retain good staff, and we needed to diversify.
"The way we moved then has allowed us to reach where we are now."
The recruitment of software specialist Trevor Kelly was a major part of Holmes' regrowth. This saw it develop a software package to display 3D images of how an earthquake will affect an existing building.
"The technology itself is not magic, what is magic is that it can be used as a desktop tool by staff that don't have to be computer gurus.
"And for the client, they can see their building affected by an actual earthquake. It sets us apart, both locally and internationally."
The software can be used to analyse the refurbishment required for existing buildings.
"It is cost-effective for the client, because rather than redoing the whole building, they only do what's needed."
Retaining the software services of Mr Kelly involves some flexible working arrangements - he telecommutes from Paeroa.
Another way Holmes retains top staff is through a share scheme which sees young talent sharing in the success they have generated.
"Our company is wholly owned by our employees, so rather than them leaving to start their own business, we say they can own this one," says Mr Gordon.
"And it's reachable early on in your career, not like other companies where it can be something of a moving target.
"We essentially sell time, so people are our strength. It's important not to lose that focus."
The company also maintains a close relationship with universities to ensure it is able to secure the best young talent.
The group has diversified its operations to protect its future.
It now works on aircraft hangars, bridges, hospitals, and a variety of other structures.
Recent projects include a single-span hangar in Singapore capable of housing two 747 planes side-by-side.
Holmes' design for the hangar had a 40 per cent reduction in steel requirements. It involved jacking-up a pre-made roof while the sides were put underneath.
Mr Gordon says that type of work, done jointly with Australian company Strarch, is becoming a big part of Holmes' focus.
"It's challenging, but we've identified the market for it, and it's getting bigger."
Mr Gordon says a fourth-generation consultancy is rare, because many others are out for quick money. "You can lie your way into your first job, but getting another is dependent on how well you do the first.
"We are selling shares to these young guys, so we have to keep it going, and growing. We can do that with service, so you can see the engineering world is changing."
Shielding clients from the complex technicalities of design is part of this service. Mr Gordon says clients don't care what happened in the office, they just want their building to look good.
"We can't produce a load of gobbledygook that the client doesn't understand, and that's where our software is most utilised.
"Investing money in research in development is rare in consulting, but it's won us contracts."
Mr Gordon admits that in today's economic climate it is difficult to find the extra funding for research, but he places emphasis on achieving it.
"It is hard. We haven't ever looked for Government help, because we believe if you have the right product it will stand on its own two feet."
Holmes believes in giving its staff responsibility at an early stage, so the frustrating aspect of not being able to answer a client's request is taken away.
Mr Gordon says possibilities in the US are endless. Holmes has moved into California on the back of an existing company, to target the obvious need for strong structures.
"There's over 3000 hospitals in California, and they need to meet new code requirements by 2008, so they will have to spend money."
He says forming associations are an important part of overseas expansion, because then you are not seen as a direct competitor.
Holmes also exports rubber base isolating bearings to the US, a product used in the construction of Te Papa, to isolate the structure from the ground.
"In a way engineering is becoming a bit of a commodity," he says.
"You have to come up with something smarter and faster, and differentiate yourself.
"That's what we aimed for after the crash, and the changes we made have seen that achieved."
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