Kirk Roberts: Where Experience and Innovation Merges to Deliver High Value Products

The factors that underpin the success of a business are no more a secret. Technical competency, combined with a deep commitment to core organizational values, often leads to business success. While the role of an entrepreneur in achieving results can hardly be overstated, a long-term partnership with the trusted few further reinforces the chances of success. The milestones achieved by Kirk Roberts, a company with expertise in structural engineering, civil engineering, geotechnical engineering and fire engineering serve as a perfect example of the same. A decade long partnership between Jade Kirk, Steven Roberts and Damian McMillian, and their years of engineering experience helped them identify the shortfalls in engineering projects. This led the trio to found Kirk Roberts, in 2006. Founded on the strong grounds of technical competency and cultural diversity, the company started with offering transparent engineering services by leveraging new technologies.

Jade Kirk, CEO & MD, states, “We planned to create a large, multi-discipline, innovative, national, engineering and consultancy business that primarily focuses on research and development.” Today, Kirk Roberts Consulting Engineers Limited provide structural, geotechnical, fire, civil, environmental, project management and fabrication, and certification engineering services. The company’s software engineering services offer benefits such as development of engineering software platforms, web based engineer products, & design, and development of management based software platforms. Owing to its proficiency in offering highly detailed drawings with full BIM and fabrication, the company provides consultancy on cost and quality control measures at every stage of the project.

Kirk Roberts specializes in offering engineering reviews based on cost effectiveness and value, construction & engineering planning, geotechnical testing and reporting including liquefaction analysis, and computer modelling: fire dynamics, fire and smoke spread, human behaviour and evacuation. The company is also proficient in offering temporary works design and certification, online observations, feasibility and risk analysis and resource consent planning. By closely managing, designing and controlling client’s end-to-end requirements, the company makes risk assessments and tries to mitigate them. Steven Roberts, Founder, explains, “We pride ourselves in developing a strong client relationship, by working with the client to ensure that all design requirements are met across projects.”

Having worked on prestigious projects namely Young Hunter House, Wrights Road and Vodafone Building, Kirk Roberts has built a respectful position in the industry. Some of its ongoing projects include OPSV–Otago Polytechnic Student Village, Verve Apartments, Entertainment Exchange, and Software & Programming. Abiding by its philosophy: company and employees first and returns and margins secondary, the company dedicates considerable time and resources into its projects, clients, designs and employees. By sticking to its core business objective of leveraging innovation for client benefit, driving cost efficiency into the project, and ensuring every project or product confirms to highest standards of quality, Kirk Roberts has won several coveted industry accolades, one of them being the finalists for New Zealand Excellence Awards 2014. The organization is also involved in over $1 billion in capital works per annum. Recently, it has over hauled the organization in accordance with corporate governance and new executive management structure, allowing it to clear lines of governance for expansion, and to take initiatives in new disciplines or divisions. Kirk Robert’s investments in new engineering software will transform the way engineering projects are managed in New Zealand and Australia, and make it a leader in the construction and engineering space.