Trimble Acquires Gehry Technologies

Per a September 8 statement from Trimble and Gehry Technologies, "The alliance combines deep Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry experience with advanced construction technology to empower visionary designers such as Gehry Partners to build groundbreaking projects on time, under budget and without change orders—enabling designers, builders and operators to collaborate more efficiently." While the portfolio of projects that Gehry Technologies has consulted on include many of Gehry's own projects, like 8 Spruce Street in New York, the "groundbreaking projects" have included many designed by other architects, such as Herzog & de Meuron's Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing and FR-EE's Museo Soumaya in Mexico City.

Trimble, a company "focused on developing innovative positioning and navigation products" (GPS, in other words) since its founding in 1987, has in recent years expanded into the design and construction industry through partnerships and acquisitions. In 2010 they formed Intelligent Construction Tools with the Hilti Group, and their purchase of SketchUp came just a few months after they bought StruCad and StruEngineer business from AceCad Software, and Switzerland's Plancal, a 3D CAD /CAE software provider for MEP and HVAC industries in western Europe.

In comparison to the numerous products under its Trimble Buildings brand, Gehry Technologies, including its GTeam management/collaboration software, stands out for its focus on bespoke solutions for cutting-edge architecture. Put another way, SketchUp is used by millions of designers for projects from the mundane to the exceptional, while Gehry Technologies has played a role in a smaller niche of the architecture and building industry.

Nevertheless, Gehry says in the joint statement, "This merger is a dream for me. In Trimble, we find a partner who has like-minded ambitions and goals to create efficiencies ... that allow the creativity of the architectural profession to flourish." Likewise, Steven W. Berglund, president and CEO of Trimble said, "We are honored to enter into an association with Frank. His unique architectural vision has always challenged the conventional. ... Gehry Technologies has been key in allowing Frank to realize the potential of his designs without compromising cost or schedule. ... We are delighted with the prospect of working with Frank as he continues his strong personal advocacy for change in the construction industry."

Trimble is a publicly traded company, but at the time of the announcement financial terms were not disclosed.