Glotman Simpson
Founded in 1964 in Vancouver, Glotman Simpson is a privately held structural engineering consulting firm with 51-100 employees serving real estate developers, healthcare, education, and government clients across Western Canada and the US West Coast, specializing in high-rise towers, seismic design, and mass timber construction.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1964
- HeadquartersVancouver, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Glotman Simpson does
Glotman Simpson is a privately held structural engineering consulting firm founded in 1964 and headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, with a 51-100 employee team. The firm delivers structural engineering design, analysis, and construction administration services for complex buildings, with deep specialization in high-rise towers (including twisting and cantilevered geometries), performance-based seismic design in active seismic zones, mass timber and cross-laminated timber (CLT) construction, heritage restoration and seismic upgrades, and LEED-certified sustainable buildings. Its core technology stack centers on Building Information Modeling (BIM) for coordinated design on complex or fast-tracked projects, complemented by advanced analytical methods such as Nonlinear Response History Analysis (NLRHA) using tailored ground motion suites, diaphragm deformation modelling, and staged construction simulations.
The firm serves four primary customer segments: real estate developers (its dominant segment, including Westbank, Concord Pacific, Bosa Properties, Onni Group, and Holland), healthcare institutions (post-disaster hospitals such as Haida Gwaii Hospital and Royal Inland Hospital), educational institutions (UBC, Handsworth Secondary School), and government and civic clients. Geographically, projects span Western Canada and the US West Coast, including Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle. Revenue is generated through negotiated professional services fees for engineering design, analysis, and project oversight, with project acquisition driven by reputation, repeat relationships with developers and architects, and demonstrated capability on landmark projects rather than outbound sales.
Glotman Simpson has cultivated a high-prestige brand evidenced by sustained industry recognition (CTBUH Best Tall Building 2021 for Vancouver House, NAIOP High-Rise Residential Development of the Year 2025 for First Light, multiple heritage and architecture awards from 2009-2012). It maintains ISO 9001 quality management certification, has established the GS·Sayers subsidiary to extend its service offering, and has launched an OnTrack net zero corporate sustainability initiative. Notable partnerships with architectural firms such as Bjarke Ingels Group, Kengo Kuma Architects + Associates, and MVE + Partners reflect its positioning as the engineer-of-choice for design-forward signature buildings.
Glotman Simpson firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Glotman Simpson
- Legal name
- Glotman Simpson
- Website
- https://glotmansimpson.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1964
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Founded in 1964 in Vancouver, Glotman Simpson is a privately held structural engineering consulting firm with 51-100 employees serving real estate developers, healthcare, education, and government clients across Western Canada and the US West Coast, specializing in high-rise towers, seismic design, and mass timber construction.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Glotman Simpson industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Structural Engineering Services
- NAICS
- Structural Steel and Precast Concrete Contractors (238120)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)
Keywords
Where Glotman Simpson is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Glotman Simpson business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Structural Engineering Consulting Services: Glotman Simpson provides structural engineering consulting services for construction projects, including design, analysis, and engineering solutions for commercial, residential, institutional, and civic buildings. Revenue is generated through professional service fees for engineering design, analysis, and project oversight.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Glotman Simpson product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Glotman Simpson provides structural engineering consulting services for construction projects across North America. Their offerings span the complete structural design lifecycle from concept through construction administration, including design and analysis for high-rise towers, mass timber/CLT construction, seismic engineering, heritage restoration, and LEED-certified sustainable buildings across academic, civic, commercial, healthcare, industrial, residential, and mixed-use project types.
Product overview
Glotman Simpson is a structural engineering firm that provides engineering services for construction projects across North America. Their portfolio encompasses multiple service categories including: Academic, Civic, Commercial, Featured, Health Care, Industrial, LEED-certified sustainable buildings, Residential and Mixed-Use, Restoration and Seismic Upgrade, Specialty projects, and Mass Timber/Wood/CLT construction. The company also maintains ISO certification for quality management. Their engineering services cover the complete structural design lifecycle from initial concept through construction administration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- First building in the City of Los Angeles approved for CLT as a diaphragm system (6344 Fountain)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Glotman Simpson
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Glotman Simpson technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Glotman Simpson partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)coreGlotman Simpson collaborated with Bjarke Ingels Group on Vancouver House, a 60-storey iconic twisting tower development. The partnership involved complex structural engineering solutions to achieve the building's unique geometry that cantilevers from a triangular footprint into a rectangular shape.
- Kengo Kuma Architects + AssociatescorePartnership with Kengo Kuma Architects + Associates on Alberni by Kengo Kuma, a 43-storey residential tower featuring distinctive diagonal cuts and sculptural form requiring advanced structural engineering including Nonlinear Response History Analysis.
- MVE + PartnersmajorCollaborated on multiple luxury residential developments including 9908 Santa Monica Boulevard (high-end condominiums in Beverly Hills) and Ritz-Carlton Residences Newport Beach (22-storey hotel), requiring innovative lateral systems for challenging architectural requirements.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights5 records
Glotman Simpson competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Walter P Moore:
- Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH): US structural engineering consultancy with expertise in building design, restoration, and advanced analysis. Comparable in scale and service mix to Glotman Simpson, particularly in heritage restoration and complex structural analysis.
- Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA): Seattle-based structural and civil engineering firm specializing in tall buildings, seismic design, and innovative structural systems. Closest geographic peer to Glotman Simpson with overlapping West Coast developer client base and expertise in high-rise residential and mixed-use towers.
- Degenkolb Engineers: West Coast structural engineering firm specializing in seismic design, healthcare, and educational facilities. Direct comparable to Glotman Simpson's seismic and institutional work, particularly in California seismic engineering markets.
- Thornton Tomasetti: Global structural engineering consultancy known for complex tall buildings, performance-based design, and advanced analysis methods. Most directly comparable to Glotman Simpson in terms of high-rise expertise and seismic innovation.
Broad incumbents
- Arup: Global engineering consultancy with a major structural engineering practice working on iconic buildings worldwide. Overlaps with Glotman Simpson on tall buildings, seismic design, and complex geometry, though operates at much greater scale across multiple engineering disciplines.
- Buro Happold: International engineering consultancy with structural engineering practice spanning buildings, infrastructure, and sustainability. Overlaps with Glotman Simpson on complex geometry, sustainable design, and tall building projects but operates as a multi-disciplinary global firm.
- WSP (Structural Engineering Practice): Global professional services firm with a major structural engineering practice serving buildings and infrastructure markets. Competes with Glotman Simpson on commercial and institutional building projects but operates across many engineering disciplines at significantly larger scale.
- Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM): Global architecture and engineering firm with integrated structural engineering practice renowned for supertall buildings and innovative structural systems. Competes with Glotman Simpson for landmark tower projects but combines design and engineering under one roof.
Regional players
- Holmes Group (Holmes Consulting): New Zealand-based structural engineering consultancy with US presence, known for seismic engineering expertise and tall buildings. Comparable to Glotman Simpson's seismic and high-rise capabilities but primarily serves Asia-Pacific and select US markets rather than North America broadly.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Glotman Simpson social profiles
Digital presenceGlotman Simpson compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Glotman Simpson financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Glotman Simpson leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Glotman Simpson subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Glotman Simpson funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Glotman Simpson M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Glotman Simpson
What does Glotman Simpson do?
Glotman Simpson provides structural engineering consulting services for construction projects across North America. Their offerings span the complete structural design lifecycle from concept through construction administration, including design and analysis for high-rise towers, mass timber/CLT construction, seismic engineering, heritage restoration, and LEED-certified sustainable buildings across academic, civic, commercial, healthcare, industrial, residential, and mixed-use project types.
Is Glotman Simpson a public or private company?
Glotman Simpson is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Glotman Simpson founded?
Glotman Simpson was founded in 1964. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Glotman Simpson based?
Glotman Simpson is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Glotman Simpson make money?
One revenue line is on record: structural Engineering Consulting Services.
Who are Glotman Simpson's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Walter P Moore, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH), Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA), Degenkolb Engineers and Thornton Tomasetti. Broad incumbents are Arup, Buro Happold, WSP (Structural Engineering Practice) and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). Holmes Group (Holmes Consulting) is listed as a regional player.
Does Glotman Simpson have an API?
No public API is recorded for Glotman Simpson.
What industry is Glotman Simpson in?
Glotman Simpson's product category is Structural Engineering Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAIAA, Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting. Its NAICS code is 238120 and its SIC code is 8711.