When it comes to building a successful business, what matters more: what you do or how you do it?
Celebrating their 25th year, SOTO consulting engineers would empathically say it’s the latter. The company, founded by its namesake Frank Soto, has become a success story for small-to-medium enterprises in the Illawarra.
While SOTO has always taken pride in what it does – clever engineering solutions for various industries – added to that is the ability to understand and deliver on the customer’s needs as the bedrock of its growth and success.
“It doesn’t matter if you are in engineering or dentistry,” says SOTO Chief Operating Officer Jim Allan, “business relationships always begin with satisfying a need. This drives our approach and creates respect for the client.
“Next comes the essential ingredient – building credibility – the basis for forming mutual respect. After that, it can be common ground or experience that can fix their need. Then you must have a point of difference in the service offering that keeps the potential client listening.”
Mr Allan’s appraisal sounds straightforward, yet it has taken years to develop a relationship focused into the DNA of the business. For SOTO people, it means demonstrating to clients that we understand the problem, which is addressed through advanced technical capability. But, more importantly, they understand why the problem exists and what it means for the client’s business.
Out-of-the-box projects
SOTO’s approach has meant not only long-term involvement in local heavy industries but has also attracted the attention of projects on the leading edge of renewable energy. In recent years, it has been involved in two projects investigating new ways to generate and harvest clean energy.
Take Green Gravity as an example. Their concept involves using abandoned mineshafts. By lifting and dropping a heavy weight down a mineshaft, the movement of mass releases kinetic energy that can be captured and directed to the grid. SOTO was introduced to Green Gravity in late 2021 to explore how the concept could move from drawing board to design and construction.
As Managing Director Frank Soto recalls, it was a project right up SOTO’s alley. “The numbers spoke volumes to me, and I could see engineering problems that needed solutions – an engineer’s dream.” Then there has been SOTO’s long-term involvement in a project to harness wave energy. During its lengthy trial period, Wave Swell Energy’s (WSE) 200kW wave energy converter (WEC) in Tasmania demonstrated that the technology could effectively generate energy and supply the grid.
SOTO was there for the journey, providing solutions to design and manufacture a prototype turbine and solutions for the turbine unit’s design, fabrication, and assembly.
WSE Chief Technology Officer Scott Hunter says the most significant benefit for us working with SOTO was that they crossed over disciplines. “Engineering design and production are usually quite separate, but they could cover the whole process, differentiating them from anyone else.”
Building a relationship approach as a team culture shows up not only with clients but puts SOTO are the forefront of being a vital part of the community and backing industry groups and networks that advocate for the region’s prosperity.
Building from the grassroots
When businesses like SOTO, and many other like-minded organisations, support community groups, they play an essential role in strengthening and building the local community. Investing in community-based initiatives demonstrates a commitment to the shared values and needs of the people in the area.
Strong communities with a rich social fabric enrich personal and professional lives with continued collaboration between businesses and community organisations. For SOTO, much of the focus of its community engagement has come through sport and, over the years, has grown to include education and rallying local businesses to create strong representation and a platform for ideas that drive the region’s economic prosperity.
SOTO colours can be seen across the Illawarra at triathlons, aquathons, cycling, and other community-based sporting events. “SOTO derives no financial benefits directly or indirectly,” Mr Soto says. “We are part of the community we live in, and a culture with a strong community focus makes for a stronger team. We are proud of our association with these community groups.”
Strong networks, stronger future
SOTO’s leadership team also has a clear eye on the region’s economic future. SOTO is a significant supporter of i3net, the Illawarra Innovative Industry Network. i3net was born out of the awareness that without a thriving and competitive industrial backbone, the Illawarra faced a bleak future. The network is a platform to support business growth and development and promotes the region’s industrial capability to local, national, and international markets.
Chief Operating Officer Jim Allan says the critical skills shortage and urgency around sovereign capability provide a unique opportunity for the region. “It’s on all our shoulders to develop the human resources and advanced design and manufacturing capabilities that ensure our heavy manufacturing industry has a long and prosperous future, as well as supporting our ability, as a nation, to protect our interests.
“For SMEs, relationships with big industries take time to build and to demonstrate that we have the capabilities to support them. So we’ve kept investing in training, growing, and proving capability to create a compelling proposition for industry and being part of the push for a thriving domestic manufacturing landscape.”
Think global, act global
The focus on building relationships has broadened their view of the horizon. As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats, so having a voice for the region benefits all. To that end, building relationships has extended to joining industry boards and government-appointed committees advocating and making critical decisions about funding and investment.
Mr Allan has been appointed to the Illawarra Regional Expert Panel of the NSW Government’s Royalties for Rejuvenation Fund. In addition, he is now a committee member of the NSW branch of the Australian Industry and Defence Network.
“Local representation on industry boards, committees, panels, and the like is vital because we can bring critical decision-makers to the region and demonstrate our capabilities. Already membership organisations and business groups are starting to collaborate well and share the view that there are real economic opportunities for the region.
“We can’t simply think things are ok now, and that’s how it will stay. We must build those networks and relationships that position us all to thrive in a world that is changing quickly.”
