Hermanus du Plessis celebrates 20 years at Howick
⏱️ 2 min read
This year Senior Design Engineer Hermanus du Plessis celebrates two decades with Howick. Much has changed during that time, but what has remained constant is Hermanus’ unflappable attitude to the work.
“Anything can be engineered. With enough effort the impossible is possible,” he says.
It is a simple thought, but it reveals much about who Hermanus is: steady, disciplined, and quietly relentless in the way he approaches problems. It is the reason he has become such a respected part of Howick’s story, and why we value him as both a leader and a thinker.
A new New Zealander finding a home in a Kiwi company
When Hermanus and his wife arrived in New Zealand, they were starting from scratch. No family, no network, but a willingness and drive to build a new life.
After years working in mine maintenance in South Africa, he was looking for a change and a shift to manufacturing. That is when he saw the ad for Howick and found himself in two interviews with Wayne Rowe, who today is Howick’s General Manager.
It was these conversations that set the tone for the next 20 years.
“I asked Wayne if he realised I wasn’t a New Zealander, that English is my second language, and that I come from a rough engineering environment,” he says. “He [Wayne] said he didn’t care.”
It was honest, straightforward, and exactly what he needed to hear. The people felt real and the work felt right. He was now part of the Howick family. Serendipitously, Hermanus had just bought a house five minutes away.
From Fitter and Turner to Design Engineer
Despite being an experienced engineer back in South Africa, Hermanus started life at Howick as a fitter and turner. He only showed Wayne his full CV and qualifications when a position became available, and Wayne, always quick to spot talent on the floor, acted quickly.
“I said, “Yeah but I can do all this as well” he says. “So they said they will give me a try.”
The engineering office was small then, just three people and stacks of paper. But it was where he wanted to be. Designing. Solving. Bringing machines to life. It was the start of a long, steady progression built on trust and hard work.
A culture that feels different
Coming from the strict hierarchy of the military and mining industry, Howick was a revelation. Instead of rank and pressure, he found a workplace that valued fairness, curiosity and people who simply got on with the job.
“It’s real. If you do the job, you’re the man.”
Along the way, strong figures helped shape his thinking. Wayne guided him through the human side of leadership and Nick Coubray (Howick CEO) reinforced his confidence in engineering principles. But it was Bruce Coubray (Howick Co-Founder and Director) who encouraged him to think out of the box, and push what was possible.
“He [Bruce] is very adventurous with trying stuff, and that’s amazing,” he says. “It’s awesome you can take [projects] from start to the end, because what normally would happen, you would only work on rollers your whole life.”
Those influences helped him grow his own voice as a leader. When the engineering office expanded and he began developing a team of his own, he found real pride in helping others grow.
“It is good to see them develop and grow. Each one has their specialty and strong points. To utilise them is very fulfilling.”
From paper to digital: 20 years of change
Over 20 years, the tools of engineering have changed dramatically. When Hermanus started, everything from the drawings to the costings was on paper. Now, the team can see almost every aspect of any project with a few clicks.
“Knowledge is very accessible these days,” he says. “With the aid of computers, we can do far more work with fewer people.”
Projects have grown in complexity too. Newer platforms leverage design principles proven in machines like the FRAMA™ 7600 and FRAMA™ 7800, alongside some fun new tools, but it was X-CALIBRTM that truly threw up challenges.
“If you look at X-CALIBRTM, it looks like a normal machine,” he says. “But almost every tool is new.”
X-CALIBRTM is Howick’s roll‑formed structural steel framing system designed for fast, prefabricated portal and large span buildings. From the outside, X-CALIBRTM looks familiar, but inside it is a full re-think.
“We even developed after it had been assembled because there were some things which were unknown to us.”
Seeing it run for the first time made every late night and every head-scratching challenge worth it.
A future built on curiosity and courage
Having lived through so much change, as an engineer in a new country, Hermanus remains energised by the thought of what is to come next.
“Technology is always changing,” he says. “The secret is to embrace it and use it. Adaptation is human nature. That’s why we evolve.”
When asked what he would tell his younger self, his answer is immediate:
“Focus on life balance. If you want to do something, do it now.”
Wise words we can all embrace.
