Pioneering Seismic Protection Since 1982

The roots of DIS trace back to groundbreaking developments in New Zealand during the 1970s, where the Lead Rubber Bearing (LRB) was developed and patented as a revolutionary seismic isolation technology. Combining flexibility, energy dissipation, and load-bearing capacity, the LRB quickly emerged as one of the most effective solutions for earthquake protection.

During the ATC-12 project in 1981, Ron Mayes witnessed firsthand the significant advancements being made in base isolation and energy dissipation technologies in New Zealand. Recognizing the transformative potential of this innovation, he saw an opportunity to bring this technology to North America.

In 1982, DIS became the North American pioneer of Lead Rubber Bearing technology, helping introduce a new era in seismic engineering. This marked the beginning of DIS's journey as a leader in advanced seismic protection solutions.

In the early 1980s, seismic isolation was largely unknown in the United States. Introducing an entirely new approach to earthquake protection required more than engineering innovation — it required education, advocacy, and trust-building across the industry.

DIS invested heavily in raising awareness among engineers, architects, developers, owners, and public agencies. Through technical seminars, engineering collaboration, conference participation, and research contributions, DIS helped establish base isolation as a practical and highly effective solution for seismic resilience.

This effort helped drive early adoption in key market sectors and positioned DIS as a pioneer and thought leader in seismic protection.

As awareness and demand increased, DIS expanded rapidly into both the building and bridge markets. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, DIS contributed to some of the most important seismic protection projects in North America.

DIS solutions were implemented across a wide range of critical applications, including hospitals, government buildings, emergency response centers, transportation infrastructure, commercial facilities, and bridges.

The company played a significant role in advancing the use of seismic isolation in projects where post-earthquake functionality was essential. For these structures, resilience meant more than preventing collapse — it meant ensuring continued operation after a major seismic event.

The true value of seismic isolation became increasingly evident during major earthquake events around the world.

The performance of base-isolated structures during the 1989 Loma Prieta, 1994 Northridge, and 1995 Kobe earthquakes demonstrated the significant advantages of seismic isolation over conventional structural systems.

These real-world events showed that base-isolated structures could experience dramatically reduced seismic forces, less structural damage, and minimal operational disruption — even during major earthquakes. This validation accelerated the adoption of seismic isolation worldwide and reinforced DIS's belief in high-performance, resilience-focused design.

As demand for seismic isolation systems increased, DIS recognized the importance of developing dedicated manufacturing and testing capabilities to ensure product quality, performance, and continued innovation.

Initially, manufacturing was outsourced to established elastomeric bearing producers. As project requirements became more sophisticated, DIS expanded its production capabilities to better serve the growing market.

Manufacturing and testing operations were first established in New Zealand and later relocated to Sparks, Nevada in 1994, strengthening DIS's ability to support the North American market with advanced seismic isolation systems. This investment enhanced production efficiency, improved quality control, and enabled DIS to manufacture larger, higher-performance isolation systems capable of meeting increasingly demanding seismic design requirements.

Today, Dynamic Isolation Systems is recognized as a trusted leader in seismic protection solutions. From pioneering the adoption of base isolation technology in North America to delivering innovative solutions for modern seismic challenges, DIS has built a reputation for engineering excellence, reliability, and performance.

With decades of innovation, technical expertise, and proven results, DIS continues to help protect buildings, bridges, and critical infrastructure around the world.

Our mission remains unchanged: to deliver advanced seismic protection solutions that safeguard structures, preserve functionality, and build resilience for generations to come.