Fromhomestooffices,apartmentstovillas,
monumentstoskyscrapers,everythinghasonething incommonanditsconstruction.Humancivilization wouldnothavereachedthepointthatitisnowwithout constructionifourancestorshadn'tthoughtofcovering theirheadswitharoof.Wehavecomealongwaysincethe stoneage,andtheconstructionsectorhasevolvedwiththe times.Ithasgrownatsuchascaletocreatemagnificent projectslikeMillauViaduct,PalmIslands,TheVeniceTide BarrierProject,andNationalStadium,a.k.a."Bird'sNest," tonameafew.
IamoftenawestruckwhenIcomeacrossbuildingswitha distinctivedesign,whichmakesmewonderaboutthe creativeminds,humanefforts,andthetechnologybehind them.Technologyhasintroducedinnovativetools, machinery,modification,software,andmuchmore, enablingdiversewaysoftheconstructionprocess.The inclusionoftechnologylikerobotics,drones,andwearables enhancestheconstructionindustrytonewerheights.
Withautomatedandsemi-automatedpiecesofequipment, theadvancementsintheconstructionsectorhaveallowed engineerstocreatestronger,taller,andmoreenergyefficientstructures.Technologyhasalsoincreased productivity,improvedcollaboration,andtackledcomplex designs.
Innovativetechnologiesallowengineerstopre-construct buildingfromthefloorplansandlayoutinaugmentedand virtualreality,birthing3Dmodelsoftheproject.These3D modelshelppredictpossiblechallengesthatmayoccur duringtheactualconstructiontoensurethesafetyof
workerson-siteandreducerisks.Tofurtherprevent anymishaps,sitesensorsareinstalledon-siteto checktemperatures,commotionlevels,andvolatile organiccompoundstoassistwithrestrictinglaborers' exposure.
Technologyhasgenuinelyboostedtheconstruction industryaheadofitstimeandwillcontinuetodoso inthefuture.Toacknowledgeandadmiresome technologicalmarvelsintheconstructionindustry, weatInsightsSuccesshavecompiledalistof The 10 Most Innovative Construction Tech Solution Providers 2021.
Featuringintheeditionarethecompaniesthat embarkedonajourneytoassisttheconstruction sectorwiththeirinnovativetechsolutions.These companieshavepositionedthemselvestobecomethe bestandarepavingapathtowardsabetter technologicalfuturefortheconstructionniche.
Whileflippingthroughthepages,haveaquick rundownofthearticleswrittenbyourin-house editorialteam,andgaininsideknowledgewiththe CxOpenneddownbyindustryexperts.
Diverightandsoarhigh!
aditya.gaikar@insightssuccess.com Aditya Gaikar
ALICETechnologiesInc. alicetechnologies.com
RenéMorkos Founder
Ackcio ackcio.com
Billd billd.com
BrickControl
BrickControl.com
MobashirMohammad Co-Founder
ALICEistheworld'sfirstartificialintelligenceplatformthat understandsconstruction.
Ackciopridesitselfinbuildingextremelyreliable,wireless monitoringsolutions.
JonKatz VicePresident ofMarketing Billdofferscommercialsubcontractorsfinancingtermsthat finallyalignwiththeirpaymentcycles.
DavidJiménez CEO
CAHillTech cahillresources.com
ClueInsightsInc. getclue.com
Eave eave.io
Kwant Kwant.ai
MightyBuildings mightybuildings.com
CarleyHill PresidentandCEO
BrickControlisa“cloud-based”applicationthathelpsyou manageallofyourprojectsinaneasy,simple,andefficient way.
CAHillTechisaleaderinheavyconstructionskill-sharing, usingmodern&provenmethods.
OdedRan Co-founderandCEO
ColinMyer
HeadofMarketing
KaraMasteller MarketingHead
HelenChong HeadofMarketing
SmartBeam smartbeam.co
CarolineBasecqz CEO
ClueInsights’missionistotransformconstructionintoamore innovativeandproductiveindustry.
Eave’smissionistopreventthelonelinessandisolationcaused byhearingloss.
Kwantisthefirstcompanytouseproprietarylowpowered sensorsnetworktoautomateconstructionsitedatacollectionto improvesafetyandproductivity
MightyBuildingsisinnovatingtheconstructionindustryby creatingbeautiful,sustainable,andhigh-qualityhomesusing advancedmaterials,patented3Dprintingtechnology,and roboticautomation.
Smartbeamisafinancialmanagementsoftwarethathelps Generalcontractors,Subcontractors.
Katz Vice President of Marketing Billd
Assignificantastheconstructionsectoris,ithas struggledduringthepandemic,whichcaused frustrationandhardshipsforcontractors.Asa result,theirprojectsweredelayed,whichledtosuffering colossallosses.Itwasessentialtofindasolutionthat balancedtheburdenofthecontractors.Billdwasincepted toprovidefinancialsupporttothecontractorsafter witnessingtheseissuesfirsthand.Itrecognizeshowalack ofaccesstoworkingcapitalimpactsacontractors'abilityto operateandgrowtheirbusiness.
We,atInsightsSuccess,caughtupwithJonKatz,theVice PresidentMarketing,toknowmoreaboutBilldandhowit ishelpingcontractorsbygivingthemaccesstofundswith termsthatmirrortheirrepaymentcycle.
TheStrongFoundation Subcontractorsareamongthelastinlinetogetpaidona commercialprojectandaretypicallyrequiredtopayfor materialsfarbeforethey'repaidfortheirwork.Billdsteps intopaythesupplierupfront,thenextendapay-when-paid, orupto120-daytermtothecontractor,allowing subcontractorstotakecontroloftheircashflow,and ultimatelygrowtheirbusinesses.Throughitscutting-edge solutions,Billdishelpingfixaconstructionpaymentcycle thathasbeenterriblybrokenfordecades.
Billd'sproject-basedmaterialfinancingproductisan innovationinconstructionfinance-providingtermsthat aligntoconstructionpaymentcyclesandalignrevenuesto expenses.Thecompanypayssuppliersupfrontfor materials,thenextendspay-when-paidoruptoa120-day termtosubcontractors.Contractorspayasmall,weekly interest-onlypaymentuntilthefinalrepaymentismadeto Billd,atwhichpointpaymentsendwithnoadditionalfees.
Theproject-basedcomponentoftheproductallowsthe companytoprovidefarlargercreditlimitstosubcontractors thantraditionalbanksorsuppliersarewillingtooffer, openingupopportunitiesforconstructionbusinessesfar greaterthantheyhadpriortoBilld.
TheStonesandtheMud
Whilemostpeopledon'tthinkofconstructionbusiness ownersasprototypicalentrepreneurs,theconstruction industryindeedboastsextremelyentrepreneurial, optimistic,andpridefulbusinessowners.Withthatbeing said,theconstructionindustryhashistoricallybeen underservedbythecapitalmarkets,andinmanyways,been victimsofpredatorylending.Thishascausedan understandablynegativeconnotationtowardsfinancing organizations,oneinwhichBilldneedstobattleagainst.
Additionally,thesebusinessownersarewaryofdebtasan instrumenttogrowtheirbusinessandbelievecashis alwaysking.Breakingthismisconceptionhasprovedtobe achallengingproposition.
Billd'sproject-basedfinancingapproachofferssignificantly largercreditlimitstoconstructionbusinessesthatultimately wouldnotbeabletodemanditelsewhere.Thelargest competitorstoBilldarelinesofcreditfrombanksand supplierterms.Banksunderwritelinesofcreditonpast performanceandarelargelyindustryagnostic,so inevitably,theycompareconstructionbusinessesto companiesinmorestablecashflowindustries.
Billd'sexpertiseinconstructionallowsittounderwriteand viewconstructionbusinessesthroughauniquelens, ultimatelybenefitinggrowingsubcontractors.Ontheother
hand,suppliersareexpertsatsellingmaterialbutnot assessingandmitigatingcollectionsrisk.Billdcancombine thepowerofwallstreetwiththeconstructionindustryto superchargethepurchasingpowerofgrowingbusinessesin construction,unlikeitscompetitors.
TheConsequenceofthePandemic
TalkingabouttheimpactofCOVID-19ontheconstruction industry,Jonmentionsthathasreareditsheadinseveral ways.Projectdelaysfromjobsitesthathavebeenexposed tothevirushavecreatedextendeddelays,whichimpact everyoneinvolvedintheproject.Additionally,themass exodusofcitiestosuburbsandthemovetoremotework hasgivenpausetodeveloperslookingtobuildoffice buildings.Thecombinationofshort-termprojectdelaysand potentiallylong-termhesitationaroundthefuturestateof businesshasleftcauseforconcernforcommercial construction.Ontheflipside,theinfrastructurebillsigned byCongressthatcouldprovideasparktotheindustry,with alargepartofthebillfocusedonconstruction.
WeaskedJonhisopiniononthenecessityforbusinessesto aligntheirofferingswithnewertechnological developments,towhichhesays, “As technology continues to evolve, so do the industries that they serve. When new technologies gain mainstream adoption, it’s critical for subsequent technologies to seamlessly integrate into these new customer workflows in order to find success. The customer’s goals more or less stay the same (growth, profitability, etc.), but the tools in which they seek to achieve those goals change. Therefore, it’s critical to position your company as a thought leader and influencer about the changing trends and new customer preferences by aligning your values and R&D investments in a way that moves with the industry.”
Astrongcultureiscriticaltosuccessasanorganization,and
itbeginsandendswiththepeoplehiredtojointhe organizationalfamily.Billd'scultureisdefinedbycertain corevaluesthatitlivesby-Grit,Selfless,andAlways Better.Itcelebrateswheneachteammemberexhibitsthese corevalues,whichareinternalandexternal,towardsits customers.
ConjugatingwithCommunities Billdhasrecentlykickedoffanationaleventscampaign withthegoalofbecomingafamiliarfaceinthenational constructioncommunity Tofurtherthiseffort,Billdalso increasesinvolvementinlocalassociationchapters nationwidetoconnectwithsubcontractorsacrosstheU.S. Thecompanyisexcitedtorampupitseventandassociation sponsorshipstogrowitsrelationshipswiththecontractorsit isdoingbusinesswithandtheonesithopestoworkwithin thefuture.
CarpetRollingintotheFuture Moreover,Billdwillbeapartofeverycommercial constructionprojectwithinfiveyearsintheUnitedStates. Whetherthat'sfinancingthematerialsthatlaythe foundationofanewhighriseorwhetherit'saSaaStool thatenablesstrongerfinancialmanagementofprojects, Billdwillbethereasapartnerandfacilitatorofsuccessina
meaningfulway
“ “
BrickControl
Technologyhaschangedthefaceoftheconstruction industry.Today,wehavesoftwareandmobile solutionstohelpmanageeveryfacetofa constructionproject.Byutilizingtechnological advancements,manyconstructiontechcompaniesare drivingconstructionforward.Onesuchcompanyis BrickControl
Dedicatedtothedevelopmentofsoftwareforconstruction companies,BrickControlcoversarangeofneeds,making theworkofprofessionalsandcompaniesinvolvedina projectmucheasier
Respondingtothemultipleideascontributedbycustomers forsomanyyears,BrickControldarestoofferworldwide softwarethatisincreasinglyeasierandsafertouseby combiningthebesttechnologywiththeabilitytohostinthe cloud.Ithasbecomeapowerfulandconvenientsolutionfor businessesofallsizes.
WeatInsightsSuccesscaughtupwithDavidJiménez,the CEOofBrickControl,toknowmoreaboutthecompany andhowitscloud-basedapplicationhelpsbusinesses managealloftheirconstructionprojectsinaneasy,simple, andefficientway.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
WhatmakesBrickControlapreferredchoiceamong yourclienteleoverothercompetitors?
BrickControlstandsoutforbeingaSaaSOnCloudsolution thatremainsatthelevelofanERPsystembutfreesusers fromthetediouscomplicationsininstallationand infrastructurepaymentsthatERPsystemsentail.Weuse advancedtechnology
Itisanextremelypowerfulsystemthatallowstheparallel managementandatanylevelofdetailofmultipleprojects, multiteams,multilanguages,andmulticurrency.The systemhasnolimitsinconstructionmanagement.
Thecloudservicegeneratesmaximumsecuritythanksto theDataCenterAmazonWebServicesintheUSand Europe,guaranteeingautomaticbackupsinrealtimefor optimalmanagement.
ItoffersanAPItorunmultipleintegrationswith accounting,financialandhumanresourcessystems,among manyothers.
Inaddition,consultingservices,training,technical assistance,andsupportofallkindsareoffered.Thecorrect performanceofeachclientisthemainthing.
Thepricesarehighlycompetitive,BrickControloffers differentscalablesubscriptionplans,adaptabletoalltypes ofcompaniesandtheirspecificneeds.
Ithasbeenthecombinationoftheseelementsthatmake BrickControlaLeadingSysteminConstructionTechnology intheworld.
Describeyourtop-notchfeaturesthataddresstheneed ofyourcustomers.
InBrickControl,thebudgetmanagementfunctionis integratedwithallthedepartmentsinvolvedinthe organizationtoensurecomprehensivemanagement.
Thissoftwareallowsyoutocreateaninfinitenumberof studies,aswellastopreparebudgetssimplyandefficiently, generatingthesaleautomaticallyfromcost.Eitherby importingExcelfilesorbycreatingthem,budgetscanbe copied,exported,printedwiththeirowndesignsandmuch more,thankstoitsmultiplenestinglevel.
Projectmonitoringandprogress:BrickControl's capabilitiesasmeasurementsoftwareexceeduser expectations,andithasbeenafundamentalpointforthe recognitionofthissoftware.
Enteringworkprogressmeasurementsisassimpleas registeringworkunitsexecutedbyquantity,bypercentage orbymeasurementlinesinBrickControl.Thesystem allowstocomparethemwiththeprojectmeasurementand printusingpersonalizedtemplateswithlogos,imagesand colors.
Aftertheintroductionoftheprojectprogress,cost deviationscanbeeasilymonitoredandanalyzed,toallow controloftheexecutionoftheworkinprogress.
Calculationandmanagementofresources:BrickControl generates,fromthebudgetandautomatically,the anticipatedneedsfortheexecutionoftheworkatthe project,chapterandworkunitlevel;calculatesitscostand integratesthisinformationwiththecontrol,monitoringand analysisoftheproject.
Varianceanalysis:providescontroloverbudgetvariances, offersareal-timeprojectionofvarianceandvariance analysis.Youcanfindtheoriginofthedeviationsand determineiftheyareduetoconsumptionorprices,atthe chapter,taskandresourcelevel.Itmakesitpossibleto knowinwhichresourcethedeviationisbeinggeneratedto insertcorrectivemeasures.
BrickControlalsohasmanyotherfunctionalitiessuchas warehousemanagement,purchaseorders,deliverynotes, invoices,integrationwithaccounting.
Whatisyouropiniononthenecessityforbusinessesto aligntheirofferingswithnewertechnological developments,especiallywhenitcomestoDigital Transformation?
Wearecurrentlyexperiencingoneofthemostimportant changesintheconstructionindustry.Newproductshave appearedonthemarketmuchmorepowerfulthathave joinedtheneedforthedigitaltransformationofcompanies. WebproductsinthecloudsuchasBrickControlhelpthe digitaltransformationoftheconstructionsectoratavery affordablecostforcompaniesofanysize.
Companiesthatdistributeproductsandservicesfordigital transformationmustadapttothemostadvancedproducts onthemarket,whichareinthecloud,SaaS,andmustoffer integrationsthroughAPIstotheircustomersinorderto meetthecurrentdemandofcompanies.
Theendcustomermustevolvetowardsthenewdigital transformationbecausethiswayofoperatingwillallow themtobemorecompetitiveandefficientintheirwork.
InwhatwayshaveyouorBrickControlcontributedto thecommunity?
AceleraPymeisaSpainprogramthatwascreatedtohelp SMEsandfreelancersinordertomitigatetheimpactof Covid-19ontheiractivity
BrickControlisanOfficialCollaboratoroftheAcelera PymeProgram,toprovideallpossibletechnologicalhelp andcontributeassertivelyinthedigitaltransformation processofentrepreneurs,freelancersandalltypesof companiesingeneral.
Wearecommittedtothesuccessoftheconstructionsector, wedoitthroughourassistance,andthroughoureffortsto improvetechnologicallytoensurethebestperformancein theconstructionprocess.
What,accordingtoyou,couldbethenextbigchangein theConstructionManagementSoftwareindustry?How isBrickControlpreparingtobeapartofthatchange?
Webelievethatanimportantchangethatisgoingtotake place,isthatthemosttechnologicallyadvancedproducts automaticallyintegrate(withoutaddeddevelopments)with eachotherinrealtimethroughAPIssothatcompanies choosethebestproductineachcategory.Untilrecently, companieswerelookingforanERPthatwouldsolveallthe problemsofthecompany,thisoftenresultedinintegrated software,butwithmanyshortcomingsinsomeareasand difficulttouse.
Currentlymanyproductsonthemarketshouldnolongerbe seenascompetitors,butaspartnerswherewecanuniteto providethebestsolutiontocustomers.
Inthisway,clientscanchoosethebestworkcontroland executionsoftware,thebestBIMsoftware,thebest accountingsoftwarefortheircountry,andmore;Allthese softwarecanworkfullyintegratedasifitwereasingle product.
Whatareyourfutureaspirations?Wheredoyousee BrickControlinthenextfiveyears?
Ourfutureaspirationistocontinuetoconsolidateourselves asareferenceinconstructionprojectmanagementsoftware andtocontinueexpandinginmorecountries.
Withourtechnologytomanageallconstructionprocesses, wehavehelpedhundredsofcompaniesin2021,andweare committedtocontinuingtogrow;theimprovementsthatwe areplanningfor2022wearesurewillbenefitalltheagents involvedintheconstructionsector.
“Our services vary from training to custom development solutions. We offer what you need!”
Theworldpopulationisgrowingcontinuously,and tomeettheneedsofthegrowingpopulation,more buildingsneedtobeconstructeddailywith supportinginfrastructure.Theconstructionindustryneeds totakeproactivestepstomeettherisingdemandsof people.Thepandemichascreatedtheissuesofscarcityof resourcesandshortageofskilledlabor Thereisaneedto scaletheconstructionindustrywithresponsibilityand createsustainableandresilientprocessesthatprovide efficientsolutionstoresourcemanagement,laborshortages, andensureworkers'safety
Today,newconstructiontechnologiesenablecompaniesto buildfasterandsmarterandcompleteprojectsearlierandat aminimumcostthaneverbefore.Thelatestinnovationsin constructiontechnologyfacilitateconstructionusing advancedmaterialsandalsominimizeenvironmental damage.
Technologyisabsolutelyagreatboon,andtheconstruction industryhasbeenutilizingtechnologyformakingsite operationsandconstructionmanagementeasier,effective, efficient,andenduring.
Thefollowingarethetechnologiesortrendsthatare reshapingtheconstructionindustry:
1. BigDataAnalytics:
Bigdatahasbeenamajortrendinnearlyallindustries sincethelastfewyears.BigDataAnalyticsallows constructioncompaniestocollectandanalyzehuge amountsofdatafortakingimportantdecisionsand resolvingsomeissuesusingthatdata.Thecollecteddatain constructionprojectsishelpfulforbusinessestorecognize risksandconveytoprojectteamsaboutpossibledelays,and thisdataisalsousefulintheestimationofbudget.Bigdata solutionsimproveoperationalefficienciesofconstruction projects.Crucialinsights,forecasts,andoptimum utilizationofresourcesarepossiblewithbigdataanalytics. Bigdataalsohaveapositiveimpactonensuringhealthand safety.Ithelpsconstructionmanagersandworkerstowork smarterandcompleteprojectsfaster.Italsoensuresthe safetyofworkersbyinformingthemaboutthepossible risksandsafetyupdates.Ultimately,itispavingthewayfor amoreproductiveandefficientworkforceinthe constructionindustry
2. PrefabricationandModularConstruction: Inrecentyears,prefabricationandmodularconstruction havebecomemorepopularasbothcost-effectiveand energy-efficienttrends.Ithelpsconstructioncompaniesin
reducingtheoverallcostsofprojects.Overall,easeof designandquickerconstructionofhomesispossiblewith thesetwotrends.
3. FocusonSustainability:
Asmostgovernmentsandpeopleareincreasinglyfocused onsustainability,mostsuccessfulcompaniesinthe constructionindustryarealsofocusingonsustainability. Constructioncompaniesarelookingforproductsor constructionmaterialsthatprovideecologicalbenefitsand arenotdamagingtotheenvironment.Thesustainable approachofconstructioncompaniesisbetterfortheplanet asawholesinceitwillminimizetheclimatecrisis.
4. AdditionalIntegrationofTechnology: Therecentadvancementsandinnovationsintechnology haveresultedintechnologythatisespeciallysuitablefor constructionprojects,withmoreusageofdronesand3D printing.Theconstructionindustrycanutilizeboththese formsoftechnologyasthesetechnologieswillmake constructionworkeasierandsafer Withdrones,itis possibletoensurethatmaterialsareplacedatdesiredspots, and3Dprintingtechnologycanbeusedeffectivelytomake sureeverymaterialisofperfectsize.Cloudapplications canalsomakethecompleteconstructionprocessesmore straightforward,moreefficient,anddigitalized,givingrise tomanynewbenefitsfordigitallymanagingconstruction projectsatthetipofthefingerusingsmartdevices.
5. BuildingInformationModeling(BIM): BuildingInformationModeling(BIM)technologycan makethecollaborationaspectofconstructionprojectsmuch easier.Communicationbetweenallthepeopleinvolvedin theconstructionprojectscanbeeasilypossiblewithBIM.It makesthemanagementofresourceseasier BIMtechnologyhelpspeoplebeintouchuntilthe completionoftheconstructionprojectandprovides enhancedcollaborationbetweenthemforsuccessfully completingtheproject.
Therearemanysuchtrendsandtechnologiesthatare shapingthefutureoftheconstructionindustry,making constructionworksafer,easier,efficient,effective,and enduringwithreducedcosts.Thefutureofconstruction lookspromisingwiththesetrends.
Acareerinthetradesismorefeasibleandrewarding thanithaseverbeen.Astheindustrycontinuesto growandinnovatethereisacritical,growingneed forcompetentworkers.Newmaterials,newmachinesand evolvingprocessesrequireconstantup-skilling.Atthesame timesecondaryschooltraininginthetradesisnotalways available.Thishascausedacriticalskillsshortagein severalindustriesthatislimitingmanycompaniesfrom growingandprojectstobedelayed.
© CAHillTECH,Inc.providestheaQuiRe tooltodirectly © addressthisskillsgap.aQuiRe isaneTrainingplatform withamobileappthatmakesiteasyfortheircustomersto stayuptodateintheindustrywithhundredsof “microburst”learningmodules.Ithasthousandsoffresh, current,andmodernresourceswhichareattractiveand user-friendlyfortheNextGenworker.Thesemicroburst trainingsaretypically2-5minutesinlengthforvery targetedrealtimeaccess.Theappwaspurpose-builtsoit quicktrainingorreferencepiececanbeusedeasilywith greasyhandsorwearingworkgloves.TheQRinthename standsforQRCodes.AusercanscanaQRpastedona machineorajobsitepostertopopupaspecificskill.
© The aQuiRe Skills Center libraryfeaturestoplevel industryexperts.Theyhaverealexperienceinthefield, assuringrelevantandrealistictrainingineveryvideo.Each usercomesawaywithanewperspectiveandpieceof knowledgetohelpthembetterunderstandhowtobe productiveandsafe.Workersloveusingtheappbecauseit givesthemawaytobuildtheirskillsandadvancethier careerinwayspreviouslyunavailable.
Theappfeaturesarobustlibraryofseveralhundredtraining modulesinthegenerallibrary,availableatnoextracost withacompanysubscription.Thislibrarywillcontinueto growindepthandbreadthtohelpworkerskeeptheirskills uptodateandtopofmind.Companiescanalsocontractthe
CAHillproductionteamtodevelopcustommodulesthat arerelevanttotheirowncultureandpractices.Thisisgreat forcapturingtribalknowledgeandpassingittothenext generations.
© WhenacompanyusestheaQuiRe apptheycandeliverthe traininginagroupsettingorremotely,savingtraveltime andconsultingfees.Whetherthistrainingisneededata specificjobsiteorbeforetheconstructionseasonbegins, thereisalwaysawayforclientstogetthetrainingdeliveredtotheiremployees.Whentheypurchaseanewasset, theystickaQRcodeonthemachinefortheemployeeto scan.ByscanningthatQRcode,theiremployeewillbe providedtrainingonhowtospecificallyoperatethatpiece ofequipment.ThecompanyhaspartnershipswithOEMs (originalequipmentmanufacturers)andmaterialsuppliers, whichdeepensandenrichesthecontentavailabletoits clients.
© The aQuiRe Standards Logging featureallowscompany leaderstotrackrecurringequipmentmaintenance,health andsafetyactivitiesandotherstandardprocesses.By eliminatingpaperandtherelatedinefficiencysurrounding checklistsandprocessguides,leaderscanunderstandand controlfieldconditionsmuchmoreeasily.Forexample,a constructioncompanyassignstheirworkersa Skills Center moduleonthepropermethodsformaintainingaspecific modelofbackhoe.Theylinkthatupwitha Standards Logging surveyoutliningthespecificstepsneededtodoa properandcompliantinspectionofthebackhoe.This inspectionsurveyiscompletedeachdaybeforethemachine getsturnedon.Leadershaveafullhistoricalrecordof inspectionactivityincludingdetailednotesthatcanbe routedviatextoremailforfurtherpreventative maintenanceaction.
© SomecompaniesareusingaQuiRe todeliverannual SafetyTraininginperson.Othersareusingitforweekly
“
“ In training today’s workforce, flexibility is paramount. A virtual training system like this is key for meeting the demands of the changing workforce.Carley
The aQuiRe app features a broad array of skills topics organized in an easy to navigate library. Each skill module has a short video and relevant reference modules.
© ToolboxTalks.aQuiRe isthetoolthatbringstheteam togetherforsafety,efficiency,andcompliancetraining.This way,companyleaderscontinuallyimprovetheeffectiveness andsafetypostureoftheirworkforce.Andworkersgo hometotheirfamilieseverydaywithasmileontheirfaces.
ThemindbehindCAHillTECHisCarleyHill,who currentlyservesasthePresidentandCEOofthecompany Ms.Hillhasafirst-handbackgroundintheconstruction industry,growingupinafamily-ownedroadandbridge constructionbusiness.Shequicklyrecognizedtheneedfor andimportanceofeducationforthefield-basedworkforce. Sheexpressesthattrainingisconstantlychangingdueto technicalrequirements,theretirementofseasonedworkers, andenvironmentalorregulatoryneeds.
Thisinsightwastheseedthathasgrownintothecompany's © currenteTrainingplatform,aQuiRe thatfocusesonsafety, innovation,andknowledgeinaneasy-to-administer platform.Ms.Hillbelievesthatitshouldnotbedifficultfor constructionleaderstoensurethattheirteamfollowsbest practicesatprojectsites.
CAHillTECHisdriventofindcreativewaystopassthe informationgenerationallyinmeaningfulandrelevant ways. “But innovation will never be accepted without relational credibility. Which is why we’ve always placed the highest value on experienced, super-informed people whose roots in the industry run deep,” saysMs.Hill.The companymightharnessthelatesttechnology,buttheorigin storystartsnotinalaboratoryorboardroombutthe trenches.AndMs.HillbelievesthatInnovation, Knowledge,andTrusthavetoworktogether
“In training today’s workforce, flexibility is paramount. A virtual training system like this is key for meeting the demands of the changing workforce.”
WilliamGeary,ErieCountyDPW Commissioner
“My guys LOVE the videos; they literally say love. And these are construction workers.” -JeffDistefano,Harrison &Burrowes
“aQuiRe© is like having a second set of hands. It allows me to train employees when I’m not available and shows me if employees are capable. Truly a worthwhile sytem.”
MaxKorzaniewski,Safety&LogisticsManageratUCC
© CAHillTECHforeseesaQuiRe becomingoneofthetop © eTrainingplatformsforthetrades.aQuiRe hassuccessfully deliveredsolutionsinthefieldofheavyconstructionasthe initialindustryfocus.Butthisapproachoftechnologybasedmicroburstlearningcanworkwhereverthereisa workforcereadytobeequipped.Theteamisexcitedto explorethecross-industrypotentialoverthenextfewyears.
© TheaQuiRe platformhelpsprojectleadersbecomethe best-in-classintheirregionthroughsuperior communication,coaching,andmentorshipfortheirentire team.TheCAHillteamwillcontinuetodevelopstrong relationshipswithcurrentclientsbycontinuingtoprovide solutionstoworkforcetrainingtokeeptheirworkforcesafe andproductive.CAHillTECHispursuingrecognition country-wideasanonlinementortrainingproviderforthe constructionindustry
Theconstructionindustryrevolvesaroundprojects, infrastructures,anddesigningthem.Thisdefinitely needsavisionasthejobisbreathtaking.The involvementoftechnologyintheconstructionfieldgivesan additionalcompetitiveedgetothisindustry
Innovationhasbecomethefaceoftheindustrytodayaswe arewalkinginindustry4.0-theageoftechnology That’s themagicitbringsintheconstructionfield,andskyscrapers areaperfectexampleofit.So,whattechnologiesarewe talkingabout?Letusdivethroughthisarticle.
AugmentedReality–ARcanmeasurethephysical properties–height,width,anddepthoftheconstruction industry.Constructioncompaniesincorporatethismodel thatallowsinfrastructuretohaveamorecomprehensive viewofhowtheprojectwilllook.Itenhancestheviewof therealworldforconstructionprofessionalswithadditional information.Ithelpsconstructionworkerstoaccurately followbuildingplansandvisualizepotentialchangesor modificationstothecontractors.Italsodisplaysreal-time safetyinformationtotheworkers.Withitshands-freeona tabletorportablecomputer,thistechnologyisheretostay
ConstructionWearables–Oneoftheriskiestindustriesto workinistheconstructionindustry.Theenvironmentthey workinisnotsafe;fallsandcollisionsresultinthedeathof hundredsofworkerseachyear.Constructionwearable technologiesreducethisfearbyprovidingadditionalsafety forworkers,preventinginjuriesanddeathsacrossthe industry.Fewconstructionwearablesthatareinusetoday aresmartboots,smarthats,andpowergloves.Additionally, therearesmartwatches,monitors,andgogglestoimprove workersafety.Inthecomingtime,thesewearableswill keeponimprovingandaddingmoresafetytotheworkers.
ConstructionRobots–Fewjobscannotbedonemanually anddemandsexcessivestrength.Inmanufacturingtasks, factoryrobotsareusedtoerasetheburdenofcarryingtools orequipment.However,thereisstilltimetoadapttothe roboticworldfully.Lookingatthefutureworld,wearenot farawayfromadaptingtotheroboticworld.
Drones–Dronesarealreadymakinganimportant contributioninthefieldofagriculture,mining,security,etc. Inconstruction,itisusefulinmappinglargeamountsof landquickly,reducingmappingcosts,andkeepingtrackof equipmentsites.Italsocomesinhandyinsecurity surveillanceonmaterialsandequipmenttomonitorasite whennooneisaround.Withtheincreasinguseof technologies,droneswillcontinuetoprogresswith personnelsafetyandbuildinginspections.
3DPrinting–Unliketraditionalprinters,3Dprinting involveslayer-by-layercreationsusingmachines.Entire housescanbeconstructedusingthistechnology.However, 3Dprintingisstillinitsearlydayswhenitcomestolargescaleconstructionprojects.Incomparisonwiththe traditionalbuilding,a3Dprintedstructurecanbebuilt withinafewdays,reducingwasteasopposedtotraditional building.Itachievesperfectiononjobsitesandcanhavea hugeimpactontheconstructionindustryinthecoming years.Thereisstilltime,andalotofworkhastobedonein 3Dprinting,asthetechnologyisnewtoeveryonebutholds thecapabilitytobringthetransformationintheconstruction field.
Technologyismovingrapidly,andtheconstructionindustry iscontinuouslylookingforwaystoinnovateandimprove processes.Today,technologicalinnovationsinthe constructionindustryareimpactingeveryfacetofproject planningandthesafetyoftheworkers.Withtherighttools andtechnology,theconstructionindustryisreadytotakea bigleapaheadinthecomingfuture.
Co-founder & CEO Clue Insights
Clue Insights manifested as a result of years of experience. As veterans of the construction industry, they saw the inefficiencies plaguing day-to-day operation, how their fellows were being dragged down by the status quo, severely lagging behind the optimization curve. With this understanding came a dream, a mission; connect all construction resources and transform construction into a more productive, efficient, and greener industry. No small feat. Moving towards that lofty goal saw the creation of Clue Insights, a company that, through their construction management platform (aptly namedClue), provides a centralized place to manage a company’s entire fleet operation. Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and robust telematics integrations, Clue provides actionable data, a single ‘source of truth’, and a centralized hub to manage all project assets.
Insights Success caught up withOded Ran, theCo-founder & CEOof Clue Insights, wanting to know how their company is contributing to the efficiency of the construction industry
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Describe your top-notch offerings that address the needs of your customers.
We offer a comprehensive platform to maximize productivity and minimize downtime of our customers’fleet operation. We do this mainly through our key 3 offerings:
Tracking 100% of your assets: any make, model, or year.
Integrate all off-road & on-road assets in one platform, through 3rdparty trackers or OEM telematics
One easy-to-use mobile and web (dashboard) platform
Customized reports by company and project types
All data available viaAPI and CSV
Minute-by-minute productivity tracking with AI-based alerts
Track utilization, idling, fuel, and location
Self-reporting machine data andAI-generated insights - by project, asset types, locations
Abnormal utilization, activity alerts
Fully integrated maintenance process
Unified view of all diagnostics/engine codes with one-click work order creation
Customizable digital inspections
Streamlined preventive maintenance
Assign and track maintenance progress and attach images on the fly
What makes your company a preferred choice among your clientele over other competitors?
We are the world’s first solution that tracks real-time productivity for 100% of fleets. We provide tailor-made analyses on utilization and maintenance, including customized suggestions and reports for improving operations based on insights from fleet data. Clue is easy-to-use, available for web and mobile, and requires zero training or implementation for customers with
adedicated success manager for life.
Darrin Sheriff
Director of Equipment & Purchasing, Palmetto Corp.
From a business leadership perspective, what is your opinion on the impact of the current pandemic on the fleet management sector and the equipment maintenance market?
there’s no arguing that the pandemic has changed the fleet management and equipment maintenance markets in a fundamental way. Companies that were hesitating on remote technologies suddenly found themselves desperate, the care, safety, and health of their people becoming not only paramount but something that needed to be directly monitored. It also tigtened belts with profit margins becoming more critical than ever. For us, it made clear that great construction software needed to focus on these areas Access needed to be easy and available anywhere
Likewise, the communication needed to be streamllined and made a simple click away. Images and videos became more necessary for clarity in day-to-day operations Total visibility on crews and equipment is now an industry necessity. With profit margins becoming thin and irregular, being aware of asset hoarding and underutilized equipment is essential.This is why real-time productivity tracking is so powerful. With budgets now more ‘shoestring’than ever, companies need to optimize. They need to know the best fleet compositions for their projects to maximize their resource utilization and reduce their costs. Being able to see the granular movements of your assets - their volumes, cycle times, load counts, driving routes, etcetera, and being able to optimize those operations is crucial to a project’s overall profitability
Describe the values that drive your organization.
We want to build something useful, reliable, and consistent Dare we say, a new industry standard To do that takes time You have to evolve with your customers They key: don’t sell listen! Communicate with them openly and honestly, and make sure you understand their perspective
We ourselves are from more than 10 countries, all with different cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds. Creativity, resourcefulness, and progress are born from our diversity
This internal perspective led to the understanding that open, clear communication is foundational to our success We also want to contribute to society thoughtfully and with a greener world in mind. We want to reduce the industry’s CO2 emissions by optimizing fuel efficiency in the hope that we’re leaving the environment better for our children.
What is your opinion on the necessity for business to align their offerings with newer technological developments, especially when it comes to Digital Transformation?
It’s no secret that the construction industry is one of the least digitized. Companies find themselves in a situation where those who evolve swiftly to newer, more effective technologies will survive while their competitors...don’t.
That’s why there are tons of software solutions - the market is ready for change, ready for progress, but few in the industry are inclined to transform easily. It comes down to buy-in and ease of transition. For a real digital transformation, you have to come at it from the field-up; the product has to be useful on the ground level. It has to show value quickly. Otherwise, it’s just another layer of work that drags a company down rather than lifts them up
In what ways have you or Clue Insights contributed to the community?
We host free webinars on how to increase fleet efficiency and productivity and provide free downloadable maintenance protocols and fault code translations We’re proud to say that we’ve been recognized by our local and federal customers for saving their costs and avoiding unnecessary expenditures. We’re also proud that, for every customer that signs with us, we plan to donate to a Chicago food charity. Lastly, we reduce the CO2 emission to help move towards a clean and sustainable future
Our vision is to connect and optimize all construction companies, equipment, and employees. We envision increasing productivity in the construction industry by deliveraing degitized operations, data-based analysis, andAI-enabled telematics. We’re not competing with existing construction solutions, but rather partnering with them to revolutionize the construction ecosystem. If you’ll pardon the pun, we envision becoming the global platform to get all ‘Clues’for every construction manager to manage and optimize their entire fleet operation
Asweareapproachingthe2-yearmarkintoaglobal
pandemic,bothinsurersandinsuredsaretryingto navigatethroughachanginginsurancelandscape andahardeningmarketnotseeninnearly2decades.This evolvinglandscapeispressuringinsurerstoreinventtheir businessandclientengagementstrategiesasacompetitive differentiatortocounteracttheincreasingpricingand supportunderwritingprofitability.
Arecentsurveybybrokeragefirm,AleraGroupInc., forecastsanaveragerateincreaseof11.6%acrossalllines ofbusinessfor2021.Withinvestmentreturnstakingthe inversecourse,pressuretodrivestrongunderwritingresults hasbecomeimperative.Outsideofjustpriceincreases, buyerscanexpecttoseeanincreaseincoverageexclusions alongwithhigherretentionsanddeductibles.
Thisiscomingatthesametimeasaparadigmshifthas transferredpowerfromthecarriertotheconsumer Asthe emergenceintechnologyhasalloweddeliveryof hyper-personalizedexperiences,sodotheexpectationsfor insurancecarrierstooperateinadigitalworld.Inahighly competitiveindustrywiththehighestclientacquisition costs,clientretentionthroughdifferentiationisking,and
thebattletoretainclientswillbewonbasedonuser experience.
Outsideofprice,theabilityforinsurerstohelptheirpolicy holdersproactivelyprotectthemselvesfromemergingrisks wascitedasthetopfactor(55%)intheirdecisionmaking whenitcomespurchaseandrenewaldecisions,according toDeloitte.Insurersthatareabletomeetandexceedtheir client’sexpectationsreceiveanumberofbenefitsincluding: higherlikelihoodofbuyingadditionalcoverage,lower sensitivitytopriceincrease,increasedreferralrateand lowerfrequency/severityofclaimsjusttonameafew
Atin2vate,weworkwithourcoverageproviderstodevelop atechnologyinfrastructurethatallowsforadigital distributionofresourcesspecifictocoverageorbusiness type.Theseresourcesareagnostic,meaningthattheycan beprovidedbyin2vate,thecarrier,orthepolicyholder themselvesleadingtoaplatformindividualizationuniqueto theneedsofeachorganization.Thistailoredapproachhelps theuserexperienceandreducesrisk,whichwillhelp increaseclientretentionandsupportlosspreventionona granularandglobalscale.
Asaresult,ourpartnershaveincreasedtheirabilitytoreach significantlymorepolicyholdersatafractionofthecostby utilizingdigitallabor Withanaverageratingof9/10in customervaluederivedfromoursystem,ourpartnershave experiencedameasurableincreaseinuserexperience. Increasedengagementanduserexperience,however,aren’t theonlybenefitsofimplementingadigitalecosystemof services.
Notonlydoesthesystemallowforadynamicandagile platformtodeliverpersonalizedservices,butitalsoactsas adataaggregatortosupportinternalcoreprocesses.These de-siloeddatapoolscanbedistributedtoanyrelevant stakeholderthroughoutthevaluechain.Losscontroltolook atindividualandaggregatedatatoadversetrendsfor resourceallocation,underwriterstowriteprofitablerisk, producerstoupsellandcrosssellrelevantpolicies,and executiveleadershipabirds-eyeviewofitall.
Losscontrolrepsandagenciescanimprovemeaningful engagementwiththeirpolicyholdersbymonitoringpositive engagementwithservices,underwritersareabletoimprove theirinsightintotheactionsaninsuredistakingtoprotect theirorganizationandpreventlosses,anddecisionmakers throughoutthevaluechainarebetterabletoimplement strategybasedonactionabledataderivedthroughusageand adecreaseinfrequencyandseverityinclaimsthrough improvedpolicyholderbehavior
Whilethereisnoonesilverbullet,carrierswhoareactively investinginuserexperiencethroughdigitalengagement capabilitiesarenotonlysettingthemselvesupfortoday’s hardeningmarket,buttheabilityandagilitytoshiftto whateverchallengestomorrowmaybringaswell.
Ifthesechallengesandopportunitiesareonyourradar, contactNickDuffieldatnduffield@in2vate.comandwe wouldlovetotalkandseeifthereisanopportunityforus tohelpyouaswell.
