There are a lot of moving parts on a construction site. Keeping track of all of them is critical to the success of your operation. Better performance, improved efficiencies, lower costs and reduced emissions may be the end goal for any contractor today – but how do you get there? If you want things to run better, faster, safer and at a lower cost, it all starts with telematics.
While today’s telematics technology is still tracking location and hours on equipment, it can also do so much more: standardizing workflows, integrating and linking operations and equipment with real-time data, increasing productivity and creating a more sustainable workplace. With telematics, digital files are uploaded into machines and sent directly from the site to customers and surveying is done using highly advanced drone technology.
Telematics is now providing companies with complete connectivity, ensuring they stay on top of schedules, budgets, fuel consumption and emissions. It has also become more accessible, levelling the playing field and making it easier for contractors to integrate into their business.
For North Construction, a construction firm based in a city on the edge of the wilderness in B.C., telematics has been a big part of their business over the years. And it’s provided significant value– helping to do jobs better, faster and gaining a competitive advantage along the way.
Telematics as an invaluable tool for productivity
North Construction is renowned for working in some of the most challenging projects in difficult terrain and handling any project, anywhere. They specialize in eco-sensitive construction, mainly in steep terrain – whether it’s developments for clients like British Pacific Properties in West Vancouver or working with the North Shore Mountains to help develop their ski areas. They have a passion for completing every job to the highest standard. And that attitude encompasses their approach to technology adoption and leading the fray in new and innovative ways to help shape their business.
“It has been pretty crucial in helping our company evolve,” says Joel Markson, director of logistics for North Construction. “The amount of data we are able to attain provides us with very accurate and useful information, giving us a precise diagnosis of potential issues, allowing us to fix it quicker or even diagnose remotely to get the operator back up and running.”
According to Markson, “There’s additional information about work and idle times that we get from telematics that helps us to improve operator behaviour and maximize the productive time that equipment is running.”
That competitive advantage extends to the costing of jobs as well. “We use the info from the telematics to tell us what it takes to run each individual piece of equipment every hour. And the data we attain through other software about productivity allows us to put very accurate costs to jobs because we know exactly how long it’ll take and exactly what that cost is for the machine.”
Drone surveying from their sister company, Spitfire Drone Survey, has totally changed their client interactions and invoicing. Customers can now receive a progress report via drone imagery or grade files showing them what they’re paying for. “They no longer get just a number on an invoice that we produced 10,000 cubic metres of material. We can now show them high-definition orthographic imagery from the drone data that calculates the volume within that stockpile,” says Markson. “And clients can go online and manipulate the 3D models generated from the survey.
Telematics as a part of company culture
Emissions and fuel burn is another key area where telematics is helping North Construction not only lessen their impact on the environment but meet compliance. Mainly municipalities are mandating tracking of fuel burn and emissions – being able to pull that information out of the telematics, and compile it, provides huge value to entities like Metro Vancouver. It’s accurate and quickly delivered to them. According to Markson, “it’s just another valuable piece of data that we can track and pass on to clients through telematics.”
They have integrated technology into their business to be more effective and efficient on every level.
“It’s a part of helping us drive where we’re moving as a company,” says Markson. “We adopted technology right from the get-go when 3D GPS grading came out. There was a learning curve and a few bumps along the way but being an early adopter and having a smaller fleet at that time allowed us to work out those bugs. Now, pretty much every piece in our fleet has 3D GPS capability and telematics on it.”
North Construction sees the added value daily. The biggest benefit is the increased efficiency in which jobs are completed and almost eliminating rework.
Using technology to enable decision making
For North Construction, technology has allowed them to have one global view of what is happening at any point in time. “We know where the fleet is, what the fleet is doing, and how that information can be optimized and shared between jobs,” says Markson. “Just one click creates a much clearer picture for everyone making decisions on their own job, and it allows the company as a whole to be more efficient.”
It also allows for efficiencies on the environmental side by ensuring jobs have the least possible impact.
It’s been a part of their culture from the beginning, as they predominantly operate in environmentally-sensitive areas. It allows them to continually bring in new equipment that is the most fuel efficient, has the ability to track remotely, and diagnose issues before they become larger problems.
“It’s given us the ability to keep leading the forefront of providing the most environmentally conscious and sensitive equipment so we’re burning the least amount of fuel per unit of work,” says Markson.
A forward-thinking mentality
To take advantage of the benefits of technology it requires a huge investment of time and energy and a commitment to changing the way you do business. It’s not so much the cost of the software and the hardware on the equipment, it’s the overall value added. Does the technology provide you with what you need for your business? For Markson, it’s an evolution that has changed the way they operate.
“We will continue to try new technologies, new software and new equipment. And when we find those pieces that fit for our business model, make us more efficient and keep us leading the way, we will adopt them.”
Connectivity is here to stay
Leveraging telematics has been hugely successful for North Construction. It’s provided them with the competitive advantage needed to win future work and stay ahead of the curve. A tech-savvy company not only breeds innovation but also helps to attract the next generation of workers who come equipped with the skills and expertise needed for a career in this changing industry.
There is a lot of technology-driven information available to construction companies today. Making sense of that information can enable better decision making. And waiting is not an option. Technology advancements are only accelerating and competition is getting tighter. Ensuring technology is part of your company culture is key. And a reliable equipment and technology dealer can help guide you through this journey, drilling down to the specific data and insights needed to meet the demands of your business.
Peter Gibbons is technology solutions architect at Finning Canada.
