How Accurate Budgeting With Construction Software Can Boost Profits

DAN TAYLOR | January 18, 2019 | 232 views

Here’s a sobering fact: Only the top 19 percent of contractors and subcontractors set specific overhead, profit and sales targets for the year, and then track their progress monthly. That means 4 out of 5 contractors are just winging it. How on earth do you think you’re going to stay on budget if you’re not even tracking it properly?

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Weir Flow Control

Weir Flow Control specialises in the design and manufacture of valves, pumps, and controls for the global power generation, oil & gas and industrial sectors. Our goal is to offer customers high performance assets and service solutions which bring down the total cost of ownership, maximise process uptime, and ensure optimal efficiency.

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Engineering Tech

Infrastructure Policy Watch: UKIB goes live, Singapore brings in global sustainability experts

Article | July 20, 2022

The new UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB) recently opened, with its remit confirmed by the UK government in a new Framework Document. The document sets out the role of the bank as providing: "leadership to the market in the development of infrastructure and new infrastructure technologies, crowding-in private capital and reducing risk through its cornerstone investments and range of financial products. It will bolster the government’s lending to local government for large and complex projects through its expertise and scrutiny, and help to bring private and public sector stakeholders together to regenerate regions and create new opportunities." It will have two strategic objectives, to help tackle climate change and support regional and local economic growth. Given these two objectives may conflict, the Framework Document suggests "where an investment is primarily to support economic growth, the Company will ensure that it does not do significant harm against its climate objective."

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Engineering Tech

Digital twin created for groundbreaking bridge with Allplan Bridge

Article | August 24, 2021

The Ottendorf Viaduct on the Riesa-Chemnitz railway line stood for over 160 years until it could no longer be saved and had to be replaced in 2015. The new replacement structure built at that time was a first for Deutsche Bahn: For the first time in its history, it built a bridge with a frame-stiffened arch structure. Although 3D models were used to some extent in the planning of the structure, the BIM method was not applied, so that no digital twin of the bridge is available for future (maintenance) work.

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Engineering Tech

Infrastructure Policy Watch: measuring India's progress on SDGs, Canada consults on infrastructure priorities

Article | July 14, 2022

The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI), an Indian government policy commission, has published its SDG India Index and Dashboard 2020-21 report on progress against the UN Sustainable Development Goals at the state level in India, its third annual report. The main theme of this year’s report is ‘partnerships’, with NITI aiming to highlight the pace that can be achieved by working together in pursuit of the goals, as well as shine a light on the quiet but effective partnerships working away in the background. As part of this, the report sets out actions that have been taken across the 11 areas of the collaborative advantage framework to drive forward progress on SDG indicators. In the accompanying index, all Indian states and union territories are scored and ranked on each SDG, alongside progress over the year.

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Construction

The Top 5 Most Helpful Tools for Architects

Article | May 19, 2021

Creating unique, aesthetically pleasing, and viable architectural designs takes time – but this process can be greatly accelerated with the right tools. Using advanced architectural CAD drafting software, architects can model and visualize any design they can imagine, providing complete freedom.

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Spotlight

Weir Flow Control

Weir Flow Control specialises in the design and manufacture of valves, pumps, and controls for the global power generation, oil & gas and industrial sectors. Our goal is to offer customers high performance assets and service solutions which bring down the total cost of ownership, maximise process uptime, and ensure optimal efficiency.

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Engineering Tech

YOUNG & Associates Acquires IN-Line Consulting, LLC

YOUNG & ASSOCIATES | September 26, 2023

Property and claims consultants YOUNG & Associates (YA), has acquired the claims and engineering company IN-Line Consulting, LLC. Founded by Matt Watson and Mark Lively more than 16 years ago, IN-Line was formed to manage the consulting work offered by a full-service restoration company operating primarily in the Southeast United States. The move strengthens YA's footprint in that part of the country, solidifying the company's role as a national and international leader. IN-Line will operate as a subsidiary of YA and its day-to-day operations will continue to be directed by the existing IN-Line leadership team. The company's management and support teams also will remain in place. "This partnership with IN-Line is a significant step forward in growing our professional service offerings," said Wade Bushman, YA's CEO. "We appreciate IN-Line's diverse base of technical experts, exceptional customer service track record, shared cultural values, and employee-first workplace model. They are a natural addition to the YA team." IN-Line President Matt Watson explained joining forces with YA allows the company to better serve clients by broadening its resource base and expanding its capabilities nationally and internationally. The move also offers new avenues for personal and professional growth for IN-Line's employees. "Since our inception, we have focused on building a great team and culture that can best serve the wide-ranging needs of our clients," Watson said. "Now, with YA's resources and platform, we are well positioned to carry that commitment into the future." ABOUT YOUNG & ASSOCIATES YOUNG & Associates (www.youngonline.com) is a property consulting firm providing building damage assessments, forensic and investigative consulting services to the insurance industry, public and private sector clients. YA was founded in 1997 by Ray and Linda Young on the core values of knowledge, integrity, and professionalism. Through its 26 years, YA's range of property damage services has expanded, developing a broader client base, and growing the team to almost 600 staff strategically located across the U.S. and internationally. ABOUT IN-LINE CONSULTING, LLC IN-Line Consulting, LLC (www.inline.us) is a national construction consulting firm specializing in property damage restoration and reconstruction recommendations for all phases of construction. Historically, IN-Line has been engaged on large, complex losses which require the technical diversity, expertise, and experience unique to our team of professionals. IN-Line's principal services include the preparation of comprehensive and market-specific construction estimates, as well as detailed and practical scopes of reconstruction. IN-Line's other competencies include but are not limited to: cost of repair audits; on-site clerking; code reviews; construction schedule analysis; production efficiency and economy analysis; forensic engineering; and construction defect analysis.

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Engineering Tech

Michael Baker International Acquires Tidal Basin

PR Newswire | August 28, 2023

Michael Baker International, a global leader in engineering, planning and consulting services, announced today that the firm has acquired Tidal Basin, a leading comprehensive emergency and disaster management consulting firm. Tidal Basin will continue to operate as a stand-alone entity and will complement Michael Baker's efforts to support the nation's recovery efforts and rebuild infrastructure to be safer and more resilient. "We are excited to welcome Tidal Basin as a sister company to Michael Baker. This relationship is a tremendous opportunity for the two firms to work closely together to drive more value for a shared client base that encompasses more than 90 locations across the country," said Thomas J. Campbell, Chairman of Michael Baker International and Founder and Managing Partner of DC Capital Partners. "Both firms bring added strength to the market with complementary resources and capabilities to take on larger resiliency projects while delivering the exceptional client service for which they are known." This new relationship pairs the depth and breadth of Michael Baker's engineering and consulting expertise with Tidal Basin's extensive experience and comprehensive suite of services relative to preparedness, mitigation, response, recovery and program management - which are increasingly important as public and private entities contend with volatile climate activity and man-made emergencies. Tidal Basin has served as a vital resource during times of crisis, including public health emergencies and other unforeseen events. Working more closely together will allow both firms to provide even stronger program and technical management expertise and resources to clients, including governments, businesses and communities. Michael Baker and Tidal Basin have a history of working together on projects throughout the country, including planning projects targeting wildfires in California and infrastructure projects in Colorado and New York. The new relationship between the firms creates many avenues to leverage synergies and growth opportunities across Michael Baker's five distinct verticals: Infrastructure, Design-Build Services, Federal Programs and Services, Consulting and Technology Solutions (CTS) and Sustainable and Resilient Solutions (SRS). Growth opportunities exist through the strong relationship both organizations have with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), while pursuing additional business across all Federal agencies. This includes expanding relationships with federal civilian agencies, state and local entities, departments of transportation nationwide as well as projects in the broadband services, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and geographic information systems (GIS) sectors, among others. Tidal Basin is led by founder and CEO Daniel A. Craig, a leader with extensive experience with FEMA and the disaster consulting and post-disaster recovery industries. He has advised the White House and more than a dozen governors and state administrations on recovery, housing, and long-term economic recovery strategies. Mr. Craig also served as a presidentially appointed Associate Administrator for FEMA's Recovery Division where he was responsible for overseeing the federal government's recovery efforts on all presidentially declared events including the Space Shuttle Columbia crash, the wildfires of 2003, and the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005. Mr. Craig is supported by a deep team of industry experts and experienced professionals including Amy K. Baker, Executive Vice President, Government Consulting; Melissa J. Gordon, Executive Vice President, Enterprise Solutions and Stephen T. Surace, President and Chief Financial Officer. Currently, the Tidal Basin team is leveraging its technology enabled solutions to expedite recovery efforts related to the tragic Maui wildfires. The McLean Group acted as financial advisor and Davis Wright Tremaine LLP acted as legal advisor to Tidal Basin in connection with the transaction. Arnold & Porter, LLP acted as transaction counsel and White & Case, LLP acted as debt counsel to DC Capital. About Michael Baker International Michael Baker International is a leading provider of engineering and consulting services spanning five distinct Verticals: Infrastructure, Design-Build Services, Federal Programs and Services, Consulting and Technology Solutions (CTS) and Sustainable and Resilient Solutions (SRS). The firm's Practices encompass all facets of infrastructure, including design and civil engineering for diverse bridge, highway, water, rail and transit and aviation projects, as well as planning, architecture, environmental and construction and program management. For more than 80 years, the company has been a trusted partner to clients, providing comprehensive services and solutions, delivering expertise and quality, and embracing emerging technologies and the latest innovations – like intelligent transportation, engineered models and public safety software as a service (SaaS).

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Engineering Tech, Construction

Day & Zimmermann Integrates Multidiscipline Engineering into Service Portfolio, Expanding Capabilities to Full EPC

PR Newswire | August 24, 2023

Day & Zimmermann (D&Z) announced integration of its engineering capabilities within its Maintenance and Construction division, positioning the company to service customers' greater project needs under an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) execution model across all markets and the clients we serve. The move allows D&Z to offer full-service, multidiscipline engineering and completes its suite of EPC capabilities to support large-scale design-build projects. Day & Zimmermann, the century-old, family-owned provider of construction and maintenance, engineering, staffing, and defense solutions for leading corporations and governments around the world, also continues its expansion into the solar, advanced manufacturing, and semiconductor markets. The company's Maintenance and Construction division was recently awarded a contract with The State Group to support construction of Ford's Blue Oval City Electric Vehicle Center in Stanton, Tennessee. "This is an exciting time for D&Z's Maintenance and Construction division. Our business is growing, we have become ISO 9001 certified, added to our team of industry experts through strategic investments and acquisitions, and now we've integrated engineering services to further expand our project capabilities and better meet our customers' needs," said John McCormick, President of D&Z's Maintenance and Construction division. Recent acquisitions bolstering D&Z's service capabilities include the Ohio-based companies of Davis-Pickering Co. Contractors, a union labor construction company, and River Town Electric, a solar system design, installation, and maintenance service provider for in-ground and roof-mounted photovoltaic solar systems as well as grid-tied, off-grid, and solar thermal systems. Acquisitions within the last five years include Minnotte Contracting Corporation, a Pittsburgh-based union mechanical contractor and construction company, and EMC Canada, a construction company based in Kincardine, Ontario, Canada. Both companies now operate fully as part of D&Z. D&Z engineering services cover many areas including process/chemical; mechanical; electrical; piping design/engineering; instrumentation and controls; civil, structural, and architectural; BIM management; and 3D laser scanning and modeling. This multidisciplinary expertise is leveraged to provide EPC services. With D&Z's Maintenance and Construction division recently receiving its ISO 9001:2015 certification through DEKRA, work begins to include engineering services under the certification with expected completion in early 2024. ISO 9001 certification is a necessary step to work under standards recognized worldwide, pursue bigger projects, and ensure the highest quality engineering work is delivered to customers. "We are building on 120 years of brand equity and reputation for high standards of safety, first-time quality, and cost efficiencies," said McCormick. "We are accelerating momentum for our people, our customers, and our future. We're positioning our business for full EPC capabilities to ensure a place for our children's children to work and to be an asset for the customers and communities we serve." D&Z's Maintenance and Construction division helps plant and facilities owners in the nuclear, fossil, solar, government sector, chemical, advanced automotive, semiconductor, and other industrial markets lower their total cost of ownership by delivering innovative maintenance, construction, and specialty services and solutions. The announcement of integrated engineering services adds to its offerings and makes turnkey construction contracts a reality for D&Z customers. ABOUT DAY & ZIMMERMANN When you've been around for more than a century, you know a thing or two. At Day & Zimmermann, we take our lifetime of experience and make things better. Our 51,000+ employees help bring big ideas to life every day. We're pushing the boundaries of innovation in construction & engineering, operations & maintenance, staffing, and security & defense. And that's not all. Did we mention that we have 150+ worldwide locations with $2.7 billion USD in annual revenue? We put people to work, we protect American freedoms, and we help our customers power and improve the world.

Read More

Engineering Tech

YOUNG & Associates Acquires IN-Line Consulting, LLC

YOUNG & ASSOCIATES | September 26, 2023

Property and claims consultants YOUNG & Associates (YA), has acquired the claims and engineering company IN-Line Consulting, LLC. Founded by Matt Watson and Mark Lively more than 16 years ago, IN-Line was formed to manage the consulting work offered by a full-service restoration company operating primarily in the Southeast United States. The move strengthens YA's footprint in that part of the country, solidifying the company's role as a national and international leader. IN-Line will operate as a subsidiary of YA and its day-to-day operations will continue to be directed by the existing IN-Line leadership team. The company's management and support teams also will remain in place. "This partnership with IN-Line is a significant step forward in growing our professional service offerings," said Wade Bushman, YA's CEO. "We appreciate IN-Line's diverse base of technical experts, exceptional customer service track record, shared cultural values, and employee-first workplace model. They are a natural addition to the YA team." IN-Line President Matt Watson explained joining forces with YA allows the company to better serve clients by broadening its resource base and expanding its capabilities nationally and internationally. The move also offers new avenues for personal and professional growth for IN-Line's employees. "Since our inception, we have focused on building a great team and culture that can best serve the wide-ranging needs of our clients," Watson said. "Now, with YA's resources and platform, we are well positioned to carry that commitment into the future." ABOUT YOUNG & ASSOCIATES YOUNG & Associates (www.youngonline.com) is a property consulting firm providing building damage assessments, forensic and investigative consulting services to the insurance industry, public and private sector clients. YA was founded in 1997 by Ray and Linda Young on the core values of knowledge, integrity, and professionalism. Through its 26 years, YA's range of property damage services has expanded, developing a broader client base, and growing the team to almost 600 staff strategically located across the U.S. and internationally. ABOUT IN-LINE CONSULTING, LLC IN-Line Consulting, LLC (www.inline.us) is a national construction consulting firm specializing in property damage restoration and reconstruction recommendations for all phases of construction. Historically, IN-Line has been engaged on large, complex losses which require the technical diversity, expertise, and experience unique to our team of professionals. IN-Line's principal services include the preparation of comprehensive and market-specific construction estimates, as well as detailed and practical scopes of reconstruction. IN-Line's other competencies include but are not limited to: cost of repair audits; on-site clerking; code reviews; construction schedule analysis; production efficiency and economy analysis; forensic engineering; and construction defect analysis.

Read More

Engineering Tech

Michael Baker International Acquires Tidal Basin

PR Newswire | August 28, 2023

Michael Baker International, a global leader in engineering, planning and consulting services, announced today that the firm has acquired Tidal Basin, a leading comprehensive emergency and disaster management consulting firm. Tidal Basin will continue to operate as a stand-alone entity and will complement Michael Baker's efforts to support the nation's recovery efforts and rebuild infrastructure to be safer and more resilient. "We are excited to welcome Tidal Basin as a sister company to Michael Baker. This relationship is a tremendous opportunity for the two firms to work closely together to drive more value for a shared client base that encompasses more than 90 locations across the country," said Thomas J. Campbell, Chairman of Michael Baker International and Founder and Managing Partner of DC Capital Partners. "Both firms bring added strength to the market with complementary resources and capabilities to take on larger resiliency projects while delivering the exceptional client service for which they are known." This new relationship pairs the depth and breadth of Michael Baker's engineering and consulting expertise with Tidal Basin's extensive experience and comprehensive suite of services relative to preparedness, mitigation, response, recovery and program management - which are increasingly important as public and private entities contend with volatile climate activity and man-made emergencies. Tidal Basin has served as a vital resource during times of crisis, including public health emergencies and other unforeseen events. Working more closely together will allow both firms to provide even stronger program and technical management expertise and resources to clients, including governments, businesses and communities. Michael Baker and Tidal Basin have a history of working together on projects throughout the country, including planning projects targeting wildfires in California and infrastructure projects in Colorado and New York. The new relationship between the firms creates many avenues to leverage synergies and growth opportunities across Michael Baker's five distinct verticals: Infrastructure, Design-Build Services, Federal Programs and Services, Consulting and Technology Solutions (CTS) and Sustainable and Resilient Solutions (SRS). Growth opportunities exist through the strong relationship both organizations have with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), while pursuing additional business across all Federal agencies. This includes expanding relationships with federal civilian agencies, state and local entities, departments of transportation nationwide as well as projects in the broadband services, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and geographic information systems (GIS) sectors, among others. Tidal Basin is led by founder and CEO Daniel A. Craig, a leader with extensive experience with FEMA and the disaster consulting and post-disaster recovery industries. He has advised the White House and more than a dozen governors and state administrations on recovery, housing, and long-term economic recovery strategies. Mr. Craig also served as a presidentially appointed Associate Administrator for FEMA's Recovery Division where he was responsible for overseeing the federal government's recovery efforts on all presidentially declared events including the Space Shuttle Columbia crash, the wildfires of 2003, and the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005. Mr. Craig is supported by a deep team of industry experts and experienced professionals including Amy K. Baker, Executive Vice President, Government Consulting; Melissa J. Gordon, Executive Vice President, Enterprise Solutions and Stephen T. Surace, President and Chief Financial Officer. Currently, the Tidal Basin team is leveraging its technology enabled solutions to expedite recovery efforts related to the tragic Maui wildfires. The McLean Group acted as financial advisor and Davis Wright Tremaine LLP acted as legal advisor to Tidal Basin in connection with the transaction. Arnold & Porter, LLP acted as transaction counsel and White & Case, LLP acted as debt counsel to DC Capital. About Michael Baker International Michael Baker International is a leading provider of engineering and consulting services spanning five distinct Verticals: Infrastructure, Design-Build Services, Federal Programs and Services, Consulting and Technology Solutions (CTS) and Sustainable and Resilient Solutions (SRS). The firm's Practices encompass all facets of infrastructure, including design and civil engineering for diverse bridge, highway, water, rail and transit and aviation projects, as well as planning, architecture, environmental and construction and program management. For more than 80 years, the company has been a trusted partner to clients, providing comprehensive services and solutions, delivering expertise and quality, and embracing emerging technologies and the latest innovations – like intelligent transportation, engineered models and public safety software as a service (SaaS).

Read More

Engineering Tech, Construction

Day & Zimmermann Integrates Multidiscipline Engineering into Service Portfolio, Expanding Capabilities to Full EPC

PR Newswire | August 24, 2023

Day & Zimmermann (D&Z) announced integration of its engineering capabilities within its Maintenance and Construction division, positioning the company to service customers' greater project needs under an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) execution model across all markets and the clients we serve. The move allows D&Z to offer full-service, multidiscipline engineering and completes its suite of EPC capabilities to support large-scale design-build projects. Day & Zimmermann, the century-old, family-owned provider of construction and maintenance, engineering, staffing, and defense solutions for leading corporations and governments around the world, also continues its expansion into the solar, advanced manufacturing, and semiconductor markets. The company's Maintenance and Construction division was recently awarded a contract with The State Group to support construction of Ford's Blue Oval City Electric Vehicle Center in Stanton, Tennessee. "This is an exciting time for D&Z's Maintenance and Construction division. Our business is growing, we have become ISO 9001 certified, added to our team of industry experts through strategic investments and acquisitions, and now we've integrated engineering services to further expand our project capabilities and better meet our customers' needs," said John McCormick, President of D&Z's Maintenance and Construction division. Recent acquisitions bolstering D&Z's service capabilities include the Ohio-based companies of Davis-Pickering Co. Contractors, a union labor construction company, and River Town Electric, a solar system design, installation, and maintenance service provider for in-ground and roof-mounted photovoltaic solar systems as well as grid-tied, off-grid, and solar thermal systems. Acquisitions within the last five years include Minnotte Contracting Corporation, a Pittsburgh-based union mechanical contractor and construction company, and EMC Canada, a construction company based in Kincardine, Ontario, Canada. Both companies now operate fully as part of D&Z. D&Z engineering services cover many areas including process/chemical; mechanical; electrical; piping design/engineering; instrumentation and controls; civil, structural, and architectural; BIM management; and 3D laser scanning and modeling. This multidisciplinary expertise is leveraged to provide EPC services. With D&Z's Maintenance and Construction division recently receiving its ISO 9001:2015 certification through DEKRA, work begins to include engineering services under the certification with expected completion in early 2024. ISO 9001 certification is a necessary step to work under standards recognized worldwide, pursue bigger projects, and ensure the highest quality engineering work is delivered to customers. "We are building on 120 years of brand equity and reputation for high standards of safety, first-time quality, and cost efficiencies," said McCormick. "We are accelerating momentum for our people, our customers, and our future. We're positioning our business for full EPC capabilities to ensure a place for our children's children to work and to be an asset for the customers and communities we serve." D&Z's Maintenance and Construction division helps plant and facilities owners in the nuclear, fossil, solar, government sector, chemical, advanced automotive, semiconductor, and other industrial markets lower their total cost of ownership by delivering innovative maintenance, construction, and specialty services and solutions. The announcement of integrated engineering services adds to its offerings and makes turnkey construction contracts a reality for D&Z customers. ABOUT DAY & ZIMMERMANN When you've been around for more than a century, you know a thing or two. At Day & Zimmermann, we take our lifetime of experience and make things better. Our 51,000+ employees help bring big ideas to life every day. We're pushing the boundaries of innovation in construction & engineering, operations & maintenance, staffing, and security & defense. And that's not all. Did we mention that we have 150+ worldwide locations with $2.7 billion USD in annual revenue? We put people to work, we protect American freedoms, and we help our customers power and improve the world.

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