A Newtown-based civil engineering, construction and groundworks firm has set itself on a path to growth by making a significant investment in new digital IT systems and infrastructure. The implementation of new technology has enabled EvaBuild to forecast 20% year-on-year growth for the next 3 years.
Increasing productivity
“Since the IT roll-out we have increased overall productivity by 50% and completely eradicated the delays that used to occur while our teams waited for information gained from site visits, surveys and audits carried out across the UK,” explains project manager Rhys Jeremiah. “We are now looking into the adoption of a fully-integrated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, as a way to further enhance both internal and external communication as our customer base continues to grow.”
EvaBuild was founded in 2011, but reached a stage where it needed to diversify the services it offered in order to expand its customer base. The company looked to digital technology to support its ambition to grow the business, and contacted the Welsh Government’s Superfast Business Wales (SFBW) programme for help.
Changing IT infrastructure
After attending one of SFBW’s digital technology workshops, followed up by a one-to-one meeting with a digital business adviser, the company introduced a number of key changes to its IT infrastructure. This included the introduction of Office 365 software across the business, enabling staff to make use of its remote access and document-sharing capabilities.
EvaBuild has also implemented its own Network-Attached Storage (NAS) facility, which created additional capacity for data storage and allowed key personnel to access business-critical software, wherever they were in the country. With some staff spending more than two thirds of their time on the road, remote access to key software, such as the firm’s new tendering system Vector, and the ability share information instantly across the business using apps such as FormConnect, quickly became a game-changer for EvaBuild.
Exciting new software
Efficiency savings made across the business have also encouraged the company to explore the use of the latest Building Information Modelling(BIM) software. This exciting development, that would enable the team to use intelligent 3D modelling to work collaboratively with building designers and other contractors on complex projects, offers huge potential for the firm to expand its offer, according to Mr Jeremiah.
“Business Information Modelling as an approach is transforming the way some companies are doing business in the construction sector and we want to make sure we position ourselves at the forefront of the industry,” said Mr Jeremiah.
“The benefits we are already seeing from our investment in technology are clear to see, but we want to continue on the journey and this means looking at making improvements in all areas of the business, from enhancing the services we provide to our customers to the use of digital technology to promote growth of the business, through raising brand awareness, increasing reach and attracting new customers.”