Digitalization of the building material and construction machinery industry

Although the building material and construction machinery industry got through the COVID-19 pandemic comparatively well, companies are currently faced with a number of challenges:

• The shortage of skilled labor has been the biggest problem for several years, with fewer and fewer young people choosing a career in the branch.
• Increasing competition and supply bottlenecks caused by the various different global crises are putting companies under pressure in the fight for orders and major projects.  Just-in-time delivery of goods will become an increasingly decisive factor for success.
• Construction site management must become more efficient – not only to increase client satisfaction, but also to ensure optimal communication and documentation at the site.

In the course of the digitalization of the building materials industry, the automation of business processes increasingly represents a success factor. It offers numerous opportunities and possibilities to meet the challenges and remain competitive. The automation of business processes allows for resources to be used optimally and efficiently, while also reducing the workload on staff. By synchronizing the data and networking with all involved parties, suppliers can make goods and products available at exactly the time they are required. Digital construction site management optimizes how building projects are handled. Last but not least, new job profiles that include digital skills also increase the appeal of the industry and attract young professionals.

Digitalization of the construction site goes far beyond the functions of the machinery. All processes must be incorporated, from the initial order all the way through to completion of a building project. This is because the automation of organizational and administrative workflows offers enormous potential when it comes to saving costs and increasing both efficiency and quality.

• Sensors and cameras attached to the construction machinery document the progress of construction and provide data for billing the work carried out.
• Delays in the project are recorded immediately and passed on automatically to the administration and management team.
• Material consumption is determined on a daily basis, with any restocking of supplies ordered automatically.
• The integration of fleet management allows machinery to be brought in and out of the site at optimal frequencies.
• Excavators fitted with measuring equipment determine the amount of material moved and request lorries for removing the material according to needs. Logging and adjustments are made automatically.
• Any discrepancies in construction can be documented, transmitted and processed directly on site in real time using special measuring equipment.

From the beginning to the end of a construction project, there are numerous steps and processes where automation is worthwhile and digitalization in the building materials industry can be taken into account. Different technologies are used, both at the construction site itself and on the machines, and also in the company offices and management team. In order to ensure a smooth process and the perfect synchronization of the individual technologies, an intelligent process automation platform is required that acts as a central hub for all workflows. The platform orchestrates how the technologies work with each other and adjusts and synchronizes them accordingly. By integrating the Internet of Things (IoT) for recording, processing and storing data from machinery and equipment, a cloud-based platform allows the entire construction site to be linked together – even across multiple sites. Access can be made via mobile devices, with offline availability also a possibility.

In order to take the digitalization and automation efforts of building material and construction machinery companies to the next level, the isolated use of individual automation technologies must be avoided. To do this, a reliable partner is needed who considers the relevant processes from beginning to end and knows at what point a specific tool can be used to its full potential. Axon Ivy understands the challenges as well as the requirements of your company and provides comprehensive support for digitalization in the building material industry. By implementing a holistic solution and a comprehensive strategy, we can fully exploit the potential for innovation across the entire value chain and accompany you on the path towards digital transformation.