____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Productivity
Success will hinge on contractors being able to easily and fully map and understand their processes throughout the value stream, especially as projects become more complex. This view of all processes must be comprehensive, starting from a prefab order through to manufacturing, shipping, and installation and be able to easily resolve potential or impending snags in supply chains.
Hyperlocal construction does not mean that megaprojects are out of reach for local builders. Instead of local contractors competing, there is an opportunity for all to collaborate and work with the large, local prefab hubs.
The future is centralized operations
Strategic deployments of technology, supported by a clear understanding of processes and workflows on a centralized operations platform, sets the foundation for long-term success. This is how construction companies can keep projects on time and on budget.
The prefab renaissance and the rise of hyperlocal ecosystems
A further factor having a big impact is the increasing dependency of offsite manufacturing and its influence on labor and materials.
Prefab is safer, less expensive, improves efficiency, and is not held back by inclement weather. As more projects require additional BIM requirements, the need to review your processes from order, prefab, shipping and installation are becoming more prevalent. Prefab shops are getting bigger and more advanced every month. They are truly transforming into robust manufacturing centers.
When you factor in local labor markets and the inability to find labor or when you look at material supply chains and ensure lead times do not impede construction schedules, or joint ventures possibly all working through a multi-trade BIM coordinated project, we see a renaissance of
managing all of this. This is leading to the emergence of larger, local prefab operations that act as a hub for all contractors. By leveraging volume and scale, these hubs can drastically improve material planning, BIM coordination, manufacturing, logistics, and more of the prefab activities in a more efficient, cost-effective way.
For these reasons, the next gen of prefab is likely to spark more hyperlocal construction where builders that may have once competed are now working more closely together. These prefab firms, through the efficiencies gained, will in turn help to create more opportunities for the local market and help to compete with ongoing tariffs, BIM modeling requirements, and lead times. ■
Bob Salaj www. quickbase. com
Bob Salaj is Principal Industry Advisor, Construction, at Quickbase. Quickbase is the leading application platform for dynamic work. It makes the complex simple by helping companies see, connect, and control their projects, from day one to done.
construction-today. com 17