Fieldwire and Hilti: Leading construction productivity through software and hardware
Rhizlaine Benabid • To bolster its offerings as the digital transformation partner of choice for its customers, Hilti acquired Fieldwire, a U.S.-based jobsite management software company, in 2021. This strategic acquisition is part of the company’s vision of becoming a global leader in jobsite productivity.
Fieldwire is on a mission to become the world’s most trusted field management solution for construction teams on projects of any scale. It powers more than 1 million commercial, industrial, heavy civil and residential projects at some of the largest construction companies in the world.
“We started Fieldwire to help construction contractors empower their teams, drive field productivity and create stronger, more profitable companies,” said Yves Frinault, Fieldwire’s co-founder & CEO. “With Hilti, we have found a partner that not only shares our values but also allows us to accelerate our product roadmap for our customers while expanding in new markets.
Providing the best solutions for construction productivity
Construction represents almost 10% of the global GDP with most of the spend being realized in the field during the construction phase. As much as 70% of the workday is spent in non-direct wrench time activities, and while the vast inefficiencies of field operations have been often documented, the industry is still in its digital infancy when it comes to supporting the craftsperson itself to solve the problem. Fieldwire makes it easier for contractors to coordinate crews in the field on large construction operations, improving trade productivity by more than 12% on average.
Jan Doongaji, CEO of the Hilti Group, stated: “Strategically, the acquisition has opened up a number of ways for us to better serve our customers. It has been a win-win for both parties, whether in terms of new business opportunities or future growth plans. With the combined strength of technology and the immense resources that Hilti brings as a group, we are expecting Fieldwire to grow much faster in many existing and new markets. Hilti has always had a reputation for creating high-quality hardware, software and services, and Fieldwire seamlessly fits into what is already a strong ecosystem that has consistently delivered excellent value to our end customers.”
Georg Connert, Head of Software & Services Business Unit, added: “Fieldwire has been the perfect addition to Hilti due to their excellent product and their ultimate focus on making the construction industry more productive and profitable.”
Hilti’s collaborative business culture has helped build an environment where its team is constantly in touch with customers. Such day-to-day interactions provide invaluable insights that can be used to create better products and solutions that customers truly need.
From a strategic perspective, and also from their customers’ point of view, the acquisition has created a win-win situation where both Fieldwire and Hilti now have the capability to offer unmatched value in terms of hardware and software solutions that make life easier for all stakeholders.
