We are thrilled to announce that James Pease has joined Fieldwire’s advisory board. James is a groundbreaking leader in the Lean Construction and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) movements. He is currently Regional Manager for the Facility and Property Services division of Sutter Health in California. At Sutter Health, he is helping deliver a $6.5 billion capital improvement program by managing multiple projects that use the IPD model.

IPD projects differ dramatically from the typical construction contracts that we know. Per the American Institute of Architects, IPD is “a project delivery approach that integrates people, systems, business structures and practices into a process that collaboratively harnesses the talents and insights of all participants to optimize project results, increase value to the owner, reduce waste, and maximize efficiency through all phases of design, fabrication, and construction.” IPD projects are therefore inherently Lean: they reduce waste, align incentives, and increase value. Furthermore, IPD projects tend to be delivered on time and on budget more consistently!

Here at Fieldwire, we think that by reducing waste (calls and emails back and forth, walking around the jobsite, waiting for responses, etc.), we help get people back to the important and value-add side of their jobs - actually performing the work that gets our buildings and infrastructure built! We see the value in Lean construction and it has been a focus of ours since the beginning.

We’re looking forward to James’ valuable insight to help impact where Fieldwire is headed! If you want to learn more about Lean construction and IPD, please check out LeanIPD.com, where James is the Executive Editor.

Fieldwire is free for small teams on Apple iOS, Android, and on the web. Start your Lean construction journey with us!

At Fieldwire, we’re laser-focused on helping to improve the productivity of field workers. But we also recognize that a field management solution is just one layer of an optimal construction technology stack.

Many contractors also rely on software for design planning, bidding and estimating, and workforce management, among other tasks. While there are many advantages in choosing the best vendor for each specialized function, this can increase complexity and restrict data portability.

The construction industry deserves a better solution, one that combines the power of specialized software with the ease and compatibility of all-in-one solutions.

Today we’re taking the first steps towards working with other complementary construction technology providers to help make that vision a reality. By teaming up with Sydney, Australia-based Assignar, we’re not only helping Fieldwire reach another part of the world, we’re also introducing our customers to a class-leading software solution that is highly complementary to our own.

Over the next few months you can expect to see educational resources explaining how the two platforms can be used in tandem as part of your technology stack. We also plan to offer package discounts for contractors interested in using both platforms together.

Further down the road, our two teams will be working together to find ways to drive deeper integrations offering a seamless solution to customers of both platforms.

We’re also putting out a call for other construction technology providers interested in fostering an open and collaborative ecosystem of platforms rather than a traditional monolithic model. Users want free choice and the ability to fill each function with a different vendor. In other industries, open ecosystems offering the greatest choice and flexibility have nearly always won out over proprietary data formats and “all-in-one” suites trying to do everything. Construction is likely to follow a similar path.

Construction technology providers interested in joining the alliance for a collaborative ecosystem of platforms should reach out to Niek Dekker, niek(at)assignar(dot)com, or Raphael Varieras, partnerships(at)fieldwire(dot)com.

More on the benefits of using Fieldwire here and Assignar: www.assignar.com

We’re happy to announce that Fieldwire has been invited to take part in INTERMAT, the international exhibition for construction and infrastructure in Paris from April 23-28. We’ll be joining 20 other innovative companies presenting solutions to challenges in the construction sector.

INTERMAT will feature over 1,500 exhibitors and 183,000 visitors looking to capitalize on the best civil engineering and structural building solutions available. It’s the perfect place for Fieldwire to shine and bring efficiency to new European projects dealing with complexity or scaling issues. We’ve already fostered tremendous success with similar endeavors, such as the 450M€ fiber optic network project with NGE in the Alsace region of France.

Eurovia, a subsidiary of France-based general contractor Vinci, sponsored Fieldwire to join its Start-Up Village at INTERMAT. While INTERMAT features 50 percent of the world’s top 100 largest construction contractors, the Start-Up Village is meant to support entrepreneurship and innovation for those firms who operate in the field. So Fieldwire will be right at home.

“INTERMAT features many of the leaders in the construction sector, and we are pleased that Eurovia invited Fieldwire to participate,” says Edouard Bidault, European Business Development Manager for Fieldwire. “As Fieldwire continues its expansion in Europe, we look forward to forging new relationships and sharing the expertise we are known for in the U.S.”

Fieldwire will be featured in the Start-Up Village (Booth #6B23) at INTERMAT in Paris from April 23-28. If you’ll be in Paris, come say hello!

To register for INTERMAT as a visitor, click here.

Fieldwire’s partnership with Dropbox has always been successful, not just because they offer a reliable collaboration platform to solve legacy obstacles, but because they share our vision for improving the way content is stored and delivered to construction teams to maximize their productivity. Their recent blog post highlights just how our two companies have come together to make that happen.

The modern content lifecycle is not without its bumps in the road. Architects and clients issue files that then need to be distributed and reviewed by contractors and other stakeholders, in-office and on-site. While the necessity for this information chain is clear, the process of sharing that content is rarely so smooth. Data can get siloed, lost in email threads and binders, and feedback can be sluggish without immediate delivery. Privacy concerns can also be raised with the lack of secure data protection.

Dropbox Business is dedicated to support construction teams in the same way that Fieldwire is - with end-to-end document management and real-time collaboration. It’s this common ideal that has made our partnership such a seamless solution and great value for our joint customers. Drawings, contracts, submittals, photos, and all other project files are securely stored and shared with all relevant team members with speed and clarity. Saved time, increased communication, and undeniable ROI are just some of the regular benefits to be reaped from deploying Fieldwire and Dropbox Business on complex projects.

“Our goal is to connect construction teams with the tools and platforms that can help facilitate seamless collaboration,” said Billy Blau, Global Head of Business Development and Partnerships at Dropbox. “Whether at the office or the job site, teams can take advantage of our integration with Fieldwire and its two-way syncing capabilities to stay connected on the latest changes to key documents and content.”

To read more about our game-changing partnership, check out Dropbox’s recent blog post about preserving and increasing momentum on construction projects.

Today, we are pleased to announce a strategic partnership between Fieldwire and Hilti Group. Hilti is a world-leading manufacturer and supplier of construction technology, and has selected Fieldwire as a key partner in this endeavor. They will also be joining the Fieldwire board to cement our new partnership.

Hilti Group has made great strides in recent years to help revamp the industry with digital solutions and connect construction professionals together. Fieldwire’s mission has always been to bring efficiency and transparency to construction project management, so this new partnership is an ideal next step in our continued pursuit of that goal. Our collaboration with Hilti is off to a great start, and we’ll be combining our efforts to further improve the way people are working in the field.

“Fieldwire’s approach to jobsite productivity stands out in the construction tech scene and aligns very well with Hilti’s mission,” says Joerg Kampmeyer, Member of the Executive Board and CFO at Hilti. “We were impressed by Fieldwire’s leadership, and our investment in the company is a first step in establishing a long-standing strategic partnership.”

We’re excited to be working with Hilti Group and growing our relationship in order to better serve the men and women of the construction industry. To read the full press release for this partnership, click here.