Tracking Infrastructure

The Idencia data tracking system is being used in more than 90 precast concrete plants, almost every one of which is doing so to track QC data. There is a simple reason for this: Idencia solves problems that are plaguing the QC department!

The process of working with prospective customers has been an interesting study in human nature because people typically don't want to admit that they have problems.

The irony is that most have the exact same problems!

So, we thought it would be a good idea to share the QC-related problems we have observed in the industry so that you can:

1) Know your problems aren't unique; and

2) Find good company in others using our solution.

WIth that, here are the top 5 problems that prompted our customers to use Idencia (ranked in order of impact not prevalence):

Each week I publish an email that offers stories about the precast industry or personal anecdotes that relate to my passion for continual improvement. This week's subject line was: Precast, John Deere & The Family Farm. It recounted my very positive impressions of both Deere and a nationally recognized farm for the importance they place on data collection and analysis to sustain continued productivity growth.

So, perhaps its fitting that I just came across an article in Planet Lean entitled Lean Maintenance in Agriculture. As you might guess, there are some good lessons for the precast community in observing how leading farms are applying lean manufacturing principals to maintenance practices.

I was touring a precast plant about a month ago and my host pointed over to a clump of trees in the distance. 

"Do you know what that is?", he asked.

"We call it Area 51 because we can't explain the inventory that is located there."

A year or so ago, I had a similar conversation with another precaster who had just purchased a precast plant. The acquired plant had a place in its yard that was called Inventory Mountain.

Seems like everyone is talking about the need for innovation in construction. How the supply chain needs to work together to become more efficient. How the industry needs to move from the age-old model of working in silos to a more collaborative approach. How records need to be centralized so that all parties to a project are working with the same information.

Since Facebook changed its company name to Meta, there has been a lot written lately about the metaverse. As a combination of augmented reality and video that people can experience virtually, it creates a lot of consumer excitement for the potential that it can offer by bridging the virtual and physical worlds. There has been a parallel movement in B2B markets (some argue that it's part of the same movement) in the form of Digital Twins. As is often the pattern in technology, it is likely that the surge in consumer interest will be followed with business adaptation. Get ready for Digital Twins.

There has been a lot of talk about 3D modeling and BIM in recent years. Both have experienced acceptance and application in commercial construction.... but very little in the civil construction market. However, it seems that the FHWA's push for e-Construction practices over the past 5-6 years is bearing fruit. Now, all of a sudden, DOTs are starting to require e-ticketing and Digital As-Builts from their suppliers.

Stubbe's Precast, based in Harley, Ontario, is a big precast producer with a great reputation. They serve eastern Canada with two state-of-the-art manufacturing plants specializing in structural and architectural precast. Speak to any precaster in Canada or in the northeast United States and they will speak of Stubbe's with high regard. The reason for this is found in Stubbe's values: quality, innovation and, as they state on their website, "forward thinking solutions". 

Since early in Q2 of 2020, we have seen a dramatic growth in inquiries from large precast manufacturers who want to 'go digital' in their plants. They all have their own specific needs, of course, but the acceleration of interest suggests that there is something bigger at work. Something that suggests a change in thinking or a transformation. It feels as if the industry has reached a tipping point, much the same way that the world rushed to embrace Zoom to manage through COVID.

We think it has.

We are very pleased to announce that Idencia has created a new service for the precast industry... and the best part is that it does not cost a cent!

This week we introduced Idencia Insights, a series of polls we will take from time to time on topics of interest to the precast industry. Participants can immediately see how their anonymous responses compare to others and Idencia will publish the results.

Now that things are starting to settle down and states are beginning to re-open from COVID-19 shutdowns, the question on everyone's mind is "What will happen next?". It feels like we were cruising (speeding?) along at a comfortable pace of 85 mph and slammed on the brakes to avoid a multi-car accident that came out of nowhere. We've crashed. Are we seriously injured or just severely shaken up?