Recognising the benefit that BIM and digital prototyping can provide to the construction industry, leading construction software company Construction Industry Solutions (COINS) has invested in BIM-enabled virtual design and construction services company, Fulcro Engineering Services. Both businesses believe that they will benefit greatly from each other’s knowledge and expertise, complementing each other in the shared goal of creating project certainty.
COINS and Fulcro have the shared vision of combining the development of software and the application of 3D digital prototyping in order to deliver better, more robust information at the right time. This will help customers of both companies with their design and cost plan of work process,while continuing to support construction and manufacturing to operational levels of detail, through to the transition of data for facilities management and operational maintenance.
Deputy Chairman of COINS Derek Leaver explains: “We have been successfully providing software solutions to the construction industry for over 20 years, from 3D CAD systems through to specialist ERP systems. Using 3, 4 and 5D models in one guise or another has been spoken about for many years, and is now finally being mandated by clients. It is also being recognised by construction companies as a cost saving benefit if applied correctly. However, we find that much of the industry is yet to understand the full capabilities of BIM, or how they can go about implementing it.
“We have partnered with Ben Haldin and his team at Fulcro, as they are specialist Design Engineers – practitioners in the industry, not software developers – and have been using 3D design to cost projects, check coordination, and validate designs for major clients and construction companies for over 12 years and are widely recognised as experts in the world of BIM. Drawing on their extensive real life experience and knowledge will help COINS to design and deliver BIM solutions for our clients.”
Ben Haldin, Managing Director of Fulcro, added: “Fulcro and COINS already have commonality across our customer portfolio, we have also been downloading and using 3D COINS apps from the Autodesk web site to help us in our business prior to having any conversations with COINS. As a company reliant on 3D design applications, working with COINS as a supplier but also as a partner will be a great benefit to the Fulcro business and what we can deliver to our clients. They can provide us with capabilities we have been waiting for but have not seen in the market yet.”
Fulcro’s Virtual Design & Construction (VDC) Director, Sarah Hawkins recently visited COINS’ 3D development facility in Irving, Texas and spent time looking at some proof of concept developments being carried out by Jon Smith and his team. “Some really exciting opportunities areopening up through us working together,’’ said Sarah. ‘’ I believe we are teetering on the edge of something brilliant, having identified a gap in the industry’s information workflow for Virtual Design & Construction that to the best of my knowledge is not being considered by others currently with any real clarity,’’ she added.
