CONEXPO – CON/AGG Podcast: Construction Business Insights For Contractors

Construction companies face a unique set of challenges when it comes to asset management. Ensuring people, materials and equipment are in the right place at the right time is critical to the success of a project. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) can help automatically identify and track tags that are attached to objects. With RFID, contractors can reduce the amount of time it takes to find tools or equipment and eliminate reorders of misplaced materials. David Beaton, director of construction services, Atlas RFID, joins CONEXPO-CON/AGG Radio to discuss how RFID can increase labor productivity on construction sites and how a company can best deploy this technology today.

Grade control and machine diagnostics can improve productivity and safety in construction. The challenge is learning how the technology works and implementing it on projects. Andrew Kahler, product marketing manager, John Deere WorkSight joins CONEXPO-CON/AGG Radio to talk about what this technology means for today’s contractor and the jobsite, discussing challenges, benefits and opportunities for the future.

Construction jobsites are humming with a number of different pieces of heavy machinery. The use of machine control can help accurately position machinery based on design models and GPS systems. This podcast will address how technology is continuing to evolve, and how heavy equipment operators can gain greater efficiency and accuracy on jobsites. Murray Lodge, senior vice president and general manager of the Construction Business Unit, Topcon, joins CONEXPO-CON/AGG Radio to discuss how contractors can stay competitive and make big productivity gains in 2018.

There is a big change happening today with the way construction workers interact with data, and it is impacting the dynamic of how work is done at the jobsite. Many contractors are already aware of this, but don’t necessarily know where to start. This podcast addresses the challenges and solutions. Isaac Barlow, founder and CEO, busybusy, joins CONEXPO-CON/AGG Radio to discuss how smartphones are changing construction technology and the best way to adopt mobile apps.

2017 has been a big year for the construction industry, as the market has begun to pick up. This podcast will look to the future and identify trends about what to expect in the year ahead. Ken Simonson, chief economist, Associated General Contractors of America joins CONEXPO-CON/AGG Radio to discuss the construction market outlook for 2018, addressing trends related to labor availability, natural disasters, infrastructure funding, and emerging technologies.

Labor productivity growth in construction has averaged only 1 percent a year during the past two decades. Big data and intelligent machines can help support construction companies out at the jobsite. How can your operators harness it? This question, and many more, will be addressed in this podcast. Karl-Johan Timbäck, productivity services business manager, Volvo Construction Equipment, joins CONEXPO-CON/AGG Radio to help operators understand how to interact with all this data.

Since the early days of 3D printing, discussion has emerged about the potential benefits, hurdles, and opportunities for implementing additive manufacturing technology into the construction of full-scale buildings. While the technology is still in its infancy, it has the potential to significantly improve current construction methods. Will 2018 be the year of 3D printing for construction? Will this change how business is done out at the jobsite? Omid Davtalab, PhD candidate at University of Southern California and R&D software engineer and data scientist at Contour Crafting Corporation, joins host Peggy Smedley to discuss everything contractors need to know about additive manufacturing and 3D printing.

Construction equipment is coming installed with more technology than ever before, but one question remains: Who owns the data? Is it the rental company, the manufacturer, or the construction company? Host Peggy Smedley is joined by Ronak Amin, business solutions professional, Komatsu America Corporation, to discuss all the considerations construction companies will need to keep in mind when leveraging data from equipment, including security, implementation, training, and more. Amin's unique vision will influence the way end users perceive and consume data, making them more agile in their decision making.

The construction jobsite is changing, as new sensors, telematics, and advances in fleet management emerge. Fred Fakkema, vice president, compliance, Zonar, joins host Peggy Smedley to discuss safety and compliance, the ELD (electronic logging device) mandate, and what operators need to know about the changing construction jobsite. They take a deep dive into creating operating efficiencies and how to leverage the latest advances in equipment, all while meeting mandates and regulations.

Where is there opportunity for improvement in your construction operation? Telematics technology is rapidly evolving, supplying massive amounts of data about your jobsite. Tony Nicoletti, director, strategy and business development, DPL Telematics joins host Peggy Smedley to discuss how telematics usage has moved from machine system monitoring to driver behavior and performance. Tony shares best practices for technology implementation, with a focus on safety and efficiency improvement.