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Christophe Ho-Van, EVP Portfolio at ARKANCE, shares in this interview the main challenges and trends in the Building, Infrastructure and Manufacturing sectors. He highlights the importance of sustainability, the adoption of new technologies and the need for resilient supply chains. He also details how ARKANCE is positioned to meet these challenges thanks to its broad portfolio of solutions and services.
What do you see as the main challenges in the Building, Infrastructure, and Manufacturing sectors?
In 2024, there are several significant challenges to consider in these environments arising from technological, economic, environmental and regulatory aspects.
In the Building sector, we can list four key factors:
Sustainability and Environmental Impact: There will be increasing pressure to reduce carbon footprint and incorporate sustainable practices into projects, while complying with stricter environmental regulations and green building standards.
Technology Integration: The integration and adoption of BIM, IoT and automation into building processes will be crucial, as will the management of cybersecurity risks associated with increasing digitization.
Disruptions in Global Supply Chains: This will affect the availability and cost of building materials, requiring the development of more resilient and diversified supply chain strategies.
Cost Management: Material and labor costs, along with inflationary pressures that will impact project budgets, will demand the implementation of effective cost control measures and risk management strategies.
In the Infrastructure sector, I would highlight three main points:
Obsolete Infrastructure: It will be critical to address the maintenance backlog and upgrade needs of obsolete systems, balancing the urgency of repairs with budgetary and financial constraints.
Climate Change and Resilience: Infrastructure will need to be designed and built to withstand extreme weather events and adapt to changing climatic conditions, incorporating sustainability to reduce environmental impact.
Technological Advances: The integration of smart infrastructure technologies will improve efficiency and management, although interoperability issues between new and existing systems will also need to be addressed.
And in the Manufacturing sector, I would put four challenges on the table:
Digital Transformation: Accelerating the adoption of Smart Industry technologies, such as automation, Artificial Intelligence and IoT, will be key to improving production efficiency and competitiveness, although the costs and complexity of implementing these technologies will need to be managed.
Supply Chain Resilience: Mitigating the risks of supply chain disruptions, raw material shortages and logistical challenges will require building more resilient and agile supply chains through diversification and digital management tools.
Sustainability and Circular Economy: Meeting sustainability goals by reducing waste, improving energy efficiency and adopting circular economy principles will be essential, as well as ensuring compliance with stricter environmental regulations and consumer expectations for sustainable products.
Geopolitical and Economic Uncertainty: Dealing with the impacts of global economic conditions, trade policies and geopolitical tensions on operations and supply chains will be a major challenge, and companies will need to adjust their strategies to mitigate the risks associated with economic volatility and protectionism.
Finally, I’d like to mention a number of common challenges for these sectors that are worth keeping in mind such as climate change and decarbonisation; scarcity of natural resources such as steel, aluminium and wood; rapid technological advances such as Artificial Intelligence and automation; the use of more efficient construction practices; and a lack of skilled labour.
Addressing these challenges proactively will enable organisations in these industries to position themselves for greater resilience, innovation and competitiveness in 2024 and beyond.
Within AEC, what trends and developments do you expect to see in the coming years, and how is ARKANCE poised to take advantage of them?
In this sector in particular, four key aspects should be highlighted. The first is the advance and consolidation of BIM, whose use will become more widespread, facilitating better collaboration and efficiency in projects. Specifically Autodesk Revit, integrated with our Be.Smart solutions like T4R and Smart Documentation, helps enhance BIM capabilities, ensuring accurate and efficient project delivery.
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The second is a greater focus on sustainability, with a strong emphasis on sustainable construction practices and building materials. In fact, our tools and technologies optimise the use of materials and reduce waste. For example, our Be.Smart Building solutions, like Wood Framing, Metal Framing and Precast Concrete, automate the design and documentation of wood, LGS steel and precast concrete structures respectively, reducing design time and improving accuracy.
The automation of routine tasks, the integration of data between multiple systems and the incorporation of AI for predictive analytics are other trends that will transform project management and execution. In this regard, solutions such as Smart Browser and Cut Opening automate critical processes, saving time and reducing errors. In addition, Autodesk's AI-powered tools, such as Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC), are key to providing a comprehensive management solution that improves workflow efficiency and project oversight.
Finally, the last point is collaboration and enhanced data management. The integration of Autodesk's cloud-based solutions, such as BIM Collaborate Pro and Be.Smart Project and ERP Connector by ARKANCE, ensure seamless data exchange and collaboration between all members of a project team, improving transparency and decision-making processes.
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Our strategic position leverages these advanced digital construction solutions and our proprietary Be.Smart solutions to provide a comprehensive and coherent approach to AEC projects, ensuring that we can deliver robust, efficient and sustainable technologies that meet the evolving needs of the industry while improving our customers' competitiveness. In addition, our solutions are designed to increase productivity, optimise costs and reduce project delivery in the shortest possible time.
Regarding the Industrial and Manufacturing sectors, what is ARKANCE's strategy?
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At ARKANCE, we are poised to lead the transformation of Industry, thanks to our expertise in advanced services that support the digital transition of customers and with tools such as T4I, Publisher4VLT and ERP Connector, that automate design tasks and integrate PDM with ERP to streamline data management and improve productivity.
In the Infrastructure sector, what is ARKANCE's strategy to differentiate itself from the competition?
Our strategy focuses first and foremost on sustainability and CO2 reduction. We are implementing CO2 calculators and sustainable design optimisation tools to comply with strict environmental regulations and reduce carbon footprints. A great example of this is our partnership with the Oris materials intelligence platform to deliver rapid road design iterations and provide insights to minimise emissions and costs.
Second, we are placing a strong emphasis on advanced project management. To do this, we rely on tools for efficient execution, fleet management and progress tracking to improve productivity and ensure that projects are delivered on time and on budget.
And finally, we are deploying innovative and integrated solutions, such as Be.Smart Site Management, for better project monitoring and resource allocation. At the same time, we are providing data connectors to our infrastructure customers, who often face problems arising from the interaction of different computer systems.
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Focusing specifically on Be.Smart solutions, could you explain how they contribute to solving the specific challenges of these industries?
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Be.Smart addresses specific challenges of these sectors through three fundamental approaches. The first is automation and optimisation. Tools such as T4R and Smart Documentation automate repetitive tasks, improving accuracy and reducing project lead times.
The second is our commitment to sustainability. Solutions such as Smart Browser and Cut Opening allow us to get more out of the use of materials, reducing waste and promoting sustainable practices.
Finally, these solutions provide enhanced collaboration. For example, Be.Smart Project facilitates greater project collaboration and data management, ensuring seamless workflows and better results.
How is adoption of Be.Smart going among users?
Some solutions in our Be.Smart portfolio have a proven track record and have been evolving over the past three decades. Other more innovative solutions, such as Pointscene, have recently been launched and are expected to be progressively adopted. Overall adoption of Be.Smart among users has been very positive, with feedback highlighting significant increases in efficiency and reduction of errors in the design and documentation processes.
Users also appreciate the intuitive design of these solutions, which makes them easy to integrate into existing workflows, improving productivity without steep learning curves. In addition, they have noticed an improvement in project turnaround times and compliance with company standards.
Looking ahead, what new developments, solutions or services can we expect to see from ARKANCE in Building, Infrastructure, and Manufacturing?
The area where we are mainly focusing is on improving integration capabilities with other industry standard solutions to provide seamless workflows and better data management. In parallel, we also plan to introduce advanced AI and automation tools to improve predictive maintenance and project analytics. We will also drive sustainability-focused innovations, with new software and upgrades to existing solutions that further drive sustainable practices and reduce environmental impacts.
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Finally, could you share some significant challenges that ARKANCE is facing in these sectors?
We are addressing challenges, such as adapting to rapid technological change by continually updating our portfolio with cutting-edge solutions, while providing comprehensive training and support to customers. And all this while meeting strict technological and environmental standards by developing tools that help organisations monitor and reduce their carbon footprint and comply with regulatory requirements.
In the end, we strive to be consistent with our mission as a company, which is to deliver world-class services and solutions that inspire and empower to design, build, and solve the challenges of tomorrow.