TES GROUP
TES Group Drives Business Growth with Move to the Cloud
THE FUTURE OF MAKING
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Growth is always a core goal for any company. But it requires innovative approaches and finding a competitive advantage. TES Group (TES), a water and power technology engineering expert specializing in critical infrastructure, is doing just that.
TES is recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in its sector by London Stock Exchange Group and Investec, and it has doubled in size in the last five years. Headquartered in Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland and with smaller offices throughout the UK, it delivers projects globally. With rapid growth year-over-year, the company wanted to expand its digital capabilities in the cloud to further innovation and access higher-value projects.
Since it typically works with multiple stakeholders and subcontractors on projects, the company identified an opportunity to implement a Common Data Environment (CDE) with BIM 360 Docs to provide real-time access to project data for streamlined coordination and to drive efficiency. BIM 360 Docs (available with Autodesk Docs in the AEC Collection) and Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro (formerly BIM 360 Design) provided TES with the capabilities and workflows it needed to become a one-stop shop for the full design-to-construction lifecycle. This helps put it ahead of larger competitors—who often outsource many business functions.
Design collaboration view with BIM 360 Collaborate
“BIM Collaborate Pro has enabled us to expand and diversify our services. It’s an all-encompassing solution that has helped us to achieve sustained growth. Our staff can access and edit models in real-time from any device, without needing to be in the office or on-site, which has been crucial in helping us maintain project efficiency while adapting to remote working.”
— Noel McCracken, Managing Director, TES Group
Transition to the cloud
With a seamless transition from offline to cloud-based working, TES Group experienced the benefits right away, especially with design. TES immediately reduced snags on-site that would have been more prevalent when working in 2D.
“Not only can we compare models much more effectively than we could do with 2D, but we can also raise issues in real-time and have access to data on-site via smartphone and iPads, not just in the office,” said Neil Quinn, M&E Design Manager, TES.
Following an issue on a recent Water Treatment Plant project, the design team was able to draw up new pipework models in the office and share them through the platform within a few hours, resulting in two days onsite time savings.
McCracken highlighted, “BIM Collaborate Pro has driven greater collaboration, communication and engagement throughout project delivery across our water and power divisions. Our staff can access and edit models in real-time from any device, without needing to be in the office or on-site, which has been crucial in maintaining output while remote working.”
Potable water pumping station
New productivity gains
The team has also seen an enormous uplift in productivity since moving to the cloud with improved planning and communication both within the company and with external partners and clients. Clients also have better visibility at each project stage, including design and pre-construction. And all project stakeholders are working from one CDE, as a single source of information.
A timely cloud adoption also supported business continuity as the company remained open for business and quickly adapted to remote working during the recent unprecedented pandemic. Its teams continued to work on projects whilst adhering to lockdown and social distancing measures by collaborating and communicating digitally. Since the software enables them to work smarter, they could reduce the number of on-site workers and maximize off-site fabrication of parts and equipment.
Water treatment works coagulation dosing gallery
“Though some companies may be put off from investing up-front in new technologies, we started seeing results immediately, from time and cost savings, to improved quality, and better health and safety processes – and are excited to drive further innovation to meet our future growth targets,” McCracken says.
Key insights:
- DIGITAL CHECKLISTS: 30% increase in health and safety efficiency during on-site inspections using iPads instead of manual notetaking.
- MOVING TO THE CLOUD: 20% on-site time-savings across projects, enhancing overall business performance
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