May 2019 Front Cover
As a top specialty services contractor for industrial facilities, Brock focuses on safely delivering solutions by aligning execution with customer success metrics. As the originator of the cross-trained, multicraft workforce concept, Brock has a long history of bringing innovation to the capital project and maintenance sector. Today, the company continues the tradition of innovation through the development and application of new digital tools designed to increase productivity and reduce costs at each jobsite.
Seeking new tools and execution methods is a key component of Brock's Bbest culture, which drives the pursuit of continuous improvement across the company. Bbest is about being "better every day," which means the company's vast workforce constantly looks at existing execution methods with a focus on applying new approaches and technology to more efficiently achieve each project or activity's goals, as defined by the customer's success metrics.
"Brock is committed to bringing new ways of thinking to the specialty craft industry," said Raymond Aronoff, president and CEO of Brock. "We're in a unique position as a company both of sufficient size to bring about change and still nimble in our ability to identify, validate and implement these new ways of working."
BrockTransform
A key component of BrockTransform is a comprehensive, interactive dashboard, used to provide visibility of key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to each site. Data is collected when a scaffold build is scheduled. The database user interface is mobile- and tablet-enabled, allowing the field supervisor to input and view live data in the field, including the specific latitude and longitude coordinates of each standing scaffold, the specific bill of materials required and the erection date.
By capturing and sharing this level of information, field leadership can make decisions locally to minimize cost and increase schedule efficiency, while customers and regional leaders can view KPIs to ensure work at each site is proceeding in alignment with stated targets. This approach both supports and encourages improvements in planning and scheduling, as data visibility through the platform drives collaboration and team activity.
"BrockTransform is a new way of managing scaffold work," said Rich Haggard, senior vice president of business development for Brock. "The name is spot on, as this digital platform and approach has the potential to generate a step change in our industry."
Customers have access to the dashboards for their sites through secured, individual accounts, and those with responsibility for multiple sites can view comparative data across locations. Changes at one site that generate positive results can quickly be evaluated and implemented at another location and, through comparison, users can determine if similar results were achieved. If not, the robust dataset can be analyzed to identify reasons for the difference in performance. Likewise, underperforming sites can be investigated to determine causes of poor results, with the mitigating actions quickly evaluated for effectiveness.
Dashboards are fully customizable for each customer and facility. With more than 100 predefined KPIs and the ability to create additional views for site-specific metrics, individual data views can be organized on the dashboard to drive behaviors and results based on local requirements.
This approach promotes transparency, fostering greater trust between Brock's local teams and the customer's site personnel. Dashboards are also mobile-enabled, allowing monitoring to occur from anywhere a cellular or Wi-Fi connection is available.
Results have shown a cost reduction of 5-15 percent for sites fully implementing the BrockTransform platform, with significantly higher potential over time as operational practices and planning functions are revised to align with site KPIs. The system's data visibility promotes greater accuracy of standing scaffold counts and positions, reducing costs from aged scaffolds while allowing for better inventory control, resulting in fewer shipments and improved responsiveness.
While already generating savings for customers and demonstrating value through the approach, Brock's focus on continuous improvement has generated multiple enhancements, which have been added to the product development roadmap.
"BrockTransform is already a powerful platform for decreasing cost and improving schedule efficiency on-site, and it will continue to add functionality that will generate greater results," said Haggard.
Project management
In addition to digital tools developed for BrockTransform, Brock maintains a strong focus on project execution methods supporting both consistency and continuous improvement, ultimately promoting cost and schedule certainty. In alignment with these goals, the company formalized the Brock Project Manager Development Program (PMDP).
PMDP provides select internal candidates with hands-on experience across key operational areas while they perform work in a variety of plant operations, estimating, project controls and business roles. This is accomplished through challenging rotational work assignments, formal training and senior-management guidance.
PMDP is a 12-18 month program, during which each participant is exposed to estimating, project controls, procurement, finance, managed programs, asset management, business development, human resources and HSE, as well as significant time spent in operations and project management mentoring. Leaders completing the program have been trained in standard processes, tools and methodologies that promote consistent project delivery.
Building tomorrow's specialty craft provider
Brock's focus on continuous improvement and the company's long tradition of innovation form core drivers of ongoing efforts to build tools, adopt technologies and train leaders for the future of specialty craft services. As one of the safest providers, with a significant resource base and broad geographic footprint, Brock delivers value by first understanding each project's unique requirements and challenges, and then aligning execution KPIs, tools and the project team to achieve results in terms of the project owner's definition of success.
"We are absolutely committed to each customer's success," said Aronoff. "We're building the company of tomorrow while safely and successfully completing each project for our customers today."
For more information, visit www. brockgroup.com or call (281) 807-8200.
BROCK'S MISSION STATEMENT
The Brock Group provides specialty craft and maintenance services to key industries across North America. We are dedicated to offering the safest and highest quality service and solutions. We view ourselves as partners with our customers, our employees and the communities in which we operate. Our performance-driven culture is led by having and developing the best people, the most efficient processes and the right tools for the job.
