Bentley Systems, the leading global provider of comprehensive software and digital twin cloud services for advancing the design, construction, and operations of infrastructure, has partnered with Topcon Positioning Systems, a world leader in positioning technology for the survey and construction industries, to launch a new joint venture company.

Announcing the launch, the duo said the new firm, Digital Construction Works, will play a vital role in closing the constructioneering advancement gap.

It is now open for business, with a full global staff of digital construction experts who have been contributed by Bentley Systems and Topcon, respectively.

Digital Construction Works will be providing digital automation, integration, and twinning services around a portfolio of fit-for-purpose software and cloud services, from Topcon, Bentley, and other software vendors, to realize the breakthrough potential of constructioneering, for industrializing construction, it stated.  

The new company is being led by CEO Ted Lamboo, previously senior vice president of strategic partnerships for Bentley Systems, and COO Jason Hallett, formerly vice president of digital construction and business development for Topcon.  

Bentley Systems said it had earlier joined forces with Topcon in 2016 to develop enhanced integration between their respective Magnet and ProjectWise cloud services so that engineering and construction workflows could be integrated for improved project quality and performance.

Since then, the duo has continuously introduced new 4D innovations in surveying, reality modeling, scheduling and logistics, work packaging, machine control, and progressive assurance for construction.

A major global player in positioning technology, Topcon Positioning Group consists of six primary brands: Topcon, Sokkia, Digi-Star, Norac, RDS Technologies and Wachendorff Elektronik.

The Topcon brands are well known for GNSS, machine control, optical instruments, mobile mapping solutions, scanning and collaborative software systems.

In 2017, they together opened Constructioneering Academies, including at Topcon’s “sandbox” facilities globally, for construction professionals to experience new digital best practices, first-hand.

Last year, the companies assimilated Bentley’s Synchro and Topcon’s ClearEdge3D acquisitions into constructioneering offerings.

Now, Digital Construction Works is chartered to embed its experts within constructors’ major project teams to advance and optimise constructioneering processes for delivering better design-build outcomes.

Through its digital integration services, to connect and automate constructors’ existing processes with constructioneering, Digital Construction Works can make the best projects better while also helping to institutionalize these digital workflows throughout a constructor’s full project portfolio.

At the same time, experiences gained by Digital Construction Works will help guide Bentley Systems and Topcon in prioritizing their constructioneering software development investments.

CEO Greg Bentley said: "When we and Topcon recognized the opportunity for constructioneering to finally industrialize capital project delivery, we committed respectively to completing its software requirements."

"Indeed, our new software capabilities make possible construction digital twins—converging digital context, digital components, and digital chronology. What remains, in going digital for infrastructure construction, is for constructors’ people and processes to take advantage of the technology," noted Bentley.
 
"We and Topcon have now in turn committed many of our best resources, professionals experienced in both construction and software, to serve shoulder-to-shoulder, in virtual hardhats, to innovatively advance the required digital integration," he stated.

"The Digital Construction Works joint venture has the full management and capital commitments of both our companies, multiplying its unique strengths for helping to realize constructioneering’s potential to close the world’s infrastructure gap," he added.

Topcon President and CEO Ray O’Connor said: "What Topcon and Bentley Systems initiated in recent years was done in the spirit of changing mindsets and processes on how we approach construction, and that collaboration has led to the development of this joint venture."

"The creation of Digital Construction Works perfectly aligns with our focus of helping the industry succeed in meeting infrastructure demands through technological innovations. Through the new organization, companies will have the opportunity to integrate hardware and software capabilities to more quickly and efficiently adopt new technology for more rapid productivity improvements," stated O'Connor.

"With customized services to address the individual needs of an organization, widespread adoption and technology improvements can be more readily realized. We are excited to take this journey with Bentley Systems in moving the industry forward," he added.-TradeArabia News Service