2006 Vision Award - Silver

 

Constructech awarded Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc. a Silver medal in the 2006 Vision Awards. Glenn O. Hawbaker was recognized for its innovative use of HeavyBid, and HCSS was honored with the accompanying Technology Enabler Award.

Judging is based on improvements in company processes and competitiveness through the use of technology.

 

Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc.

Silver (category: GC/Heavy/Highway)

Glenn O. Hawbaker (GOH), www.goh-inc.com, State College, Pa., has evolved immensely from its humble beginnings as a small housing contractor in 1952 into one of the largest contractors offering heavy/highway services in the eastern United States.

The company certainly knows how to prosper in changing market conditions. Facing a growing market where bidding has become highly competitive, GOH knew it needed to once again change with the times. Along with the need to improve the accuracy and efficiency in its bids, GOH also needed an estimating package capable of operating in an environment that allows applications and databases to be run in a Web-based environment, as its employees were spread across multiple offices.

Lacking sufficient detail on cost and production data, GOH was also facing material, equipment, and man-hour overruns that were primarily identified only after they occurred. The company definitely knew it needed to revamp its bidding process.

Working with HCSS, www.hcss.com, Houston, Texas, the company implemented the HeavyBid estimating system that allows it to share bid information between offices, transfer bid data between estimating and accounting with ease, and provide historical data on cost and production. HeavyBid is one of the most powerful estimating tools in the heavy/highway construction market, helping contractors streamline bid closing and streamline quote management, among other tasks.

GOH was able to increase its revenue per estimating seat—one of the most powerful benchmarks in heavy/highway—from $4.5 million to $8.3 million in the span of five years.

The company prides its growth on the ability to establish accurate estimating methods across jobs. While completely restructuring its estimating department was not the ideal solution, the company knew that in order to continue its storied success it needed to evolve with the times in terms of its technology. Thus far the benefits have been stellar for GOH.