Keep a Pulse on These 5 trends in the New Year
As we approach 2020, here are our 5 top trends to watch as we ring in the new year.
Some of these trends are on-going and to be expected, while others cannot be ignored and will continue to transform the heavy-duty industry into the next decade.
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Advanced Project Management Solutions
In the tech industry, it seems like there is a new project management tool every day. However, there is no argument that smarter project management leads to a better bottom line. Continuous adoption of emerging project management technology is a trend that will soon become a heavy-duty industry standard.
Digital technology and real-time data enable fleet managers to make more informed decisions around cost reduction and scheduling labor and materials for particular projects. Eliminating the need for manual data entry and keeping projects on track from start to finish. In the future, digitally optimized operations will significantly reduce downtime, cost overruns, and delays while increasing real-time insights and forward-thinking, data-driven decisions.
Expect these emerging technologies to not only become the competitive advantage but to springboard a launch of venture funds to add more productivity-enhancing digital capabilities.
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Sustainability Initiatives
Sustainable solutions are on the rise in every industry and are a pervasive topic in the global economy. And with the construction sector responsible for one-fifth of all global emissions, regulations will begin to steer the heavy-duty industry into long-term strategies focused on energy savings and efficiency initiatives.
Specifically, for concrete LEED certification is on the horizon as well as incorporating renewable energy and sustainable practices to support building longevity. As the sustainable strategy continues to hockey stick into the next decade, look for more solar panels, zero-carbon structures, and vertical forests.
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Rising Costs and Labor Shortages
Many trends can be exciting while others tend to loom. Increasing materials cost is one of them. Milder weather patterns combined with longer days directly increases the demand for more materials and more labor. And as demand goes up, so do the prices. For the construction industry, material costs have risen nearly 5% during the 2018 calendar year.
At the same time, reports currently show 60% of contractors expect to add to their payrolls in the coming year, and yet almost 95% report some level of difficulty finding qualified workers. A booming industry mixed with a quarter of a million unfilled construction jobs in the United States only leads to slower production as well as an unavoidable increase in costs. To overcome hiring and retention issues, employers must find a way to show employees why they matter with company-wide training, additional education opportunities, and the philosophy of transparency and inclusion.
Streamlining operations and employee requirements will be a critical component to success in 2020.
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Telematics and Tracking
The idea of Telematics and GPS Functionality is not new, however, 2020 will continue to bring more technology into the everyday needs of heavy-duty fleet managers around the globe.
More data is available than ever before! From location and filter health to knowing when your equipment is running, who is running it, and how many hours it has logged at any given moment, fleet managers have the ability to completely change the game and transform their operations. The opportunities to increase efficiency, traceability, and accountability are endless and we can 100% predict that any company taking telematics seriously will have an unfair advantage for years to come.
Some companies have even seen an overall reduction in downtime by 75%, simply by integrating predictive maintenance technology into their existing operations.
More uptime and digital maintenance logs will determine who wins in 2020.
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Commercial Drones & Robotics
The Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) opened up 99 percent of airspace in the U.S. to drones just this year. This means 2020 will be the year the heavy-duty drone literally takes off in a very big way. Historically, flight approval could take months. Now, the FAA can approve in minutes or even seconds.
Mapping, surveying, analysis, and heat imaging are now affordable giving smaller businesses access and more options for a once very expensive service.
Assessing safety for your workers with a drone? Automated rovers can also determine a site’s stability as well as provide more accurate measurements and observations. What’s the ROI? Craft your contracts with surgical precision while providing safer environments for your workforce.
2020 is an exciting year for those that live in the heavy-duty world! As technology continues to become more of a value-added service and the need for skilled labor continues to grow, there is one thing we know for certain – demand is increasing, this industry is booming, and we hope, after taking advantage of these trends, you have a prosperous and very Happy New Year!