Configurators for Romein Beton
In Dodewaard, Romein Beton designs and produces precast concrete elements for bridges and viaducts, tunnels and culverts, among others. A business with narrow margins, reason to automate wherever possible. Cadac introduced two configurators that save a lot of time in both the quotation process and the order processing.
Perfect basis for a quotation
Naturally, Peter Buijs wants to demonstrate how the configurator for the concrete culverts works. He opens his laptop, starts the software, enters the required dimensions of the culvert plus some other data, and less than a minute later the result is on the screen. It is clear in detail how much concrete and steel is needed, how many hours of engineering and what the production costs are. 'A perfect basis for a quotation,' says the engineering supervisor. 'The calculation department still calculates the transport and assembly costs plus a sales margin and the quotation can go out the door. We are in discussions with Cadac about extending the modules with these two options.'
We are already experiencing the benefits of saving time, giving our estimators and engineers air to tackle more complicated projects.
Peter Buijs
Engineering supervisor
Bespoke engineering
It used to be different. 'One of our calculators spent some time on it anyway. Most people won't immediately notice, but culverts come in many different sizes and thicknesses. For sewer systems, for water passage under roads, for driveways and dams. Single or multiple, with post-tensioning or rubber ring joints, from less than ten to as long as a hundred metres. The dimensions have a major influence on the thickness, reinforcement and any post-tensioning. Customisation, therefore, in terms of engineering, and so did the quotation. The configurator works with recorded data and can thus calculate the cost of a culvert very precisely based on the size. In the old situation, that was a time-consuming job'.
Configurator reduces risks
And not only that. Not infrequently, the calculation turned out not to quite match the engineer's final design. Resulting in unexpected additional costs. Looking up and processing all data every time you make a calculation is error-prone,' Peter Buijs knows. Now you can calculate a margin of error, but that is not ideal. Certainly not if you want to issue competitive quotations. With the configurator, that risk is much smaller. The system immediately indicates if, for instance, extra reinforcement is needed or if an unusual size is entered. We now work much faster and much more accurately.
Second configurator
The configurator for composing bridge decks is the second to be deployed by Romein Beton. 'We switched to the Epicor configurator for culverts with Cadac in 2021, recalls Peter Buijs. 'A decision by our parent company BTE Nederland BV. I was asked to supervise the implementation. Quite a challenge, as I had no experience whatsoever with it. Also, the calculators were not eager to change, change is always difficult. Even though we knew that automation is pure necessity in our sector too. In recent years, the necessary concrete manufacturers have disappeared. Nowadays, you have to be able to deliver quickly at minimum prices.'
Epicor software
BTE Netherlands BV, which owns nine specialised concrete plants in the Netherlands including Romein Beton in Dodewaard, launched an automation programme in 2019. Cadac was commissioned to deploy an initial configurator at Romein Beton, for culverts. 'Initially, we started with a Proof Of Concept in a different environment,' says Roxanne van der Linden, account manager. 'But soon we switched to Epicor, an American software company that continues to develop and innovate. With software too that is widely applicable, likewise a "best of breed" choice. Configurators are on the rise, both in industry and construction. An indispensable product for us as an enabler of digitalisation. With Epicor, we can better serve our customers to save costs, increase gross profit on sales and differentiate from other providers. Epicor CPQ offers them the ability to improve their quotation process, order processing and engineering time aanzienlijk te verkorten, evenals faalkosten enorm te reduceren.’
Detailed quotation
For several months in 2022, a Cadac team worked with the estimators and Peter Buijs on the configurator for full-track bridges. Especially data entry required the necessary effort. Once operational, the configurator proved easy to use and time-saving. As with the culverts, the variety of girders and bridge sections is also great. We make girders up to 55 metres, straight or curved with all kinds of profiles. They are used in residential areas, as a base for pedestrian and cycle bridges, for viaducts, and so on. Contractors want detailed quotations. So often time-consuming, but not any more. We only have to enter the required dimensions and 90 per cent of the quotation is ready.'
BTE Group
Romein Beton in Dodewaard has a long history. The name turns up early in the annals of the local Chamber of Commerce at the beginning of the last century. Right after the Second World War, the company, led by two brothers, made concrete elements for land consolidation in the Dodewaard and Ochten area. Now Romein is part of the BTE Group. 'We now focus mainly on those bridges, culverts and tunnels,' Peter Buijs says as he gives a tour of the factory where the products are poured and the storage on the company premises. 'With the configurators, we have made a nice step in automation. Every day we receive a request for quotation from a Dutch contractor. In principle, we can issue these as early as one day later. Including a drawing of what the culvert or girder will look like. The configurator can already generate that picture.'
ERP system integration
Next step is linking to the ERP system. Then we can directly include current steel and concrete prices. Or the transport and assembly costs.' No problem, Roxanne van der Linden knows. 'They are waiting for the installation of a new ERP system. CPQ's link with the design software for culverts is ready, the one for the full-trench bridges is almost. This allows us to save even more time and to send a 3D drawing of the culvert or bridge. Useful for the contractor to incorporate in the complete digital construction project, i.e. in BIM. With our Cadac Connect module, we can link a lot of software and process data. This brings quotation and design closer together.'
On the move
It's music to Peter Buijs' ears. 'Definitely,' he says. 'We are already experiencing the benefits of saving time, giving our calculators and engineers air to tackle more complicated projects. The concrete world is also on the move. The construction task is big, the infrastructure is growing along with it. Romein Beton wants to play a leading role in this.'