IRONPROS: Provide an overview of the company and its mission.
Troy Suttle: Founded by an electrical contractor more than 30 years ago, Align Technologies has evolved from a tool tracking application to a suite of operational tools that helps commercial contractors increase productivity, improve safety and deliver more profitable projects. With the recent acquisitions of two best-in-class software solutions, Safety Reports and busybusy, Align has created a comprehensive construction operations management platform with capabilities ranging from enterprise asset management to mobile safety and compliance and labor management. Align’s suite of powerful tools transforms operational data into a strategic asset that provides contractors with the visibility and control to make informed decisions that yield tangible results.
IRONPROS: What problems are you trying to solve for businesses in the construction industry?
Troy Suttle: At the macro level, contractors continue to face pressures on their bottom line ranging from a tight labor market and ongoing inflation impacting materials prices. In addition to a declining workforce, the construction industry grapples with one of the highest rates of worker injury and death of any U.S. industry. Poor jobsite safety can result in high employee turnover, work stoppages and costly fines, which also negatively affect profitability. At the company level, tool and equipment costs can be inflated with the purchase of unnecessary duplicates due to tool hoarding, inaccurate or infrequent jobsite inventories, or inefficient requisition processes. And contractors may lack the data needed to accurately estimate how much time field workers spend on a particular task, track machine hours, or accurately calculate the time needed to complete a job.
Align helps contractors overcome these issues with software that enhances their operational efficiency so that they can scale their business and unlock better results. In practice, this means helping contractors control costs by reducing waste, streamlining workflows and keeping projects on time and on schedule. Finally, Align provides contractors access to real-time insights that help them make data-driven decisions for their business.
IRONPROS: How are customers using your products in the field?
Troy Suttle: Customers can use Align software in a variety of applications depending on the specifics of their business and operational needs. Common applications include increasing the utility of their installed base of assets with Align’s tool crib, inventory management and real-time tracking capabilities. Additionally, contractors are creating safer and more compliant jobsites using Align’s mobile safety capabilities that let them quickly and easily perform inspections, document incidents and accidents and track required training.
On the jobsite, customers use Align to digitally track worker time and attendance as well as heavy equipment usage. In the office, customers leverage Align’s job costing and billing functions to increase profitability by accurately bidding projects and billing tools, material and equipment to them.
IRONPROS: What are the challenges of adopting new technology or software for businesses?
Troy Suttle: While change can be difficult for any company, the construction industry presents unique challenges to the adoption of new technologies. First, contractors must acknowledge that the traditional ways of conducting business – whether it is a paper requisition form, low-tech inventory process, or budget based on past expenses instead of hard data – can be improved. Employees may not realize that software can offer powerful new insights and visibility, such as tying service schedules, operator certifications, asset transfers and GPS tracking to large equipment.
Organizational buy-in must exist for the adoption of new technologies to be successful. Communication of the long-term vision is key to getting employees to see that the pain of implementing the technology or software will pay off in the long term. Finally, once the software is implemented, ongoing training is important to get employees throughout the organization to feel comfortable using it.
IRONPROS: Why rebrand to Align Technologies?
Troy Suttle: Rebranding to Align Technologies sets the company up for the future by better representing the entirety of our business and its evolution from the industry’s leading asset tracking solution into a platform that enables construction operations broadly. The Align identity speaks to the transformative ability of our products to drive operational productivity by addressing key challenges contractors face, enhancing communication from the field to warehouse and back office and providing the visibility needed to make data-driven decisions.
Customers will benefit from the ability to consolidate sizable portions of their operations with a single technology partner and on a single platform. While the ToolWatch brand will be replaced by Align, Safety Reports and busybusy will remain in the market as part of the Align family of brands.
IRONPROS: What can customers expect from Align Technologies in 2024?
Troy Suttle: In the wake of the recent busybusy acquisition, customers can expect the continued integration of labor management features and functionality into the Align platform. Another development that customers can expect this year is the extension of wireless tracking capabilities into the warehouse and on the jobsite. On the safety front, we are adding capabilities that enable customers to comply with recently released OSHA electronic reporting requirements, such as the requirement that form 300A be submitted electronically.
Finally, we will also be rolling out enhanced integration with third-party partners in 2024.
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