Hansen Yuncken renews lighthouse relationship with Autodesk, enabling efficiency and innovation in new TAFE project

12th August, 2022

Marking another milestone in its commitment to innovation, Hansen Yuncken has signed on to be an Autodesk lighthouse customer for another three years.

As one of the first Asia-Pacific adopters of Autodesk BIM 360 technology across the business, Hansen Yuncken has played a critical role in providing insights back to Autodesk to drive continuous improvement.

Hansen Yuncken has worked with Autodesk over the past decade, using its construction software across the business including in the current build of the Meadowbank TAFE Multi-Trades and Digital Technology Hub in New South Wales and the recently completed Sydney Coliseum Theatre.

The real-time technology centralises the design, modelling, documentation and data of projects. This has led to a multitude of advantages for collaboration, efficiency and decision-making – and Hansen Yuncken believes these learnings can be applied across the wider industry.

Daniel Smith, Building Information Modelling (BIM) Manager at Hansen Yuncken, said that cloud-based technology has saved hundreds of hours in the build phase of major projects.

“Meadowbank TAFE is a complicated project due to limited site accessibility and an intricate design. On top of that, we were completing a lot of the construction during the height of COVID disruptions over the last couple of years,” said Smith.

“One of our site managers estimated that, using Autodesk, an extra 50 hours invested in the planning stages saved us 200-300 hours of construction work, plus the flow-on costs.

“Team members, contractors and the client have visibility to a central hub of data, creating greater trust and more informed decision-making. We can better model and plan the entire construction process, mitigating potential risks before they occur.

“The current market has reinforced the need to achieve every possible efficiency.”

Autodesk cloud-based software has enabled Hansen Yuncken to go from 3D modelling of the design, to 5D modelling which considers time and cost information. Looking ahead, Hansen Yuncken and Autodesk are working toward 6D modelling to also factor in management.

Hansen Yuncken’s Chief Financial & Information Officer, Rexine Jones, explained what it means to truly collaborate with suppliers.

“Hansen Yuncken chose to work with Autodesk because we both strive to be best-in-class. We work together to better one another’s business; the relationship goes beyond being transactional,” Jones said.

“For over a century, Hansen Yuncken has respected and fostered innovation, driven by a desire to remain at the forefront of the construction industry. Back in the 20s, this meant pioneering new scaffolding systems. Today, it’s about using technology as an enabler to be more efficient, collaborative and informed.”

Lou Grespan, Vice President, Named Accounts Sales, APAC at Autodesk, said the longstanding relationship is a testament to a shared culture of forward-thinking and trust between the two companies.

“Collaborating with Hansen Yuncken as a lighthouse customer means we can undertake R&D in real-time. They provide real insights from the ground, which we use to customise our product and provide a solution that is truly fit-for-purpose,” Grespan said. “Ultimately, we are both working towards the same goal: making construction more efficient to benefit the end user.”

In the dual role of Chief Financial & Information Officer, Jones brings a unique perspective on how the enabling functions of a business must be robust in order for true innovation to occur.

“Like finance, technology is one of the bookends of an innovative company. When you can use tech as a tool for continuity and connection across a company, the operations functions can flourish ‘in the middle’, finding new and better ways to complete projects.

“The construction industry has come a long way from managing information in excel spreadsheets. But the sector still needs to embrace digital technology as part of its culture in order to maximise value across the entire chain.”

About Hansen Yuncken

Hansen Yuncken is one of Australia’s largest commercial building contractors. Proudly 100% Australian owned and operated, Hansen Yuncken is ranked 46^th in the 2020-21 IBISWorld Top 500 Private Companies in Australia. Established in 1918, Hansen Yuncken was founded in Melbourne and has grown to have over 600 staff with further office locations in Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Hobart, Albury, Shepparton, Sydney, and Newcastle.

From iconic cultural buildings like Hobart’s MONA and Gold Coast’s HOTA Gallery, to critical health projects such as the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, Hansen Yuncken prides itself on finding innovative, sustainable, high-quality yet cost-effective solutions in the delivery of key projects in the health, senior living, education, sports, culture, entertainment, defence, office, retail, and industrial sectors.

For more information on Hansen Yuncken’s expertise and recent projects, visit: www.hansenyuncken.com.au

Sydney Coliseum Theatre

The Sydney Coliseum Theatre is a world class performing arts centre, the biggest cultural development to hit Western Sydney. The building’s 2,000 seat proscenium arch theatre will host world famous stage shows, musicals, concerts, ballet and symphony orchestras.

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