Drew DeWalt, Co-Founder and COO It’s no secret. Today’s foundation for organizational efficiency and growth is built on data. Businesses increasingly vie for larger data inputs and analysis. From consumer behaviors to employee documents and project data, companies are using data to gain new efficiencies in their trade and stay ahead of competitors. But with all the potential operational gains, why is the adoption of datadriven tools and workflows still lagging in certain industries, such as construction?
The construction sector has recently begun to realize the benefits of digitally collecting, analyzing, and interpreting project data from their jobsites. While some contractors have begun this data journey by moving from paper to PDFs, the full benefit of digitization requires more than just converting paper documents to PDF and sharing those over email.
“Construction companies need the correct data at the right time in order to make the most effective and efficient decision around the costs and scheduling of labor, equipment, and materials. Without easy and reliable access to these types of project details, contractors won’t be able to achieve the operational efficiency they need to compete and grow their businesses in this rapidly changing environment,” said Drew DeWalt, co-founder and COO of Rhumbix. “Contractors and subcontractors need to be able to access, share, and configure their data and workflows to fit their unique operational needs. Construction software has been largely siloed, but the industry needs data solutions that speak to each other to create truly impactful analytics and project insights.”
Fortunately, helping construction companies overcome this data collection and analysis roadblock is where Rhumbix steps in. As a mobile-first platform, Rhumbix offers general contractors, trade contractors, and owners a centralized solution to digitize all their field workflows and reporting, driving faster insights and new competitive advantages. “We simplify data collection processes straight from the field. Foreman can easily capture more accurate information and instantly update project teams, ensuring better visibility, faster responses, and deeper business insights across stakeholders,” said DeWalt. “Supply distribution, labor shortages, and rising material costs are increasingly affecting the bottom line of contractors.
To succeed in this rapidly changing market, the construction sector must look to a strong digital transformation. The Rhumbix platform provides contractors with a crucial and cost-effective tool for starting and scaling this data-driven journey.”
Get Control and Visibility with Detailed Daily Construction Reports
Construction project managers, contractors, and subcontractors—all can use Rhumbix’s Field Intelligence Platform to easily collect, store, analyze, and share field data. With centralized dashboards, real-time updates, and powerful platform filters, all stakeholders can maintain stronger visibility into the productivity of their field crews and other project partners.
The ability to instantly track and share Daily Construction Report allows construction project managers real-time field updates, reducing the long wait times caused by traditional paper or spreadsheet-based tracking. General contractors can also use the Daily Construction Reports to benchmark overall productivity during project biddings and to make more datadriven and competitive offers. “All in all, the construction stakeholders can spend less time on paperwork while increasing the accuracy, speed, and accessibility of project-level reporting by using our field data platform,” DeWalt said.
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We simplify data collection processes straight from the field. Formen can easily capture more accurate information and instantly update project teams, ensuring better visibility, faster responses, and deeper business insights across stakeholders
The Field Intelligence Platform breaks down the critical reporting silos existing between the field and various back-end systems like Oracle ERP and Autodesk 3D design, engineering, and entertainment software while providing a standardized front-end interface for all. “As a result, your backend systems get more robust, have better information, more usability, and your front-end solutions have the structured input needed to make better decisions,” mentions DeWalt.
A Worker- Centric Approach for Better Cost Savings
Rhumbix is also setting a new yardstick for “digital age” foremen and on-site employees. How? For starters, through the easy and intuitive worker-facing UI of the Field Intelligence Platform, Rhumbix is quickly becoming an everyday tool for workers in the field. “A part of the reason is, we take a worker first approach in everything we do at Rhumbix,” shares DeWalt. Construction workers can move away from tedious time logging tasks and focus on their core work.
“It won’t take long after that for construction businesses to see five figures of weekly savings based on time allocated toward administration from both the field and the administrative support staff. So that’s very real dollars that go back into operations,” states DeWalt. “And once you achieve that, the time and cost savings go off the charts.”
This is only a fraction of what Rhumbix can help its clients achieve. Moving ahead, Rhumbix is determined to explore new horizons in the construction tech landscape and keep pushing the envelope for cutting-edge construction tech solutions—to bring more tangible results for its clients. “We already have created the backbone of on-field data collection for the construction industry with our field data platform, and Rhumbix will keep adding new features on top of it,” shares DeWalt.
"Rhumbix modernizes construction field operations by transforming your field reporting into productivity insights," said Rhumbix co-founder and CEO Zach Scheel. "The ability to share data in real-time and communicate with stakeholders no matter the location is especially valuable in our current working environment. We are fortunate to partner with investors like Blackhorn Ventures, Tenfore Holdings, and TFX Capital, who share our enthusiasm and excitement for the large market opportunity being created by digital transformation and the future of work in the construction and field service industries."
The investment, co-led by Blackhorn Ventures and Tenfore Holdings, with participation from existing investors Greylock Partners, Glynn Capital, and Darren Bechtel of Brick & Mortar Ventures, will be used to invest in growing the company's product and go-to-market teams, including the recent additions of Bill Smith as President of Commercial Operations and Rob Blau as Vice President of Engineering.
"Unlocking the value of digitization is now critical for enterprise success in the construction industry," said Trevor Zimmerman, co-founder and managing partner of Blackhorn Ventures, which also previously led a $14.3M Series B funding round with Rhumbix. "Rhumbix continues to be the best-in-class platform for digitizing and collecting field-level data that's necessary to fuel the construction ecosystem."
Founded in 2014 by Navy veterans with deep experience in the construction industry, Rhumbix's technology is the first to close the gap between the field-level workforce and management in the home office by providing real-time data and insights for all project stakeholders.
"Rhumbix is playing a role accelerating digital transformation initiatives in construction with a data-centric approach to the sector," said Dan Levine, managing member of Tenfore Holdings. "By digitizing, synthesizing, and delivering smart analytics on construction project data, the company unlocks real-time insights on labor costs and production processes to help field and corporate teams alike make more informed decisions faster."
With this financing round, Rhumbix also welcomed a new investor in TFX Capital, a founder-focused venture capital firm with deep expertise grounded in scaling B2B technology companies led by service-driven, former military leaders. Founded by two US Navy Veterans who served in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, Rhumbix shares in TFX Capital's deep appreciation for the importance of service-driven leadership that is focused on solving some of the most pressing business challenges through technology innovation.
"Rhumbix has proven the importance of digitizing field-based workflows and data to maximize resource efficiency and deliver optimal returns on investments for its customers," said Brandon Shelton, Managing Partner and Founder of TFX Capital. "Stemming from its military-founder origins, Rhumbix has done a phenomenal job of cultivating a culture and product that is shaping the future of workforce technology, empowering strong leaders, and delivering value to general contractors and subcontractors. As the company now scales its deployment of the Connected Field Platform, we are proud to build on our existing relationship and co-invest alongside Blackhorn Ventures, Tenfore Holdings, Greylock Partners, Glynn Capital, and Brick & Mortar Ventures."
"In the past year, Rhumbix has seen a nearly threefold increase in the number of workers on the Platform and has deployed on over 100,000 projects," said co-founder and COO Drew DeWalt. "Our timekeeping product has been used to process over $3B in payroll wages, and our T&M module has helped contractors improve recovery rates and reduce time to payment on over $350M in cost-reimbursable, out-of-scope work. Rhumbix is a proven field-first solution used by many of the largest General and Trade Contractors in North America, including Turner Construction, DPR. The most exciting aspect is that in many ways, we're just getting started."