Toronto, Ontario, November 4, 2024 – CMiC, a leading Next Generation Construction ERP provider, recently announced a new partnership with ER Group, LLC d/b/a Engineered Rigging (Engineered Rigging), a firm renowned for its expertise in heavy lifting and specialized transport solutions. As Engineered Rigging continues to expand its operations across various sectors, including aeronautical, defense, and civil construction, the company recognized the need for a more advanced system to streamline processes, enhance operational efficiency, and support their complex project requirements. After a careful evaluation of potential ERP solutions, it became evident that CMiC was the ideal choice to align with their growth strategy and future objectives.
Engineered Rigging: Innovative Heavy Lifting Solutions and Engineering Expertise
Founded in 2014, Engineered Rigging has rapidly become a leader in the heavy lifting and specialized transport industry. The company’s commitment to innovation and engineering expertise has positioned it as the go-to partner for complex projects across various sectors, including aeronautical, defense, nuclear power, and civil construction.
Engineered Rigging distinguishes itself by offering a comprehensive suite of services, including equipment rental, sales, service, and support. Their portfolio features advanced gantry systems, strand jacks, knuckle boom cranes, and specialized transport equipment, available for both rent and purchase. Additionally, their Arkansas-based state-of-the-art fabrication facility allows them to design and build custom solutions tailored to the unique demands of each project.
With headquarters in Valparaiso, Indiana, and offices in South America, Engineered Rigging is strategically positioned to provide rapid deployment of equipment and expertise worldwide. The company’s in-house team of engineers is renowned for solving complex logistical challenges, providing services such as 3-D engineering modeling, feasibility studies, and rigging and lift plans.
Engineered Rigging’s dedication to excellence extends beyond rental equipment and engineering. As an authorized Enerpac Heavy Lift Technology dealer and the flagship distribution partner for Holmatro products, they offer cutting-edge tools and rigging gear for sale, and their Arkansas facility serves as an authorized service center for both Enerpac and Holmatro, equipped for training, load testing, and equipment demonstrations.
Business Challenges Faced: Outdated Systems and Manual Processes Hampering Growth
In their journey of navigating rapid growth and operational complexity, Engineered Rigging encountered several critical hurdles, including:
Outdated ERP Systems: Initially relying on QuickBooks, Engineered Rigging found the software insufficient as their business grew and their operations became more complex. In an attempt to scale, they switched to Foundation software, but soon discovered that the system's outdated interface and lack of functionality were not aligned with their needs. The system's limitations proved cumbersome for their team, leading to inefficiencies and frustration.
Manual Data Entry and Exhaustion: The implementation of Foundation software required extensive manual data input, which became a major pain point for the team. The process was not only time-consuming but also mentally exhausting, causing operational delays and reducing overall productivity. The manual nature of the system made it clear that it was not suitable for a growing company with complex operational needs.
Intercompany Transaction Complexities: Engineered Rigging's business model involved complex intercompany transactions, which their previous software could not handle efficiently. This resulted in labor-intensive manual entries to manage these transactions, further compounding the workload for their team. The inability to automate these processes created additional layers of complexity and operational risk.
Facing these operational challenges, Engineered Rigging recognized the necessity of adopting a more powerful and integrated ERP solution to support their growth and streamline their processes.
Searching for an Integrated Solution to Support Rapid Growth
Engineered Rigging embarked on a rigorous evaluation process to find the right ERP system that could address their unique challenges and support their rapidly expanding operations. Their search led them to assess several options, including Oracle, but ultimately, the decision to select CMiC was driven by key requirements aligned with their strategic objectives:
Unified ERP Solution: Engineered Rigging required a comprehensive system that could integrate both job costing and project management with accounting functionalities. Many of the alternatives they evaluated were either strong in job costing and project management but fell short in accounting, or vice versa. The need for a single, unified solution was vital to avoid the inefficiencies associated with managing multiple software systems.
Automation of Manual Processes: A significant pain point for Engineered Rigging was the manual tracking involved in intercompany transactions. Their previous software’s inability to automate these processes led to labor-intensive, error-prone tasks that consumed valuable time and resources. CMiC’s ability to automate these transactions was a key factor in their decision.
Scalability and Future Growth: As Engineered Rigging continued to grow, they sought a solution that could not only meet their current needs but also scale with them as their business evolved. CMiC’s robust capabilities in asset management and its potential to integrate with complementary software systems were essential in supporting their long-term growth.
Comprehensive Asset Management: With a large portion of their operations revolving around asset management, it was crucial for Engineered Rigging to have a system that could efficiently manage and track assets. CMiC’s platform provided the advanced asset management tools needed to streamline this critical aspect of their business.
Through this evaluation journey, Engineered Rigging found in CMiC a solution that addressed their immediate operational challenges and aligned with their vision for future growth and efficiency.
Key CMiC Applications within Their Product Roadmap
With nearly a year of CMiC implementation under their belt, Engineered Rigging has successfully launched several key applications and is strategically planning the next phase of their product roadmap. This structured approach is designed to optimize their operations by integrating additional features and streamlining existing processes.
Phase 1: CMiC Financials and Project Controls:
Financials:
General Ledger (GL)
Accounts Payable (AP)
Accounts Receivable (AR)
Project Controls:
Job Costing (JC)
Subcontract Management (SC)
Change Management (CM)
Job Billing (JB)
US Payroll
MIP Reporting: Subcontracts & Purchase Orders
Enterprise Content Management (ECM): Imaging & Workflow – Accounts Payable/Request for Payment (AP/RFP)
Phase 2: Expanding Integration and Asset Management
Recognizing the potential for further enhancements, Engineered Rigging is now focused on Phase 2, which includes pushing deeper into asset management. As an equipment distributor, renter, and custom manufacturer, Engineered Rigging’s asset control was a challenge. They needed a user-friendly application for the check-in/check-out process and inspections, but also the ability to convert the rental period information into an invoice for the client. They are evaluating the integration of smaller software system which provides the user-friendly components and an open source program to integrate with CMiC’s Fixed Asset platform to achieve a more functional unified system. This phase aims to reduce reliance on disparate systems, fostering a more cohesive and efficient operational environment for the accounting side and the team at Engineered Rigging’s fabrication facility.
Anticipated Business Outcomes: Enhancing Operational Efficiency and Strategic Decision-Making
Engineered Rigging is poised to unlock significant business value through its partnership with CMiC. With the integration of CMiC’s comprehensive ERP solutions, the company expects to see a substantial improvement in its operational efficiency, particularly in managing large-scale, long-term projects. The implementation of CMiC’s advanced reporting capabilities will allow Engineered Rigging to gain a clearer, more detailed view of their multi-layered business operations, both on a global and individual project level.
Christopher Cox, president at Engineered Rigging, emphasized the importance of this newfound clarity: “The ability to consolidate data from our different entities into a single, cohesive report is a game-changer. It allows us to project equipment utilization more accurately and make informed decisions about expanding our fleet. As someone with an engineering background, I appreciate having the numbers to back up our business strategies.”
As the company transitions to CMiC, they are particularly excited to start new projects with the system from the ground up. Kayla Munn, key account director at Engineered Rigging, expressed optimism about this fresh start, stating, “With CMiC, we’re moving away from the manual, outdated processes that were holding us back. We’re looking forward to cleaner AR and the ability to do job billing more efficiently. It’s going to be a refreshing change to have everything organized and streamlined from day one.”
For more information about CMiC please click here.
About ER Group, LLC:
ER Group, LLC d/b/a Engineered Rigging, is a leading provider of heavy lifting and specialized transport solutions, renowned for its engineering expertise and innovative equipment tailored to meet the most demanding project challenges. Serving industries such as aeronautical, defense, nuclear power, and civil construction, the company offers a comprehensive range of services, including equipment rental, sales, design and build, and contract consulting. The state-of-the-art fabrication facility in Arkansas ensures that all solutions are customized to precise specifications, while the company’s global presence allows for rapid deployment to project sites worldwide. As an authorized Enerpac Heavy Lift Technology and Holmatro products dealer, ER Group provides extensive support services, including training, load testing, and equipment demonstrations. Established in 2017, ER Group has grown from a small team to a scalable workforce, recognized for its distinctive approach that integrates engineering solutions with client training.
For more information about Engineered Rigging please click here.
About CMiC:
As an industry pioneer, CMiC delivers complete and unified Financials and Project Management software solutions for construction and capital projects firms. CMiC’s powerful software transforms how firms optimize productivity, minimize risk and drive growth by planning and managing all financials, projects, resources, and content assets—from a Single Database Platform™. With customers throughout North America and overseas, CMiC serves one-quarter of ENR’s Top 400 Contractors and hundreds of small and mid-sized construction firms, from general and specialty contractors to heavy/highway and project owners. Over $100 billion in construction revenue is handled by CMiC annually.