OFFSITE Builder Magazine

Teaming Up to Shake Up Offsite Construction In the dynamic playground of offsite construction, the call for innovation echoes louder than ever. It’s not only about keeping up; it’s also about leading the charge into a future where buildings come together not just faster, but smarter and more sustainably. But let’s get one thing straight: this isn’t a solo mission. It’s a full-on ensemble cast. Every role, from the visionary architect to the precision-driven manufacturer, is a star player, and all of them must work together as a team. Daniel Small, takes a dive deeper into how to make this collaborative innovation not just a lofty ideal, but a down-to-earth practice. Ken Semler Gary Fleisher Tommy Rakes Bruce Bingaman Trey S. Ryan Scott, Joseph LeMark Ben Hershey Nolan Browne

An industry consultant shares the criteria his team uses to determine where companies are on the Industrialized Construction continuum, and what steps they should take next. •  Conventional modular companies can grow into Industrialized Construction (IC) firms, but success will be more likely if they take the steps in order. The first step is to build a culture that supports the industrialization effort. •  IC companies define each part of the business in great detail. They have clear processes and procedures for completing tasks, solving problems and even encouraging innovative thinking. •  Some people equate IC with automation, but that’s not accurate. Waste must be eliminated in all parts of the organization first, or else you end up automating waste. Gary Fleisher Tommy Rakes Nick Masci Ken Semler Daniel Small, ME, MBA, LSSBB Nolan Browne Colby Swanson Neal Smith

If an industrialized construction firm wants to succeed, it must embrace this design approach. •  Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) need not inhibit creativity. Although components and processes are standardized, they can be combined to make a wide range of finished designs. •  A manufacturer’s parameters can be programmed into a piece of 3D design software, so that the architect can focus on design without worrying about production line nuances. •  Team members need to collaborate to perfect the design before it’s manufactured. This eliminates errors and saves time and expense later on. Ken Semler Gary Fleisher Jim Griffin Nolan Browne Yudhisthir Gauli Devin Perry Belinda Carr, Eric Schaefer

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, isn’t just coming to industrialized construction; it’s already here. It can do work as benign as writing text descriptions of floor plans and rendering files, or it can be a game changer when it comes to the factory automation cost equation. Tech skeptics often compare offsite construction to auto manufacturing. In 2015, for example, Ford spent $3 billion developing the new F-150 and the automated production processes used to assemble it. Relatively speaking, that was easy. The F-150 has fairly limited variations, the factory robots can be taught every precise move needed to place, weld, or install each part, and each variation can be sold in 49 states. Homes are more challenging. Every state, as well as many cities and towns, has its very own variation of the I-codes. And when was the last time you saw a car or truck built out of warped and waned wood? We humans haven’t made the construction of our homes an easy process to mass replicate. Gary Fleisher Tommy Rakes Ray Mazzie Ken Semler Yudhisthir Gauli Daniel Farias Joseph Blockno Devin Perry Matt Belcher

This issue’s story on how to attract venture capital includes a discussion of Veev, a San Mateo, California startup that shuttered its operations in late 2023 despite having raised nearly $600 million and employing up to 400 workers. What happened to the company before and after its failure offers important lessons to the industry. The story of Veev’s decline, and its subsequent acquisition by Lennar, highlights the dynamic nature of the proptech sector. It underscores the importance of adaptability and the need for strategic partnerships in navigating the complex world of real estate and construction. Let’s hope that the synergy between Lennar’s market power and Veev’s innovative ideas will contribute to a brighter, more efficient future for the housing industry. Gary Fleisher Ken Semler Nolan Browne Colby Swanson Matt Belcher Devin Perry Chris Lawrence Rob Howard Eric Schaefer

A CPA with experience in modular mergers and acquisitions offers advice on how to set yourself up for success. •  To streamline the negotiation and sales process, you must understand what data buyers will want to evaluate and ensure you have the required documentation ready. •  Buyers will need audited financial statements, data on your employees, equipment and property, as well as detailed customer and market information. •  Non-financial factors will also signal the likely success or failure of the merger or acquisition, so don’t be surprised when the buyer scrutinizes your company culture to evaluate the fit. Joseph Blockno Ken Semler Gary Fleisher Reed Dillon Devin Perry Jason Blenker Eric Schaefer

The digital edition of the June issue of OFFSITE Builder Magazine out! Our goal is to show #builders, #developers, #manufacturers and #investors how Industrialized Construction can make a difference and how to implement it and improve your business. In June, the focus is getting to success with offsite construction. Start reading the June issue today! OFFSITE Builder is the ONLY magazine that supports the entire offsite construction industry! If you haven't subscribed yet, subscribe online and read the June digital edition now! If you are behind, click the link below and read all of our past issues! When you subscribe, you can choose to get a digital or print edition! It's absolutely free! Whether you are using offsite construction now or just want to explore using modular, concrete, panels, components, etc., we are the magazine you want to read! Don't get behind. Read it here ==> https://lnkd.in/daEsqWyx If you are a thought leader or a subject matter expert on your offsite construction topic, reach out to Gary Fleisher, the Modcoach, or Charlie Wardell to get the details on how you can become a contributor. Are you a supplier to the industry? Reach out to Lesley Stevens, our Director of Marketing and Sales for iMedia Group! You can contact her at lesley.stevens@imediagroup.com for a Media Kit. OFFSITE Builder is the magazine that reaches the key decision-makers in the factories and has the attention of developers and builders using or exploring building systems for their business! Get in front of them by being in OFFSITE Builder Magazine! #modular  Gary Fleisher Tommy Rakes Matthew Cooper #builder #developer #investor Thomas Coronato #architect Matt Belcher Eric Schaefer Nolan Browne Rob Howard

Beyond the widely recognized scarcity of skilled labor that hampers manufacturers’ production capabilities, there exists a more discreet, equally critical shortfall: the lack of experienced middle and upper-management talent. While this issue tends to be overshadowed by the immediate needs of the production floor, it poses a major threat to the industry’s health and future growth. Gary Fleisher Ken Semler Matt Belcher Dennis Steigerwalt Ryan Bish Joseph Blockno Tommy Rakes Andy Miller Devin Perry

There is a statistic that used to be discussed solely by homebuilding and housing economists. But in the last year, it has been getting a second look by macroeconomists interested in solving the largest economic challenge facing American families: the housing deficit. It’s the statistic that shows the lackluster productivity growth in the residential construction sector. Productivity growth in homebuilding and remodeling has posted smaller than expected gains for decades. By my estimates, over the last 30 years, residential construction worker productivity has increased 13%. However, that pales in comparison to the 46% gain for workers in the overall US economy. In other words, productivity growth in homebuilding and remodeling has only been 1/3 of that for the rest of economy since the early 1990s. The NAHB Building Systems Councils, and other organizations, are working for improvement – fighting the good advocacy fight to reduce government burdens and discussing ways in which builders can take advantage of offsite construction to improve their business, lower cost, and deliver homes to American families. Gary Fleisher Ken Semler Robert Dietz Matt Belcher Scott Sedam Devin Perry Thomas Coronato Victor DePhillips

The winners will have the right people and a tech-focused offering that solves a tough problem.   •  Thanks to high-profile industry failures and other factors, investors may scrutinize offsite companies more closely than other types of firms. •  The best way to attract a Venture capital (VC) firm is with a technology that promises to solve a pressing industry problem, whether that’s selling homes, or manufacturing and delivering them more profitably to a wider area. •  An attractive company will offer market-specific, measurable benefits that can be used to counter objections from careful investors.   The news of late hasn’t been kind to privately funded offsite firms. It’s probably safe to say that everyone in the homebuilding industry has heard about Katerra and Entekra, two California-based offsite construction companies that shut their doors in 2021 and 2023, respectively. But those two high-profile companies weren’t the only ones dealt financial blows. Gary Fleisher Tommy Rakes Ray Mazzie Ken Semler Yudhisthir Gauli Daniel Farias Joseph Blockno Devin Perry Matt Belcher