App seeks to help construction firms save on costs

A new construction management app called Steer is offering a way for construction companies to keep a lid on rising project costs.

“Steer is a construction management software that bridges the information gap between construction sites and the head office, giving valuable insight into project progress and resource utilization,” Arup Maity, founder and CEO of Steer, said in a statement.

Launched in 2022, Steer makes it easier for contractors to manage projects, site staff, consultants, architects and engineers.

Mr. Maity noted that studies have shown that almost every construction project is over budget or delayed, which is why they developed the Steer app.

“Construction projects, by default, are over budget and delayed — causing not only monetary but also reputation issues for main/general contractors. With Steer, companies can save up to 20% of the project cost by simply minimizing rework and reducing material waste,” Mr. Maity, who is also CEO of QuickReach, Inc., said in a separate e-mail.

With the app, companies can also save time through digitizing management tasks which are mostly done on paper.

Steer also assists construction firms in getting better visibility and control over their activities and resources, “to manage costs more effectively and protect profits.” The Steer app and website has 30 modules covering Project Management, Site Resource Management, Safety Management, and Design Management.

The app also houses a management solution unavailable in most competing platforms which helps companies better manage material usage.

“On average, materials make up about 70% of the total cost of many construction projects. Rework and materials misuse, if not managed properly, translates to a lot of money down the drain, but it can be saved if you have Steer’s materials tracking & collaboration solutions in place,” Ram Macasaet, Steer’s digital success consultant, was quoted as saying in a statement.

Steer’s software is built on top of a no-code platform, which offers users a shorter learning curve compared to other software on the market.

“This substantially lowers the need for training and increases the success rate in implementation,” Mr. Maity said.

Steer is also a homegrown company, working with companies like CDCC-PHINMA, Big Ben Construction, NationStar Development, Mindanao Global, and Colliers Philippines.

Mr. Maity said that the company has just recently started to sell to companies abroad.

“Construction is one of the oldest and biggest industries in the world, but it’s also one of the least digitized… While there are a handful of solutions from global brands, the big challenges of contractors in APAC (Asia-Pacific) remain unaddressed,” he said.

Steer can be accessed online at www.steerplatform.com and is available on Android and iOS as Steer Mobile. — A.M.C.Sy