BIW Information Channel has already been deployed on several Fitzpatrick projects, including the £87 million design and construction of two train-care depots in Ramsgate and Ashford, Kent.

Fitzpatrick has also negotiated an option to extend the BIW deal by a further two years – covering projects through to May 2011.

“Fitzpatrick has had experience of various online construction collaboration solutions since about 2001,” says Fitzpatrick e-construction manager Nick Nieder. “Most of the different products have improved over that time, but BIW Information Channel has leapt forward in terms of its functionality, particularly in its support for the key business processes we employ in Fitzpatrick.

“For example, our quality managers have welcomed the non-conformance reporting tools created within the Channel, and we are handling all print requests via the Channel. Looking forward, we have also identified potentially major cost savings from using the BIW system to manage our tendering processes.”

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More information from:

• Paul Wilkinson, BIW head of corporate communications – 01483 712620 or mobile 07788 445920, email paul.wilkinson@biwtech.com
• Nick Nieder, e-construction manager, Fitzpatrick – 01992 305000 or mobile 07771 500976, email Nick.Nieder@fitzpatrick.co.uk

Notes to editors:

• Fitzpatrick Contractors (www.fitzpatrick.co.uk) is one of the largest privately-owned construction organisations in the UK. Turnover for 2006 is anticipated to exceed £290m; Fitzpatrick has around 1000 direct employees and ten offices across the UK plus one in Gibraltar. Founded in 1921, Fitzpatrick has a long and successful track record within the building, civil engineering, highways services, rail and facilities management sectors.
• Project collaboration services from BIW Technologies (www.biwtech.com) were first employed in 1999 on UK construction projects for Sainsbury’s. BIW believes it is the European leader in web-based collaboration systems for the construction and property industry, measured by numbers of users, usage and volume of data.
• BIW Information Channel is a sophisticated web-based supply chain integration technology, designed specifically for construction projects or programmes. Each client is provided with a unique, project or programme-specific website created around a knowledge database. With this, data can be made available securely to every team member – from the earliest concepts, through detailed design, buildability studies, pre-fabrication, construction, maintenance, operation and improvement to the eventual demolition or dismantling of the facility
• As well as Fitzpatrick, BIW customers include United Utilities, Sainsbury’s, BAA, housebuilders Crest Nicholson and the Peabody Trust, Marks & Spencer, the Ministry of Defence, the Wellcome Trust, O2, Mace, Bovis Lend Lease, Kajima, Gleeds and developers Land Securities, Ballymore, Dandara and Garbe.
• BIW and BIW Information Channel are registered trademarks or trademarks of BIW Technologies Ltd.