Contact Information: Contacts: Kelly Murray 978-597-3377 Patrick Gillam 603-625-6212 ext. 349
AEC Firms Turn to Newforma(R) Project Center to Weather Economic Downturn
Licensed Users Exceed 24,000 as Design Firms Expand Project Work Without Headcount Growth
| Source: Newforma, Inc.
MANCHESTER, NH--(Marketwire - October 9, 2008) - Newforma,
Inc., a software company addressing the project information management
(PIM) needs of the design and building industry, today announced strong
third quarter sales as architects and engineers turn to Newforma's solution
to work as productively as possible in an increasingly difficult economic
environment. AE firms are adopting Newforma software to help existing staff
maintain high levels of service for ongoing customer relationships while
simultaneously extending project work into recession-proof market segments
or geographies. Over 250 firms, including 53 of the top 200 U.S. architects
and engineers, have licensed Newforma Project Center for over 24,000 users,
a 160 percent growth over Q3 2007. A majority of Newforma customers
continue to license Newforma Project Center on a firm-wide basis. New
customers include Schirmer Engineering, RMJM Hillier, and Haskell, as well
as several new customers in the United Kingdom and Middle East.
Helping design firms compete without increasing costs
According to Stephen Pangori, executive vice president of Anderson, Eckstein & Westrick, a
120-person engineering firm in Michigan, the struggling economy has led
customers to ask more of their design firms, whether or not those customers
intend to pay for it. "For instance, to make sure they're getting the most
for their money, municipalities are increasingly asking us to evaluate and
sometimes bid alternatives such as concrete versus asphalt, or open cut
excavation versus directional drilling," said Pangori. "The pressure to
improve client service while preserving profit margins has motivated us to
streamline our project execution. We've adapted by using technology like
Newforma Project Center to make project delivery more efficient than ever."
The building boom in the Middle East and Asia has also increased the demand
for engineering and architectural design services and has placed new
demands on project delivery expertise, requiring firms to seek technologies
to support domestically-based employees working on international projects
in increasingly virtual teams. Linda Letourneau, director of technology for
LandDesign, a 280-person land
planning and design firm based in Charlotte, N.C., believes that U.S. firms
represent a large and affordable source of labor for these international
projects. "LandDesign is engaged in projects from Honduras to the UAE to
China. We rely on Newforma Project Center and Newforma Info Exchange to
make project information easily accessible to all team members no matter
where they may be located."
"The value of Newforma's PIM software is really evident in times where
firms must be especially careful about managing growth and their bottom
line," said Ian Howell, chief executive officer of Newforma. "Newforma
Project Center helps busy project managers and team members spend less time
finding and managing information -- freeing up billable hours and helping
teams prevent the avoidable errors that result from information overload.
Firm-wide, Newforma's solution helps improve adoption of repeatable best
practices so that new or remote team members can interact on projects with
minimal ramp-up effort. We are really pleased to be able to help our
customers through these challenging economic times."
Recently, Newforma announced a new series of webinars that will examine how
PIM software supports the collaborative processes required for more
effective integrated project delivery. Drawing from Newforma's experience
helping 24,000 users manage the information and communications for over
80,000 projects, the series will highlight areas where PIM software
contributes to the DNA of a firm working toward a more integrated practice.
For more detail on the webinar series, please visit
http://www.newforma.com/News---Resources/Webcasts-2.aspx.
About Newforma
Newforma is a software company serving architecture, engineering,
construction and owner/operator (AECO) organizations worldwide. Its mission
is to develop and market software solutions which significantly improve the
productivity of the building project team by streamlining work processes,
reducing exposure from errors and omissions, improving coordination and
communication, and enabling greater repeatability of project success.
Newforma® Project Center, Newforma's flagship product, creates a more
productive environment for project managers and the project team by
organizing project information, facilitating information sharing, and
enabling more effective project process. Newforma Project Center is
currently implemented on over 80,000 projects in industry-leading AECO
firms. For more information about Newforma, visit www.newforma.com or phone
+1 (603) 625-6212.
© 2008 Newforma Inc. Newforma is a registered trademark of Newforma Inc.
in the United States and other countries. All other brands or products are
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and should
be treated as such.