Adds ‘5D BIM’ capabilities
SUNNYVALE, Calif. – Trimble announced today it has acquired assets of Vico Software, of Boulder, Colo., a maker of “5D virtual construction software” and provider of consulting services. The buy, said the company in a press release, “extends Trimble’s solutions for building construction and provides a platform to connect the information flow across the design-build-operate (DBO) lifecycle to improve cost management and optimize scheduling on complex building construction projects.”
Terms of the deal were not released.
Vico is not a modeling tool, but interoperates with BIM tools like Revit and recent Trimble acquisition Tekla to add cost (D number 4) and time estimation (D number 5) to the BIM process and bring everything into one database.
They seek to help people replace the traditional Gantt Chart, used for project scheduling, and replace it with what they call “the flow method,” keeping the project scheduling fundamentally 3D and integrated in one software package. This is designed to allow AEC professionals to see much more quickly how a design change affects project cost and schedule.
You can see a 15-minute overview of their vision for 5D BIM here:
“Vico’s 5D Virtual Construction software solutions pioneered the category of 5D BIM for construction,” said Bryn Fosburgh, Trimble vice president in a statement announcing the deal. “With Vico’s capabilities Trimble is uniquely positioned to participate in the industry’s evolution from 2D to 5D management. Vico provides an important contribution in that evolution by connecting data from the virtual aspects to the physical aspects of a building construction project. It becomes the connection point that binds Trimble’s hardware and software suite of products together across the DBO lifecycle.”
“5D Management solutions help create a highly responsive, transparent and efficient construction supply chain,” said Mark Sawyer, president and CEO of Vico, in a statement. “Vico’s acquisition by Trimble, the leader in delivering advanced technology to complex construction projects, will extend the value of our solutions inside a much broader product portfolio. Trimble has moved aggressively into this rapidly evolving technology segment, and together we are looking forward to driving the future of BIM for construction.”
Trimble has a history of aggressively acquiring businesses. In the first three quarters of 2011, the company spent $758 million on business acquisitions. In the first three quarters of this year, the company has spent $355 million.
