Simon White was previously digital director at Atkins Infrastructure UK.
VolkerWessels UK chief executive Alan Robertson said: “We believe that we must act now and lead our industry into a new digital revolution that will fundamentally alter and improve the way we work. By harnessing the power of data and technology, and combining this with our own skills as a leading contractor, we can take advantage of unlimited possibilities for new ways of connecting our people and our clients, and sharing knowledge.”
Simon White said: “The construction sector has typically not taken advantage of emerging technologies and access to real time information that is now readily available. It’s clear that embracing digital has the potential to add real value for companies, clients, and communities impacted by construction, but yet our industry is one of the least progressed in terms of R&D and digital transformation. The cycle of our sector being a follower has to change and we have an opportunity to make a real difference to our clients, end users and society in general.”
VolkerWessels UK’s parent company in the Netherlands, Royal VolkerWessels, last year launched DigiBase (pictured below), a centre for digital construction, focused on exploiting technologies such as building information modelling, the internet of things, geographic information systems, reality capturing, and virtual and augmented reality. The aim of Digibase is to enable employees and clients to experience the digital world and the power of data, so it also includes a digital construction training centre to support this journey.
VolkerWessels UK is also creating digital transformation spaces in its offices and intends to work with DigiBase colleagues in the Netherlands to promote its use of new technologies.
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