iPhones being used in the Construction Industry
by Alisan Atvur on 04/03/09 at 10:26 pm
iPhoneCTO is proud to announce a new series called iPhone at Work where we explore real-world examples of iPhones being used as business tools. In each installment, we look at specific companies or industries and how they are leveraging Apple’s iPhone to streamline work flow processes and increase productivity.
You wouldn’t expect iPhones being used at a construction industry, but that is what we found at Atlanta based SteelFrameHousing.us. Devoted to developing green, durable, and inexpensive housing, SteelFrameHousing.us recently outfitted their project managers, office managers and trainers with iPhones.
“The iPhone doesn’t replace my tool box, but it makes it lighter,” says Vince Dixon, lead trainer at SteelFrameHousing.us. Recently, Vince has lead construction workshops in Estonia, Israel, Turkey and Ghana. When he is not teaching, he is directing steel framing projects for the company in the United States and all over the world. “I can’t have a laptop in my pocket, but I always have the iPhone.”
Vince and the Atvur Consulting team have come up with a list of applications that are indispensable for anyone in the construction industry. “We spent less than $2 a phone in total, and we were impressed with what these applications did for us,” says the lead trainer. Here are some applications he is using (and others he looks forward to using in future jobs).
1.) FedEx Mobile 
Soon, Dixon will track the transportation of steel to client sites without opening his laptop. “We haven’t had a chance to try out this application out yet. I typically track the shipments through my laptop,” says Vince. “The client loves to be able to know where everything is and I know he will be impressed when I pull out an iPhone and show him where his materials are.” His only complaint: “I can’t schedule pickups of extra materials.”
2.) Unit Converter
Converting inches to centimeters is child’s play, but converters can be so much more. “If nothing else, the converter allows me to use foreign tools more efficiently” says Dixon. “We use sophisticated tools, and I need precision.”
3.) iHandy Level
As the name suggests, this level application is free. Dixon explains “The level app is perfect when you want to show off your work to a project director– pull out the phone, and prove that your beam is perfectly level.”
4.) Flashlight
If you are using your phone to see a keyhole or read an address at 10 pm, you need to download the Flashlight application. Vince explains: “It helps when I’m reading an architectural drawing or looking for a tool and the ability to change the color is convenient.” At iPhoneCTO, we have not found a specific Flashlight application that is necessarily better than its competitors.
5.) TwitterFon
In addition to launching an iPhone friendly website in April, SteelFrameHousing.us will have multiple Twitter feeds the a client can follow; essentially the client and the project director will have access to the same project information. “If I want to know the progress of an updated architectural drawing, all I need to do is check the Twitter feed of my architect,” says Dixon. TwiterFon is one of several Twitter applications the team will implement.
