Next Big Thing: Efficiency hacks

Having the right technological infrastructure is paramount in 2017 -- particularly if it addresses real operational pain points.

That's why Cincinnati-based McCabe Lumber recently implemented MiTek's Sapphire Supply solution, which aims to cut time required to generate estimates and take-offs by 50%, ultimately freeing up sales staff to perform other tasks.

“With Sapphire Supply, our material counts and delivery stages are so accurate, we see a clear path to reducing the error and waste rate from as much as 8% down to 2%, which is near-perfect accuracy,” said Dave Renchen, McCabe Lumber’s estimating manager.

McCabe has been a long-time user of MiTek's Sapphire Structure for designing and manufacturing prefabricated components.

Sapphire Supply is the newest offering from Sapphire, providing the ability to create an especially accurate 3-D BIM structural frame for roofs, floors, and wall applications, including proprietary EWP products, dimensional lumber, and MiTek’s USP Structural Connectors’ metal connectors. 

The solution can also estimate non-structural materials such as drywall, roofing, and housewrap.

“Sapphire Supply uses a single shared structural model, and that offers McCabe a unified solution for efficient, consistent and accurate modeling, estimating, on order fulfillment across their organization,” said MiTek’s Brian McCormick.  “Sapphire Supply eliminates the classic problem of inconsistent sales estimating, because it delivers accurate modeling and estimating on every structure.”

“Now our sales team is not spending hours on estimates; instead, they are selling more jobs and expanding relationship, often by using Sapphire Viewer, a free download for reviewing Sapphire models,” added McCabe Lumber’s Dave Renchen.