Construction tech-company Dalux were among the first to test out a new solution in BLOXHUB. Today, the Dalux BIM viewer is used all over Europe, and the company is preparing to go global
When the two brothers Torben and Bent Dalgaard wanted to launch their pioneering AR solution for construction in 2016, technology was still a relative novelty in the industry.
The Dalgaard brothers had created a so-called BIM viewer, based on augmented reality, that would enable people working in construction sites to literally look through walls. By holding an iPad or smartphone up to a wall, pipe or any another part of a building, construction workers have access to the blueprints in 3D. This makes it easier to plan a project and address any issues in the building quickly, saving both time and money.
“We had a technology that we strongly felt would be able to make a difference,” says Torben Dalgaard. “But would it make an actual impact in the sector or would it be considered to be technology for technology’s sake?”
Testing the prototype
Dalux decided to contact BLOXHUB only a month after the hub had started operating. In January 2017, BLOXHUB and Dalux held a closed workshop with select stakeholders from the construction sector to test out the first prototype.
“We wanted to be the first to launch this solution, so we were in a bit of a hurry. And we didn’t want the entire world to know that we were almost ready to go to market,” says Torben Dalgaard.
The workshop helped Dalux to build on their idea with input from the participants, and a number of them committed to joining more prototype processes that spring.
“We were about to make a major investment in product development. Getting feedback on the prototype and the initial results were crucial.”
The right space at the right time
In July of 2017, the first Dalux BIM viewer hit the market. Today, it is the most downloaded app in construction in the Nordics, and the Dalux app is used in more than 90 countries.
In two years, Dalux has grown from 11 to 80 employees, and Dalgaard expects to hire employee number 100 this year. Dalux has received international media attention, and experts have called the BIM viewer technology “years ahead of its time”.
At the moment, the company is focusing on Europe, but the long-term plan is to go global.
“The reason we have been able to scale as fast as we have, is because we were able to make the right investment at the right time. If you’re working with a new technology, but you’re not sure it has a market, BLOXHUB has the right community to test it. It is a safe space to experiment.”
See how the Dalux BIM viewer works:
