September 3, 2024

In late 2021, Procore Technologies marked a major milestone with the creation of its Procore Construction Network, an integrated public network designed to connect construction businesses together and find the best contractors, sub-contractors and trade partners for any project. Recently, Procore announced an expansion of the Procore Construction Network into Canada. In a recent conversation with Procore’s VP of Product, Will Lehrmann, we take a look into the motivations behind this expansion and its impact on the Canadian construction market.

Procore’s decision to extend Procore Construction Network into Canada was driven by multiple factors, chief among them being its existing substantial customer base in the region. Considering its established presence, Procore saw a significant opportunity to enhance its offerings.

“For us to make sure we’re delivering a world-class pre-construction solution to our Canadian customers, we wanted to make sure that we extended our construction network to Canada as well,” Lehrmann explained. He continued, “We’re really focused on the Canadian market and making sure that we can have a lot of the same success that we’ve had in the US market when we launched [Procore Construction Network] previously.”

But Procore’s foray into the Canadian market is not just about geographical expansion but also about addressing unique regional needs and challenges. Canada’s construction industry faces issues such as labour shortages and the need for linguistic accommodations between English and French-speaking areas.

To address these challenges, Procore has implemented several key adaptations. A major initiative is the planned rollout of French language support, which Lehrmann says Procore plans to roll out “later this year,” and is aimed at catering to Canada’s bilingual landscape and ensuring accessibility for Francophones in the industry.

Lehrmann also emphasizes that the key to Procore Construction Network’s success in Canada is by building a robust and trustworthy network across the country.

“Our goal is to broaden the network and ultimately to have highly trusted partners that cover all provinces and provides real value to Canadians in the industry. Instead of just sticking to their usual contacts—like past collaborators or those they’ve sent bids to before—we’re helping people connect with new potential partners. This way, they can discover firms that might be ready and available but were previously out of reach, potentially finding the perfect fit for their projects,” he says.

In addressing the labour shortage, which affects both Canadian and U.S. markets, Procore Construction Network expands the network of potential partners, thereby improving the likelihood of finding suitable candidates even in a tight labour market.

“Our job is to help ensure that even though there is a labour shortage, we are increasing the speed and ability for folks to find partners, which maximizes overall efficiency. Helping customers find the right partners is key to reducing costs and improving margins on their projects,” he says.

Lehrmann is enthusiastic about introducing the network in Canada in general, as it helps the end-user have an end-to-end experience with the software.

“We’re really excited about finishing the full connected life cycle from finding a partner all the way to completing an awesome project with them and having all the data about that relationship,” said Lehrmann. “Bringing an end-to-end connected platform to the Canadian market is a significant milestone for us.”

He adds, “Ultimately, what we’re trying to achieve is creating a single, integrated platform that encompasses all aspects of the construction project lifecycle. This includes everything from initial bidding to final project closeout, with a seamless flow of data and processes.”

One of the key improvements in Procore’s Construction Network expansion is its integration with Procore’s bidding tools. This upgrade makes the bidding process smoother by linking pre-construction activities directly with project execution.

With Procore Construction Network now integrated with Procore’s document management and estimating tools, users can handle bids right from their estimates, get real-time cost updates, and streamline the award process. This smooth transition from finding trade partners to managing contracts is all about boosting efficiency and cutting down on manual errors.

“The real efficiency gains come from having good, strong partnerships where there’s a really good fit on a potential project because you’re going to have less conflict and require less rework,” Lehrmann noted. “Our job is to widen the net so that folks who might not have previously had a connection can now find new partners that are a perfect fit for their projects.”

To illustrate the benefits of integrating data into a unified system, he explained, “Having all of the pre-construction and project execution data integrated into one platform reduces complexity and eliminates manual data entry, which minimizes risk and improves efficiency.”

The success and benefits of Procore Construction Network are also clearly shown through several case studies. These real-world examples showcase how the network has transformed project outcomes, from connecting contractors with valuable partners to driving significant business growth and operational efficiency.

“One really good case study illustrates how a contractor was able to source new partners through Procore Construction Network 50 times faster than traditional methods, generating over $1 million in annual savings for the contractor and their clients as a result,” Lehrmann shared.

Ultimately, Procore’s expansion into Canada marks a transformative shift in the management of construction projects, offering a sophisticated opportunity for collaboration with the Procore Construction Network. This integration not only centralizes data and fosters seamless collaboration but also addresses critical regional challenges such as labour shortages and language differences. By enhancing bidding processes and improving connectivity, Procore Construction Network is sure to revolutionize how Canadian construction professionals approach their projects. As it becomes embedded in the Canadian market, Procore Construction Network promises to streamline project management, unlock new growth opportunities, and significantly enhance the efficiency and success of the construction industry in Canada.

Visit Procore’s website HERE for more.