For 14 years, iDig has been a specialist in excavator guidance at the cutting edge of technology. The company is one of the most innovative companies in France thanks to 2D, 3D and weighing excavator guidance solutions that are designed and manufactured in France.
Their global expertise is present in 22 countries, iDig is serving 7000 users worldwide.
Behind iDig is a united and willing team who for years has lived a real human success story in Paris, France. Together, united, we think, create and make hundreds of iDig systems every year.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
IDIG: iDig has a 50% growth rate because the market is in demand.
On a construction site, an excavator driver needs to follow the progress of the work.
A much more efficient solution exists: iDig. Thanks to its wireless sensors positioned on arm of the excavator, iDig calculates and shows in real-time to the driver the exact position of the bucket, with centimetric precision, and the work still to be done. The driver can always control the depth, the distance or the slope of his work on the bucket level. This has big impacts on productivity and savings. We estimate the return on investment of an iDig system is 3 to 6 months only!
iDig is a simple tool offering accuracy, productivity and safety on construction sites.
E.E: What’s the news for 2021 about new products?
IDIG: In 2021, we developed a few innovations for our guidance system: front blade compatibility (this is world patented feature), auger compatibility (unique on the market), offset boom compatibilities. These innovations widen the field of possibilities and our sales target. We are also working on a 3D system that will be released soon.
E.E: What are the ranges of traded products?
IDIG: We are specialists in excavator guidance.
Today, iDig is the only one product in the company’s line up. Of course, we offer many bundles, with various options, but the heart of the system is unique. Preparing the next steps, our R&D team is hardly working on new innovative solutions and totally new products for our customers!
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
IDIG: As cars have many technologies to help car drivers, our ambition is to bring new technologies for each excavator!
In all market situations, from growth to maturity stage, our product has strong arguments to win.
Our innovation is user-friendly and very simple to use with first guiding system in the market to have: Radio Bluetooth 5, cable-free, solar powered and moveable from machine to machine in few minutes. This makes iDig an affordable real multi-machine system!
Also, it’s a system than can be sold and install by a non professional salesman. This is a key argument to convince the dealers who want to enlarge their product portfolio with technological solutions for their excavators, to distribute iDig.
We look for too more security on the jobsite by avoiding having people in the trench, and avoiding climbing and jumping down because everything will pilot the excavator easily from the cab.
By digging more precisely, mistakes and risks of over digging are avoided. It’s a real time savings.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
IDIG: Guidance system market is deeply connected to excavators’ market and more generally to construction market.
Of course, Covid international health crisis is having an impact on construction market, affecting the number of new public tenders and the demand of excavators. We estimate the contraction by 15% to 20% for the European market. But regarding guidance systems market, our forecast for Europe is still positive as this market is just starting in most countries.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
IDIG: As we already discussed about actual iDig, let’s unveil a bit about the future. We are developing a 3D guidance system, keeping the same key assets – multi-machine, easy to install and to operate, affordability – to address the users who need 3D functions but cannot afford to work with a land surveyor. The 3D will be available after the summer.
We are also developing a weighing system available in 2022.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2022?
IDIG: We ended our 2020 fiscal year with black figures: +20% turnover for iDig, despite the Covid pandemic.
We will reach +50% for FY2021. To achieve this, we hired sales managers and we focus our effort in developing our distribution network.
