Giatec is a global company revolutionizing the construction industry by bringing smart testing technologies and real-time data collection to the forefront of every jobsite. Giatec’s suite of hardware & software products has leveraged advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT), including wireless concrete sensors, mobile apps, and advanced non-destructive technologies (NDT) to drive innovation throughout concrete’s lifecycle.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Giatec: Giatec specializes in concrete testing equipment and software, including sensors for measuring and monitoring early-age in-situ concrete strength, based on the Maturity Method or ASTM C1074, temperature, and relative humidity. We also provide award-winning products for monitoring the rate of corrosion in reinforced concrete structures and lab devices which monitor bulk electrical resistivity, surface electrical resistivity, and chloride permeability of concrete.
E.E: What’s the news for 2020 about new products?
Giatec: So far in 2020 Giatec has released the SmartRock™ 3 wireless concrete sensor, a re-engineering of our award-winning SmartRock™ 2 sensor. In addition to an update in the sensor’s design, activation, installation, and wireless signal range, ‘SmartRock 3’ is equipped with dual-temperature monitoring capabilities. This enables users to measure temperature values at two locations simultaneously.
Furthermore, our SmartRock suite of features, including our mobile application and our cloud-based web dashboard, Giatec 360™, has undergone extensive upgrades in terms of design and UI/UX. Based on customer insights and user activity, Giatec has added multiple features to its software platform, including the ability to share project data with stakeholders outside a company. With this dashboard, Giatec 360 users have more access and control of their important concrete data, allowing them to optimize all SmartRock wireless sensor capabilities, including analyzing temperature gradients, monitoring concrete curing in real-time, and predicting concrete strength. This provides valuable insights needed to make fast and efficient decisions on all construction projects.
SmartRock’s artificial intelligence assistant, Roxi, has also been trained to reduce cement usage on construction jobsites during concrete testing. This helps producers optimize their mix design and save money without compromising concrete setting time or strength thresholds. It also helps reduce pollution from CO2 emissions.
E.E: What are the ranges of traded products?
Giatec: All of Giatec’s concrete testing equipment and software programs measure and monitoring various concrete properties such as early-age in-situ concrete strength, based on the Maturity Method or ASTM C1074, temperature, relative humidity, the rate of corrosion in reinforced concrete structures, bulk electrical resistivity, surface electrical resistivity, and chloride permeability of concrete. Giatec’s suite of products include:
- SmartRock™;
- Wireless Concrete Sensor for Temperature and Strength Monitoring;
- SmartHub™;
- A Remote Monitoring System for Accessing Concrete Data Anytime, Anywhere;
- Giatec 360™;
- An Advanced Web-Based Dashboard for Monitoring and Managing Concrete Pours;
- SmartRock™ Plus;
- Value-Added Solution for Ready-Mix Producers;
- BlueRock™;
- Wireless Temperature and Humidity Sensor for Concrete;
- SmartBox™;
- Wireless Concrete Sensor for Resistivity and Temperature Monitoring;
- iCOR®;
- NDT Device for Detecting and Measuring the Rate of Rebar Corrosion;
- XCell™;
- NDT Device for Half-Cell Corrosion Mapping;
- Perma™;
- Laboratory Device for Testing the Rapid Chloride Permeability of Concrete;
- Surf™;
- Laboratory Device for Testing the Surface Electrical Resistivity of Concrete;
- RCON™;
- Laboratory Device for Testing the Electrical Resistivity of Concrete.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
Giatec: Currently, Giatec’s products are being used in over 7,500 projects across 85 countries worldwide.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
Giatec: The construction industry has typically been slow to adopt new technology on jobsites to optimize construction schedules and increase efficiency. However, as the gap between the supply and demand of skilled workers increases, companies are now embracing new methods of building, including the use of advanced technologies, and IoT-based smart devices on their jobsites. This trend has been emphasized especially with the onset of COVID-19. Technologies help develop and enhance the building sector by speeding up processes, improving communication, and maximizing efficiencies every step of the way. As a result, project managers can cut down on time and resources needed, saving on project costs, and streamlining processes. By eliminating time consuming concrete testing processes, such as destructive field-cured cylinders, Giatec’s IoT-based smart technologies, like our SmartRock™ wireless concrete sensors, are leading the way in helping jobsites improving efficiencies and optimizing project schedules.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
Giatec: Giatec is at the forefront of IoT-based and smart technologies for concrete testing and the construction industry. Our SmartRock™ sensor is the most widely used wireless concrete sensor, currently being implemented in over 6,200 construction projects across 45 countries worldwide. As the first truly wireless sensor introduced to the market in 2015, SmartRock is the leading concrete maturity sensor for accurate monitoring of concrete curing and hardening. Unlike time-consuming and error-prone break tests, or cumbersome wired sensors, Giatec’s patented maturity sensor uses a highly accurate ASTM-approved testing method. Together with the Giatec 360™ platform, and SmartHub™ remote monitoring system this has enabled faster, safer, and more economical concrete construction.
Furthermore, our iCOR®, the most advanced wireless corrosion measurement device for evaluating the health of reinforced concrete structures, was presented the 2019 Corrosion Innovation Award by the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE). The award was given at Corrosion 2019, the world’s largest event for the prevention and mitigation of corrosion. iCOR® was chosen by a panel of leading corrosion experts spanning multiple niches across the industry. Winning innovations must show the potential for a significant positive impact in corrosion control. Based on ten years of award-winning academic research, the iCOR® uses patented technology to provide unprecedented levels of accuracy; detecting the health of concrete structures in a matter of seconds.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2020?
Giatec: This year Giatec celebrated our 10th anniversary. We also won several awards for revenue growth by Canadian Business, McLean’s, and The Globe and Mail. Furthermore, we have continued to sign new partners and dealers throughout the United States and internationally. Our goal is to continue to revolutionize the concrete industry by providing smart IoT-based technologies to construction companies across the globe to help them continue to build concrete structure faster, safer, and more economically.