John Holland Group has adopted a digital strategy that is transforming its operations to manage and deliver a growing portfolio of the region’s biggest projects, resulting in the consolidation of multiple software platforms and significant investment into the strategic partnership with Autodesk to innovate and adapt to the future through technology. John Holland Group has renewed its Enterprise Business Agreement (EBA) in partnership with Autodesk as a pivotal part of the company’s strategy moving forward to create best-in-class solutions for its projects. Autodesk Construction Cloud Build (ACC Build) has replaced multiple dispersed platforms to connect teams, data and content into one central location. With the EBA, John Holland Group will have access to Autodesk’s exceptional technical support, customer success, research, and development teams to create progressively flexible solutions on a single platform that fits its business.
Established in 1949, John Holland Group (JHG) has a long history of delivering transformational change across innovative and award-winning projects, including rail systems, tunnels, bridges, hospitals, stadiums, campuses, airports, and water infrastructure. The impetus for its strategic digital approach is multifaceted, driven by the desire to grow competitive advantage, streamline project processes to increase ROI, and preserve institutional knowledge as professionals move around the industry. The innovation in partnership with Autodesk is transforming its operations to manage and deliver its growing portfolio of projects, resulting in significant time and cost savings for the team and a highly advanced, connected technology platform for its projects.
Since 2021, JHG has partnered with Autodesk to evolve its digital strategies in a collaboration that is delivering exceptional advancements and opportunities for its teams and projects. With a shared vision for sustainability, innovation and excellence, JHG’s commitment to adopting cutting-edge technology to improve construction processes has been evident throughout the partnership.
Ron Azzi, Group General Manager – Technology, Engineering & Knowledge (TEK), John Holland Group
“The partnership enables continued access to Autodesk’s full suite of tools, enhanced support, and more collaboration opportunities – as well as consolidating our technology stack into one platform where the data points, information channels and communication storage are connected. This means increased efficiency, more effective resource management and better knowledge sharing across teams – as well as working together to create the most advanced, flexible solutions that fit our business and projects,” said Mr Azzi.
John Holland Group has worked closely together with Autodesk to leverage innovative solutions that stay ahead of the industry. Over the years, JHG has utilised Autodesk tools, including BIM 360 and PlanGrid, to deliver their projects efficiently. This has now evolved into the Autodesk Construction Cloud platform, seamlessly connecting authoring tools such as Revit, AutoCAD, and Navisworks. The approach is a single-platform solution that will help drive them into the future.
Ryan Pearce, Director, Sales Enterprise Named Accounts ANZ & ASEAN, Autodesk
“We are a partner in John Holland Group’s strategic vision for the future. This new agreement builds on a strong relationship and brings a level of global expertise unique to John Holland Group's strategy. This helps John Holland Group make significant moves in their business with confidence, knowing that we will grow and advance our platform and technologies alongside them.” said Mr Pearce.
A best-in-class technology approach for the biggest projects
The partnership has seen the successful completion of award-winning projects including the Sydney Football Stadium, WestConnex Rozelle Interchange, Waterloo ISD/OSD and the Sydney Gateway Project. These projects have leveraged Autodesk solutions to drive better outcomes.
Cost savings and a reduction in technology stacks
JHG has deployed the Autodesk platform across its business to ensure non-essential technologies are removed from projects, resulting in savings in project costs.
Additionally, its focus on Water Infrastructure has seen a significant investment to pass through cost savings to project teams. For example, the Cairns Wastewater Treatment Plant and Belmont Desalination Plant have utilised a tech stack saving across the early delivery phases.
Greater efficiencies for JHG’s projects
Reducing its technology stack and phasing out desktop products has enabled JHG to ensure greater efficiencies on its projects by reducing time searching for information; providing revision-controlled information; and offering better information access for key stakeholders. In some cases, this is a 15% time saving on manual tasks.
Greater efficiencies were also enabled by increasing onsite usage with ACC Build for the Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney Children’s Hospital and Belmont Desalination Plant projects. The automation of manual tasks within ACC aids JHG’s onsite teams to ensure critical project information is shared between team members.
An upskilled workforce
The investment in innovation, technology and its people is enabling an upskilled workforce for JHG. Utilising cloud-based technology allows JHG’s project teams greater agility in hardware costs and provides more flexibility to site-based solutions. Providing digital tool training for JHG staff has helped to increase digital literacy on desktop and cloud tools to support the team’s daily tasks.
Together, JHG and Autodesk are working to build training modules across the business to upskill teams from document control, site engineers, project management through to support staff.
Building a future of innovation
Moving forward, JHG is strategically aligning its partnerships with other leading companies that have a shared vision for sustainability, innovation and excellence, with the Autodesk relationship at the forefront of its construction and infrastructure projects in an industry-leading approach that will continue to see both businesses expand into the future.
