Overview

In large-scale construction projects — from bridges and parking garages to stadiums — success depends on precision and speed.

For Efco, a global builder of steel forming systems, quality was non-negotiable. Yet the way quality was managed was holding the business back.

Remake cards were still handwritten. Spreadsheets multiplied week after week. Critical details lived in email threads or, worse, in people’s heads. With three shifts running around the clock, information slipped through the cracks. Tracking rework, managing returns, or locating certifications became a chase. Decisions that should have taken minutes stretched into hours — sometimes days.

Efco knew they needed more than a digital filing cabinet.

They needed a connected system where teams could see issues as they happened, discuss them in context, and act immediately. That search led them to Unifize — a collaborative quality platform that unites conversations, documents, and decisions in one place.

The difference was clear right away. Processes that once dragged on for days are now wrapped up in minutes. Teams across shifts stayed aligned without the usual handoff delays. Audits that used to take weeks were completed in hours. 

Most importantly, Efco moved from chasing information to using it — freeing people to focus on solving problems instead of hunting them down.

About Efco

Efco is a leading company specialising in concrete forming systems for various construction projects, including bridges, houses, and parking garages. Their operations encompass the procurement and management of steel required for these forming systems, highlighting their pivotal role in the construction industry's supply chain.

Industry: Construction
Location: Des Moines, Iowa, United States of America

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From Pain Points to Practical Solutions

With the decision to move away from fragmented, paper-based processes, Efco began untangling the specific obstacles holding back its quality operations. Each challenge was addressed not with temporary fixes, but with targeted solutions that transformed how teams collaborate, make decisions, and manage information. 

The following snapshot captures where bottlenecks existed, how Unifize resolved them, and the measurable impact that followed.

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Challenges

Unifize Solution

Achievements & Impact

1. Manual, paper-driven quality workflows

Digitized remake and rework cards within Unifize, replacing handwritten forms and disconnected spreadsheets. Each card is tied to the right part, process, and department, with barcoded tickets for instant scanning on the shop floor.

Processing remake cards dropped from 1.5 hours to 10–15 minutes. Data entry errors were eliminated, and real-time visibility replaced paper chasing.

2. Disconnected information across three shifts

A single, connected platform where every conversation, document, and decision related to a job lives in one place. Teams across shifts collaborate directly in context instead of relying on emails or memory.

Reaction times improved by 70%, and shift-to-shift handoffs became smooth, ensuring everyone stays aligned without delays.

3. Tracking rework hours and costs was inefficient

Automated cost and time tracking by linking rework and remake records directly to part numbers, labor, and materials inside Unifize. Data is entered once and instantly reflected across all reports.

Efco now has real-time visibility into rework costs and can identify recurring issues faster, driving better production planning and continuous improvement.

4. Inefficient document and certification management

Consolidated certifications, POs, and returned goods authorizations into Unifize, attaching them directly to relevant jobs and suppliers. Automated alerts ensure finance, purchasing, and quality are updated instantly.

Audit preparation time dropped from six weeks to minutes. Anyone can now search by PO or job and retrieve the exact cert or document instantly.

5. Delayed decisions due to lack of historical data

Built a searchable knowledge base within Unifize where past decisions, resolved issues, and historic resolutions are stored and instantly accessible to all teams, across shifts.

Off-shift teams can now act without waiting for engineer approvals, cutting delays and ensuring faster issue resolution.

6. Lack of collaboration and ownership

Shifted from scattered emails and calls to smaller, focused discussion groups within Unifize. Only the relevant people are tagged into each issue, improving alignment and accountability.

Improved cross-department coordination reduced unnecessary remakes and fostered a culture of shared ownership.

7. Wasted time on data entry instead of decision-making

Enabled automatic report generation for quality metrics, scrap costs, and department performance. Unifize captures inputs at the source, removing the need for duplicate manual updates.

Efco cut paperwork hours from 111 to 33 annually and saved $44,000 per year by eliminating a redundant role, freeing staff for higher-value tasks.

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“It’s so much easier to keep track of the things we have on the floor now. Instead of having it stored in three different places or chasing papers around, it’s just all in one place — on Unifize.” - Seth Bozman, Quality Technician

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The Next Step: Turning Connected Data into Connected Teams

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Efco’s transformation didn’t stop at digitizing remake cards or consolidating documents.
By moving their quality processes into Unifize, the company unlocked a new way of working — one where teams across shifts, departments, and locations stay connected, make faster decisions, and take ownership without unnecessary back-and-forth. 

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Instead of relying on endless email chains, meetings, or phone calls, Unifize brought people together in smaller, focused discussion groups. When a quality issue arises, only the relevant people are added to the conversation — supervisors, engineers, quality technicians, or purchasing — so decisions can be made quickly without distracting everyone else. 

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Unifize also created shared accountability. 

Everyone involved in an issue now sees the same information, follows the same thread, and contributes to the solution. No more relying on tribal knowledge or trying to track down who has the latest update — the entire conversation lives alongside the documents, tickets, and data.

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​​This real-time visibility has also transformed Efco’s ability to respond to quality issues. By bringing the right people together at the right time and giving everyone access to the same information, Unifize helped teams resolve issues more confidently while keeping production moving and reducing costly stoppages.

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“With Unifize, we’re not just flagging problems — we’re solving them together. Everyone sees the same information, talks in the same place, and decisions get made faster.”

- Dave Anderson, Quality Assurance Manager

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Looking Ahead: Building a Culture of Connected Quality

Efco’s journey with Unifize is far from over. The next step is to extend the platform’s reach to shop-floor operators, enabling part checks, quality verifications, and real-time updates directly where the work happens. By expanding access beyond supervisors and quality teams, Efco is laying the foundation for a fully connected quality ecosystem — one where everyone works from the same source of truth.

This evolution is expected to deliver even greater efficiencies, reduce delays, and empower teams to make faster, more informed decisions at every level of the operation.

With Unifize, Efco has already made the leap from reactive problem-solving to proactive quality management. And as adoption grows, so does the potential — for better collaboration, deeper visibility, and continuous improvement across the organization.

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