New Internet platform for construction enterprises

Glodon Software Company, the first listed company in the construction engineering information industry, is migrating to Internet-oriented services to better serve the building industry.

Founded in 1998 and listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2010, Glodon has grown from providing budget software for construction companies to developing products covering all processes of a construction project, from design, budget and cost controls to the final punch list. The company also has expanded its services to e-commerce, Internet banking and investment.

The Internet platform has brought the company more users. More than 160,000 companies use Glodon software, more than 1 million people regularly use its software on computers and more than 2 million use its mobile app.

Jia Xiaoping, Glodon's chairman, said significant growth is possible as only 21 percent of Chinese construction companies use Internet platforms for orders, far less than the 55 percent to 63 percent usage in developed countries.

"There is plenty of room to expand the market for us if we can integrate the Internet with our traditional services," Jia said.

The construction industry is bound to be more environmentally-friendly in the future as the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development has promoted "new industrialization" of the industry.

The "new industrialization" requires better internal management, quality personnel and support for the new digital processes, Jia said. "It means the construction companies need more Internet-based service from us," he said.

huyongqi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/23/2015 page5)