Bosch Thermotechnology, a key player in the UK's heating equipment sector and part of the Bosch Group, has been actively involved in commercial and industrial markets since 2006. Pete Mills is the Technical Operations Manager for the business, joining the company back in 2003.
The Challenge
Identifying the potential applications of BIM early on, Pete championed the integration of BIM across Bosch Thermotechnology. Recognising customer interest in comprehensive product content and models, the company engaged with ICOM and CIBSE to navigate differing viewpoints on product information communication. Pete took the lead in establishing BIM practices, aligning them with industry standards.
The Solution
Prior to diving into BIM content, Pete's team underwent basic Revit training. While exploring potential providers, Bosch found a fitting partner in Bimstore due to their expertise and collaborative approach. The collaboration included active involvement from Bosch, ensuring the accuracy of data representation. The partnership with Bimstore provided guidance, advice, and best practices, enabling Bosch to build a compelling investment case.
"I feel like the collaboration that we had between us and Bimstore was hugely beneficial for us getting started. It wasn’t like we just handed the job across and let Bimstore create the content, we were involved in that process, and I believe every manufacturer should follow a similar approach. Make sure your data is correct and work with an expert partner, because it’s so easy to not get things right." - Pete Mills, Technical Operations Manager
The Progress
Implementing BIM content for their popular products on both their website and the Bimstore platform, Bosch efficiently addressed requests from consultant designers. This strategic move increased their chances of getting written into specifications and successfully winning projects. To date, Bosch's BIM objects have been downloaded in 154 countries, providing valuable insights into global utilisation.
The Results
With a focus on specification, Bosch's non-domestic product division has successfully positioned itself early in project specifications, thanks to high-quality BIM content. Positive feedback from internal and external stakeholders attests to the success of their BIM strategy. The collaboration with Bimstore has been crucial in ensuring a seamless BIM content creation process.
"We have got a system that works and people are happy with it, from our internal team to the consultant designers. We never get any complaints about missing information or data, that lack of feedback I take as a good thing!"
The Future
Bosch is committed to advancing its BIM content strategy, considering industry advancements, legislative changes, and the global focus on embodied carbon. They aim to centralise data implementation during new product design, addressing challenges posed by diverse local requirements. Pete and his team are working to increase their skill and knowledge on Revit in order to make the BIM content creation process even better, although they know the team at Bimstore is always on hand to help!
To find out about how Bimstore works with manufacturers to maximise the benefits they get from their BIM content, take a look at this page. More information on Bosch Thermotechnology can be found on their manufacturer profile on Bimstore.
