Ericsson wireless tech boosts productivity on Canadian high-rise sites

Ericsson wireless wide area network technology is being used by Coffrages Synergy Formwork to enhance connectivity on high-rise construction sites across Québec and Ontario.

Montreal-based Coffrages Synergy Formwork, which specialises in formwork for high-rise towers, has introduced a portable office solution known as the Sky Shack. These modular units can be relocated floor by floor during the construction process, providing staff with stable internet access through wireless connectivity rather than relying on traditional wired systems.

Connectivity challenges

The spread of large job sites and the constant movement of employees between different floors of unfinished buildings had created significant connectivity challenges for the company. Wired networks, while effective for stationary environments, proved inefficient and costly to extend throughout the multi-level, shifting landscape of high-rise construction projects.

Efforts to run wires to new build sites encountered logistical difficulties, disrupted work, and incurred additional costs due to the need for repeated installations and frequent troubleshooting. A wireless solution was seen as necessary to support the demands of Synergy's workforce, which currently numbers over 1,500 employees operating at locations across Québec and Ontario, including Ottawa, Gatineau, Québec City, Montreal and Halifax.

Sky Shacks in action

The company addressed these issues through the rollout of 67 Sky Shacks, mobile offices that are equipped with tablets, laptops, and printers. Each Sky Shack is supported by a Wi-Fi network built on Ericsson Cradlepoint R2100 5G and S700 4G routers, extending reliable connectivity to the upper floors where employees are stationed, and allowing them to remain productive without returning to ground level for access to digital resources.

With these wireless-enabled offices, employees are able to move efficiently from floor to floor during the construction process. Sky Shacks in turn can be quickly relocated to follow the work, ensuring continuous connection to the necessary applications and tools, including cloud-based software and project plans.

"It's important for us to be leaders in our industry so we can better support our workers in the field, in turn providing our customers with reliable, efficient service. We collaborated closely with Ericsson to find the right technology to address our unique business requirements, and to deploy it quickly to create a unique, state-of-the-art solution. With this Ericsson wireless WAN in place, our entire work process has improved. Workers can easily connect and collaborate, increasing their efficiency, productivity and workflow. Having the connected Sky Shacks also saves time as our employees no longer need to go down to the bottom of the construction site for internet access."

According to Synergy, improved wireless connectivity has contributed to a notable reduction in downtime. The ability to avoid traditional wired installations has reduced operational disruptions during construction, while the stable connection across all working floors has enabled more consistent access to project information, communication tools, and construction management software. The company reports that these changes have also led to significant cost savings by removing both the expense of wired infrastructure and the need for on-site IT troubleshooting.

The amount of cellular data usage has reached more than 4.2 terabytes each month, reflecting the scale at which digital tools are now being used throughout the construction process.

Industry perspective

"The solution deployed for Synergy demonstrates how Ericsson's leading enterprise wireless network technology can empower businesses to simplify processes, no matter the industry or environment. Organisations can easily and cost-effectively build a network to support devices and applications, enabling productivity and saving time without wires and complicated infrastructure. Synergy's Sky Shacks are a great example of innovative thinking, and our team is proud to support the work they do both on the ground and in the sky."

The use of enterprise wireless solutions for on-site connectivity is being recognised as a way to modernise the construction environment, cut costs, and improve workflow. The partnership between Ericsson and Synergy Formwork highlights how construction sites can benefit from adopting wireless networks to address the demands of evolving project delivery methods.

As Synergy continues to operate across a range of high-rise projects throughout Canada, the introduction of wireless office units and associated reductions in downtime, improved productivity, and cost savings are expected to further support its operations and workforce.