Stayin' alive, stayin' alive...
Entrepreneurial strategies in a declining industry
Ewen Dobbie, President

The Bee Gees had it right with their 1970’s classic ‘Stayin alive’.   Not only a catchy tune that defined a generation, but within the cleverly crafted lyrics may lie sage advice for our troubled times.

‘Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother, You're stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.’ True indeed.  We (colleagues, customers, participants in a world economy, family and friends) all somehow co-exist with each other each day sharing our lives as we endeavor to stay alive….and live life to the fullest.

‘Feel the city breakin’ and everybody shakin’, And were stayin’  alive, stayin’ alive.’

The city, maybe even the entire financial world can be argued to be ‘breakin’ and everybody is indeed ‘shakin’.  With the world economy softening, companies are re-organizing, re-strategizing, trying to figure out how to cope with the economic outlook for 2009.

’And now it's all right. It's OK. And you may look the other way. We can try to understand the New York Times' effect on man’

Here’s where the Gibb’s advice rings true: No matter what we read and hear in the media, we are not heading into a dark hole. We are not heading into an economic slump that rivals the great depression.  While we can’t ignore current economic conditions, we can choose to look the other way to some degree.  During these pending tougher economic times, it makes sense to look internally at our businesses.

The industry of steel detailing is faced with more potential challenges than just the current world economic outlook.  Some argue that steel detailing in North America is an industry in decline.  For years, people have been concerned about the increasing shortage of steel detailers in North America and with the now flattening of the world, the North American steel detailing industry is having to deal with the emergence of foreign competition.

For North American steel detailing companies to survive and thrive, they will need to re-invent themselves. Does this mean we start employing strategies that emphasize efficiency and focus on existing services and markets?  Or does it mean we start focusing on entrepreneurial strategies that involve the development of new services and entry into new markets?  The experts say both strategies are required.  Good business practice is to constantly emphasis efficiency and to make the best use of technology and training.  As for new services, most detailers today have become sophisticated users of technology, building and detailing steel and concrete in a virtual world, yet they are not fully marketing their service much beyond steel detailing.

Soon the day will be gone where detailers are called upon to just provide detailed shop drawings.  Detailers, who in this writer’s opinion, have become industry leaders and experts in 3D modeling, will be sought after by General Contractors, Engineers, and even building owners at the earliest stages of design to offer their expert advice.  For the most part, it seems at present, only a few forward thinking detailing firms are doing this.  To survive, the modern day 3D modeling BIM detailer must market and sell their expertise to ‘others’ beyond their traditional fabricator customer.

The time is now for the North American detailer to step up and emerge as a significant contributor, and as an essential part of an integrated steel solutions design team.

Life goin’ nowhere.  Somebody help me.
Somebody help me, yeah.
Life goin' nowhere. Somebody help me, yeah.
I'm stayin’ alive

And that's why the Bee Gees come to mind. .. it’s what we’re aiming for   …   “Stayin’  Alive.”