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Dowco Group Partners with Panzura to offer Global File Systems

Posted on May 14, 2014 - Ewen Dobbie

The Dowco Group of Companies, global leader in Steel Detailing, BIM, and construction technology solutions, announced that it has partnered with Cloud based solutions provider Panzura, to address cross-site CAD/BIM collaboration for use in the steel industry.

Online PR News – San Francisco, CA – The Dowco Group of Companies, a global leader in Steel Detailing, BIM, and construction technology solutions, today announced that it has partnered with Panzura, the only provider of global locking file systems, to address the critical need for cross-site CAD/BIM (building information modeling) collaboration for use in the steel industry. Dowco is announcing that they are both a large end user of Panzura products and a reseller of the Panzura solution.

The move toward more globally distributed design and operations in the steel industry requires that companies collaborate in real time to take advantage of the opportunity to shift work across offices and time zones as well as amongst partners. Teams within the industry are increasingly geographically dispersed and models have grown in size and complexity. Project owners with a focus on timely delivery of accurate drawings for complex modern steel structures are requiring the use of highly evolved 3D solutions like Tekla Structures. In turn, data storage, model sharing and management capabilities must keep pace to allow these models to be shared effectively.

Panzura’s Global Locking File System provides enterprise-class data services that include networking, security and storage solutions. Regardless of the project size or scope, Panzura's global file system provides geographically distributed enterprises with a common view of files across all locations, accessible anytime, anywhere. This provides end-users with significantly improved user experience in all their locations, reduced local storage provisioning, and streamlined IT operations.

This new partnership with Panzura enables Dowco and Dowco’s customers to smooth the project delivery process and allows AEC organizations to overcome the challenges associated with collaboration on live building information models across distributed sites:

Consistent global file system for a common view of all files across all locations at all times, accessible from anywhere.

Sharing data and resources efficiently across our global offices is critical in allowing us to hit aggressive deadlines. Panzura ensures that we can migrate work between offices without asking our staff to wait for lengthy FTP processes back and forth daily. Dowco is excited to partner with Panzura and we look forward to providing other Tekla clients with this option for improving their workflows.

Full cloud integration providing low cost, infinite scalability, and data protection via continuous replication.

Up to 10,000 user-managed snapshots per controller for self-service recovery of deleted files.

“Dowco is one of the world’s largest users of Tekla Structures as well as one of their largest resellers. When we saw what Panzura could do to enable us to improve productivity of our Detailers we were excited to become both a user and reseller of Panzura’s products. We have installed and validated the solution in our own offices with our own model data. Panzura works for us and we are certain it will drive improvements for our customers as well,” said Ewen Dobbie, President and CEO of The Dowco Group of Companies. “Sharing data and resources efficiently across our global offices is critical in allowing us to hit aggressive deadlines. Panzura ensures that we can migrate work between offices without asking our staff to wait for lengthy FTP processes back and forth daily. Dowco is excited to partner with Panzura, and we look forward to providing other Tekla clients with this option for improving their workflows.”

"Panzura has enabled global organizations ranging from oil-and-gas and entertainment to healthcare and legal to collaborate across offices just as easily as they do in a single office," said Randy Chou, CEO and Co-Founder of Panzura. "We began talking with Dowco several months ago regarding a partnership around the steel industry and Panzura has benefited from Dowco’s deep experience and advice. Dowco’s validation of our solution is a big win for us and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial working relationship."

About the Dowco Group of Companies

The Dowco Group of Companies, a technology company with offices in Canada, US, UK and the Philippines, specializes in design- and construction-related services and products in the steel detailing and fabrication industries.

Committed to providing leading edge services and software solutions, The Dowco Group—which began with a three-man office and a blueprint machine—has become a world leader in enterprise-wide services, technologies and products to help companies in the design and construction industries become as efficient and profitable as possible.

To support this mission, the company provides state-of-the art steel detailing services, BIM (building information modeling) consulting and management services and has reseller partnerships with leading industry software companies, including Tekla Structures, Graphisoft and now, Panzura. In 2008, The Dowco Group of Companies augmented its ability to serve the design and construction industries with its 2008 purchase of FabTrol Systems, a global leader in steel fabrication management software solutions.

"Technology is transforming the design and construction industries and The Dowco Group is perfectly positioned to keep up with and capitalize on that transformation".

-- Ewen Dobbie, The Dowco Group, Chairman, President, CEO

The Dowco Group of Companies is made up of Dowco Consultants Ltd, Dowco Technology Services Ltd., Dowco Chilliwack Internet Ltd. Dowco Global Management Services Ltd, Dowco Corporation, FabTrol Systems Inc., FabTrol UK, and SDE Steel Detailing and Consulting Services Philippines Inc.

Dowco and Fabtrol are registered trademarks or service marks of The Dowco Group of Companies, and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Panzura is the trademark of Panzura, Inc. All rights reserved.


Dowco Group - Ewen Dobbie

President, CEO of Dowco Group of Companies