Penta News

Holloman Corporation chooses Penta Construction ERP Software for Unified Management of Engineering, Procurement and Construction Operations

Milwaukee, WI – Penta Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of enterprise software for the construction industry, announces today that Holloman Corporation has selected PENTA as its new corporate ERP software. Holloman's 1,500 employees operate out of five locations to provide engineering, procurement and construction services to industrial and commercial markets.

Key to Holloman's selection of PENTA was the need for a single system to unify the financials and operations of their diverse engineering, procurement and construction businesses. “With our rapid growth in the past 4 years, we were searching for a software provider capable of providing a complete solution for our core business, as well as other business ventures,” said Tom Johnston, Engineering Director.

By implementing PENTA, Holloman plans to make available and analyze daily production information necessary for planning and capital management purposes by eliminating duplicate work required in using multiple systems to manage the field labor, equipment and material reporting through to analytical review cycle.

“Penta offers the whole package including payroll, project management, billing and business analytics. With five division locations, the time savings gained alone with entering data from each location, one time, will be incredible,” said Johnston.

Large, geographically dispersed and multi-trade contractors are increasingly turning to PENTA Construction ERP Software to simplify management of complex operations and improve business performance.

“Engineering and Construction firms need to be agile and opportunistic in the marketplace, and are seeking out ways to do what they do...better,” said Harvey Shovers, Penta Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “We are excited to help Holloman improve their business processes with the mobile software they need to streamline field data collection, workflow to automate best practices, and analytics to monitor production against key performance indicators. These productivity tools, combined with our excellent track record in the engineering, procurement and construction market, will be an asset for Holloman Corporation as they expand.”

About Holloman Corporation

Holloman Corporation is one of the largest totally employee owned engineering, procurement and construction companies in the United States. Holloman provides engineering, procurement and construction services to the oil & gas, utilities and minerals industries. For more information, visit www.hollomancorp.com.

Penta wins 2008 Constructech Top Products award for Commercial Construction

Penta Recognized in New Product Category for Construction Business Intelligence and Reporting Software, PENTA Business Analytics

Milwaukee, WI – Penta Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of construction enterprise software, announces today that is has been designated a 2008 Constructech Top Product award winner for the Commercial Construction industry. Penta was recognized in the New Product Category for PENTA Business Analytics, which allows construction firms to analyze past performance for planning, trend current performance for forecasting, and identify exceptions to key performance indicators that may require immediate action.

The Constructech Top Products honor the best products tailored for the construction market. Winning entries were chosen based on product description, the product’s overall usefulness and uniqueness to the industry, and the customer growth rate for the particular product throughout the past few years.

"The nearly 100 entries submitted for the first Constructech Top Products awards demonstrated what strides the construction industry has taken during the past few years," says Peggy Smedley, editorial director of Constructech. "I would like to congratulate the winners in the commercial sector for the steps they have taken to continue delivering quality solutions to builders and contractors.”

“The highly competitive, high risk nature of construction is causing contractors to make useful and accurate analysis and reporting a top priority,” says Harvey Shovers, Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “Demand for PENTA Business Analytics has been very strong since its launch in early 2007. This award underscores the critical need for contractors to be more aware of all business issues and trends identified through measurement of key performance indicators.”

PENTA Business Analytics automatically builds and distributes packages of information to designated users within a construction firm. Whether pre-built or customized, PENTA Business Analytics information packages are designed for analysis, and include graphical, flexible information views that can include data from non-PENTA applications as well. These personalized information packages, often containing Dashboards, can be automatically delivered by e-mail or posted to a server location on a scheduled basis. Publishing the information packages allows analysis work to be done anywhere, completely disconnected from your network, and without the cost of building and maintaining a data warehouse. PENTA Business Analytics also provides report-writing, drill-to-detail capability, user-specific dashboards, OLAP graphing and analysis, offline access and automated redistribution.

“The products chosen as the 2008 Constructech Top Products are innovative, successful, and some of the best of what can be utilized today. Constructech’s readers are eagerly adopting the available technology solutions in the commercial construction space,” said Mike Carrozzo, editor of Constructech magazine.

Cupertino Electric Selects PENTA for Integrated Management of Electrical Construction and Service Operations

Functional Depth and Industry-Leading Technology best meets Cupertino’s Specialty Contracting needs

Milwaukee, WI – Penta Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of enterprise software for the construction industry, announces today that San Jose, California-based Cupertino Electric, Inc., one of the ten largest Electrical Contractors in the United States according to the 2006 ENR (Engineering News Record) Top 600 Specialty Contractors list, has selected PENTA for integrated management of its construction and service operations.

Cupertino Electric required a single, integrated solution which would address the needs of each major operating department, including Payroll, Service and Maintenance, Project Management, Job Costing, Billing, Financial Controls and Business Analytics. Cupertino’s vendor-selection process determined that PENTA had the best vision and most complete solution for large specialty contractors, citing PENTA’s integration of Construction and Service Management, TRA-SER® interface, productivity tools for Project Managers and graphical Business Analytics. “Penta has done an excellent job of developing the features that labor-intensive contractors need,” said Alex Tanasescu, Cupertino Electric CIO.

Also important to Cupertino’s selection of PENTA was its underlying technology. By taking full advantage of the market share-leading Oracle relational database, PENTA’s ability to scale with a contracting organization as it expands has made it the leading enterprise system for large specialty contractors. “The software’s design and technology foundation give us confidence that PENTA will be a centerpiece in Cupertino Electric’s growth for years to come,” said Tanasescu.

“PENTA offers the broad range of functionality, deep, industry-specific feature set and forward-looking technology today’s sophisticated specialty contractors require to manage and grow their businesses in a competitive marketplace,” says Karl Koenig, Penta CEO. ”Cupertino Electric’s decision is a strong endorsement of our ability to meet those needs with PENTA.”

About Cupertino Electric, Inc.

For over 50 years, Cupertino Electric, Inc. has established itself as premier provider of electrical turnkey solutions. We have become a leading force at all levels of project design, development, management, installation and commissioning. From constructing electrical systems for the first large-scale microchip fabrication factory and sophisticated biotech plants to delivering “high nine” power reliability for mission critical facilities, this corporation has developed an unyielding reputation as a pioneer within its industry. And at the heart of Cupertino Electric, Inc., a company considered a model for the evolution and development of a positive company culture, exists an experienced and passionate management team that focuses on the industry’s “best practices.” For more information, visit www.cei.com.

Penta Names New Vice President of Professional Services

Appointment of Chris Slabach, a Leader in providing Customer Service Excellence to the Enterprise, Strengthens Penta’s Professional Services Team

Milwaukee, WI – Penta Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of enterprise software for the construction industry, announces today that it has named Chris Slabach new Vice President of Professional Services. He will be responsible for overseeing all customer service initiatives, including implementation, training, consulting and support services.

Prior to joining Penta, Slabach spent twelve years with Catalyst International, where he advanced from Sales and Business Development to overseeing Technical and Professional Services, and ultimately serving most recently as Vice President, Customer Service.

Chris has a passion for customer satisfaction and service excellence, as evidenced by his involvement with the Service and Support Professionals Association (SSPA) and JD Power & Associates. As a founding Technical Certification Board Member, Chris’ contributions have been instrumental in developing the criteria for the JD Power & Associates recognition of technical support and services excellence.

Slabach’s addition to the Penta team supports the company’s ongoing expansion of its solutions and services to meet the needs of all project stakeholders. Construction and engineering firms seek enterprise software vendors with professional services organizations that:

Understand the critical nature of their business processes and deliver a competitive advantage by leading with services and processes via a systematic, proven methodology.
Demonstrate commitment to customer success by investing in the most talented, experienced professional, technical and customer support personnel.

Slabach’s track record of success in meeting and exceeding the information systems service needs of large enterprises bolsters Penta’s leadership position as the premier source for these types of solutions in the construction marketplace.

“The addition of Chris to Team Penta is another exciting milestone on our growth path, said Karl Koenig, Penta Technologies, Inc. President. “I’m confident that Chris’s talents and experiences will provide another significant boost to the strength of our team as we take Penta to the next level of success.”

Slabach said, “I’m very excited to join with the Penta team, a group which serves their customers and the marketplace as a whole with leading products, professionalism and dedication. I look forward to working with the exceptional people of Penta, and contributing to the history of proven performance the professional services group has established.”

Penta’s New Business Analytics Application Bridges the Gap Between Enterprise Data and Business Results

Penta Vice President to Chair Construction Financial Management Association’s New Information Technology Council

Milwaukee, WI – Penta Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of enterprise software for the construction industry, is pleased to announce that the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA), the only professional association for construction financial executives, has appointed Kurt Koenig to the Chairmanship of its newly formed Information Technology (IT) Council. The mission of the IT Council is to advise CFMA on all matters affecting information technology in the construction industry, to the benefit of the Membership and Chapters of CFMA.

Kurt Koenig is the co-founder and Executive Vice President of Penta Technologies, a post he has held since 1991. Kurt also previously served as co-chairman of CFMA’s National Information Technology Committee.

”CFMA and the IT Council are a great opportunity to learn from thought leaders in construction financial management, and to give back to the industry by helping the IT Council develop and share information on IT-related topics with CFMA’s membership,” said Kurt Koenig.

In addition to his new role with the CFMA IT Council, Koenig has long been active in construction association boards and committees, including the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Electronic Information System Committee and its agcXML Data Exchange Standards and Building Information Modeling task forces.

"Kurt's experience and background will play an integral part in CFMA offering unbiased and effective advice on the most pressing IT issues facing the construction financial professional," said Bill Schwab, President & CEO of CFMA.

Most construction financial professionals are responsible for or play and prominent role in their companies’ IT strategy and execution, so the CFMA IT Council is a natural and relevant source of information for these members. In addition to ROI calculation, costs, management, software, data, and integration issues, the IT Council will also focus on best practices within the construction industry, as well as provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information among members. The IT Council provides information and addresses, when appropriate, technology issues impacting the industry or its members.

About CFMA

CFMA, the source and resource for construction financial professionals, was founded 25 years ago to serve the unique needs of financial professionals in the construction industry. It has 7,000 members thorughout the United States and is recognized as the only organization representing the particular needs and knowledge for a unique group of professionals. For more information, please visit www.cfma.org.
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Penta Names New Head of Product Development

Appointment of Cameron Smith, an Innovator in Application Development for the Construction Industry, Strengthens Penta’s Product Development Team

Milwaukee, WI – Penta Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of enterprise software for the construction industry, announces today that it has named Cameron Smith as Vice President of Product Development. He will be responsible for overseeing all software development initiatives for the company, including its web-based and mobile applications.

Smith joins Penta from Tririga®, where he advanced over the past five years from Vice President Planning and Strategy to VP Application Development and ultimately VP Operations. Smith has also held key positions with Meridian Systems®, where as VP of Development he oversaw Program Management, Software Engineering, Quality Assurance and Documentation for the industry-leading project management application, Prolog®. Prior to joining Meridian, Smith had extensive experience developing and deploying project information systems with companies including O’Brien-Kreitzberg, Sony, Hatch Associates and others, working on significant projects including Seattle’s $5 billion Sound Move program, Santa Clara’s Tasman Corridor project, Toronto Rapid Transit Extension and others.

Smith’s addition to the Penta team supports the company’s ongoing expansion of its solutions to meet the needs of all project stakeholders. Construction and engineering firms seek systems that:

Project Managers can use to effectively manage and deliver multiple construction projects to their customers meeting the highest standards of budget, schedule, quality and safety
Support the decentralized and mobile nature of construction and service by being available anywhere, any time though use of Web, mobile and other advanced technologies.

Smith’s broad experience with project information systems bolsters Penta’s leadership position as the premier source for enterprise project solutions for the construction marketplace.

“Cam Smith brings an exceptional set of skills and experience to our software development group,” said Karl Koenig, Penta Technologies, Inc. President. “We’re confident that with his stellar track record in managing Construction Project Systems from a user’s perspective, as well as leadership of large software development projects, Cam will help us make PENTA software even stronger.” Smith said, “I am thrilled to be joining a company whose market position, customer base, product suite, and strategic vision are so closely aligned with my personal experience and my goals looking forward. I believe we have a rare opportunity to take construction project and enterprise software to the next level and set a new standard for the industry.”
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Penta and Dexterra to provide flexible Mobile Construction Workforce Software Solutions

Partnership enables contractors to run Penta Mobile Construction Software on any device and integrate with any enterprise system

Milwaukee, WI – Penta Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of enterprise software to the construction industry, announces today that it has entered into a partnership agreement with Dexterra, of Bothell, WA, to provide mobile software solutions to the construction industry.

Via this partnership, Penta and Dexterra will deliver complete mobile enterprise solutions to construction firms seeking to improve communication, reduce paperwork and increase efficiency and accuracy by automating field tasks. Penta Mobile Construction Software applications; Field Service, Field Reporting and Tool Management will be deployed alongside the Dexterra Concert Platform. By leveraging the Dexterra Concert Platform, construction firms choosing a mobile solution will no longer need to make their choice based on device preference or limitations caused by integration requirements.

“Dexterra’s Concert Platform technology enables us to present construction firms with the most options, allowing them to implement a mobile solution which fits their budget and existing enterprise environment,” said Doug Peters, Penta Vice President of Mobile Products. Supported enterprise environments include Oracle, SAP, JD Edwards and other leading ERP solutions, along with Penta’s ERP solution for construction management.

According to Harvey Shovers, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Penta Technologies, “The solution-driven focus and partner network Dexterra has built is the best in the industry. We’re confident that we can collectively deliver mobile construction solutions with the most value now and in the long term.”

Key components of Penta Mobile Construction Software for Field Service and Field Reporting include:

The ability to automate tasks while obtaining data from a variety of corporate and web based systems
Visibility to contracts and warranty information
Mapping and driving directions
Capture of labor and materials usage
Customer signature at point of service
Service history
Inventory management
Parts ordering
Preventative Maintenance checklists
Capture of time and attendance information
Complete user authentication and security
Recording of employee’s hours to multiple jobs in a day / pay period
Enter employee hours to non-job activities

"Penta Mobile Construction's expertise in providing construction firms with applications that zero in on their specific needs is second-to-none," said David Schreffler, Dexterra VP Worldwide Sales. "Penta's selection of Dexterra as their mobile platform of choice validates our strategy to provide the world's most adaptable mobile environment, and confirms our intent to work with the leading solution providers in industries with large mobile work forces."

About Dexterra, Inc.

Dexterra offers the leading mobile platform available today, Dexterra Concert, to enterprises across the globe in industries such as construction, manufacturing, transportation, real estate, utilities, IT consulting, government, facilities management and consumer packaged goods. Dexterra delivers competitive advantage with applications that address unique business needs quickly, efficiently and economically, and integrates with the largest selection of wireless devices and enterprise back office systems. With offices in Seattle, Toronto, London, Dubai, and Melbourne, Dexterra also partners with technology leaders Microsoft, IBM, Motorola, EDS, CapGemini, Itronix, Symbol, and Cingular. For more information, visit www.dexterra.com.

Premier Mechanical Contractors Implement PENTA, Leave Behind Fragmented Information Systems, Out-dated Technology

Wins Endorse Penta’s commitment to deliver the market’s most complete and innovative software for large specialty and service contractors

Milwaukee, WI – Penta Technologies, Inc. announces today that two of North America’s largest and most well-respected mechanical contractors, The Waldinger Corporation and ColonialWebb Contractors, went live on PENTA software beginning January 1^st.

The Waldinger Corporation and ColonialWebb Contractors are market leaders in their respective regions with more than 2,200 employees and combined annual revenues exceeding $350 million. With significant footholds in construction and service, both Waldinger and ColonialWebb sought an enterprise system which could provide valuable business insight by managing both businesses as one. With PENTA, customer, vendor and employee data can be integrated between construction and service lines of business, as well as across all locations and organizational units.

“PENTA does just what we needed – construction and service management in a fully integrated package,” said Dave Miller, Senior VP of Operations for The Waldinger Corporation. “With PENTA’s focus on our industry and strong construction functionality, we’re optimistic about the efficiencies we can gain.”

Waldinger and ColonialWebb are two of five leading contractors whose businesses went live on PENTA on January 1^st, the largest group of one-time implementations in the company’s history.

“We’re excited to welcome The Waldinger Corporation and ColonialWebb Contractors to Penta. PENTA offers the broad functionality, industry-specific feature set and forward-looking technology today’s sophisticated specialty and service contractors require,” says Karl Koenig, Penta CEO.

About the Waldinger Corporation

The Waldinger Corporation is a full-service mechanical, electrical and sheet metal contractor operating primarily in the Midwestern and Southeastern regions of the United States. Their work includes design, fabrication, installation, maintenance and repair heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, electrical, plumbing and piping for commercial, institutional and industrial projects. For more information, please visit www.waldinger.com.

About ColonialWebb Contractors

ColonialWebb is the Mid-Atlantic Region’s premier source for Construction, Service and Manufacturing with a focus on HVAC, plumbing, electrical, process piping, refrigeration, controls, and water treatment. Over 1200 employees, located in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina are committed to providing the finest service and customer support. For more information about ColonialWebb Contractors, please visit www.colonialwebb.com

Penta Announces Five Simultaneous Construction Enterprise Software Implementations

Solidifies software leadership position for large contractors with five new customers representing over half a billion in combined construction revenues and more than 5,000 employees.

Milwaukee, WI – Penta Technologies, Inc. announces today that five leading construction enterprises have gone live on PENTA beginning January 1^st. Large, diverse construction, service and engineering firms are choosing PENTA to integrate operations, gain valuable insights into their business, and move forward with flexible, standards-based software.

Customers who implemented PENTA on January 1^st include Townsend, The Waldinger Corporation, ColonialWebb Contractors, Setzer Corporation and the Canadian division of Aker Kvaerner Songer.

“PENTA offers the broad range of functionality, deep, industry-specific feature set and forward-looking technology today’s sophisticated contractors need to manage and grow their businesses in today’s competitive environment,” says Karl Koenig, Penta CEO. ”These new implementations endorse our ability to meet those needs with PENTA.”

For more information, please contact Harvey Shovers at hds@penta.com, or 262-780-2427.

PENTA 11 Ships, Highlighted by Service Management Release 2

Expanded Service Management capabilities designed for Specialty Contractors.

Milwaukee, WI – Penta Technologies, Inc. announces that the latest version of its Project Service System, PENTA 11, is now available. Highlighted by the second major update to PENTA Service Management, this release underscores Penta Technologies, Inc.’s commitment to providing best-in-class Construction and Service Management for Specialty Contractors.

Penta Technologies, Inc. has recently been chosen by two large, multi-disciplined and geographically dispersed specialty contractors to bridge the diverse needs of their construction and service lines of business, and is furthering their commitment to bolstering service management capabilities with PENTA 11 and Penta Mobile Field Service.

“Our customers are very good about detailing the specific information needs of their service businesses,“ says Kurt Koenig, Vice President. “We take those as opportunities to meet the needs of our clients, while at the same time strengthening our Service Management offering. The vast majority of this release was driven by service requirements articulated to us by our customers.”

PENTA 11 Service Management additions include: