Silicon Valley Mechanical modernized its fabrication and shop operations by standardizing all ordering, labor tracking, and production workflows in BuildCentrix. “By replacing hand-drawn cut sheets, PDFs, and manual timecards with a single connected system, SVM gained real-time visibility, eliminated administrative waste, and increased output—without increasing labor,” says Emmanuel Mendoza, sheet metal shop manager at Silicon Valley Mechanical (SVM).

Year-to-date results at a glance

• 3,887 material orders processed through a single system
• 206,069 shop hours tracked with full accountability
• 80–90% reduction in time spent approving timecards
• Higher production output despite workforce reductions

BuildCentrix enabled SVM to do more with the labor it already had—turning operational clarity into a competitive advantage.

The Challenge: Manual processes at scale

Before BuildCentrix, SVM relied on hand-drawn cut sheets and PDF-based orders. While familiar, these workflows created growing operational strain with limited visibility into order status and manual labor and material tracking. There were communication gaps between field, shop, and management, and team members at every level experienced the repercussions of errors caused by lost or misinterpreted information.

“It made it hard to track order components and to communicate,” Mendoza says. “A lot would get lost in translation. As volume increased, these limitations became unsustainable.”

The Turning Point: One system for everything

SVM made a decisive shift: all orders must flow through BuildCentrix. This immediately created a single source of truth for material orders, fabrication priorities, labor hours, and timecards. 

“Once everything had to go through BuildCentrix, we could track orders, time, and material—pretty much everything,” Mendoza  says. “The result was clarity, accountability, and confidence across the operation.”

Day-to-Day Impact: Measurable efficiency gains

Faster, Cleaner Time Tracking

Timecards became one of the biggest wins. Before BuildCentrix, SVM used handwritten timecards and calculated manual math, requiring individual approvals and resulting in frequent errors and rework. However, after the BuildCentrix implementation, the game changed.

“Suddenly, we had time entered per work order, automatic validation and error flags, and immediate visibility into labor allocation,” Mendoza says. “That alone saved me 80–90% of my time.”

Better Control of Fabrication Workflow

With BuildCentrix, SVM now controls order submission timing, lead times, rush prioritizations, and department-level workloads. All data lives in one system, enabling faster decisions and smoother production planning.

Competitive Advantage: More output, same labor

Like many contractors, SVM faces skilled labor shortages. BuildCentrix helped offset this challenge by increasing output without increasing headcount. Even during a week that required layoffs, production remained steady—or improved. “We were still doing the same amount, if not more production, with the same manpower,” Mendoza says. “This level of resilience would not have been possible with manual workflows.”

Looking Ahead: Data-driven planning

SVM continues to expand its use of BuildCentrix, particularly in scheduling and capacity planning. Looking ahead, the team can expect insight into department-level hours, workload, and pounds; weekly scheduling by number of pieces; and improved visibility for spiral duct and specialty fabrication

“BuildCentrix is becoming the foundation for daily and weekly production planning,” Mendoza says. “By replacing paper, PDFs, and spreadsheets with BuildCentrix, Silicon Valley Mechanical transformed the shop into a data-driven operation. The result is faster execution, fewer errors, higher output, and the ability to scale without adding labor.”

For mechanical contractors looking to modernize fabrication and gain operational control, SVM’s experience demonstrates the tangible ROI of standardizing on BuildCentrix.

Learn more about SVM at svminc.com Visit buildcentrix.com for more information and a free demo.  ♣