Building a Century of Trust: How Graham Construction is Revolutionizing Asset Management

In the high-stakes world of major construction, a misplaced tool or an underutilized piece of heavy machinery isn't just an inconvenience—it's a direct hit to the bottom line. For an industry titan like Graham Construction, with a workforce of 8,000 employees managing a staggering$28 million in tools and $350 million in equipment and vehicles, that challenge is magnified exponentially. As the employee-owned company approaches its 100thanniversary, it’s embracing cutting-edge technology to fortify its legacy of efficiency and reliability, proving that the smartest tool in the box might just be software.

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At the heart of this transformation is Dwayne Barron, Senior Manager of Fleet and Tools, accountable for all tool inventory, key industrial maintenance equipment, and the corporate vehicle fleet. Barron was tasked with over seeing a colossal inventory spread across projects ranging from commercial buildings and bridges to water treatment plants and industrial maintenance. The company’s previous tool management system was buckling under the weight of Graham’s massive database, and manual spreadsheets were a time-consuming and error-prone alternative.

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“The biggest challenge was the software we were using, ”Barron explains. “It was unable to accommodate our large database and could not provide a scanner that would work. Spreadsheets were too much work.” Change was not just desired; it was essential to uphold the company's core values of Commitment, Integrity, and Reliability.

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Finding the Right Partner for a Digital Overhaul

Barron’s search for a new system was driven by a clear set of goals: reduce costs, improve efficiency, and, crucially, increase accountability across all job sites. After a thorough review of the market, the choice was ToolHound, a comprehensive tool and equipment tracking system.

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“We considered many different options,” says Barron. “I selected ToolHound as the team was easily reached, very responsive, and local. The software seemed very user-friendly.”

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The implementation was as ambitious as a Graham mega project. The company rolled out ToolHound to 100% of its sites simultaneously. According to Barron, the most significant hurdle was simply managing the team's enthusiasm for the new, streamlined system. “The biggest hurdle was containing the excitement,” he laughs. “We had no real hurdles as everyone was excited to move away from our cumbersome tracking.”

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To ensure a smooth transition, ToolHound’s specialists trained Barron and his warehouse staff, who then became champions for the system, training teams on-site. This "train the trainer" approach empowered the workforce and ensured widespread, effective adoption.

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The Payoff: A Staggering Return on Investment

The results were immediate and transformative. By creating a transparent record of who had what equipment and where, ToolHound fostered a powerful culture of accountability. The impact on the bottom line was stunning.

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“Once we were able to properly report and show who had what … the overuse and abuse declined by 55% and theft/loss by about 40%,” Barron reports. This translated into an overall annual savings of about $500,000 in tools and consumables.

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The efficiencies didn't stop there. The time required for physical inventory counts was slashed by at least 50%. The system’s ability to quickly locate assets meant teams spent less on renting or buying duplicate equipment. “ToolHound has saved us a lot of extra spending as we know the tools that are closest to the workface and when not in use,” Barron notes.

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This wealth of data has also sharpened Graham’s competitive edge, allowing for more accurate cost analysis and strengthening their bid proposals. An unexpected benefit even emerged: the ability to seamlessly rent tools to third parties, creating a new revenue stream without the need for additional invoicing software.

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Building a Smarter Future

With the mobile app now an "amazing" and integral part of daily operations for cycle counts, orders, and receiving, Graham is already planning its next steps, including integration with their SAP system.

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As an employee-owned company, every individual shares in the success of Graham Construction. Investing in efficiency is, therefore, an investment in its people. By blending a century of construction expertise with cutting-edge technology, Graham is not only shaping the world around us —it’s creating a smarter, more sustainable, and more profitable future for its employee-owners.

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