OEC launches its open innovation program, OEC IN, on Monday, July 4. The novelty is accompanied by the launch of a podcast, called Conexão OEC, which will bring together specialists in the area to tell their stories of challenges, achievements and setbacks in the world of innovation, whenever possible against the backdrop of heavy construction, the company's area of operation, which sees great opportunities and possibilities arising from the activities of constructechs and other startups in this market.

OEC IN and Conexão OEC were conceived after more than six months of intense work of engineers and specialists of the construction company, along with external partners, to format the new thesis of innovation of OEC, task that had the support of Altavive, a consulting company specialized in innovation and communication that worked in the conception, among other cases, of InovaBra Habitat, the innovation ecosystem of Bradesco bank, where OEC is present with two fixed positions. Claudio Cardoso, founder of Altavive, post-doctorate in Communication from USP and retired professor from the Federal University of Bahia, will be the curator and host of Conexão OEC podcast, which will provide the program's audience the contact with themes that are a trend in innovation, new technologies, digital transformation and experiences never before reported, lived in large works. Initially, on a monthly basis, the show will be available on OEC's channels on Spotify and Youtube.

The first episode will be broadcast on Monday, July 4th. Under the theme "A new look at innovation", it will feature a chat with Civil Engineer Carlos Hermanny Filho, former Director of Engineering, Innovation and Sustainability at OEC, a specialist with over 40 years of experience in the sector. Currently, Hermanny is a consultant and supports OEC in managing and monitoring the construction company's pipeline of opportunities, assisting in the preparation of studies and proposals. His long and successful career with the company began in 1985, in CBPO, a company acquired by the Novonor group. Among other accomplishments, he was responsible for coordinating corporate support in engineering, contract administration, quality assurance, risk management, and knowledge management on more than 120 projects in 15 countries. It is precisely this rich experience at the construction sites and in the development of projects, from the point of view of innovation, that will be the focus of the first Conexão OEC.

OEC IN

OEC's institutional program aims to conceive solutions for the challenges faced at the company's construction sites and offices. It was structured on the basis of four strands: developing an internal culture focused on mobilization and engagement; connecting OEC to the open innovation ecosystem; providing technical support in technological upgrading, knowledge management and digital transformation processes; and placing OEC as a protagonist that fosters and integrates innovation in its industry. 

According to Daniel Lepikson, leader of OEC's Innovation area, the program was designed from a clear objective. "Although we have already presented countless innovative actions in our projects, some of them even leading us to be the clients' choice, until now we didn't have an institutional program to foster these initiatives empirically and with a method of influence and tutelage of knowledge, mobilizing the open innovation ecosystem. With OEC IN, in addition to encouraging our teams to seek new methodologies, technologies, materials and processes, we will provide the storage and dissemination of this information, expanding its application on construction sites," he says. Lepikson is a Mechanical and Civil Engineer, MSc and PhD in Civil Engineering from USP Polytechnic School, where he was a professor for four years. He joined the team of calculating engineers at the German company sbp - schlaich bergermann partner, in Stuttgart.

New model

OEC IN was created with a fixed coordination group, which is responsible for articulating priorities with the other areas of the company and acting as a facilitator in the development of solutions and innovation challenges for identified opportunities. Once an opportunity is visualized, Working Groups (WGs) are formed - temporary structures that organize themselves spontaneously, inspired by the concept of agile desks. These are small multidisciplinary teams composed of people with different skills, collaborative work and a common goal. These WGs last as long as necessary until the intended solution is forwarded and delivered. 

The Innovation Committee, in turn, is the program's steering structure. Formed by leaders and representatives of the corporate areas, it performs the functions of assessing and prioritizing projects, mobilizing the necessary technical and financial resources.

Winning Case

OEC has always been recognized for its ability to develop constructive and innovative methodologies. The company recently received the InovaInfra award, offered by the magazine O Empreiteiro, for a solution implemented in the laying of carbon steel pipes in the construction of the new supply system of Montes Claros, conducted for the Companhia de Saneamento de Minas Gerais (Copasa). The new methodology developed by OEC increased productivity by 28% and provided a 19% reduction in the cost of laying pipes on site, surpassing the performance of conventional methods, which allowed the milestone of 1.27km of pipeline laid in just one work shift.