The company that owns the brand Prolog, which many believe is synonymous with project management in construction, is taking bold steps forward in both product development and market strategy. Meridian Systems has been a trusted brand in construction technology for nearly 20 years, and wants to be at the center of the industry's 'plan-build-operate' strategy for years to come.

But it's not just project management that Meridian Systems wants to be known for in the construction industry. The company has focused considerable efforts around its infrastructure lifecycle-management product Proliance, built on a Web-services platform that delivers business applications targeted at building and infrastructure owners. The customer base for Proliance continues to grow at a healthy pace, and the strategy certainly seems justified, given the emphasis being placed in the AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) industry today on integrating construction information with the owners' systems.

Being part of Trimble helps Meridian Systems further this infrastructure lifecycle management strategy as well, as the resources of its parent company can certainly help propel such a strategy to the next level in a short period of time.

On the project-management front, Prolog continues its evolution to help contractors embrace the idea of managing project information in any format and from any location. Prolog Sky is a prime example of this evolution for the construction industry, acting as a cloud-based delivery platform for the application.

Prolog Mobile continues the evolution by extending the power of project management into the field. The latest Prolog enhancement supplies support for Apple iPad and the Microsoft Windows mobile platform. It's a natural extension to help customers manage project data where it exists—out in the field.

Beyond its product set, Meridian Systems continues to establish itself as a market leader through efforts to extend its footprint. Through a comprehensive set of partners, and continued global expansion (most recently announcing a move into Asia-Pacific), Meridian Systems wants its product names to become synonymous with construction on a worldwide stage.

Pros

• Continued enhancements of its Prolog software for construction project management
• Strong parent company Trimble could help further its complete lifecycle-management strategy
• Deep roots in Web-based technologies create new opportunities

Expectations

• Continued evolution of the Proliance product for owners on a worldwide basis
• New partnerships help extend the reach of project management into other disciplines in construction
• Helping expand the scope of project management beyond typical data set

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