BZI leaders and third-party construction project engineer shared the benefits of BZI’s application of lean construction tenets, and the company’s unique tools and methods, including insights from a large electric vehicle customer project

BZI® (bzi.com), a leading steel and construction company nationally recognized for transformative innovations and project delivery, announced today that collected construction project data and the company’s application of lean construction principles demonstrate the effectiveness of the company’s top-down approach to construction and steel erection. Metrics on the company’s pre-assembly and panelization processes and tools show that BZI’s revolutionary methods mitigate hazards, increase efficiency, and provide additional opportunities for cost savings.

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Leaders from BZI presented these metrics and insights, in addition to facts from an earlier electric vehicle customer abstract, at the recent 2025 Lean Construction Institute Congress: “Building Champions: Constructing the Game Plan for Lean Success.”

“BZI is changing the game in a way that will have a big influence on others in the industry and across multiple construction sectors; possibly across many industries,” said Corie Nalder, senior project engineer at Clayco and lean construction advocate who has seen BZI’s revolutionary applications while working on job sites. “BZI is proving that by first focusing on the safety of their team members, the company and its customers can also experience the business priorities of enhanced time and quality management. We can now prove with math and data that BZI’s innovative approach to construction and steel erection using prefab, panelization, and lean construction principles is having a profound impact on increased safety and heightened performance.”

Traditional construction methods require columns, girders, and joist and decking to be installed one piece at a time at elevated heights, creating safety risks and slowing installation. In contrast, BZI’s unique methods allow panelized joist and decking to be lifted as a single module after being constructed on the ground. This approach limits time at dangerous heights, enhances safety, improves construction quality, and accelerates installation.

As part of the LCI Congress discussion around the benefits of BZI’s construction and steel erection tools and methods, Nalder and the company incorporated insights from her earlier abstract delivered with BZI at the June International Group for Lean Construction conference in Japan, which describes the positive outcomes and comparisons of using BZI’s innovative new approaches versus traditional industry methods. The paper also includes the effectiveness of the tool, which was developed specifically for the unique needs of the construction of the large electric vehicle manufacturing facility and can now be used to improve other future projects. UniLink refers to the propriety equipment developed by BZI that is used to apply lean principles, specifically by optimizing processes to reduce waste like waiting, unnecessary movement, and underproduction.

Alex Henry, Project Manager at Industrial Project Innovation (IPI), has seen first-hand how BZI’s revolutionary approach to steel erection and construction exemplifies lean construction principles and drives enhanced safety and performance. “BZI has demonstrated strong performance in safety, quality, and productivity through the application of innovative methods, technology, and leadership,” said Henry. “Our collaboration with BZI has also shown a high level of respect and investment in their craft workforce, which, combined with their approach to prefabrication, panelization, and project execution, supports efficient and well-coordinated construction outcomes.”

“Our mission is to revolutionize the steel industry through innovation, teamwork, and accelerated project delivery, while setting new standards in safety and efficiency,” said James Barlow, CEO of BZI. “Our approach demonstrates that our mission is more than words. Our team’s commitment and real-world application of lean principles deliver outstanding results for team members, partners, and customers. By combining trust, integrity, and collaboration, we challenge conventional thinking to achieve better outcomes. We’re excited to share these findings with the industry.”

Nalder added that BZI’s respect for and openness to team member feedback from all levels of the organization, from the field to executive leadership, has helped to facilitate the acceleration of new and better construction technologies. “Because BZI takes input from every level of the organization, the company has been able to develop new advancements in technology within months, in order to address issues or capitalize on opportunities,” said Nalder.

Structural iron and steel workers have one of the highest fatality rates of all civilian occupations. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the industry has a fatal work injury rate of 19.8 (out of 100,000).

According to the Lean Construction Institute, the Six Tenets of Lean are:

1. Respect for People
2. Optimize the Whole
3. Eliminate Waste
4. Focus on Flow
5. Generate Value
6. Continuous Improvement

Supportive materials and documents are available upon request by emailing office@bzi.com.

About BZI

Considered one of the top steel and construction organizations, the BZI® group of companies headquartered in Kanarraville, Utah, operates through three primary organizations: Building Zone Industries, LLC is responsible for steel erection, while BZI Steel, LLC specializes in steel fabrication. InnovaTech®, LLC specializes in designing, engineering, and manufacturing innovative construction equipment and processes to enhance efficiency and safety on the job.

BZI’s partnership with the one-of-a-kind SteelTech Academy™ provides training, certifications, and continuing education to all its team members. An exclusive technical, safety, vocational, and leadership training center, the academy provides training in OSHA (10) and (30) certifications, equipment operations, fall protection, and industry-specific welding certifications. Since 2021, SteelTech Academy has issued thousands of certifications across these disciplines and consistently logs over 33,000 student contact hours annually. As part of this expansive training curriculum, the academy also offers a Department of Labor certified Apprenticeship Program, helping to shape relevant skills and advance careers for those wanting to pursue construction as a vocation.

The company continues to receive numerous industry awards for its exceptional performance and contributions to its industries. The company has been the recipient of:

• The Salt Lake Tribune named BZI #3 Utah Top Workplaces 2025 for Large Businesses
• BZI®’s affiliate InnovaTech® – First place in the 2025 Utah Business Innovation Awards in the Industrial Manufacturing category
• #1 Construction Top Workplaces
• Inc. Best in Business 2024 for Construction: BZI Innovation Park
• USA Today's Top Workplaces (Second year – Ranked #11 in the nation for midsize companies in 2025)
• Utah Business Fast 50 (#12 ranking)
• Top Workplaces Construction Industry Award
• Salt Lake City Tribune Top Workplaces for two years (#5 ranking in 2024)
• One Utah Summit "Rural Rockstar" Award presented by Utah Governor Cox
• Best Employer by Cedar City Chamber of Commerce
• CEO of the Year by Cedar City Chamber of Commerce
• CEO of the Year 2025 Award – Utah Business
• Trade Partner in Safety Excellence (Layton Construction)

BZI is a proud member of and accredited by AISC, an organization that has recognized BZI with its top safety awards, the "Erector Award of Honor” and “Safety Award of Merit.” CEO James Barlow serves on the Forbes Business Council and is a recipient of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige Award. BZI’s mission is to revolutionize the steel construction industry through innovation and team performance, while accelerating project delivery and setting new standards in safety and efficiency.

BZI is completing and executing major construction projects across the United States and is recognized as a leading provider of innovative construction solutions nationwide. Its reputation for excellent client and operational performance are attracting premier companies from around the world. These organizations are building with BZI as a trade partner and bringing new economic opportunities across the U.S. through the many BZI projects. Top customer industries include data centers, e-commerce retail, manufacturing facilities for batteries, aerospace, microchips, electric vehicles, and food and beverage.

For more information about BZI, visit bzi.com, email office@bzi.com, or call 888.509.2280.

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