How SteelBiltt Streamlines Operations with FRAMECAD Nexa
Background
SteelBiltt was founded in 2022 by Brian O’Keefe and Josh Smith, both experienced in residential building and remodeling. The challenges of sourcing lumber during Covid particularly for trusses pushed them to explore alternatives. Cold-formed steel (CFS) offered a reliable, efficient solution and SteelBiltt quickly transitioned into steel framing.
Today, SteelBiltt serves the Mountain West region, including Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Idaho and California. Their portfolio includes high-end residential, modular, mid-rise and commercial projects. The company operates FRAMECAD 325iT and 450iT systems, producing wall panels, trusses and floor joists entirely in steel.
The Challenge
As SteelBiltt grew, managing production visibility and project tracking became increasingly complex. Tracking panel production manually using pen and paper was inefficient and often required unnecessary trips to job sites just to verify progress.
Brian and his team explored building a custom QR tracking system but realized it would demand significant time and resources to develop and maintain. They needed a solution that could streamline production tracking, reduce rework and support their growth.
The Solution: FRAMECAD Nexa
SteelBiltt adopted FRAMECAD Nexa to bring order and efficiency to its production management. Initially attracted by Nexa’s QR tracking features, Brian quickly realized the broader benefits of the platform.
“The biggest benefit for us has been the ability to track production. When a client calls asking about a specific panel, we no longer need to spend hours driving to a job site just to verify - it’s all there in Nexa. We can see exactly what’s been produced, track progress in 3D and even use it to support billing based on completion percentages.” Brian O’Keefe, Co-Founder, SteelBiltt
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Key Nexa Benefits
Production Tracking
QR code scanning allows SteelBiltt to monitor progress in real-time, eliminating errors and reducing wasted trips.
Improved Billing
The team can bill clients based on accurate percentages of work completed, supported by Nexa’s production data.
Operational Efficiency
By replacing manual tracking, SteelBiltt saves time, reduces rework and improves scheduling visibility.
Future-Ready
SteelBiltt plans to expand into coil and inventory management through Nexa, which Brian sees as essential for ICC certification.
“From an ICC certification perspective, FRAMECAD Nexa is huge. You can see exactly what coil was used on what project, which makes compliance and documentation far easier.”
Implementation Experience
Getting started with Nexa was straightforward. FRAMECAD handled the installation and provided training to the SteelBiltt team.
“It was easy to get up and running. Uploading files and running production through Nexa is straightforward.”
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Results
Since implementing FRAMECAD Nexa, SteelBiltt has improved visibility, reduced unnecessary site visits and saved time across projects. The system has also strengthened billing accuracy and set a foundation for streamlined certification and inventory management in the future.
Conclusion
For SteelBiltt, FRAMECAD Nexa has become an essential tool in scaling their cold-formed steel operations. By delivering real-time production tracking, improving efficiency and enabling smarter billing and compliance, Nexa has helped the company grow while reducing complexity.
Brian said, “I’d recommend FRAMECAD Nexa 100%. It’s saved us time, improved accuracy and given us visibility we didn’t have before.”
