zupply cuts digital twin onboarding time by 90% with Speckle

zupply is a Copenhagen-based company focused on automating AEC services using workspaces based on AI agents.

What this means is they build workspaces for architects, engineers, and construction consultants with the goal of streamlining repetitive workflows so their clients can focus on what truly matters.

zupply also provides their AI workspace to manufacturers and suppliers to enhance their products, like offering scale circular services, including take-backs, product-as-a-service, maintenance, and Digital Product Passport compliance.

Their services cater to two main use cases: architects, engineers, and consultants, as well as product manufacturers within the built environment.

Their clients include Lendager Architects (Denmark), Granlund (Engineering firm in Finland), the Internal teams of the city of Helsinki (Finland), the Sustainable teams of McGill University (Canada), Chainable (Supplier of Circular kicthens in Netherlands), Bao Living (Supplier of Modular SAMs in Belgium), Rexcon (Manufacturer of Modular wood based building systems in Denmark), and more.

Before implementing Speckle, the zupply team faced pesky issues managing 3D models from various sources and formats, primarily IFC files.

They had challenges with version control, compatibility between different software (Revit, SketchUp, Rhino), and the general complexity of handling multiple file uploads. This "mess," as Jose “Pepe” Tavares described it, slowed down their processes and made onboarding clients with their 3D models difficult and time-consuming.

We knew both manufacturers and consultants worked with 3D models, but managing them was messy—different tools and tons of IFCs flying around. Version control was a nightmare. Sometimes we had to upload three or four files just to keep track.

Jose “Pepe” Tavares

They discovered Speckle after seeing it mentioned by a potential competitor and were intrigued by its ability to improve 3D data management. They decided to try Speckle, hoping it would save them the stress caused by endless IFC file exports. Turns out, it did that, and much more!

zupply uses Speckle to aggregate and integrate 3D models from various sources into a single, unified platform.

This eliminated the need to manage multiple IFC files and deal with compatibility issues. By teaching their customers how to push their models to Speckle, zupply simplified data sharing and enabled linking of 3D models.

They leveraged Speckle connectors to handle different file formats and revisions, significantly improving their ability to work with diverse data.

zupply gives clients a powerful platform to centralize data from 3D models (via Speckle), Matterport scans, and drawings. It streamlines workflows like pre-demolition audits, project management, and product lifecycle tracking.

Clients can quickly generate reports, track materials for circular economy goals, and link physical items to digital twins using QR codes.

By implementing Speckle, zupply and their clients saw major improvements:

• 90% faster onboarding

Cut client onboarding time from ~10 hours to just 10 minutes when working with engaged clients. This resulted in increased sales and scalability.

• Better user experience

Clients found it much easier to manage and share their models.

• Smarter automated operations

The diversity of Speckle's connectors and the speed of data upload ensured zupply automated workflows and handled client data much better.

Initially, there was some hesitancy within the zupply team regarding Speckle. However, after testing it, the team quickly got on board.

zupply started by transforming client-provided files into IFC and then using Speckle's connectors. As Speckle's connectors improved, they transitioned to a more direct integration.

Key to their implementation was teaching clients how to use Speckle. They enable them to push their own models into Speckle using connectors! In this regard, Jose “Pepe” Tavares mentions liking the general "vibe" of Speckle; it is easy to like, and easy to use—we think that’s a vibe anyone can appreciate.

"If you want to connect your 3D models and data in the simplest manner, use Speckle. ", shares Jose “Pepe” Tavares.

Key Speckle features used:

• Connectors (Revit, Rhino, SketchUp etc.) for easy model aggregation.
• Version control to track changes across teams.
• Web Viewer for easy model visualization without heavy desktop software.

This resulted in a platform where Matterport data, 3D models, and drawings (e.g., floor plans) could all be connected and easily revised. It’s a much more efficient process for managing and utilizing 3D models, which was essential for zupply’s workspace automation services.