Quebec metal sector adopts Estim.ai to boost project estimation

Alliance Métal Québec (AMQ) has announced the launch of Estim.ai, a collaborative artificial intelligence project developed in partnership with Explor.ai and 10 manufacturing companies to enhance project estimation in Quebec's industrial metal manufacturing sector.

The introduction of Estim.ai comes against a backdrop of increasing demand for complex products within the sector and ongoing challenges with a shortage of skilled labour. The project, which represents a total investment of CAD $1,115,100, covers software development, employee training, and technological support. It includes financial contributions from the Quebec Ministry of Economy, Innovation, and Energy (MÉIÉ) and Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED).

AI adoption in estimation

Currently, Quebec's metal manufacturing SMEs often rely on manual processes for project estimation, which are described as time-consuming, labour-intensive, and susceptible to human error. Estim.ai aims to address these issues by implementing AI directly into company workflows. The software is designed to increase productivity, reduce costs, and improve competitiveness for businesses in the sector.

Estim.ai leverages a range of advanced AI models, including large language models (LLMs), digital vision, and continuous retraining mechanisms. The platform includes features to protect company data confidentiality. Near-term updates are expected, with forthcoming functions for automating data extraction from PDF plans, classifying documents, and exporting data to Excel take-off files. Future development phases include a comparative module for analysing project data against company history, and support for additional file formats such as 3D models and CAD/.dxf files.

Potential sector impact

The solution is expected to offer a substantial reduction in estimation costs and time, enhance the reliability of quotes, provide quicker responses to customers, and enable estimators to focus on tasks beyond repetitive manual data extraction. AMQ indicates that this may directly address labour shortages and allow companies to respond rapidly to changing market demands.

"To keep Québec strong and competitive, we must provide local manufacturing businesses with the support they need to increase productivity and achieve continued growth. By investing in the Estim.ai platform, we are giving SMEs in the industrial metal manufacturing sector an AI tool they can use to drive efficiency and stay competitive in their industries." - Éric Girard, Minister for Regional Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region.

The Quebec Ministry of Economy, Innovation, and Energy has provided a non-repayable financial contribution of CAD $490,000 to this project under the Economic Development Project Support Programme.

Céline Haytayan, Member of the National Assembly for Laval-des-Rapides and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy (Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Science and Innovation), commented: "Today we can leverage AI to modernize industrial processes and help local SMEs grow. Estim.ai is a perfect example of how technological innovation can meet real-world challenges, helping to address issues such as productivity, competitiveness and labour shortages. This is exactly the type of initiative we want to encourage to make Québec more efficient, agile and future-ready."

Through the Regional Economic Growth through Innovation programme, CED has additionally contributed CAD $370,000 in non-repayable funding to support the organisation's objectives.

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Member of Parliament for Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for CED, stated: "SMEs and organizations are at the heart of innovation and economic growth in our communities, and supporting their development is a priority for our government. Thanks to our funding, the Metal Manufacturing Alliance will be able to develop an AI-based estimation software solution that will be useful for businesses in the metal processing sector. Its contribution to economic vitality in the Lanaudière region and across Quebec is significant, and the whole of our economy will benefit from the success and spin-offs of its project."

Carlos Leitão, Member of Parliament for Marc-Aurèle-Fortin and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for CED, also highlighted the economic implications: "By assisting our regional industries to innovate and increase their productivity, we are helping not only to make our businesses more competitive but also to stimulate economic growth. That is why I am delighted with our support for the Metal Manufacturing Alliance's project, which aims to boost the expansion of businesses in the metal processing sector in the Lanaudière region and throughout Quebec. Without a doubt, this project will generate concrete impacts for the Lanaudière region, and for Quebec as a whole."

Industry commentary

Philippe Blais, Executive Director of AMQ, emphasised the importance of Estim.ai to Quebec's manufacturing sector: "With Estim.ai, we want to offer Quebec metal fabrication companies a powerful tool to help them meet the challenges of labor shortages and global competitiveness. This solution perfectly embodies AMQ's mission: to support innovation, collaboration, and sustainable growth in the sector."

Hugues Mailhot, Vice-President and Partner at Explor.ai, detailed current estimation challenges faced by businesses: "Many estimators spend hours extracting information from their PDF plans and specifications, juggling Excel spreadsheets, or trying to standardize a process that still relies too heavily on the expertise of a single person. There is a glaring lack of powerful, affordable tools that are perfectly suited to the language, methods, and tools used here in Quebec. What's more, it's easy to understand the advantage of using a Quebec-based solution with all the issues related to data security and confidentiality."

The implementation of Estim.ai is set to provide support not only to the Lanaudière region, but potentially to the entire Quebec metal manufacturing sector as companies seek tools to navigate an evolving market landscape.