Trimble has acquired the 'assets of Vico Software', a company that offers consulting services and has developed a suite of 5D virtual construction software. The following image explains at a glance what Vico does.
This shows that Trimble is very serious about becoming a big player in the Construction Industry and this can only mean that SketchUp will be further developed with a strong emphasis on AEC.
"Vico's 5D Virtual Construction software solutions pioneered the category of 5D BIM for construction. With Vico's capabilities Trimble is uniquely positioned to participate in the industry's evolution from 2D to 5D management," said Bryn Fosburgh, Trimble vice president. "Vico provides an important contribution in that evolution by connecting data from the virtual aspects to the physical aspects of a building construction project. It becomes the connection point that binds Trimble's hardware and software suite of products together across the DBO lifecycle."
Vico Software's head man is Mark Sawyer. Mark was heading @Last when the Google acquisition took place so I would imagine that there will be some special relationships between SU and the suite of Vico products.
"5D Management solutions help create a highly responsive, transparent and efficient construction supply chain," said Mark Sawyer, president and CEO of Vico. "Vico's acquisition by Trimble, the leader in delivering advanced technology to complex construction projects, will extend the value of our solutions inside a much broader product portfolio. Trimble has moved aggressively into this rapidly evolving technology segment, and together we are looking forward to driving the future of BIM for construction."
You can read the full Trimble/Vico Press Release here and we also have a thread for discussion on the forums.