To support innovation and the controlled expansion of its activities beyond current annual turnover of £1.2 billion, VINCI PLC is investing in COINS ERP to deliver efficiencies from using a single central system. The investment will provide VINCI PLC with a stable platform to support transaction growth, without the need to increase headcount. Web-based technology will efficiently provide information to a wider user community within VINCI PLC.

The solution will handle all VINCI PLC’s accounting and purchasing requirements, with approximately 1,300 users. The companies covered include its national businesses, VINCI Construction UK Ltd (previously Norwest Holst), Taylor Woodrow, Crispin & Borst and PEL Interiors; its regional and specialist businesses; selected Joint Ventures and Management companies. Additionally, up to 2,500 of its UK employees will be able to access the systems to record timesheet data online in a ‘self-service’ approach. The solution also enables VINCI PLC to take advantage of web based document management and workflow tools, which can be configured to support specific business processes, such as electronic approval and authorisation.

Derek Hollaway, senior Finance Director within VINCI PLC and sponsor for the project states: “COINS emerged as the front-runner last year, principally due to its ability to best meet our specific requirements across a broad spectrum of businesses, all delivered as a web-based solution. We were particularly impressed by the modern ‘look & feel’ and configurability of the new COINS Open Architecture and with the reporting and business intelligence tools that are an integral part of the system.” Derek continued, “In a separate project, VINCI PLC’s plant business has already successfully introduced the COINS Plant Manager application, which is aimed at enabling all UK sites to requisition plant via a web-based electronic catalogue.”

VINCI PLC companies raise in excess of 50,000 purchase orders and process around 340,000 invoices per annum. The new implementation will enable them to trade electronically with suppliers, using the COINS-etc trading hub and electronic catalogue procurement solutions, thereby improving efficiency, eliminating paper and hence reducing its carbon footprint.

An area of the business where VINCI PLC particularly expect to see some strong returns on investment will be the introduction of new processes for commercial users to submit cost-value reconciliations, with on-line access to costs and previous valuation data, via web browser.
Michael James, New Business Director at COINS, states: “We are delighted to welcome VINCI PLC as a major customer as a result of what was a comprehensive and exhaustive selection process which bears testimony to the quality of our product, people and the strength of our existing customer base.”

VINCI PLC issued a comprehensive ITT document, covering more than a thousand detailed requirements, many being specific to the working practices of the construction sector, to a dozen or so potential suppliers. References were taken before embarking on a ‘conference room pilot’ with COINS from mid 2008.

VINCI SA is the world’s leading concessions and construction group. It has a turnover of €30.4 billion and 158,000 employees in 90 countries around the world. VINCI PLC forms part of VINCI SA. Through VINCI Construction UK Ltd a number of specialist divisions operating throughout the UK enable VINCI PLC to offer a comprehensive construction package from inception, through ground investigation and remediation, to completion of the project and beyond to the maintenance of the facility. VINCI PLC has a projected annual turnover of £1.2 billion.