Holcim
Introduction
Holcim (formerly Lafarge Poland) is Poland’s largest producer of raw materials for construction, including cement, aggregates, and concrete. Operating in Poland since 1995, Holcim runs over 40 plants and employs nearly 1,500 people. As part of the global Holcim Group, which spans 70 countries and employs around 70,000 people, Holcim Poland continues to be a leader in sustainable construction.
In 2022, Holcim expanded its presence in the building chemistry market through a merger with Izolbet, marking a strategic focus on renovation, thermal insulation, and building finishing.
Digital Solution for the Manufacturing Industry
Holcim chose to implement its “zero paper” policy in manageable stages, focusing first on digitizing the preparation and approval of sales and purchase agreements, lease and transport contracts, and marketing agreements.
The project team identified that standardizing these processes would deliver immediate results, even with variations in metadata or approval workflows.
Holcim’s team evaluated bids from several platform providers for contract management, emphasizing technical capabilities and pricing. Their criteria included a tool that would enable employees to:
Create Contracts
Generate contracts using both templates and customized formats based on counterparties’ needs.
Digitize Documents
Securely digitize documents and store them in a secure cloud repository.
Sign Contracts
Utilize advanced qualified electronic signatures, supporting digital-physical hybrid processes and paper-based signatures in rare cases.
Review Contracts
Collaborate with external contractors to review contracts directly within the platform.
Assess Implementation Efficiency
Assess the ROI.
After assessing five platforms, including one recommended by the global Holcim Group, Holcim Poland selected the AMODIT platform, which met all technical and business requirements.
We selected a solution that supports multiple types of electronic signatures and facilitates a quick implementation of changes, essential for managing a large user base and diverse document types. We also prioritized the platform’s ability to accurately track return on investment through detailed user adoption metrics.
Implementation
The goal of the project was that after the initial phase of AMODIT implementation (Priority I), at least 40% of new contracts would be prepared within the AMODIT platform. Additionally, all existing contracts were to be digitized and migrated into the AMODIT repository. To achieve this, the Holcim team needed to collect, organize, and migrate approximately 10,000 documents onto the AMODIT platform.
Agnieszka Kaźmierczyk, Head of Digital at Holcim, coordinated both the needs analysis and the tool’s implementation.
“The biggest challenge was to investigate the specifics of the existing creation process for each contract type. The goal was for every user in the workflow to see the value of the implementation,” she noted.
The work on automating contract approval workflows with advanced electronic signatures, using the AMODIT TrustCenter platform, began in spring 2021 and continued until September 2021.
During the process, we discovered that the sales and purchasing agreements also required discount agreement approvals. After evaluating this, we decided it was best to separate this process from the primary sales-purchasing workflow. We successfully planned and executed the work on this additional workflow within a week.
Commented Gabriel Stanek, Document Workflow System Consultant and project leader on the AMODIT side.
AMODIT TrustCenter was integrated with the Szafir qualified digital signature for Holcim’s needs. The platform was also integrated with Google’s Active Directory, allowing users to access AMODIT without additional logins.
The first results were presented during a meeting attended by around 20 Holcim employees from various departments involved in contract preparation. During this meeting, the project team ensured that the tool met the users’ expectations.
The project coincided with the height of the pandemic, which brought both advantages and challenges. On the positive side, it accelerated the digitization of processes that were previously thought to require physical handling. However, developing and testing the tool, along with training 200 employees from various departments, proved to be difficult. These factors extended the overall implementation timeline, requiring us to prolong the stabilization phase and introduce minor adaptive changes. Fortunately, AMODIT’s low-code platform made these adjustments easy to implement.
Benefits of using AMODIT
The first phase of AMODIT implementation, completed in the fall of 2021, exceeded expectations. The number of new contracts prepared within AMODIT surpassed the initial target by 30%.
In some business areas, over 99% of contracts are now signed through the platform. What used to take weeks for contract approval is now completed within hours, virtually eliminating costs.
+1000
contracts processed in the application
75%
of these contracts went through the full approval process within the application
60%
of these contracts were signed electronically
+600
active and completed contracts were fully archived
230
active users, and the number steadily increasing
Several departments—including legal, controlling, technology, and marketing—are now using AMODIT to streamline the approval process for purchase and sales contracts. The approval workflow is faster and more efficient, with users focusing only on the sections that require their approval or modification, while standard contract terms remain locked.
For documents that still exist in paper form or involve a mixed-signature process, the original documents are digitized and stored in an electronic archive, ensuring secure, authorized access for all relevant personnel. This shift has enabled Holcim to close two paper archive locations and reduce the space required at a third. Additionally, the remaining documents are stored securely in the cloud.
An internal Application Business Owner provides one-on-one support to new users, with further assistance available through AMODIT’s helpdesk. This hands-on support has contributed to the growing adoption of the platform, leading to increased profitability.
As users become more comfortable with AMODIT, they have started proposing new workflows, including the management of internal instructions and procedures. Holcim has since transitioned to an Unlimited license, allowing all employees to access the platform. The company plans to further digitize administrative processes, including company correspondence and HR support (eFiles).
“The implementation of AMODIT is one of Holcim Poland’s key digitization initiatives. By leveraging electronic document circulation, we aim to become a paperless organization, fully aligned with our sustainable development strategy”, emphasizes Agnieszka Kaźmierczyk, Head of Digital at Holcim. “We are now preparing to launch another crucial internal workflow: the approval process for company procedures and instructions, using a simple signature. To streamline this, we utilized the approval matrix developed from our existing contract workflow”
The company has also initiated a pilot program to encourage selected contractors to collaborate on documents directly within the platform. Beginning in 2023, the plan is to expand this initiative to additional partners, promoting the digitization of processes in line with its sustainable development strategy.
Learn more
Are you looking to automate business processes and implement digitization in your legal department?
Schedule a free consultation
with one of our specialists. We will guide you step-by-step on how AMODIT can effectively optimize processes in your company.
Optimise Key Areas
IN YOUR COMPANY
Human Resources
Store all employee data in one place and simplify HR tasks through automation.
Finance
Automate financial workflows and reduce errors resulting from manual tasks.
Legal
Optimize the work of your legal department – organize contracts and addenda in a single system, granting your team easy access to vital information.
Administration
Reduce delays, avoid errors, and eliminate lost documents by automating administrative workflows.
IT
Enhance project monitoring and management for your IT team with an efficient, automated system.