Page title: E-Procurement Evolving in Europe
Content to translate:
How UNITEC went paperless in 24 months, saving customers money
Vincenzo Marino worked for a company that used robots on an assembly line in the automotive industry. There he watched as workers stood idle while the plant waited for a crucial part that someone had forgotten to order. “Every time you make a mistake, the company wastes time and money,” observes Marino.
In 1989 Marino left his previous job to join UNITEC, a provider specializing in supply chain management and logistics outsourcing. The company has two offices in Europe, one in Augsburg, Germany, the other in Saubaudia, Italy. Marino, the CEO, was determined to improve the process.
Marino said his goal was to offer customers the ability to consolidate their purchases and make UNITEC their unico purchasing office. The outsourcing provider would help its customers avoid costly purchasing mistakes, consolidate purchases to save money and simplify invoicing.
Marino started his outsourcing business with the automotive industry because that was where his expertise was. Today UNITEC has added the printing, rubber and chemical industries to its customer portfolio. The typical customer has 10,000 or more suppliers.
In 1995, to avoid the growing mountain of paper, UNITEC began using an enterprise resource planning (ERP) application for its procurement activities. Marino, who is also a programmer, wrote the ERP program himself. UNITEC became paperless in 24 months. Going paperless eliminated the need to keep old receipts or store information on microfilm, saving customers money.
