Wates Group

Following a comprehensive review of their supply chain data management systems and the providers of this technology available in the market place, construction and development firm Wates Group adopted Constructionline in a bid to streamline procurement processes and reduce risk across all its contracting divisions.

REDUCING RISK

”Gathering, assessing and monitoring supply chain data is an important business process, which allows us to manage and mitigate risk,” says David Oates, Supply Chain Director at Wates Group. ”The Constructionline service, which is aligned to PAS 91, the standardised pre-qualification questionnaire developed by BSI, will gather, assess and validate supplier information for us. It will give Wates daily updates on their supply chain, providing the business with a view on its subcontractor partners’ information without the need for this to be managed by the firm’s procurement team.”

REMAINING COMPLIANT

He continued, “Constructionline is aligned to the Government’s standard PQQ for the Construction Industry (PAS 91:2013) and is flexible enough to respond to future updates in legislation, in a far more effective way than we could internally.” Constructionline is widely recognised and respected throughout the industry by other contractors and a wide range of clients from the public sector.

REDUCING COST FOR THE INDUSTRY

By adopting Constructionline, Wates will also cut time and cost for suppliers bidding for work by removing the need for these firms to repeatedly submit Stage 1 tender information, which can cost an average of £200 for each submission. Instead businesses will only need to submit their Constructionline registration number for each new tender.

David Oates at Wates Group feels strongly about this issue, “Constructionline has been adopted by a large number of the industry’s Main Contractors and large percentage of our supply chain were already members – this means our supply chain avoid setting up and maintaining a profile just for Wates, so we reduce cost to our supply chain and the industry.”

INTEGRATING WITH EXISTING SYSTEMS

Wates Group, like many Main Contractors, already has web based procurement to pay systems in place. David explained, “It was important for us, when selecting a third party data provider, that they could provide integration with our other systems. Constructionline was able to provide a bespoke link to our system, to enable our current processes to function in their existing way.”

A Constructionline spokesperson added: “Wates’ adoption is another step forward in the industry’s ongoing quest to reduce duplication and streamline the procurement process.

“For Wates this will mean improved access to a broader range of verified firms, given the 24,000 suppliers already registered with Constructionline, while alleviating their procurement team in assessing and updating this more general supplier information allowing them to spend more time in developing the project specific questions required to select suitable and competent contractors.”