Electronic invoicing launched by majors

A new electronic information exchange system, to be launched by top contractors, is set to eliminate invoices on paper and have an impact on the way all information is transferred between firms in the industry.

Eight members of the Major Contractors group - Trafalgar House, Laing, Amec, Alfred McAlpine, Balfour Beatty, Costain, Tarmac and Wimpey - are launching an electronic data system called CITE (Construction Industry Trading Electronically) next week which will be used to transmit invoices and bills of quantities via a modem.

David Jones, IT director for Laing, said: 'This is a pragmatic approach to the electronic interchange of information. It will speed things up and reduce the amount of paperwork. There will be no delay of waiting for paperwork, no transposition of errors and the information will be guaranteed to be dead right.'

The system is actually in operation now between the eight contractors, seven suppliers and five quantity surveyors which were involved in the launch and is already proving it's value.