Duffy signs up to ERP

Duffy Group, with an annual turnover of £70m, is the first medium-sized construction company to sign up to a global Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software provider.
Peoplesoft's EnterpriseOne system is now being rolled out through all four of Duffy's operating divisions. Previously the system was known as JD Edwards OneWorld prior to Peoplesoft's successful takeover of its ERP rival four months ago.
Installation cost is reported to have run to £400,000, although Duffy finance director Steve Harrison said: "It's lower than that.
"We were looking for an ERP solution to replace our legacy IT system and JD Edwards was the closest to what we wanted. We worked with Peak Systems [the software reseller] successfully for six months before going live in February."
The other names on the IT software shortlist were SAP, a rival ERP provider, along with the two largest UK construction-specific software providers, Ramesys and Coins.
"We're not looking to make cost savings," Harrison said, "rather to invest in IT systems that will grow with Duffy and that will help us run the business in the most efficient way possible. We see our turnover climbing to £100m-plus."
Peak Systems has two agreements with JD Edwards. "We've been a service provider for four years and last year also became a reseller to construction companies with a turnover of less than £150m," said Adrian Coss, managing director. "They expect lower implementation costs and don't want to pay tier one consultancy rates.
"We started talking to Duffy Group last year. It was our first construction sale. We are now actively talking to three others."