Eindhoven, the Netherlands-based IT services provider Origin BV intends to take half the British market for e-procurement solutions by 2002, according to the new head of its Origin UK Ltd subsidiary.
Former EDS, Sema group and Datasolve executive Paul Bingham believes Origin’s success in implementing large scale systems for global companies gives it an advantage over its competitors in selling e-procurement services. Origin rolled-out a 234,000-user Ariba powered solution earlier this year for parent company Philips Electronics and has also implemented an e-procurement system for the giant Dutch-based chemicals company Akzo Nobel.
Bingham is confident the practical experience gained from these projects combined with Origin’s focus on the business issues surrounding e-procurement give it the armory to take on the IT services industry’s established knowledge brokers. Bingham names the consulting wings of the Big Five accountancy firms along with IBM Global Services, EDS, Cap Gemini and ICL as Origin’s primary competitors in the UK.
But Bingham admits that experience alone is not enough to achieve his aim. To do this, he says, Origin needs to establish a base of blue-chip clients for its e-procurement services. However, Bingham is also expecting a three to six month lead-time before momentum for the services really takes off. Even if Origin does have an advantage at present, the slow initial take-up predicted could seriously undermine that lead and give its rivals – many of which have far greater marketing resources – the chance to catch up.
