A path to change management in the construction industry
The accompaniment to the change of the Gruppo Frappa represents an exemplary story of how the diverse and cross-cutting skills of 4Days - integrated with those in the AECO sector - contribute depth to change counseling interventions.
In an industry among the most resistant to embracing transformation, including digital transformation, the Gruppo Frappa distinguishes itself by having in its DNA that natural vocation for growth that has enabled the company to decisively embrace the reorganization process by laying the foundation for a new development perspective.
The company
Frappa is a historic company in Friuli Venezia Giulia, a leader in the area's construction business for more than 50 years, now in its second generation of family management. Founded in 1972 by Giuseppe Frappa, the company has experienced steady growth thanks to its commitment to quality and innovation, recognized and appreciated by a clientele that, initially concentrated in the industrial sector, has gradually diversified into various sectors. Since 2020, under the evolutionary impetus of a new vision expressed by the partner of reference, Riccardo Frappa, the company has embarked on an evolutionary strategy that has led it within a few years to achieve a significant improvement in turnover and to develop prospects for further and even more ambitious growth.
The path of change, from initiation to early results
Facilitating the contact in 2021 between the Frappa Group and 4Days was Friulia, the financial company of the FVG Region whose mission is the development of local businesses. The goal of the collaboration between the Group - in the figure of Riccardo Frappa - and 4Days - in the figure of Marco Lotti -, has crystallized from the very beginning in “giving legs” to the entrepreneur's vision and strategy by supporting it from the corporate, organizational, managerial and technical perspectives.
After more than two years of collaboration, the results are excellent: the Group has seen its turnover double, consolidating its presence on the market in the renewed role of a 360° player in the construction sector. The integration and strong development of the plant engineering area, the organizational evolution declined by Business Units focused on providing turnkey solutions to the different market sectors (Industry, Private, Public Administration, Energy) and the introduction of Asset Management services are illustrative of the growth strategy.
“When we met,” comments Marco Lotti, CEO of 4Days-we immediately began working from the perspective of an extremely clear vision, envisioning and evaluating each evolutionary step together.
It has been a path built “with many hands” thanks to the openness, trust and style of frank and constructive discussion that the management-in the person of Renato and Riccardo Frappa-has always granted us. And for which we can only be grateful.
With them, we agreed on a road map broken down into small, consistent steps, with an agile and streamlined approach also based on the sustainability of growth steps.”
The road map
The process of change management has taken place over the course of the collaboration in five main areas of action:
- Governance
In collaboration with CP Partners and Dr. Fabrizio Testa, the planning of possible governance evolutions both at the corporate level and at the level of decision-making bodies and mechanisms was initiated. This strategy, in progression, has allowed a marked improvement in the clarity, timeliness and consistency of some decision making steps and the introduction of strategic logic aimed at attracting new stakeholders, new partners and M&A activities. - Organization
On the basis of a strong value system and an organizational frame that, on Riccardo Frappa's intuition and in advance of the size and culture of the industry already provided for some key roles (e.g., Management Control, HR area, IT area), a new organizational model articulated in Business Units and in a precise representation of delegations and responsibilities was introduced. The model was reinforced by setting up documents (e.g., Job Description) and processes (integrated with the QSA area) aimed at giving formal representation and supporting change. Last, but of paramount importance, the model was shared in depth with individual groups, providing the opportunity to internalize its evolutions, thus reducing the risk of conflict or rejection. - Management Team
A group and coordination of managers has been created, supported and integrated over the years, with the aim of introducing a process of managerialization of the Group, with mechanisms for delegation, acquisition of responsibility, problem solving and decision making that would allow both an increase in the speed of business management and the native integration and coherence of the different areas. This strategic and culturally impactful path was successful thanks to the great intellectual honesty and constructiveness of the managers with whom we worked in a spirit of collaboration, including Marco Molinari (CdG), Marco Narduzzi (Admin. & Fin.), Leonardo Ruffini (BD) Marco Grandinetti (HR), Dennis Rinaldi (Dir. Gen. Impianti), Daniele Casasola (PM), Giovanni Carlesso (SCM), Laura Della Marina (QSA). - Management
Thanks to the strong involvement and proactivity of the Management Control area, the evolution of the company's management control model was shared, based on some theoretical improvements of the job order management model, and implemented on Business Intelligence tools with trend and variance analysis by Business Unit and Job Order and forecasts of the medium-term financial commitment for the group. In particular, a shared Budget process has been initiated and managed over the past two years that has provided momentum and visibility into business performance and anticipated actions to be taken. - BIM
As for technical processes, the introduction of the BIM methodology was deliberately postponed until 2023/2024, subject to the creation of a single technical area of the Group (under development) and a simplification and harmonization of processes of a technical-operational nature. The Entrepreneur's demand for this was clear, pushing for the adoption of the methodology and its certification in the next two years. In 2023, in collaboration with partner BimO, a trial of the solution was initiated Truspace for Design & Build processes on two internal construction sites, as well as approved and financed the testing of the solution in the Asset Management process (maintenance management and monitoring by means of sensors). The goal is to prepare the organization for the systemic introduction of the methodology, seen as a conditio sine qua non -in a future now just around the corner-, in the Frappa Group's design, budgeting, construction and asset management processes, aiming for certification of the same in 2025/2026.
This integrated approach involved several 4Days figures, including the’eng. Alessandra Commisso - who handled the overall coordination of activities; eng. Emilio Ziraldo and Cristiano Di Paolo - which defined Management Control models and the development of Business Intelligence;’eng. Marcello Vezzelli for BIM-related activities and the partners BimO and CP Partners.
Feedback on collaboration and results
“I thank Fourdays for giving legs to the idea of starting a path to industrialize Frappa's processes,” comments Riccardo Frappa, CEO of Frappa-.
La nostra evoluzione ha consolidato il modello di business, la governance e l’organizzazione del Gruppo Frappa. Abbiamo lavorato sull’armonizzazione dei processi tecnico-operativi attraverso la metodologia BIM, introducendo logiche di automazione ed efficientamento nei processi gestionali del ciclo attivo e passivo dell’azienda. Questo percorso è stato faticoso, ma estremamente stimolante e i primi risultati sono già visibili. Gestire la parte più complessa, ossia la creazione di un team management con deleghe, sarà la chiave per definirci come una vera industria delle costruzioni.”
Next Steps
“The goal for 2024,” concludes Marco Lotti- is to continue to support the Group's evolutionary process to consolidate the corporate growth already stimulated in this first shared phase of efficiency and reorganization. An achievement of great satisfaction for our team as well.”
