Integrations as a strategic foundation for digitalisation at Ballast Nedam
A future-ready integration landscape for a complex IT ecosystem
Innovation and sustainability in food processing
In an organisation such as Ballast Nedam, reliable data is not a luxury — it is a prerequisite for successful projects. With a broad and diverse IT landscape, different systems each fulfil a specific role across design, execution and operations.
With the introduction of Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC), a central hub was created where project, design and operational data converge. Within the Autodesk ecosystem, the platform functions effectively and standard integrations are well established.
However, this centralisation also exposed the complexity of the wider IT landscape. Beyond the Autodesk domain, various legacy systems and business-specific applications were in place. Existing integrations with these systems were fragmented, built using different techniques and difficult to manage.
The challenge did not lie in ACC itself, but in the absence of a modern, central integration platform capable of consistently connecting both the Autodesk ecosystem and the broader IT environment.
In the construction sector — where legacy systems frequently coexist with modern cloud solutions — this requires an integration architecture that is scalable, maintainable and future-proof.
“Our information landscape is fairly complex. With the introduction of Autodesk Construction Cloud, the need arose to modernise the way we approach integrations.” — Paul Kieftenbeld, Software Engineer, Ballast Nedam
From technical connections to central governance
Previously, Ballast Nedam operated multiple integration solutions alongside one another. This increased management overhead and limited visibility into performance and continuity.
Choosing Workato was therefore not simply a tool replacement, but an architectural decision. As the preferred integration platform within the Autodesk ecosystem, Workato provided seamless alignment with ACC while also offering the flexibility to integrate legacy systems and modern cloud applications in a uniform way.
By positioning Workato centrally, Ballast Nedam established a consistent integration foundation rather than maintaining isolated connections around individual applications.
Partnering with Ciphix: from implementation to intentional design
During this architectural shift, Ballast Nedam partnered with Ciphix.
From the outset, Ciphix brought structure to the programme. Instead of copying existing integrations one-to-one, both teams examined the underlying architecture. Which patterns are sustainable? Where does unnecessary complexity arise? How should monitoring and governance be designed to maintain control as the landscape evolves?
“We could have simply copied the existing integrations, but organisations don’t benefit from that in the long term. Instead, we redesigned them according to modern architectural principles.” — Mark Peele, Workato Specialist & Lead Integration Architect, Ciphix
Ciphix deliberately acted as both partner and challenger. Assumptions were questioned, decisions were substantiated and best practices were implemented. The objective was not merely a better functioning platform, but a foundation enabling Ballast Nedam to take ownership and continuously evolve.
Redesigning for scalability and agility
In the initial phase, the integration platform had been implemented in a way that generated additional maintenance and technical overhead. Together, the design was revisited.
By applying modern architectural principles and centralising integrations, a robust and scalable foundation emerged. Integrations became easier to manage, changes could be implemented more quickly and monitoring provided continuous insight into performance and dependencies.
This directly benefits the business. Projects receive faster feedback from systems, data flows more consistently across applications and new initiatives can be supported more rapidly by IT.
Benefits of automated invoice processing
- Central Integration Platform
Workato centralises all integrations within Ballast Nedam’s IT landscape, replacing fragmented connections with a single scalable foundation. - Real-Time Monitoring & Control
Central monitoring provides immediate insight into performance and dependencies, enabling faster intervention when needed. - Accelerated Innovation
New integrations can go live within weeks, allowing projects to be supported more quickly and enabling IT to operate with greater agility.
Results: control, speed and independence
The collaboration with Ciphix and the implementation of Workato enabled Ballast Nedam to position integrations as a strategic component of its IT strategy.
This resulted in:
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Central governance and transparent monitoring of integrations
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Reduced technical overhead and lower maintenance effort
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Faster development and go-live of new integrations
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Greater flexibility when connecting new systems or projects
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Reduced dependency on external parties
Ballast Nedam is now able to manage and expand the integration platform largely independently. Integrations are no longer a constraint on change, but an accelerator of innovation.
“Workato enables organisations to build integrations at remarkable speed. A connection can often go live within one or two weeks.” — Mark Peele, Workato Specialist & Lead Integration Architect, Ciphix
By treating integrations as a strategic foundation rather than a technical necessity, Ballast Nedam has created a future-proof landscape that evolves alongside new technologies, legacy systems and changing business requirements.
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