Miguel Angel Lozano Martinez, Corporate Innovation, CEMEX

Category

• Future of Work

The Project

Facing an adverse economic climate and with the possibilities that Web 2.0 offered, the Innovation team implemented an internal Innovation/Collaboration platform called Shift. Rapid development of new products and a considerable reduction of time-to-market have emerged from this new form of global collaboration.

The Technology

IBM Connections, IBM Websphere Portal, IBM Web Content Manager

Metrics Matter

The platform’s success is measured in both tangible and intangible results, the latter being perhaps the most relevant. Shift has not only reduced time-to-market but has transformed working culture among the company. Top-down bureaucratic processes have been diminished opening the path to open and transparent ones. This new approach encouraged the first tangible result: the launch of the first global ready-mix brand that reinforced the company’s top position in the construction business.

The project was launched for +2,000 users in April 2010, today, after two years it reaches +35,000 members. More than 1,600 communities exist but the important aspect to take into account is for what they are used to. Communities serve as the space where employees all around the world share not only files but also ideas and best practices. When ideas converge, innovation is triggered hence the collective knowledge is unleashed resulting in a greater creation of value.

Disruptive Factor

The status quo of CEMEX working culture was challenged with Shift, not only open collaboration was settled but also open communication channels between top management and employees. The implementation of new technologies to encourage its human capital to innovate is a breaking point among the construction industry enterprises.

Shining Moment

An offline collaborative session was held up among experts, operators and managers worldwide to produce a best practices document in a Shift´s Wiki and quality of information and discussion was reaching a hot point. After several days of sharing ideas and information in a continuously base, a top level executive of the company modified the wiki sharing some new ideas, paralyzing the discussion for two days, for the people was uncommon to argue the ideas of the top executive, but it happens and the organizational pyramid paradigm was broken. Two years after, Shift is not only a collaboration platform for all the employees but CEMEX’s new official internal communication channel and intranet. 

ABOUT CEMEX

CEMEX is a global building materials company that provides high quality products and reliable service to customers and communities around the world. CEMEX produces, distributes, and sells cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates, and related building materials in more than 50 countries, and maintains trade relationships in close to 100 nations. At a global level, CEMEX does not “simply manufacture concrete,” but develops solutions based on the thorough knowledge and application of concrete technology. 

The continuous communication and interaction with its customers allows CEMEX to identify and implement new effective ways to create more value for them. The company offers a wide range of innovative, high quality products and services, from technical advice to custom–tailored products that foster sustainable construction, while reducing CO2 emissions. 

CEMEX does not only focuses on its products and business but is also committed to promote a sustainable future and thrive innovation. The efforts to promote a sustainable future have gained the company worldwide recognition from international institutions such as the United Nations. Our vision to provide innovative solutions do not targets our customers only and nowadays our company has being recognized as a worldwide leader in employee collaboration.