Project consolidates 26 on-premises ERP instances into a single platform on Microsoft Azure, unlocking enterprise-wide agility, visibility, and innovation
Syntax Systems, a leading provider of global technology solutions and services for cloud application implementation and management, announced the successful completion of a multi-year digital transformation initiative with PCL Construction (PCL), one of North America’s largest general contracting firms. The project modernized and unified PCL’s global payroll and operations, consolidating 26 independently managed on-premises enterprise resource planning (ERP) instances into a single environment hosted on Microsoft Azure.
“The magnitude, complexity, and technical sophistication of this initiative are incredible,” said Mark Bryant, Chief Information Officer, PCL. “Through close collaboration with Syntax, we’ve moved decades of fragmented infrastructure to the cloud. This not only streamlines how we operate but equips us with the agility and insights to support our long-term strategy.”
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Streamlining a Global Enterprise
Over its 119-year history, PCL’s operations had grown across multiple business units and regions, resulting in 26 standalone ERP environments running on legacy IBM AS/400 infrastructure. This decentralized approach made enterprise reporting cumbersome, limited system scalability, and introduced operational risk with every change or update.
To future-proof its operations, PCL partnered with Syntax to develop a phased ERP consolidation roadmap. The project began with the lift-and-shift migration of all ERP environments to the Syntax Enterprise Cloud. In the final phase—completed last month—Syntax consolidated all 26 ERP instances into a single, unified environment on Microsoft Azure.
Today, the new cloud-based ERP platform supports all core business functions including finance, payroll, asset management, project execution, and supply chain management—empowering PCL with real-time visibility, improved governance, and greater operational efficiency.
“Consolidating our ERP environment on Azure marks a pivotal shift in how PCL operates financially across its global footprint,” said Glen Anderson, Vice President of Finance and Commercial Risk, and Project Executive Sponsor, PCL. “We’ve significantly improved reporting accuracy, eliminated duplication, and reduced risk—while building a flexible platform to scale with our business. Syntax has been an indispensable partner in this achievement.”
Key Benefits and Milestones Include:
- Enterprise-wide integration: Consolidation of over 370 financial entities into a single ERP platform has unified data, standardized processes, and improved cross-border visibility and compliance.
- Data transformation and audit readiness: Two years of financial and payroll history were migrated, validated, and harmonized—ensuring integrity, auditability, and confidence in enterprise reporting.
- Cloud-native flexibility and security: Hosting on Microsoft Azure enables high availability, dynamic scaling, and built-in enterprise security—laying a resilient foundation for innovation.
- Business process automation: Leveraging Microsoft Power Platform, PCL has streamlined critical workflows and eliminated manual handoffs, reducing errors and increasing speed to execution.
- Cost and complexity reduction: The move from 26 independent ERP environments to a single instance significantly reduces IT overhead and simplifies maintenance, upgrades, and support.
“We set out with an ambitious vision to modernize PCL’s core systems, and their commitment to excellence made it possible,” said Christian Primeau, Global CEO of Syntax. “Together, we’ve delivered a customer-centric ERP model for asset-intensive enterprises looking to scale without complexity.”
PCL to Present at JD Edwards INFOCUS 2025
PCL leaders Landon Gross, Tanya Caudle, and Marco Del Monte will present “26 to 1: PCL’s Epic JDE Transformation & Consolidation” at JD Edwards INFOCUS, September 9–11, 2025, in Denver, Colorado.
Attendees will gain insights into PCL’s phased approach, including:
- How it achieved global payroll unification across multiple jurisdictions and currencies.
- Strategies for migrating and harmonizing historical data.
- Lessons learned from orchestrating one of the largest JDE consolidations in North America.
- Business impacts including reduced risk, improved data accuracy, and stronger readiness for future digital initiatives.
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