Kinley Construction, a sixth-generation family-owned general contracting business that focuses on industrial construction, has operated since 1895 by continually adapting to industry changes. As they embark on an ambitious growth strategy, Scott Baldwin, Vice President of Procurement, is focused on optimizing operations to support expansion.
Challenge: Inefficient processes, delayed insights
Before Center, Kinley relied on outdated manual processes for managing expenses. Each project manager tracked their own spending, resulting in a lack of visibility and historical data. The reconciliation process was cumbersome, often taking 60 to 90 days to complete. Without real-time insights, the finance team struggled to make timely decisions, leading to budget overruns and frustration.
“We had no way to see where we were overspending until it was too late,” Baldwin said.
Additionally, the legacy system offered minimal benefits, leading to wasted perks and ineffective spending strategies. As Kinley went into a growth phase, it was obvious to Baldwin they needed to address the cumbersome expense tracking system.
Solution: Tailored deployment, full spend visibility
Kinley Construction partnered with Center to gain the visibility and control needed for growth through streamlined expense management. Center’s deployment team did the heavy lifting, with a dedicated manager diving deep into Kinley’s financial operations to ensure success. In just two months, Kinley was confidently managing expenses with optimized processes and clear visibility into spending.
Center customized its solution specifically for Kinley, coding employees to departments and projects and setting up tailored approval workflows to streamline expense management. This setup enabled the real-time analytics Scott Baldwin, Vice President of Procurement, was looking for. Now, project managers can track expenses almost instantly, while the finance team has immediate visibility into spending, making it easier to stay on budget and adjust costs proactively.
“We now have the insights we need to make informed decisions about our growth.” –Scott Baldwin, VP of Procurement
With this visibility, budget overruns are now rare, and the team has been able to implement cost-saving policies and maximize project funds. Real-time insights also empower managers with greater control over their budgets, ensuring resources are used efficiently as the company grows.
“The ability to see expenses in real-time has transformed how we manage our projects,” Baldwin said. “It allows us to focus on growth rather than getting bogged down in transactions.”
Impact: Enhanced efficiency and accountability
With Center, Kinley Construction has eliminated the delays of manual expense tracking. Now, instead of waiting months for reports, expenses are logged in seconds and reconciled within about a week. This efficiency allows the finance team to keep budget control even as the company grows and regularly adds new users to the system. Previously, each transaction took around seven minutes to input, but with Center, Kinley saves hours of work time every day.
To support rapid growth, Kinley has implemented virtual cards to ensure employees get what they need when they need it. The virtual cards offer key controls, enabling managers to toggle cards on or off to prevent fraud while empowering workers to focus on the job without delays.
Baldwin notes that over 90% of Kinley’s transactions are processed using the CenterCard mobile app, which provides teams with functional flexibility in the field, allowing them to make purchases quickly—even before a company email is set up. Baldwin also emphasizes Center’s flexibility, noting that it empowers employees to manage their expenses independently while maintaining accountability through customized approval processes.
“We can now respond quickly to spending patterns and make adjustments in real-time,” Baldwin said. “It’s made us more agile as a company.”
Since implementing Center, Kinley Construction has achieved:
- Reconciliation time reduced from months to days: Manual tracking delays are gone, with expenses now logged and reconciled in about a week.
- Real-time visibility into spending trends: Center provides full transparency, enabling quick adjustments to stay on budget and track expenses accurately.
- Speedy onboarding with virtual cards: New employees receive virtual cards quickly, empowering them to make purchases even before setting up a company email.
- Customizable approval processes: Center supports Kinley’s growth by streamlining expense approvals and maintaining accountability.
“Center makes it easy to issue a virtual card employees can use to spend immediately, which truly allows us to take care of business without waiting for a physical card.” –Scott Baldwin, VP of Procurement