From fragmented, local hiring processes to a single international HR platform: Maccaferri chose nCore HR to transform global recruiting, reduce time-to-hire, and deliver a consistent candidate experience across more than 130 countries.

Client Overview

Maccaferri, is a global civil engineering leader founded in 1879 and headquartered in Bologna, Italy. The company employs more than 3,500 people and operates through 70 subsidiaries and 20+ production sites across five continents, serving customers in over 130 countries.
Maccaferri is renowned for its engineering solutions in soil reinforcement, retaining structures, erosion control, hydraulic works, infrastructure protection, and geosynthetics. With a history of innovation, the company invented the modern gabion system and continues to lead in sustainable and technically advanced construction solutions.

The Challenge

As a multinational with thousands of employees across multiple geographies, Maccaferri faced a growing need to standardize and professionalize its recruitment process worldwide.

Previously, the company relied on a localized system that worked only in Italy. The platform was not intuitive and created inefficiencies in usability and process management. This resulted in:

• Fragmented candidate experiences depending on the country.
• Difficulty scaling recruitment processes across subsidiaries.
• Inefficient workflows that slowed down time-to-hire.

Maccaferri recognized the need for a global recruitment platform that would unify its processes, improve candidate experience, and increase efficiency while supporting a diverse set of local requirements.

The Solution

After evaluating several solutions, Maccaferri selected nCore HR as its Applicant Tracking System (ATS). The decision was driven by three main factors:

1. Ease of use and intuitive interface — making it simple for recruiters across different countries to adopt the system.
2. High customization capabilities – allowing HR teams to adapt workflows, datasets, and candidate journeys to their local needs while keeping a consistent global framework.
3. Scalability for global recruitment – ensuring the platform could handle Maccaferri’s operations in multiple markets.

Implementation was a collaborative process. As one of the first large enterprises to adopt nCore HR, Maccaferri worked closely with the nCore team, engaging in structured discussions and joint problem-solving. This ensured that the system was tailored precisely to the company’s needs.

“The IT team really understood our processes and spoke our language—it was easy to find harmony and shared solutions.”
— Sara Barrassi, Talent Management & Talent Acquisition Manager – Italy

The Results

The adoption of nCore HR has produced tangible business outcomes for Maccaferri:

1. Global Standardization of Candidate Experience

Before nCore, candidates had inconsistent experiences across regions. Today, whether applying in Italy, Brazil, or the Middle East, applicants encounter a seamless, professional, and uniform process, strengthening Maccaferri’s employer brand worldwide.

2. Efficiency Gains and Reduced Time-to-Hire

Recruitment cycles were shortened significantly, with time-to-hire reduced in line with internal KPIs. Streamlined workflows, automated job approvals, and faster candidate screening enabled HR teams to move from weeks of delays to a much more agile, responsive process.

3. Data-Driven Decision Making

nCore HR’s analytics capabilities improved visibility across recruitment stages, allowing HR managers to measure metrics such as candidate drop-off rates, application volume by region, and time spent per hiring phase. This has led to smarter resourcing decisions and the ability to proactively identify bottlenecks.

4. Improved Collaboration Across Global Teams

Because the platform is intuitive and customizable, HR teams in different countries now work within the same system, aligning processes while still maintaining flexibility for local practices. This reduced friction, increased adoption, and created a stronger culture of collaboration.

5. Candidate Experience Customization

Through datasets and killer questions, recruiters tailored application flows to specific roles and markets. This improved candidate quality at the top of the funnel, reducing mismatches and wasted recruiter time.

Looking Ahead

Building on its success with recruitment, Maccaferri envisions expanding the use of nCore HR to encompass wider talent acquisition and management activities within a single ecosystem. The aim is to consolidate HR operations into one centralized hub that supports not just hiring, but long-term employee engagement and development.

“We would love for all talent acquisition activities to be centralized in a single ecosystem.”