Case study

Unikalo

Unikalo: rapid and controlled expansion thanks to a scalable HRIS

Company overview

Sector

Industry – Manufacture of professional paints

Workforce

1,770 employees (28 companies, 178 sites)

Growth

Staff numbers tripled in four years

HR team

24 employees

QuarksUp modules deployed

HR file

Recruitment

Onboarding

Training

Career

Description

Founded in 1936, Unikalo is one of the last independent French manufacturers of paints for building professionals and private individuals. Driven by strong growth and numerous acquisitions, the group now has 1,770 employees spread across a national network of 178 sites.

4 times

more employees managed without changing HRIS

4 hours vs. 1 week

for analyzing performance reviews

Background and challenges

In 2019, a change in management initiated a profound transformation: moving from a "personnel department" to a truly structured, equipped, and proactive HR function.
Against a backdrop of rapid growth (from 700 to 1,770 employees in four years), the HR teams faced several challenges:

Professionalize the HR function and harmonize practices across 28 companies;

Moving away from paper and Excel, which are widely used in the management of recruitment, interviews, hiring, and training;

Managing a growing volume of activity: 840 new hires, 1,300 interviews, 3,250 training sessions;

Ensure regulatory compliance, including 6-year inspections and mandatory training;

Communicate effectively with employees who do not all have a professional email address (factories and stores).

The priority: having a comprehensive HRIS, capable of supporting growth, unify practices, and streamline the employee experience.

The quarksUp solution

Unikalo discovers quarksUp through its integration partner Sigma Informatique. The choice was made based on criteria relating to the tool itself, but also to the support provided:

Functional richness and modularity enabling gradual deployment;

Simple, modern ergonomics adapted to the terrain;

Ability to interact with existing tools, including payroll (Cegid) and GTA (Kelio).

Quality of the relationship and listening skills: the client highlights a human, professional approach focused on understanding their context and HR priorities.

Expert and structured support: the project methodology and the teaching approach were decisive factors.

Availability: the ability of teams to respond, reassure, and make progress on key issues helped to build strong trust.

The project includes:

HR file to centralize all employee data,

Recruitment to industrialize application management,

Onboarding to structure new hires and streamline administrative procedures, and improve employer branding.

Training to manage the increasing volume of training needs,

Career path for managing professional interviews and internal mobility.

The batch deployment has enabled a gradual and controlled ramp-up. HR teams have benefited from personalized support throughout the project, with rigorous monitoring and a dedicated contact person.

The deployment project led by Sigma Informatique

The deployment is being conducted jointly by:

Sigma Informatique, integrator and main contact for the company;

quarksUp, publisher of the solution;

The Unikalo HR department and the HRIS Manager are heavily involved in the overhaul of HR processes.

The strengths of the project:

A clear methodology provided by Sigma (phases, analysis tools, test materials);

Face-to-face training at the start of the project, essential for creating momentum;

Appropriate settings, including connection via employee number to compensate for the absence of work emails;

Continuous skill development thanks to Sigma's support, which is available during every functional upgrade.

"In a context of strong growth, quarksUp and Sigma Informatique have enabled us to harmonize our practices, structure our processes, and absorb an unprecedented volume of HR work.
Today, we manage our recruitment, career paths, and regulatory obligations with much greater visibility and efficiency."

Valerie Coffinet

Director of Human Resources, Unikalo

Results

Major impacts for a rapidly growing organization:

A star icon with blue outlines centered on a light blue circular background.

Ability to handle a very high volume of HR activities

840 hires managed since implementation,

1,300 guided interviews,

3,250 training courses administered,

315 onboarding courses launched.

Structuring and harmonization of the HR function

Standardized processes across 28 companies;

Enhanced traceability and compliance;

Centralization of resumes, training requests, and internal mobility requests.

Easier analysis of performance reviews

Thanks to the Career module, Unikalo can now analyze all professional interviews in just a few clicks, identify trends, spot weak signals, and detect needs for managerial support or skills development.

Simplified and structured collection of training needs

The needs expressed during the interviews are automatically fed back into the management charts. Result:

Immediate visibility into employee expectations,

A more fluid training plan structure,

Better anticipation of mandatory or job-related training.

Streamlining recruitment and hiring

Automated pre-notification of termination,

Easier generation of proposals and contracts,

Centralized onboarding with welcome booklet, videos, and key documents.

Better internal communication, even with teams that are not connected

Identification via employee number and the use of personal addresses makes it possible to reach 100% of employees, including those in factories or stores.

A solution that evolves with the company

quarksUp and Sigma Informatique help Unikalo absorb changes in staffing levels, structures, and regulatory requirements, while providing greater visibility to senior management and managers.

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