Mercury Engineering Cuts Tender Formatting Time from Hours to Seconds with XaitPorter

Engineering Trust Before the First Foundation Is Poured

Founded in Ireland and operating across Europe, Mercury Engineering specializes in data centers and other mission-critical facilities where uptime, safety, and precision are non-negotiable. These are not conventional building projects. Hyperscale data centers require massive electrical capacity, advanced cooling and heat recovery systems, highly coordinated logistics, strict safety and quality standards, and aggressive delivery timelines.

The Challenge: When Growth Exposes Structural Limits

Before adopting XaitPorter, Mercury relied on Microsoft Word, SharePoint, and Excel to manage tender documentation. For years, this approach was sufficient. But as project scale and bid volume increased, structural weaknesses became clear.

"We were writing in Word, collaborating in SharePoint, and tracking responsibilities in Excel. Technically it worked. But it required constant manual control."

The most significant pressure emerged toward the end of the process. After weeks of drafting and internal review, documents were handed over for graphic assembly — and any formatting inconsistencies, different styles, or changed numbering had to be corrected manually.

"If we discovered an issue close to the deadline, we had very little flexibility. Changes could take hours. Everything became time-critical."

Tracking progress across contributors was also fragmented. Section ownership and the status of completed versus in-review work could be unclear, and Excel lists provided only limited visibility. As Mercury expanded its tender capacity, the need for a more structured system became unavoidable.

The Solution: From Document Editing to Process Control

The turning point came with a simple realization: content and layout should not compete for attention.

"I had used LaTeX during my studies," Larsson says, referring to the document preparation system widely used in scientific publishing. "You focus on the content, and the layout is generated automatically. When we saw XaitPorter, that principle immediately made sense."

With XaitPorter, Mercury could:

• Define structure through templates
• Assign ownership at section level
• Monitor progress in real time
• Separate content creation from formatting
• Publish instantly

Implementation moved quickly, driven internally by a core team of three to four people. "We saw the potential immediately," Larsson says. "We built our templates, went through training, and pushed it forward."

Change management required attention: while the core bid team adapted quickly, occasional contributors needed time to adjust to a new workflow. "In any organization, people are used to their tools," Larsson explains. "You have to show them how it improves their work." Over time, transparency and clarity replaced resistance.

How Does XaitPorter Change Deadline Risk in Large Tenders?

The most tangible impact appears in the final moments before submission. In the past, adjusting something on submission day could create major stress. Today:

"I can update and republish a fully formatted document in just a few seconds."

This flexibility fundamentally changes risk management in large tenders. Instead of freezing documents hours in advance to protect formatting integrity, Mercury can refine content until the very end. "You feel in greater control of the process," Larsson says. "That reduces pressure significantly."

Scaling Bid Volume Without Increasing Headcount

As demand for data center infrastructure has grown across Europe, Mercury's bid activity has increased accordingly. Without structural improvements, that growth would likely have required additional administrative resources.

"I don't think we could handle our current volume as fluidly without this system."

Mercury has increased its capacity while maintaining the same core team. Workflow visibility ensures clear section ownership, transparent progress tracking, reduced duplication of effort, and stronger accountability. Instead of managing formatting, bid managers focus on managing the narrative — with ownership of the full document resting with the bid lead.

The measurable outcome: Mercury has reduced graphic designer involvement in the tender process by 90 percent, while smaller changes in finished documents now take seconds rather than hours.

Proposal Quality as a Signal of Discipline

In mission-critical construction, perception matters. Clients evaluating multiple large-scale proposals look for clarity, consistency, and professionalism.

"A well-structured proposal reflects how you operate. It signals discipline."

With XaitPorter, numbering is always correct, templates ensure consistency, content libraries enable reuse, and layout remains professional regardless of contributor count. Engineers no longer struggle with formatting conflicts from pasted Word sections — they focus on what differentiates Mercury: execution strategy, logistics planning, safety systems, sustainability innovation, and delivery capability.

"You can concentrate on what creates value for the client. Not on fixing formatting."

Supporting Europe's Digital and Green Transition

Data centers are expanding rapidly across Europe to support cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and digital public services. At the same time, regulatory frameworks and corporate sustainability commitments are reshaping expectations: facilities must optimize energy usage, integrate renewable power, reduce embodied carbon, enable heat reuse, and align with EU sustainability targets.

By removing administrative friction in the proposal phase, Mercury's teams can focus more on engineering innovation and sustainable execution strategies — the areas where they create true competitive differentiation.