The municipalities of Salou and Manlleu, with 27,000 and 20,000 inhabitants respectively, share a commitment of more than ten years to electronic administration and the modernization of citizen services. With the support of Peakway, partner of Validated ID —now part of Signaturit Group— and the integration of GADD Grupo Meana, they have taken a decisive step in their digital transformation by implementing biometric in-person signing in their offices.
The challenge
Both municipalities sought to bring digitization closer to citizens who prefer in-person services, ensuring an agile experience without technological barriers.
In Salou, the goal was to digitize the entry register while maintaining the agility of Citizen Service Offices.
“We were concerned that the average service time at the Citizen Service Offices might increase, but the initial guidance provided to users greatly facilitated adoption.” — Jesús Redón Diez-Canseco, Head of IT, Salou City Council
In Manlleu, the challenge focused on advancing the paperless office project, making electronic administration accessible to the entire population.
“The main challenge was to incorporate from the outset biometric identification and e-signature systems that would reach the whole population, saving paper and time without affecting citizen services.” — Mª Carme Noguer, Head of Organization, People and Electronic Administration, Manlleu City Council
The solution
With the guidance of Peakway and the technology of Validated ID, now part of Signaturit Group, a biometric in-person signing system fully integrated into the Grupo Meana electronic records manager was implemented.
This enabled any request, document, or procedure initiated at the service desk to be automatically incorporated into the citizen’s digital record, with full legal validity and maximum security. The project also included training and support for municipal staff, ensuring a transparent, frictionless transition for both employees and citizens.
“Any citizen’s in-person procedure is now directly incorporated into their electronic record, with all valid identification and signing guarantees, quickly and seamlessly.” — Mª Carme Noguer, Manlleu City Council
The results
The implementation of biometric in-person signing has brought immediate improvements to the daily operations of both municipalities:
- Near-total elimination of paper in in-person procedures.
- Significant savings in time and resources for scanning, archiving, and document storage.
- Greater agility in citizen services.
- Improved service satisfaction among residents.
- Extension of digitization to new areas, such as Human Resources.
“The positive results, combined with the wide range of uses of biometric signing, encourage us to continue with digital transformation, driving further paper reduction.” — Jesús Redón, Salou City Council
A collaboration driving modernization
The case of Salou and Manlleu demonstrates how collaboration between local administrations, technology partners, and Signaturit Group enables a real digital transformation, balancing efficiency, sustainability, and quality of citizen services.
For Xavier Sancliment, founder of Peakway: “The challenge of a digital transformation project lies in time and agility. In Salou and Manlleu, a very successful short-term roadmap was achieved, paving the way for new initiatives.”
These municipalities have positioned themselves as leaders in the modernization of public administration in Catalonia, with a firm commitment to continue expanding the reach of their paperless offices.
