Shaping low-code for enterprises long before it was a trend

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Build enterprise-grade applications faster, modernise legacy systems, and eliminate costly SaaS licensing – delivered from London by a team of 300+ specialists led by Oracle ACE Director Matt Mulvaney.

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Learn about Pretius UK

Led by Oracle ACE Director Matt Mulvaney

Our UK operations are led by Matt Mulvaney — one of only 17 Oracle ACE Directors in the world — based in London. All APEX development projects receive direct architectural oversight from Matt, ensuring your solution is future-proof, compliant with UK regulatory requirements, and connected to Oracle's product roadmap. Pretius Ltd is a fully registered UK entity (Company No: 147557660), governed by English Law.

Matt Mulvaney

Pretius Ltd CEO / London-based leadership

♠ Oracle ACE Director — 1 of 17 worldwide

Oracle APEX: the enterprise low-code platform your Oracle investment already includes

Oracle APEX is a fully supported, enterprise-grade low-code platform included at no additional cost with your Oracle Database licence. It runs natively in any browser, eliminates the WebLogic middleware overhead of Oracle Forms, and allows developers to build and deploy rich, functional applications 10–20× faster than traditional code.

For UK organisations with Oracle investments, this matters in three ways. First, APEX is already paid for — you own it as part of your Oracle Database licence, with no per-user fees and no additional licensing burden. Second, it leverages the PL/SQL skills and business logic your team has built over decades, preserving your investment rather than discarding it. Third, it provides the database-native security, audit logging, and access control that UK-regulated organisations need to satisfy FCA, DORA, and UK GDPR requirements — without adding middleware or external dependencies.

What we build with Oracle APEX

01 Oracle Forms Migration to APEX

Accelerate your APEX transition: achieve web-native architecture with modern, responsive UIs, eliminating client-side Java applet dependencies and WebLogic middleware. APEX boosts cost-efficiency by reusing existing PL/SQL and backend logic, while our AI Forms to APEX Assistant accelerates estimation, automates routine migration tasks, and significantly reduces time-to-delivery.

Our structured migration approach includes deep analysis, preservation of all business logic, phased rollouts to minimise operational risk, and comprehensive client training — ensuring your in-house team can independently maintain and extend the new system.

Learn more about Oracle Forms migration

VAN Group case study

Our modernisation of VAN Group's internal systems — migrating from Oracle Forms to Oracle APEX — produced a significantly more flexible and user-friendly system with a seamless transition. We also trained the client's internal IT team in APEX, enabling full independence in maintaining and evolving the solution. For UK clients, this means we do not just build and leave — we empower your team to own the future.

02 Business process automation

For efficient process automation, we use Oracle APEX's native workflow components — ideal for application-centric workflows, offering tight database integration, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness without the complexity and overhead of dedicated BPM platforms like Camunda or Activiti.

APEX enables building process-driven applications directly on your database, eliminating fragmented infrastructure. With expertise in both APEX and the wider BPM ecosystem, we advise on the optimal automation strategy — native APEX simplicity or a dedicated BPM for high-complexity orchestrations — tailored to your specific requirements, integration scope, and budget.

For British organisations subject to DORA or FCA operational resilience requirements, APEX workflows provide database-native auditability and process documentation as a byproduct of normal operation — not a separate compliance exercise.

Learn more about APEX Workflows

Munich Re HealthTech case study

We automated critical data workflows using APEX, reducing task execution times from days to minutes. Tasks that previously required 15 days of manual Excel work now complete in approximately 20 minutes.

03 Enterprise-grade platform applications

Oracle APEX is explicitly designed as an enterprise-grade platform, capable of supporting the development of scalable, secure, and mission-critical applications. Its tight integration with the Oracle Database provides a foundation for high performance and reliability — whether deployed on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), Oracle UK Sovereign Cloud, on-premises, or with other cloud providers like AWS or Azure.

Key platform capabilities for UK enterprise deployments:

Elastic scalability — handling peak demands of the UK market without infrastructure complexity.
High availability — leveraging Real Application Clusters (RAC) and automated backups for 24/7 business continuity.
Preconfigured security — built-in defences aligned with UK regulatory standards.
Automated patching and upgrades — eliminating the maintenance debt that plagues UK legacy systems.
DORA-compliant DR architecture — when deployed on OCI, Data Guard configurations with tested failover and documented RTO/RPO.

Enterprise examples

Munich Re HealthTech (SMAART tool migration to SaaS model), Sweco (Obsurv application migration with DevOps team), Van Cargo (custom logistics solution with route planning and cargo monitoring).

04 Extending existing enterprise software

We specialise in enhancing core enterprise systems — ERP, SCM, HCM, Oracle EBS, SAP — by developing targeted Oracle APEX extensions. This approach enables well-integrated solutions via native database access or REST APIs, modern responsive UIs, rapid development cycles, compatibility with existing security models, and an independent application lifecycle for maximum flexibility.

For UK enterprises, this is often the most commercially compelling path:

rather than a costly full replacement, targeted APEX extensions extend the life of existing systems while delivering modern capabilities — eliminating the "rip and replace" paradox and maximising the return on existing software investments.

05 Replacing spreadsheets with APEX applications

We transform spreadsheet-dependent operations into efficient, reliable APEX applications. By building centralised data management systems, we address the fundamental problems of "Excel hell": version control chaos, no audit trail, multi-user conflicts, and the security and compliance risks of uncontrolled data.

Our solutions create a Single Source of Truth with enhanced security, auditability, multi-user scalability, improved data integrity, and superior reporting — directly satisfying UK GDPR data governance requirements, FCA audit obligations, and the data minimisation principles that make spreadsheet-based processes increasingly untenable in regulated sectors.

Munich Re HealthTech

Transformed 15-day Excel-based processes into 20-minute APEX workflows.

06 Data analysis and reporting in APEX

We leverage Oracle APEX's powerful built-in reporting and visualisation tools to design tailored data analysis solutions. Our expertise focuses on creating interactive data exploration experiences and dashboards that deliver genuine business intelligence — not just data visualisation.

This includes custom KPI dashboards, FCA-compliant regulatory reporting automation, risk management dashboards for the London insurance and financial markets, and real-time operational analytics. For UK organisations where the speed of decision-making defines market leadership, APEX-native reporting eliminates the manual, error-prone data consolidation that delays insight.

Why low-code? The strategic case for UK enterprises

Accelerated delivery and lower costs

Low-code applications can be built and deployed significantly faster, supporting agile development cycles and allowing organisations to respond quickly to business needs. Faster time-to-market translates directly into lower IT costs — fewer development hours, faster ROI realisation, and reduced project risk.

At Pretius, we built a global SaaS application for Munich Re in just 3 months, and delivered a functioning volunteer coordination application in a single night during the Ukraine crisis. Speed at enterprise quality is not theoretical — it is what we deliver.

Enterprise-grade without the enterprise overhead

Oracle APEX and Mendix support secure, scalable, and maintainable applications suitable for mission-critical enterprise use cases — CRM systems, ERP extensions, freight management platforms, and SaaS products serving millions of users. The US CDC's V-safe application, built on Oracle APEX, handled 140 million users with 1.4 million active daily during the COVID-19 pandemic. Enterprise grade is not a claim; it is a documented capability.

Standardised development with built-in governance

Low-code platforms enforce proven development standards and provide well-tested components for capabilities such as authentication, integrations, and user management — working consistently across applications, reducing complexity and duplication. Development is more reliable and auditable, which matters for UK organisations where software development governance is scrutinised by internal audit, external regulators, and procurement teams.

Bridging business and IT

Low-code allows business users to participate in application development under IT governance. This unlocks domain expertise, shortens feedback loops, and ensures the software meets real business needs. Users who are involved in the development process are more invested in adoption — reducing the training burden and accelerating time-to-value.

Why a custom application over off-the-shelf SaaS?

For many UK enterprises, the SaaS licensing model has become a significant and growing cost centre — per-user fees, feature tiers, and vendor lock-in that compounds year after year. Custom applications built on Oracle APEX eliminate this recurring cost entirely: APEX is included with your Oracle Database licence.

01 — Tailored fit

No unnecessary features or forced compromises

An application built precisely around your processes, without superfluous functionalities that clutter interfaces and complicate user adoption. Generic SaaS forces your business to adapt to the software; custom development adapts the software to your business.

02 — Scalability

A solution that grows with your business

Custom applications are designed with future growth in mind, providing flexibility to handle increased data volumes, more users, and new functionalities without compromising performance. Your investment continues to deliver value as your organisation evolves.

03 — Performance

Optimal architecture for your specific workload

Slow loading times and sluggish responsiveness in generic platforms stem from architectures designed for the average use case, not yours. Custom APEX applications are architected for your specific data model, user concurrency, and query patterns — delivering performance that generic SaaS cannot match.

04 — Integration

Seamless connection with existing systems

A custom APEX application integrates natively with your Oracle Database and connects via REST APIs to CRM, ERP, accounting, or other critical platforms. This eliminates data silos, ensures consistency across departments, and automates information flow — reducing the administrative burden of managing disparate systems.

05 — Security

UK GDPR and FCA compliance by design

With a custom application, you control security architecture. Access controls, encryption, authentication mechanisms, and audit logging are tailored to your specific regulatory obligations — UK GDPR, FCA data governance, DORA ICT risk management — rather than adapted from a generic SaaS security model designed for an average customer.

06 — Ownership

Full control over your code and data

Custom development gives you ownership of the software code and the data it processes. You are not reliant on a third-party vendor for updates, access to your data, or business continuity. This protects intellectual property, ensures operational independence, and eliminates the risks associated with SaaS vendor pricing changes, acquisitions, or discontinuation.

07 — Competitiveness

Unique capabilities that create market advantage

Proprietary algorithms, innovative customer interaction tools, and highly specialised operational features are impossible to build in a generic SaaS platform. Custom APEX development enables capabilities that directly differentiate your organisation in the UK market.

08 — Long-term cost advantage

Eliminate compounding licence fees

Cumulative SaaS licensing fees — especially with per-user pricing — escalate significantly as organisations grow. Oracle APEX is included with your Oracle Database licence at no additional cost. The longer you run custom APEX applications, the more pronounced the cost advantage becomes relative to equivalent SaaS platforms.

Oracle APEX or Mendix? Choosing the right low-code platform

We are official partners for both Oracle and Mendix. Our technology-agnostic recommendation means we have no commercial preference — we advise based on your specific situation.

Choose Oracle APEX when you:

Already use Oracle Database and want to maximise its capabilities.
Need to modernise existing Oracle tools (Oracle Forms, PL/SQL-based systems).
Are looking for a cost-effective solution with no extra licensing fees.
Want to extend existing enterprise systems (ERP, SCM, etc.) quickly and securely.
Have in-house PL/SQL developers and want to leverage their skills.
Need to replace spreadsheets or small tools with centralised, auditable applications.
Prefer tight integration with Oracle infrastructure (on-premises or Oracle Cloud).
Want to build secure, database-centric applications with minimal setup and fast delivery.

Choose Mendix when you:

Want a vendor-neutral platform not tied to a specific database or infrastructure.
Need to build mobile-first applications, support offline mode, or connect IoT devices.
Prefer visual development tools with minimal coding and drag-and-drop logic.
Require strong integration with third-party systems via ready-made connectors.
Value built-in AI assistance and low-code automation features.
Need rich DevOps support, including versioning, CI/CD, and team collaboration tools.
Are creating new enterprise applications from scratch, spanning multiple systems and teams.

The Pretius UK advantage

The "ACE Factor" – quality you can verify

Oracle ACE designation is the highest level of Oracle's formal recognition of technical mastery. It is awarded through a documented nomination and approval process, not by completing certification courses. Pretius has 5 Oracle ACEs — including Oracle ACE Director Matt Mulvaney in London — making it one of the most Oracle ACE-concentrated delivery organisations in Europe. Having an ACE Director in London means your architecture is supervised by someone with a direct line to Oracle's product roadmap.

Local UK accountability – no IR35 risk

Pretius Ltd is a fully registered UK entity (Company No: 147557660), headquartered in London, governed by English Law. All engagements are 100% IR35-compliant — a clean B2B partnership that eliminates off-payroll working risk entirely. No contractor arrangements, no hidden exposure, no administrative burden.

Instant enterprise scale – 300+ specialists, day one

In a market where specialist Oracle APEX talent is genuinely scarce, we provide immediate access to 300+ in-house salaried specialists. Senior squads are deployable within two weeks. We do not recruit for projects — we maintain a permanent, salaried workforce ready to execute. More than 20% of the team are dedicated APEX developers.

London–Warsaw Hybrid Model – dual hub advantage

Strategic consulting, architecture oversight, and client governance from our London office under Matt Mulvaney, combined with the engineering scale of our Warsaw Centre of Excellence — Europe's premier Oracle hub. High-end Oracle APEX engineering delivered at a significant cost advantage compared to purely London-based consultancies.

Rapid development – PoC in weeks, not months

Our agile methodology and low-code capabilities allow us to deliver functional prototypes and Proofs of Concept in weeks. In some cases, we build a basic PoC live during a discovery meeting — so you experience APEX's capabilities before a contract is signed. This "start small, think big" approach validates ideas, reduces risk, and gives stakeholders and boards tangible evidence before approving full investment.

Technology-agnostic – we recommend what fits you, not us

We are Oracle experts. We are also Java developers, React engineers, PostgreSQL architects, and Mendix specialists. That breadth means we have no structural reason to push Oracle APEX when something else would serve you better. Our recommendation follows your data, your team, your regulatory environment, and your strategy.

By the Numbers

+ years

powering market leaders with expert software development

in-house specialists – immediate access, no recruitment delays

+ projects

successfully delivered

of clients become long-term partners

+ years

length of our longest client partnership

Oracle ACEs

on the team (including 1 ACE Director)

international conference talks annually

10–20×

faster development vs. traditional code with Oracle APEX

ISO 27001 certified · UK GDPR compliant · DORA ready · IR35-compliant engagement

Want to see APEX in action?

Book a no-obligation discovery call and find out how quickly we can create a Proof of Concept for your solution!

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Our process

Pretius acts as a dedicated partner, not just a software vendor. We focus on delivering practical APEX solutions that contribute to your business objectives at every stage.

Phase 01

Analysis and ideation

Our projects begin with analysts working with you to define the problem and identify how APEX can provide the most effective solution. We run collaborative workshops to map your processes, goals, and constraints — including the UK regulatory and data governance requirements that shape what is possible and what is auditable. When needed, we build a Proof of Concept or working demo. We make sure we are solving the right problem, in the right way, from the very start.

Phase 02

Designing effective solutions

Once we have a clear set of requirements, our architects design a solution that meets them, provides the best business value, and fits your technology stack and long-term growth strategy. We can provide clickable Figma visualisations to help you understand how the system will look and work. We choose technologies purely based on what fits your project — not based on what is most convenient for us to build.

Phase 03

Development

The actual development, adapted to your preference — fixed-scope Waterfall, iterative Agile, or a combination. For regulated UK organisations, we align delivery milestones with compliance evidence requirements and internal governance checkpoints.

Phase 04

Maintenance

Our scale enables us to provide ongoing maintenance that many smaller UK firms cannot. The scope of services is always clearly defined in the SLA. 93% of our clients continue working with us after the initial project — some partnerships have lasted over 18 years.

Phase 05

Further scaling and improvement

Business needs change, and APEX applications must evolve to keep pace. We extend solutions with new modules, expanded integrations, AI capabilities, and additional user roles as your organisation grows.

Flexible project approaches

01 Co-creation

Our preferred model for complex, business-critical APEX projects. Our engineers work alongside your in-house team from day one. Knowledge transfers continuously. When the project ends, your team understands the new system deeply enough to own it — not just use it. This model was central to the VAN Group migration, where the client's internal IT team received full APEX training during the project and achieved long-term independence.

03

02 Dedicated development teams

You have a clear scope and destination. We provide a cross-functional team — developers, analysts, QA, DevOps, and project managers — that operates as an extension of your organisation. You maintain strategic control; we bring the execution capacity.

02

03 Comprehensive project delivery

You hand us the project, we deliver the outcome. Defined scope, defined timeline, defined budget. Minimal internal overhead for your team. Optional SLA-backed maintenance after go-live.

04 Team augmentation

When you need to fill specific APEX, PL/SQL, Oracle DB, or CI/CD skill gaps within your existing team, we provide experienced specialists to integrate with your in-house capabilities. Fully IR35-compliant.

Our ACE team
– meet the people behind the work

Matt Mulvaney

CEO of Pretius UK / Oracle ACE Director

Oracle APEX Developer and Consultant with over a decade of experience. Author of the Pretius Developer Tool and Pretius AI Forms to APEX Assistant. Regular speaker at APEX World and ODTUG Kscope. Holds the title of Oracle ACE Director specialising in Oracle APEX — one of only 17 people worldwide. Based in London, leads all UK client engagements.

Contact Matt directly

Przemysław Staniszewski

CEO of Pretius / Oracle ACE Pro

Oracle APEX Developer and Consultant with over 14 years of experience. Oracle ACE Pro specialising in Oracle APEX. Author of the Translate APEX project. Founder of the Pretius Low-Code brand. Regular speaker at Cloudworld, APEX World, and ODTUG Kscope.

Rafał Grzegorczyk

Oracle APEX and PL/SQL Developer / Oracle ACE Pro

Over ten years with Oracle APEX and PL/SQL. Pretius's resident CI/CD expert with deep knowledge of Liquibase, Oracle SQLcl, and Flyway. Oracle ACE Pro specialising in DevOps. International conference speaker.

Lech Cieślik

Oracle APEX Developer / Oracle ACE Associate

A decade of commercial APEX experience. Regular speaker at APEX World, UKOUG, APEX Alpe Adria, and OUGN. Main area of expertise: maps in APEX applications. Oracle ACE Associate.

Dominik Grabiński

Oracle APEX Developer / Oracle ACE Associate

APEX Developer and Consultant since 2017. Experience across telecoms, banking, and pharmaceuticals. Oracle ACE Associate. International conference speaker at Kscope and APEX World.

Case studies

Branch

Health insurrance

Country

Greece

SYSTEM

Insurance management

4 Months to Modern SaaS, Slashing Costs & Accelerating Critical Analytics from Days to Minutes

Migrating a legacy system to Oracle APEX to reduce costs, implement new features, and automate processes. Tasks that used to take days now only take a few minutes.

Optimizing infrastructure management app for over 120 cities

Migrating the urban infrastructure management app to Oracle APEX and launching a DevOps team at Sweco streamlined operations and reduced costs of developing custom modules for various municipalities.

Branch

Engineering

Country

Netherlands

SYSTEM

Municipal asset management

Branch

Transportation

Country

Poland

SYSTEM

Freight management

Digitally transforming Van Group's logistics with a custom Freight Management System

Modernizing the system with new features, including route planning, cargo tracking, and automatic freight cost calculation. The system has reduced human errors, assisted drivers with navigation, and enabled a faster response to lucrative orders.

Explore the APEX ecosystem – resources from Pretius

What our Clients say

Bilal Ramadan

CEO – Munich Re HealthTech

The solution is secure, scalable, and compatible with most technologies used by our clients. It's also much cheaper to maintain, which was an important success criteria. Application licensing costs were largely reduced.

Adam Kasperowicz

CIO – VAN group

The new e-VAN system has become an innovative tool and work environment. The development team allows us to use the potential of the latest trends and technological solutions: web & mobile development, responsiveness, integrations, low-code, and cloud computing.

Marijn van den Berg

Team Manager – Sweco

Thanks to our collaboration with Pretius, we've made it easier for our clients to utilise Obsurv. Customising the application modules to their specific needs is now much quicker and more efficient. For us, this means shorter customer onboarding times and lower costs.

Zuzanna Świętorzecka

Head of Bancassurance – BNP Paribas

The communication throughout the project was very good as Pretius provided us with a Project Manager who always addressed our needs. The most impressive thing was how quickly the team developed a fully working, market-ready software solution for us.

Marek Samujłło

CIO – Emitel

What I like the most, as CIO, is that the people at Pretius care not only about technology itself but rather about how this technology can help your company achieve business goals.

Richard Coombes

Head of Engineering – Equals Money

They allowed us to deliver against our 20/21 roadmaps, launching new products to market and increasing company revenue by over 70%.

Gordian Ratajczak

Product Owner – Neuroflash

They effectively assess a project and allocate the matching resources, which gives confidence that you are in good hands. Issues and tasks are handled proactively and communication stands on a firm ground of mutual understanding and goals. You are not hiring an external resource, but you are gaining a team member.

Konrad Gałecki

Digital Manager – Philip Morris Distribution

Usually, you can either get a high-quality software solution or have it developed fast. However, thanks to choosing the right technology, the Pretius team was able to provide us with a fully working platform in a relatively short time.

FAQ

Yes, as long as you have an Oracle Database licence, APEX incurs no additional costs. You can use it for as many applications — including commercial products — as you need, with no per-user fees and no feature tiers.

It depends on product specifics. Some companies have reduced time-to-market by nearly 40% (Oracle blog), and the number can go higher. In our experience, a fully functional simple application can be delivered in hours, and a complex enterprise-grade solution in around 4 months. A Statista poll found that 29% of business and IT leaders estimated low-code development to be 40–60% faster than traditional methods.

Yes. The US CDC's V-safe application — built on Oracle APEX and mandatory for US citizens during COVID-19 — had over 140 million users and 1.4 million active daily. Enterprise-grade, mission-critical use is documented and proven.

As a rule, yes. APEX allows creation of a wide range of enterprise application functionalities: advanced business processes, reporting, integrations with other systems, and AI-ready architectures. For exceptionally complex features, additional technologies or extensions may be needed — consulting with our team will clarify what fits natively in APEX and what requires customisation.

APEX is tightly integrated with the Oracle Database, running inside it rather than alongside it. This provides the foundation for high performance, transactional integrity, and enterprise-grade reliability.

APEX is designed as an enterprise-grade platform with preconfigured security features: role-based access control, audit logging, session management, and authentication frameworks including OIDC, SAML, and Social Sign-On. When deployed on OCI with Autonomous Database, Maximum Security Zones provide the security architecture that UK-regulated organisations require.

APEX's low-code, declarative framework — built-in wizards, pre-built components, and native database integration — enables rapid development cycles. Simple applications can be created in hours; complex enterprise solutions in months rather than years.

Yes. APEX applications deploy on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), including Oracle UK Sovereign Cloud, as well as on AWS, Azure, and GCP. For UK-regulated organisations with data residency requirements, OCI's Sovereign Cloud provides verifiable technical isolation with UK-only personnel access.

Yes. APEX enables integration via native database access, REST APIs, Oracle REST Data Services (ORDS), and standard web service protocols. This covers CRM, ERP, SCM, HCM, and any other system with a REST interface.

Absolutely. APEX is built around PL/SQL — your existing PL/SQL procedures, functions, packages, and database logic can be leveraged directly. Forms developers can be reskilled in APEX following Oracle's Learning Paths.

Low-code allows developers to use custom code for advanced logic while reducing repetitive boilerplate; no-code is fully visual and aimed at non-technical users. Low-code offers more flexibility and is better suited for complex, enterprise-grade, and compliance-sensitive applications.

Security is built into every phase of our development. We implement secure coding standards, role-based access policies, data encryption, robust authentication, and alignment with UK GDPR, FCA data governance, and DORA ICT risk management requirements. Our ISO 27001 certification covers the entire delivery process.

Yes. Every specialist is a full-time, salaried Pretius employee. Engaging Pretius Ltd — our registered UK entity — gives you a clean, risk-free B2B partnership that eliminates all IR35 off-payroll working exposure. No contractor arrangements, no hidden risk, no administrative burden.