oil-rig image credit pixabay/kristinakaspIFS has announced that APPLY, a Norwegian multidiscipline engineering company will upgrade its current IFS solution to IFS Applications 10. Headquartered in Stavanger, Norway APPLY has offices in Bergen, Hammerfest, a subsidiary in Krakow, Poland as well as staff located across Oil and Gas facilities on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS).

Founded in 1979 it first installed IFS in 2009 with IFS Applications 8. Unlike some customers, it has upgraded with every major release. It moved to IFS Applicatons 9 in 2014. APPLY has now decided to reinvest in the Swedish ERP solution five years later. It uses most of the core modules from the ERP solution including project management, supply chain management, equipment rental, finance and HR. It applies them across its operations including project management, engineering and HSEQ (Health, Safety, Environment, & Quality). The company has seen several benefits from deploying IFS already.

Bjarte Haugland, Area Head of IM&IT at Apply commented: “We needed a strategic solution to increase our productivity and revenue. In our industry, we are used to things recurring in cycles and the last rises showed us the importance of staying focused on the way we work and the systems we use. We saw that with one central enterprise solution, it became easier to standardize our work processes since data could flow between different business areas seamlessly. This meant ensuring data is entered only once and shared by all who need it.”

Going cloud?

There are several benefits that APPLY could gain from moving to IFS Applications 10. Though it does not appear as though it will use a cloud hosted solution. The company currently uses a client for IFS and Citrix to run many of its IT applications. It will however benefit from the new look and feel of Aurena that has a smaller footprint, especially for remote workers. The intent also appears to gain more efficiencies with the integrations that IFS Applications 10 provides with other systems. Though these were not specifically called out.

Haugland added: “It is not an understatement to say that the efficiency increase we have had from IFS Applications has been considerable over the years. IFS Applications has enabled us to reduce the number of systems we use, streamline processes and get better visibility of our data, enabling our 1,200 employees to handle an increasing number of highly complex projects for our clients. With IFS Applications 10, we are looking forward to reaping the benefits of the new IFS Aurena user experience, which will give our offshore staff better access to the solution.”

Enterprise Times: What does this mean

Elni Kullmer, Managing Director, IFS Nordics
Elni Kullmer, Managing Director, IFS Nordics

In 2009 looked to leverage the new version of IFS ERP to increase efficiency at a time when it needed to. Today it is seeking increased usability and access for remote workers that should further enhance visibility for the leadership. Elni Kullmer, Managing Director, IFS Nordics, commented, “APPLY is an inspiring example of how drastic changes in market conditions can be turned into an opportunity for enhancing productivity, strengthening business processes, and, ultimately, improving revenue. Companies that invest in robust industry solutions that offer comprehensive coverage out-of-the-box, a low total cost of ownership, and total freedom in terms of deployment method, are better equipped to weather storms and, even more importantly, hit the ground running when the tide turns. We are very proud to support Apply and we look forward to a swift implementation project.”

This announcement demonstrates that IFS continues to keep the loyalty of is customers. That is a solid base for the expansion, that it has demonstrated with its recent results announcement. However, it is not a net new customer for the company. It needs to demonstrate that it is winning business across its vertical markets if that momentum is to continue. IFS has traditionally been strong in Oil and Gas, but that is an industry that is faced with a future of declining investment.  There is still room for growth in the industry as companies look for greater efficiency. As the FT states: “The time to stop investing is not today. But that point is coming.” IFS has evidence that its solutions work for Oil and Gas companies, but it needs to show that it can win new business in the sector as well.

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