Technip implements IFS Applications

IFS, the global enterprise applications company, announces that Technip — the global specialist manufacturer of flexible pipes for the oil and gas industry — has implemented IFS Applications at the Flexi France site in order to consolidate its production management in project mode and to support its growth. The solution, integrated by Capgemini and successfully deployed in July 2011 will also be rolled out in the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Brazil.

Flexi France, based in Trait in Normandy, France, is a specialist in the production of technically advanced pipes used to extract oil and gas. The company has manufactured and installed over 10,000 kilometers of flexible pipes since 1974, making Technip, thanks to Flexi France and the two other pipe factories within the Group (Asiaflex in Malaysia and Flexibras in Brazil), the world’s leading pipe supplier.

The company was seeking an integrated project-oriented solution covering all the aspects of its business. In order to meet production management objectives for all its manufacturing sites and to counter the growing demand for routing to end users, Technip decided to deploy IFS Applications at all its pipe factories as well as at Duco Ltd. in Newcastle, a site producing umbilicals — assemblies of steel and/or hydraulic tubes, electrical cables, and fiber optics used to inspect undersea facilities.

With IFS Applications, Technip will gain increased project transparency through improved control over the five success factors vital for businesses operating in project mode: risks, costs, cash flow, deadlines, and resources.

The expertise provided by the Capgemini teams, coupled with the competence found within Flexi France and IFS, contributed greatly to the project’s success. The solution enables the company to optimise operational efficiency and improve customer service. The implementation at Flexi France includes IFS components for manufacturing, production, projects, and finances.

“Most of our offer is made to order, by adapting to both the needs and the distinctive characteristics of each project. We continuously strive to improve the quality and reliability of our products, which are used at ever-increasing depths. Our goal was to optimise the production of flexible pipes throughout the manufacturing process, including routing to end users. We chose IFS Applications because it is a feature-rich, project-oriented ERP solution recognised in our industry for its ability to manage complex projects. IFS Applications will enable us to meet our operational requirements and to support the expansion of our operations worldwide by making our business processes more efficient.

 It provides corporate-wide data access and will enhance our customer services,” said Jean-Francois Niel, CEO of Flexi France.

“Experience has shown that companies which streamline their projects and use of production tools are the most competitive. Only an integrated, standardised approach provides a global view and total control of projects. The corporate culture at Flexi France is based on innovation and customer satisfaction in complex and demanding environments. The company understands the challenges of integrated management using project-oriented solutions in order to improve its capacities. Thanks to a broader view of project-related information, Flexi France can now better anticipate, control, and evaluate the impact of each project on the company’s overall performance,” said Amor Bekrar, CEO of IFS France.

Suppliers to the upstream Oil & Gas industry is one of IFS’s core markets. In 2011, IFS established the Oil & Gas Center of Excellence, further strengthening our commitment and focus on this industry. IFS offers flexible, component-based business solutions that manage the entire lifecycle of contracts, projects, assets and services. IFS Applications includes functionality for contract and project management, risk management, budgeting and forecasting, engineering, material management, fabrication, document management, service and asset management, all integrated with financials and human resources. Customers include Grenland Group, Babcock Engineering Services, Heerema Fabrication Group, Seadrill, Yantai Raffles, Archer, Apply Sørco, APL, Hertel, Bergen Group Rosenberg, Technip, BWO, Semco Maritime, Reinertsen, STX Europe, PGS, Wellstream and Hamworthy Gas Systems.

“It is evident that Project Based Solutions are the next generation of enterprise solutions providing more agility to businesses around the word. Especially in a market such as Sri Lanka where industries and businesses carry more dynamism as opposed to their counterparts in the European markets, this Best Bread of Solutions which IFS has to offer is a unique value proposition,”  said Sean Fernando –Solution’s Advisor, IFS.