IFS, the global enterprise applications company, has signed a deal with Babcock Pty Ltd, part of Babcock International Group PLC, the engineering support services company.
Babcock Pty Ltd is a leading engineering design, systems integration and support contractor specializing in the provision of engineering design services, systems integration, project management and in-house testing for Australian defense customers.
Operating out of two locations in Australia, Adelaide and Perth, the Babcock team is now implementing an integrated business system that will enable further efficiencies by reducing duplication, automating processes and ultimately provide an overall view of how the business is performing at any one time.
“The team was coping with disparate systems to process everything from purchase orders to updating progress reports. We knew that to support and grow the business over the coming years we needed a new integrated system, as part of our ongoing investment and development of the business here in Australia. It was clear IFS understood our business and our industry very well and provided an excellent solution for our needs,” said Patrick Donovan, Babcock’s Systems & Equipment Managing Director, whose team is involved in the development.
The first phase of the project is under way with the implementation of IFS components for financials, HR, contract management, distribution, project management and service applications. The second phase of the project, which will include the implementation of complex MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) and workshop operations components, will start early in 2011.
Babcock has been an IFS customer globally for ten years. IFS Applications is currently being used in Babcock operations in the UK, the United States and Canada, and the company expects to roll out IFS in other countries over the coming years.
“Risk management is a top priority for companies working in the defense sector, as they need to ensure every ship, submarine, plane or piece of equipment is working as it should, is repaired properly, and maintained. IFS’ excellent track record in the defense sector and the understanding we already had of Babcock’s business meant we could respond with a proven solution that was tailored to the needs of the Babcock team here. We are very pleased to be working with Babcock in Australia,” said Rob Stummer, Managing Director, IFS, ANZ.
Aerospace and defense is one of IFS’ targeted market segments. IFS Applications™ is a market leading off-the-shelf component-based solution that supports performance-based logistics (PBL), contractor logistics support (CLS), and fleet operator programs. It also supports maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), asset & fleet management, supply chain management, and product lifecycle management.
Customers include the United States, British and Norwegian defense organizations as well as the Eurofighter consortium. Commercial MRO shops and service operators include Bristow Helicopters, Aero-Dienst GmbH, K&L Microwave, Lufthansa Technik Qantas (LTQ), Ensign Bickford, Todd Pacific Shipyards and Hawker Pacific. In addition, IFS provides solutions to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, BAE SYSTEMS, SAAB Aerosystems, and GE Aircraft Engines.
IFS Customers in Australia and New Zealand include AB Equipment, Dairy Australia, Lufthansa Technik Qantas, Uhde Shedden, Metrix, Hawker Pacific, Visy and Globus Group.
