Jotun A/S, Norway, one of the world’s major paint manufacturers, has selected Swedish component-based business application developer IFS and global management consulting firm Accenture to deliver and implement an extensive suite of business applications that will support most of Jotun’s main business processes.
The ERP software will be implemented in Jotun’s Scandinavian operations first, with an option to implement the solution in its global network of manufacturing and sales companies. The value of the contract is several million U.S. dollars, and is one of the largest ERP contracts in Norway in 2003.
The solution, which will support Jotun’s business-critical processes across international boundaries, includes components from IFS Applications for product development, manufacturing, supply chain management, and financials.
Bjørn Anton Wegger, project manager at Jotun, said, “This investment will give Jotun a major lift because it will enable us to substantially improve efficiency in a number of areas, especially with respect to order management and logistics. Our current system needed to be updated since some of our existing solutions have been in use for a long time and were ready to be replaced.”
“Since the process industry is one of our prioritized market segments, it is particularly satisfying to win such a large and comprehensive contract in the industry. The contract reaffirms that IFS provides solutions and competence that are valued by major corporations with complex global operations,” added Mark Rabjohns, president of IFS Asia Pacific, who also underlined the importance of collaborating with consultants such as Accenture, whose areas of responsibility in the project include change management and integration.
Bjørn Anton Wegger said that IFS was selected after a thorough evaluation of the leading suppliers in the industry, and explained that “during the evaluation process, we focused on competence, functionality and user-friendliness. A further requirement was that the solution be well adapted to chemical operations, especially the paint industry. We also wanted a solution that would support our global organization and customer structure.”
Implementation and training will be carried out by IFS, with Accenture as a subcontractor supplying consulting services. Jotun expects to implement the solution within a year in its Norwegian operations, whereas its Danish and Swedish subsidiaries will implement the solution in 2005.
Sources: www.ifsworld.com
