IFS wins contract to support Babcock operations

Gordon Peters
Thursday, 30 September 2010 02:51

IT Industry - Deals

Global enterprise applications company, IFS, has signed a deal with engineering support services company, Babcock, part of the Babcock International Group, to support its Australian operations with the updating of its integrated business system, enabling further efficiencies by reducing duplication and automating processes.

Babcock's systems & equipment managing director, Patrick Donovan, said '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 on-going 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.'

IFS says the first phase of the Babcock project is underway with the implementation of financials, HR, contract management, distribution, project management and service applications.   The second phase of the project, including the implementation of complex MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) and workshop operations modules, will start early in 2011.

Babcock specialises in the provision of engineering design services, systems integration, project management and in-house testing for Australian defence customers.

According to IFS, ANZ managing director, Rob Stummer, 'risk management is a top priority for companies working in the defence 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 defence 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.'

Stummer said IFS customers in Australia and New Zealand include AB Equipment, Dairy Australia, Lufthansa Technik Qantas, Uhde Shedden, Metrix, Hawker Pacific, Visy and Globus Group.