Service company Eltel Networks builds one company with IFS Applications
Eltel Networks, which engineers, builds and maintains electricity and telecommunications networks, continues its implementation of IFS Applications in Northern and Eastern Europe to further harmonize its business processes in the countries in which it operates. A framework agreement signed in 2006 comprises 5,400 users, of which 2,500 were existing license users in Swedia Networks. Recently, a call-off agreement was signed that included services and licenses valued at approximately SKr 17 million. The total value for IFS of the framework agreement with Eltel is in excess of SKr 25 million.
Eltel, currently one of Europe’s biggest companies in network services, has its roots in the service unit of the Finnish energy company, Fortum. Eltel’s majority owner, Industrikapital, bought the company in 2004 and merged Swedish Swedia Networks with Eltel. Expansion has continued, partly via further acquisitions, and the company now operates in 12 countries. The overarching reason for implementing IFSApplications is to support the ongoing process of consolidating its operations to create one company with common, integratable business processes in critical areas such as marketing and sales, service management, logistics, field service, pricing, contract management, project delivery, and financial management. The new applications infrastructure will also improve integration and collaboration with customers and partners.
“The majority of Eltel’s workforce consists of field technicians who are located close to customers. Critical to our success as a company is how well we manage these technicians. We invest considerable time to develop our field leadership and equip our technicians with efficient tools,” said Juha Luusua, Senior Vice President at Eltel. “IFS consultants had already proven themselves in the Project. With their experience and understanding of our industry, I am confident they will be able to support us in our efforts to consolidate operations and streamline processes.”
The new call-off agreement includes implementation in Denmark, Norway and Finland, integration with mobile appliances, CRM, and definitions for a new corporate finance system. Previously, the solution has been implemented in the Baltic States. The remaining phases comprise implementation in Poland and Germany, as well as an upgrade in Sweden. The system is to be implemented in all the above countries by 2009.
IFS prioritizes the telecom and utilities segment and has more than 150 customers involved in the industry. IFS Applications supports planning and forecasting, improves efficiency and control in day-to-day operations and integrates project, asset and facilities management with contract management, workforce management, supply chain management and business intelligence. Customers include telecom operators, network construction & maintenance providers and utilities such as Netcom (Norway), Chunghwa Telecom (Taiwan), Telsul (Brazil), Orange (Poland), Eltel Networks (Sweden) and MTN (Nigeria), the world’s largest hydropower plant, Three Gorges (P. R. China), nuclear power stations OKG (Sweden), PBMR (South Africa) and Qinshan (P. R. China), grid operators such as Svenska Kraftnät (Sweden), Statnett (Norway), TenneT (The Netherlands), and distributors such as Vattenfall (Sweden), Fortum (Sweden), and Hafslund Energi (Norway)