Recently, Ultra was able to take a behind the scenes look at the IFS ERP solution. The IFS team – Mike Lorbiecki (VP of Sales), Parker Zanios (Director of Partner Alliances), and Rick Veague (CTO) – gave us the breakdown of what it takes to get to one million licensed users, and their plans to reach two million.
IFS ERP Solution Background
Headquartered in Linkoping, Sweden with an international presence, including an office in Chicago, IL, IFS’s 2,700 employees serve 2,400 different customers around the globe, and in mid-2015 they announced their one millionth licensed user. With plans to hit two million, IFS seems to be on the right track, outpacing the ERP market with double digit revenue growth and an acquisition strategy that is allowing them to penetrate key markets.
IFS ERP Solution Core Business Process Areas
IFS is not trying to be everything to everyone. They know their customer and invest heavily in four core business processes to support them. These are:
- Project Management
- Service and Asset Management
- Manufacturing
- Supply Chain Management
Capabilities of the IFS ERP Solution
The IFS ERP solution contains a comprehensive suite of modules that can be deployed in full, or tailored to be a best-of-breed solution like an EAM (Equipment and Asset Management) system. We find that IFS is well-suited for multiple industries, specifically:
- Aerospace and Defense Manufacturing
- Automotive Manufacturing
- Asset Intensive Processes
- Energy and Utilities
- High Tech Manufacturing
- Oil and Gas
- Process Manufacturing
- Construction
- Services Industries
Product Development
Product development at IFS has been geared toward the user experience and visualization. This is seen in the recent release of IFS Applications 9, with role-based user interfaces like IFS’s Lobbies and the Manufacturing Visualizer. Where traditional dashboards show you KPIs, IFS’s Lobbies take it a step further and not only delivers key information, but also becomes your interface allowing you to take action. IFS is also staying current with mobility and app development, and now offers a single tenant, SaaS and IaaS cloud solution on Microsoft’s Azure platform.
Plans for the Future of the IFS ERP Solution
Moving into 2016, IFS is looking to capitalize on some of the more recent technology trends that we have seen emerge, like wearables and the Internet of Things (IOT), but these aren’t just ambitious plans. IFS has already documented the value of an IOT project with one of their customers in Norway that operates commuter trains. The doors on the trains would malfunction over time and cause unplanned maintenance. By analyzing data from “door roller resistance” sensors and other door alarm signals, the customer was able to predict malfunctions and perform preventative maintenance, improving asset utilization from 80% to 90%.
With this type of innovation, a clear focus on their target industries, a solid network of partners, and a robust solution that focuses on the user experience, we expect to see more and more of IFS in our ERP selection projects.
To learn more about the IFS ERP solution, visit the IFS website.
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