The Challenge
Van Oord is one of the world’s leading international dredging, marine engineering and offshore contractors with nearly 4,500 employees and an annual turnover of €1.5 billion. It is a Dutch family-owned company with 150 years of experience.
Efficient planning processes and activities are a priority for Van Oord and securing a clear, single view of people and resources in multiple locations across the company was a challenge. The ability to introduce management reporting capabilities was also essential. The organisation wanted a complete solution that could replace a multitude of legacy planning tools and manual spreadsheets, and interface with HR and project management systems.
The Solution
Before selecting a new solution, Van Oord undertook a review of its planning processes to establish its exact requirements. After a thorough selection procedure it finally selected Allocate. Van Oord chose Allocate primarily because it presented the most cost-effective option offering the functionality to support the majority of its processes from the outset and for its proven track record in the industry.
Van Oord deployed the Allocate solution, which it renamed internally as Global Resourcing Ingenious People (GRIP), to provide a single view of people and resources across the company and interface with the HR system to support integrated payroll activities. In addition to core planning functionality, Van Oord installed a wide range of Allocate’s integrated modules including Onboard, Travel Management, Skill Management and the Notification system.
The Benefits
Van Oord is one of Allocate’s largest worldwide implementations and as it is rolled out around the world the benefits already being delivered include:
- More effective ways of working and consistent processes through a single system
- Integration reduces administrative effort, avoids errors and duplication
- Quick acceptance of the Allocate system – planners see the immediate benefits of seeing and sharing the same information
- Flexibility and high levels of customisation accommodate the different cultural and operational requirements of a large, complex organisation
- Effective skills management matches the right people to the right jobs and identifies potential gaps in training programmes
- Accurate, real-time data aids compliance with legislative and skills requirements of different countries
- Better management reporting will lead to improved, more proactive decision-making and the ability to plan longer-term.
“In one single ship and shore system, planners at Van Oord wherever they are located, enjoy shared visibility of the entire company’s scheduling activities around the world. The availability of real-time data accelerates our scheduling processes and helps with effective management reporting that drives proactive decision-making and long-term forward-planning.”
Robbert Ferwerda
Project Manager GRIP, SMD Systems – Van Oord
