Babcock BES Sets Course For Improved Efficiency With Launch Of IFS Materials And Manufacturing Management Systems
Babcock BES's principle customer is the Ministry of Defence Warship Support Agency, which is part of the Defence Logistics Organisation. Whilst Britain's naval shipyards are recognized as essential strategic facilities, many MoD refit contracts are let on a commercial basis and must meet stringent terms for cost and delivery. In addition, Babcock BES also has a core program of refits, allocated on a preferred contractor basis using the principles of partnership sourcing. This allows the yard to plan ahead and invest in the facilities required to meet the future needs of all its customers.
Currently Babcock is geared to surface ship refits, and the present order book includes a batch of five Type 23 frigates. In addition the yard is undertaking major modifications to all three of the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers to support operations of the new Merlin helicopter.
Babcock has installed IFS software as part of a key business systems investment to improve the management of warship refitting contracts. HMS Monmouth, one of the Royal Navy's latest Type 23 anti-submarine frigates, will be one of the first ships to benefit from the new system. Configured initially to meet the requirements of the materials and manufacturing divisions, the software provides better control of material procurement and the processing of emergent requirements as equipment is removed from ships and dismantled for refurbishment.
The Challenge
The Rosyth dockyard first came under Babcock management in 1987 as a contractor- operated facility. Located on the banks of the Firth of Forth, the site includes four dry docks and a fully enclosed non-tidal basin with 1500 meters of berths, supported by traveling cranes of up to 50 tons capacity. In 1997 Babcock purchased the dockyard outright, giving the management greater freedom to pursue a policy of continuous improvement aimed at reducing costs and making the facilities more efficient.
"As part of this on-going review a number of issues were identified within the materials, spares procurement and manufacturing areas in particular with access to information and inventory control," explains Alan Gilmour, project manager for Babcock BES.
The former information system had, over the years, become heavily customized and inflexible. Reports were being printed "by the box-load", many of which were already out of date by the time they were distributed to the department managers. As a result users were creating localized spreadsheet solutions with inevitable duplication of effort and a reduced information flow.