ALMACO Group Oy, which specialises in cruiser modernising and maintenance services, provides its services primarily to its international customers and has offices around the globe. Fujitsu’s OPAS (Operational Activity System), known as M2 in ALMACO, facilitates ALMACO’s project management and intercontinental operations.

”We work both in and out of office. Therefore it’s vital for us to have access to project files anywhere and anytime. Now that we have OPAS, even if my computer went missing my project would not be jeopardised,” says product manager Jussi Rantala (on the right) of ALMACO.

The entire project lifecycle can be viewed in the browser-based system and used by everyone from sales to implementation and maintenance.

”Passing the responsibility from one department to the next happens now more smoothly and gray areas are minimised. Organisations fluctuate and people come and go, so it’s useful to have all necessary data gathered in one place,” says development director Jukka Vornanen of ALMACO.

OPAS reduces email traffic

According to Jukka Vornanen, OPAS genuinely weaves processes and quality systems in the day-to-day work, harmonises different working methods and facilitates documentation.

”The actual status of a project can be easily monitored which facilitates project management,” Rantala says.

Email and phone traffic decreases as people can find information in the system whenever they want. It is also possible to send a notification of an updated document to all those concerned.

Better project management

Customers and partners can also produce content in the OPAS system via their own user interface.

”Project documentation can be examined at all times and the customer is able to decide what to see and when,” Rantala says.

ALMACO uses OPAS also as a tool in external reviews and quality management. ”A company with a quality certificate typically also has a handbook describing the process. With OPAS there is no need for separate process descriptions as the system integrates the working method into the hands-on work,” Vornanen says.

According to both Rantala and Vornanen, based on user reports the benefits of the system are undisputable.

”The system provides individual employees far better tools than before to manage the whole, whereby projects can be implemented without frustrating hassle and confusion.”