Dixstone, the offshore energy services provider spun out from Perenco’s operations, has selected IFS Cloud to modernize its global operations spanning 10 countries and more than 2,200 professionals. The deployment marks a strategic shift toward unified project financial control and predictive asset maintenance as the company scales its portfolio across offshore conversions, installations, marine services, and decommissioning projects.
The implementation addresses a familiar challenge for energy services firms: managing complex, multi-site operations while maintaining rigorous safety standards and project delivery timelines. For technology executives evaluating similar cloud ERP platforms, Dixstone’s decision offers insight into how real-time planning capabilities and industrial AI functionality are reshaping asset-intensive operations.
Market Context, Evaluation Criteria
The construction and engineering ERP software market continues its upward trajectory, projected to grow from $4 billion in 2025 to $8.4 billion by 2035 at a 7.7% CAGR, with cloud-based deployments capturing 54.2% of market revenue in 2025. This shift reflects a fundamental recalibration in how project-based organizations approach digital infrastructure. This is a contrast from on-premises systems toward platforms offering remote accessibility, real-time collaboration, and predictive analytics.
When evaluating cloud ERP providers for complex project environments, technology leaders should prioritize three dimensions. First, project financial control capabilities that enable real-time budget tracking, resource allocation, and timeline management across geographically dispersed sites. Second, integrated asset operations and maintenance functionality that supports predictive maintenance and centralized asset data to maximize uptime and extend equipment lifecycles. Third, modular architecture that accommodates diverse operational models without requiring extensive customization.
Integration Challenges, Best Practices
ERP deployments in construction and engineering environments face distinct obstacles that technology executives must anticipate. Resistance to change remains the most persistent barrier, particularly among field personnel accustomed to legacy systems. Effective change management requires strong leadership communication about system benefits and comprehensive training programs tailored to specific user roles rather than generic sessions.
Data migration complexity presents another critical challenge. Transferring historical project timelines, financial records, and compliance logs demands robust data cleansing strategies to prevent inconsistent formatting, incomplete records, or duplicate data that can derail implementation. Organizations should establish realistic project timelines and budgets, as firms frequently underestimate resources needed for successful deployment.
Integration with existing tools requires prioritization during planning phases to prevent operational silos. Best practices include treating ERP as a company-wide initiative involving stakeholders in early adoption, training employees frequently in smaller sessions to improve knowledge retention, and conducting regular assessments to identify improvement areas.
For SAP environments specifically, construction firms should focus on creating cohesive workflows through ERP integration with other software tools, enhancing data visibility across platforms. The shift toward SaaS subscription models has improved ERP accessibility for small and medium enterprises, making cloud platforms cost-effective alternatives to traditional on-premises deployments.
What This Means for ERP Insiders
Cloud-based project ERP adoption accelerates in asset-intensive industries. The construction and engineering ERP market’s 7.7% CAGR through 2035 signals sustained demand for platforms that deliver real-time project financial control and predictive asset maintenance. For ERP vendors, this trajectory validates investment in modular, industry-specific functionality that addresses complex, multi-site operations. Systems integrators should develop specialized implementation methodologies that address persistent data migration and change management challenges, as these remain primary deployment obstacles.
ROI metrics establish quantifiable benchmarks for cloud ERP business cases. The 414% ROI and 11-month payback period documented in IFS Cloud deployments provide technology executives with concrete financial justification for modernization initiatives. Enterprise architects can leverage these metrics when developing migration business cases. This data-driven approach helps transformation leaders overcome budget resistance and establish realistic performance expectations for cloud platform investments.
Integration and customization capabilities determine platform viability for complex operations. Dixstone’s selection criteria illustrate the premium placed on composable architecture and deep industry functionality. For ERP product strategists, this underscores the competitive advantage of platforms that accommodate multiple operational models without extensive customization. Partner ecosystem alignment becomes critical, as successful deployments require integration with project management tools, BIM software, and legacy systems to prevent operational fragmentation.
