Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC), the Finnish shipbuilder behind advanced naval vessels and US Coast Guard icebreakers, announced on April 28 it is deploying IFS Cloud to improve visibility, control, and execution across its complex, multiyear shipbuilding programs.
The company will use the platform to unify project management, procurement, production, logistics, commissioning, and financial control, replacing fragmented systems with a single operational backbone.
Shipbuilding Complexity Driving Need for Unified Control
RMC operates in one of the most complex project-based environments in manufacturing.
Each vessel reportedly involves thousands of components, multiple subcontractors, and continuous engineering changes across multiyear timelines. Managing that complexity requires real-time visibility into project progress, supplier commitments, material flows, and cost performance.
RMC’s objective is to shorten vessel build times, per the news statement. That target directly affects productivity and competitiveness. “With IFS Cloud, we gain the ability to drill into production issues in real time and manage projects proactively,” said Heikki Helen, ICT Manager at RMC. “Our ambition is to shorten vessel build times.”
By integrating operational and financial data into a single system, the company aims to detect deviations earlier, improve forecasting accuracy, and strengthen control across long-duration programs.
IFS Positions Cloud Platform for Project-Intensive Industries
IFS framed the deployment around its focus on asset- and project-intensive industries, where execution depends on coordination across engineering, supply chain, and financial processes.
The platform is designed to connect these functions into a unified system, supporting decision-making during active project execution rather than after the fact. IFS also pointed to its roadmap for embedded Industrial AI capabilities as part of the long-term value proposition.
“Shipbuilding represents one of the most complex project-based environments in the world,” said Mattias Bolander, Managing Director, Nordics at IFS. “With IFS Cloud, RMC gains a digital platform that enables greater operational transparency, more accurate forecasting, and the ability to proactively manage risk.”
What This Means for ERP Insiders
Project-based ERP is being evaluated on execution, not just system integration. RMC’s deployment centers on improving real-time control across active programs, not simply replacing legacy systems. For operations leaders and ERP program owners in project-intensive industries, the implication is that platform value will be measured by its impact on delivery timelines, cost control, and in-flight decision-making.
Build-time reduction is a metric that will validate investment. RMC has tied its ERP modernization directly to shortening vessel build cycles. CIOs and transformation leaders should expect similar outcome-based benchmarks to become standard in complex manufacturing and defense environments.
IFS continues to build credibility in high-complexity asset industries. Shipbuilding adds to IFS’s footprint in sectors defined by long asset lifecycles and operational complexity. For enterprise architects and industry leaders, this signals where IFS is focusing its competitive positioning relative to broader ERP vendors.
