Service company Eltel Networks builds one company with IFS Applications

Service company Eltel Networks builds one company with IFS Applications

Eltel Networks, which engineers, builds and maintains electricity and
telecommunications networks, continues its implementation of IFS Applications in
Northern and Eastern Europe to further harmonize its business processes in the
countries in which it operates. A framework agreement signed in 2006 comprises
5,400 users, of which 2,500 were existing license users in Swedia Networks.
Recently, a call-off agreement was signed that included services and licenses
valued at approximately SKr 17 million. The total value for IFS of the framework
agreement with Eltel is in excess of SKr 25 million.

Eltel, currently one of Europe's biggest companies in network services, has its
roots in the service unit of the Finnish energy company, Fortum.   Eltel's
majority owner, Industrikapital, bought the company in 2004 and merged Swedish
Swedia Networks with Eltel. Expansion has continued, partly via further
acquisitions, and the company now operates in 12 countries. The overarching
reason for implementing IFSApplications is to support the ongoing process of
consolidating its operations to create one company with common, integratable
business processes in critical areas such as marketing and sales, service
management, logistics, field service, pricing, contract management, project
delivery, and financial management. The new applications infrastructure will
also improve integration and collaboration with customers and partners.

  “The majority of Eltel's workforce consists of field technicians who are
located close to customers. Critical to our success as a company is how well we
manage these technicians. We invest considerable time to develop our field
leadership and equip our technicians with efficient tools,” said Juha Luusua,
Senior Vice President at Eltel. “IFS consultants had already proven themselves
in the Project. With their experience and understanding of our industry, I am
confident they will be able to support us in our efforts to consolidate
operations and streamline processes.”  

The new call-off agreement includes implementation in Denmark, Norway and
Finland, integration with mobile appliances, CRM, and definitions for a new
corporate finance system. Previously, the solution has been implemented in the
Baltic States. The remaining phases comprise implementation in Poland and
Germany, as well as an upgrade in Sweden. The system is to be implemented in all
the above countries by 2009. 

IFS prioritizes the telecom and utilities segment and has more than 150
customers involved in the industry. IFS Applications supports planning and
forecasting, improves efficiency and control in day-to-day operations and
integrates project, asset and facilities management with contract management,
workforce management, supply chain management and business intelligence.
Customers include telecom operators, network construction & maintenance
providers and utilities such as Netcom (Norway), Chunghwa Telecom (Taiwan),
Telsul (Brazil), Orange (Poland), Eltel Networks (Sweden) and MTN (Nigeria), the
world's largest hydropower plant, Three Gorges (P. R. China), nuclear power
stations OKG (Sweden), PBMR (South Africa) and Qinshan (P. R. China), grid
operators such as Svenska Kraftnät (Sweden), Statnett (Norway), TenneT (The
Netherlands), and distributors such as Vattenfall (Sweden), Fortum (Sweden), and
Hafslund Energi (Norway)

About Eltel Networks
Eltel Networks is ‘The Infranet Company' in Northern and Central Europewith
prime focus on Electricity and Telecommunications networks. Eltel engineers,
builds and maintains the lifelines of society -   power transmission and
distribution grids; fixed and mobile telecommunications networks; safety /
security networks; and networks for municipal authorities. With more than 8,000
employees, Eltel is committed to securing the availability of these networks by
providing innovative solutions as strategic partners to its clients

More details can be found at www.eltelnetworks.com 

About IFS
IFS (OMXS: IFS), the global enterprise applications company, provides solutions
which enable organizations to respond quickly to market changes—allowing
resources to be used in a more agile way to achieve better business performance
and competitive advantage.

IFS was founded in 1983 and now has 2,600 employees worldwide. IFS has pioneered
component-based ERP software with IFS Applications, now in its seventh
generation. IFS' component architecture provides solutions that are easier to
implement, run and upgrade. IFS Applications is available in 54 countries in 22
languages. 

IFS has over 600,000 users across seven key vertical sectors: aerospace &
defense; automotive; high-tech; industrial manufacturing; process industries;
construction, contracting & service management and utilities & telecom. IFS
Applications provides extended ERP functionality including customer relationship
management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM), product lifecycle management
(PLM), corporate performance management (CPM), enterprise asset management (EAM)
and maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities.

For additional information, contact:
Manni Svensson, Investor and Public Relations, IFS
Phone: +46 8 5878 45 00

Anne R. Vandbakk, PR Manager IFS Scandinavia, IFS Scandinavia
Mobile: +47 952 06 545
E-mail: Anne.Reidun.Vandbakk@ifs.no