Five Multi-National Companies Thriving with Engineering Document Management Systems (EDMS)

For businesses that operate on multiple sites across different countries and continents, getting the right information, in the right place and at the right time is critical, irrespective of geography or language. This has placed huge significance on how information is managed, stored and shared and underlined the importance of having an Engineering Document Management System (EDMS) fit for modern operations.

Document Management for the Modern Era

Having a centralized, accessible and scalable EDMS is a necessity for companies today. It means engineers and field technicians can access information quickly no matter where they are. More importantly, it greatly improves the accuracy of the information. 

With an EDMS in place, document sharing, annotating, and version control are tightly managed, reducing errors. Engineers working in remote locations or hazardous environments can trust that they are working from the most up-to-date and accurate documentation. An EDMS also means that documents can be accessed on and offline and across an array of devices. 

Additionally, organizations operating in multiple regions must navigate varying local regulations and audits, making consistency and data integrity across sites even more essential. Forward-thinking companies in industries such as manufacturing, energy, construction, and healthcare are already leveraging EDMS to unify workflows, maintain compliance, and ensure that their teams always have the most accurate and reliable information, no matter where they are. 

Transforming Operations with Multi-Location EDMS

Here are five businesses that have transformed their operations by expanding EDMS across multiple locations:

1. Enhancing Collaboration

One of the most significant benefits of extending EDMS to multiple locations is the ability to foster seamless collaboration. When teams operate across different time zones and regions, accessing the same set of up-to-date engineering documents becomes critical. Centralized EDMS ensures that employees, contractors, and stakeholders can access accurate documentation anytime and anywhere, reducing miscommunication and errors. 

Modernizing Document Management for the Pioneer of Skincare Innovation 

The inventor of modern skin care, Beiersdorf is one of the most recognizable names in the cosmetics industry. Faced with the possibility of losing around 15,000 business-critical plans and documents, the real estate team needed a solution that could be quickly implemented and provide worldwide access for its extensive team of architects and planners that sit outside of the core Beiersdorf team. After working with Accruent, Biersdoft now has one single, structured plan known to all employees - everybody can find what they’re looking for. It is also much easier to share information securely with people working outside the organization.

2. Streamlining Compliance and Risk Management

Businesses operating in multiple jurisdictions face the challenge of adhering to various local, national, and international regulations. Expanding EDMS to multiple locations simplifies compliance management by ensuring that all facilities have access to standardized document templates, audit trails, and version histories. These features make it easier to demonstrate compliance during audits and mitigate risks associated with outdated or incorrect documentation. 

How Amtrol-Alfa Maintains Compliance and Streamlines Document Control  

Amtrol-Alfa is a leading manufacturer of returnable pressure tanks in welded steel for LPG, Refrigerant, and Technical Gas industries. In this type of manufacturing industry, construction standards and regulations like ISO 9001 increasingly require evidence of document control and document management. It turned to Accruent which not only manages drawings but plays an integral role in the company’s operations. Searching, controlling document and drawing versions, and centralizing documents has become faster and more efficient. In the context of auditing, it has proved particularly useful in researching and highlighting the questions posed by the auditor.

3. Driving Operational Efficiency

Centralizing document management processes also has considerable positive impacts on the wider business. With a unified repository, businesses can eliminate redundant tasks, streamline workflows, and ensure faster decision-making. Moreover, digital transformation through EDMS reduces reliance on paper-based systems, cutting costs associated with printing, storage, and manual recordkeeping. 

Huntsman Realizes a 5% Reduction in Information Management Expenses 

Huntsman Corporation is a global manufacturer of differentiated chemicals operating in 30 countries worldwide. To safeguard and improve control of infrastructure documents and process-related information, it decided to implement a comprehensive engineering information management solution. This system had to manage both digital information and existing, archived documents. Today, hundreds of engineers at multiple locations work with Meridian daily. This has resulted in rapid response times in finding, accessing and changing drawings in instances when plant modifications are needed and reduced information management expenditure by 5%.

4. Clean, Simple Version Control

One of the major benefits of EDMS is version control. It ensures that only the latest approved versions of documents are used, reducing errors and miscommunication. Change management becomes more efficient, as modifications are tracked and audited, with clear visibility into who made changes and when. On top of this, automated workflows streamline approvals, while reducing manual intervention and delays. 

Gaining Access to Engineering Information in Seconds 

Europe’s largest producer of vacuum salt and a leading supplier of chlorine-alkali products and derivatives, Nobian Industrial Chemicals has almost 2,000 employees at locations in The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, China, and the United States. It is involved in sustainable change projects to improve the company’s environmental footprint and economic efficiency throughout the asset lifecycle. To manage these projects effectively, it needed to standardize processes and control changes, which is why it turned to Accruent. Today, the time for maintenance and operations to gain access to asset-related engineering information has been reduced to seconds. 

5. Training and Team Management

Beyond business benefits, having an EDMS can have a massive impact from a people perspective. Employees can access up-to-date training materials, policies and manuals anytime, ensuring consistency and reducing knowledge gaps. EDMS enables tracking of individual progress, certifications, and skill development, making personalized training plans easier to implement. Having an EDMS can also lead to improvements in onboarding by standardizing ways of working and creating a uniform workflow for new joiners to follow. 

Plugging the knowledge gap in the retirement brain drain  

Based in the Netherlands, Boskalis operates in over 75 countries across six continents and is one of the world’s largest global service providers of maritime infrastructure. Over the last decade, Boskalis faced a significant challenge: while its personnel increased by 12%, 40% of the organization retired, leading to a loss of valuable knowledge. Accruent's EDMS played a crucial role in addressing this issue. Boskalis now has a single source of as-built information to find and retrieve all ship-related engineering information, which has ensured that new employees could quickly adapt to quality assurance and HSE procedures.

Real Business Impact with EDMS

These case studies have demonstrated that implementing a multi-location EDMS is not just a necessity in today’s global economy; it’s a game-changer. The benefits are clear: 

1. Enhanced Collaboration: Seamless access to up-to-date documents for teams across different regions reduces miscommunication and errors.
2. Streamlined Compliance and Risk Management: Standardized document templates, audit trails, and version histories ensure adherence to diverse regulations and simplify audits.
3. Operational Efficiency: Centralized document management eliminates redundant tasks, speeds up decision-making and cuts costs associated with paper-based systems.
4. Effective Version Control: Ensures only the latest approved documents are used, enhancing accuracy and reducing delays.
5. Improved Training and Team Management: Standardized workflows and document handling make training efficient and consistent.  

Join the ranks of successful businesses globally that have implemented our EDMS solutions. 

Get in touch today to find out how Accruent can help expand your EDMS across your business and drive business impact.