Absoft grows from strength to strength

Last autumn’s Deloitte Fast 50 Awards highlighted how well SAP consultancy Absoft Limited is maintaining its position as one of the most consistent performers in Scotland’s burgeoning technology industry.

Achieving 14th place – the company’s highest ever ranking – is down to the ‘commitment, hard work and adaptability of the Absoft team’, according to Managing Director, Ian Mechie. And with staffing levels at an all time high – 55 staff with the likelihood of further growth throughout 2006 – Absoft’s robust performance is all the more impressive, when many similar size consultancies are either feeling the pinch or have ceased trading because of market volatility and the strong competitive environment.

The company celebrates its 15th year in business this year, buoyed by solid turnover figures and profit margins. Whilst Absoft has expanded into a number of vertical markets, the energy sector remains a key focus for the company.  SAP is the leading business software solution within the oil and gas industry and much of Absoft’s growth has been achieved on the back of demand for combined SAP skills and oil and gas business understanding.

SAP’s position as “business software platform of choice” amongst the oil majors is now filtering through to the mid-market, with key oil independents and service companies seeking to gain the same benefits from the software.  As the only SAP specialist consultancy based in Europe’s oil capital, Absoft is picking up new customers in this space.  Last year, one of the world’s leading international drilling and engineering contractors KCA Deutag, awarded a significant $2.4 million global SAP software implementation to Absoft.

The project involves installing SAP, in support of KCA Deutag’s business operations in Europe, Russia, The Middle East, Caspian Region, North and West Africa, and Asia which provides KCA Deutag with a scalable solution appropriate to an organisation with a strong commitment to future growth and rolling-out best practice business processes worldwide.

Following the initial design phase, the SAP deployment is being planned over two phases lasting approximately 50 weeks in total. Phase one includes the Finance and Human Resources modules and Phase two covers Supply Chain and Plant Maintenance. The system is expected to have over 800 users worldwide.

Meanwhile, Talisman Energy (UK) Limited – another Absoft client, has awarded the company a two-phase/five year SAP software support contract valued in the region of £500,000 to support its SAP system.

Working in close partnership with Talisman’s information systems support team, Absoft SAP consultants provide ‘remote’ off-site support delivered from the company’s SAP Support Centre in Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, with Talisman’s Information Systems team take on the on-site support responsibility.

These contracts underline Absoft’s dominance in the Oil and Gas sector.  The company’s track record is unrivalled, based on many years’ experience working with a broad range of organisations, including Exxonmobil, Halliburton, ConocoPhillips, Chevron, Baker Hughes and Total.