Normet
Normet operates in 28 countries and grew its turnover to more than EUR 340 million last year. The ambition is to continue growing even further. The key to this growth is in the transformation into an increasingly service-oriented organization. In addition to the manufacturing of equipment, Normet offers its hardware, technology, maintenance, and service based on usability as a service. Customers receive a faster and higher quality of service.
Normet, on the other hand, can offer new services, such as a model where the customer only pays for machine operating hours, with Normet taking care of everything else. Their new digital platform also helps to promote occupational safety in mines and tunnel sites – for Normet, this is a matter of the heart and an extremely important part of responsible operations.
Intelligent fieldwork control
Mining and tunneling equipment manufacturer Normet now renews the control of all fieldwork like customer service, installation, and maintenance. The platform consists of Dynamics 365 Customer Service and Sales, Dynamics 365 Field Service, Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations, Office 365, Azure Analytics, and IoT services combined with end-user applications developed by Fellowmind. As a strategic partner, we are responsible for the design, implementation, and maintenance of the full platform.
Normet’s fieldwork and service centers are controlled with the new SmartCare solution. It optimizes the complex logistics needed to manage thousands of devices, their consumable and replaceable parts, and service personnel. With SmartCare, equipment maintenance is anticipated and implemented throughout the life cycle of the equipment base.
With the built-in Azure-based forecasting system, Normet is now able to remotely diagnose and anticipate maintenance needs. The sensors collect usage data around the clock and the system anticipates and takes care of the availability of spare parts at the right place at the right time around the world. The new services enabled by SmartCare will improve customer productivity through improved occupational safety, higher quality service, and higher equipment utilization.
Explore our project in this video:
The new services enabled by SmartCare will improve customer productivity through improved occupational safety, higher quality service, and higher equipment utilization.
With the SmartCare solution, Normet’s service and service organization operates more efficiently than before. Resources are being used more efficiently; working hours are used for value-added work and Normet generates significant savings in euros when fewer hours are spent coordinating work, searching for information, and traveling. With the proactive maintenance model, sales of spare parts have also increased.
The app gives us a 360-view of our business; top-level indicators update fast, the situation improves, and we can drill down to a single, ongoing service even in real-time.
Improving digital technology
The chain of digitization extends from the insight of the top-line business to the individual device and the individual employee. In the near future, the Normet SmartCare mobile application will also be a tool to guide the daily work of field service technicians. The visual and easy-to-use application includes work orders, scheduling, and information about individual devices being targeted. All fieldwork is done using the mobile app.
Information about the device to be repaired in the field is obtained in digital form on a tablet, mobile phone, or, if desired, also in a virtual eye. The installer is supported by analytics, device history, and a digital connection to the entire expertise of Normet’s service center. Naturally, all the measures taken are recorded in the system and are used both for optimizing the life cycle of an individual device and for managing the entire device base.
In some maintenance and fault situations, the device will be serviced remotely, without any physical intervention. Of course, not all work can be done remotely, but the role of oily fingers is constantly diminishing. The necessary actions can also be remotely controlled so that the on-site installer or even the customer’s employee receives instructions using either a mobile app or a virtual eyelet. Ongoing training for fieldwork installers is also revolutionizing in the future: we are currently developing augmented reality (AR) installation and workflow guides using the D365 Guides Application. This speeds up on-the-job learning.
Global deployment
We are rolling out the digital platform in several countries, starting in the USA, the United Kingdom, Australia, India, Russia, China, Canada, South Africa, Peru, Chile, and Finland. Deployment is currently underway. Normet’s Riku Helander praises the quick benefits of the system.
It already seems that the system is paying itself back faster than expected.
In the future, we will undoubtedly see contract models in which Normet’s customer buys Operating Hours as a service, and the device is not on the customer’s balance sheet.
With the new operating model, Normet becomes an even better strategic partner in the eyes of its customers. Normet takes care of the complete picture to run the customer’s business.
Would you like to know more?
Matti Saastamoinen
Sales Director Fellowmind
matti.saastamoinen@fellowmind.fi
