Atomic Energy Commission (ECA) - France

	Quick Facts Return on investment in six months System tracks 10,000 pieces of equipment and 12 maintenance contracts Annual maintenance of $4.8 million USD (30 million FRF)

The Atomic Energy Commission (ECA/FAR) in France conducts research in the field of nuclear power for the Ministry of Research and Industry. The 1,500 employees of the ECA are divided among 65 buildings for a combined 1,265,000 square feet (117,500 square meters) of facility space.

The Challenge
Maintaining the facilities at the ECA/ FAR requires an annual budget of $4.8 million USD (30 million FRF). Many of the maintenance tasks are subcontracted, so tracking costs and procedures across the different buildings is even more difficult than a traditional, in-house system.

The ECA maintenance department employs about 40 full-time employees and five managers to perform maintenance on the elevators, elevating devices, fluid networks, remote monitors, heating/air conditioning systems, electrical networks, power generating units, and various other systems.

"We developed requirements for maintenance software according to our technical and functional requirements," says Yannick Menard, head of the maintenance software project at ECA's Fontenay-aux-Roses facility. "We needed a solution that was easy to use and customizable with effective reporting tools and the ability to import data."

The Solution
For security reasons, any maintenance software package chosen by ECA would have to have variable levels of access according to log-in and password.

"After studying six vendors, we chose Datastream's asset management software," Menard says. "The software's user-friendly interface, modular approach, and easy-to-use wizards facilitate the work of our maintenance employees at the ECA."

The Results
Less than a year after implementing their Datastream solution, the ECA created 3,000 work orders, and the system now tracks 10,000 pieces of equipment. In addition, 12 maintenance contracts are managed through the software.

Datastream also allowed the ECA to obtain precise statistical data on the subcontractors' activities, including number of hours worked and distribution of work by building. This data allowed ECA management to improve contract requirements.

"After only six months of using Datastream asset management software, we already had a real 'return on investment,'" Menard says. "Thanks to its easy implementation, user-friendly interface, and adaptability, we have a powerful asset management tool that meets the needs of each user."