IFS launches IFS Professional Membership Scheme

IFS Defence has announced the launch of the IFS Professional Membership Scheme (IPMS) through the Business Partner Network in the UK. The scheme will provide consultants with professional recognition for their skills and knowledge of the extended ERP suite IFS Applications 8™ to control mission-critical applications in a wide range of public and private sector organisations and is intended to be an element of a wider IFS Certification Program to be announced in 2013.

The IPMS is designed to create a professional body of consultants skilled in the implementation of IFS solutions, which optimises and manage essential enterprise processes from services and assets through to manufacturing and supply chain. Members will have access to privileged IFS information including product roadmaps, pre-release information and partner and member areas, and will be invited to regular Professional Forum days. IFS Defence will add qualified consultants to the IFS Professional Register—which is recognised by IFS globally.

Inclusion in the IPMS follows a formal application process, with eligibility linked to the IFS Business Partner Network. Each business partner is able to sponsor consultants and will hold responsibility for annually reviewing an individual’s eligibility for membership renewal. The IFS Business Partner Network currently comprises five partners in the UK: The Business Change Network, Cedar Bay, Cooper Software, IT Works and Vanilla Solutions. The Business Partner network, and through it the IPMS, are expected to grow over the next few years to potentially reach a total of over 2,000 IFS contractors.

Members of the IPMS have the opportunity to purchase an IFS product subscription for IFS Applications 8, which is supplied as a running Virtual Machine, to allow consultants to test solutions on their own system before updating a customer's solution on-site.

"Being part of a professional body through the IPMS will more readily provide consultants with access to what is happening within IFS product development, and will support consulting opportunities in the wider IFS community," said Graham Grose, A&D Industry Director, IFS Defence. "We hope that this scheme will encourage our contractors to affiliate themselves with our Business Partners in order to extend their knowledge of IFS Applications, as well as assure our customers of IFS consultants' advanced knowledge and experience of the solution."

_{About IFS
IFS is a public company (XSTO: IFS) founded in 1983 that develops, supplies, and implements IFS Applications™, a component-based extended ERP suite built on SOA technology. IFS focuses on industries where any of four core processes are strategic: Service & asset management, manufacturing, supply chain and projects. The company has 2,000 customers and is present in approximately 60 countries with 2,800 employees in total. Net revenue in 2011 was SKr 2.6 billion.
More information on IFS is available at www.IFSWORLD.com}

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_{Visit the IFS Blogs on technology, innovation and creativity: http://blogs.ifsworld.com/}

_{About IFS Defence
Aerospace and Defence is one of IFS's targeted market segments. IFS Applications™ provides market leading, off-the-shelf, component based solutions that support Performance Based Logistics (PBL), Fleet Operator programmes and solutions for Defence Manufacturing, Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO), Asset & Fleet Management, Supply Chain Management and Product Lifecycle Management.}

_{Defence customers include Navy, Army and Air Force solutions into the US, British and Norwegian DOD/MoD and military as well as the Eurofighter consortium. Commercial Aviation MRO shops and service operators include Aero-Dienst GmbH, Alitalia Maintenance Systems, Dyncor, K&L Microwave, Hawker Pacific, Ensign Bickford and Todd Pacific Shipyards. In addition, IFS provides solutions to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and integrators such as General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, BAE SYSTEMS, SAAB and GE Aircraft Engines.}

_{For more information, please visit www.ifsworld.com/ifsdefence/}

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_{IFS Defence Press Contacts
Sharon Cade
Marketing Co-ordinator - IFS Defence
sharon.cade@ifsdefence.com
Phone: +44 (0)7715 749502}

_{Claire Grant     
IBA International - PR for IFS Defence
cgrant@iba-international.com
Phone: +44 (0)1780 721433}

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