Amneon & Technip: Partnered for Success
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Technip is a world leader in engineering, technologies and project management for the oil and gas industry. Technip USA, Inc. engineering and Project Centers in Houston, Texas and Claremont, California design and build hydrocarbon processing plants and infrastructure from offshore oil and gas developments to onshore refineries and petrochemical plants. Technip is pursuing research and development initiatives to meet the challenges of the "new frontiers". Development areas include: subsea pipes adapted to ultra-deep depths, innovative solutions for LNG (both onshore and offshore), non-conventional resources, as well as the design of production platforms adapted to Arctic conditions.
Technip USA, Amneon Furniture and Houston Dealer Contract Seating began their relationship in 2005 providing Amneon's Appraise systems furniture for several small projects.
Marcia Thompson, Principal of Contract Seating says, "Technip was looking for a partner who could provide a good value in furniture." More importantly Technip desired a partner who would make the issue of office furniture go away.
Technip's partners with global gas and oil producers, providing engineering and project management support for large, highly technical projects. These projects are fast track and begin quickly, so the need to be able to provide furniture quickly is important. Technip needed a furniture standard that would satisfy not only the Technip engineering team but that of their project partners. Once the project engineering is completed the project team leaves the Houston location to complete the construction.
Because so many projects are happening, and are at different stages in planning, design or construction Technip experiences a very large churn rate. Thompson said, "The last thing Technip wants to worry about is the furniture procurement process. They will let me know that they need 20 workstations for a new project team to be installed in a few weeks. They expect that the furniture will be there when the people show up. Amneon is responsive in meeting those requirements."
One project led to another and through good collaboration between Contract Seating, Technip and Amneon a standards program was developed and several hundred workstations were installed in a number of Houston locations.
In the summer of 2008 Technip Senior Vice President, Steve Allen, informed Marcia that they were going to consolidate off campus locations to a new facility, Energy Tower II, in the fall of 2009. This project would include the relocation of furniture from the off campus locations to be used in the new 17 story building as well as new workstations. The Energy Tower II was a fast track project. While Allen was satisfied with the Amneon/ Contract Seating team, he was concerned about their ability to perform on a project this large. And because of the magnitude of the project many other manufactures were contacting Allen.
Thompson and the Amneon team provided a plan for Technip that showed how the relocation and reconfiguration would be implemented as well as how the new product required would be integrated.
"Marcia and Amneon demonstrated how this would be a 'zero punch list project' for Technip", Allen said. "They showed an understanding of our requirements, special needs and concerns. Based on this, and their past performance, I decided that they were right for the Energy Tower II job."
Contract Seating and Amneon worked closely throughout the planning design process with the Technip team and project architect and were key players in the Energy Tower II project team.
The installation of the furniture began in August, 2009 and was completed on time and on budget.
How did it go? Thompson said, 'There were some sleepless nights, but not because anything went wrong. I guess I'm just a worrier! Amneon has been a great partner and has done everything I needed and more. From a dealer's point of view, this has been a sweet project."
And how does Steve Allen feel about the project. "The furniture was the least of my concerns for Energy Tower II. Marcia is always responsive as my local contact and the Amneon team was supporting her throughout. They were always suggesting ways to simplify the furniture process." Allen said. "And we are already working with them on some new projects. That is a pretty strong endorsement."
And about that zero punch list commitment Amneon made. "I never saw a furniture punch list", Allen said.
