Our CEO looks back at 2009

Published: 22.12.09

“It’s like coming into a candy shop while on a diet.”

That is what a potential customer in London said recently, while being presented to Pims. We are proud to demonstrate Omega’s system solutions for customers. After upgrading our base technology for application development two years ago, we have strengthened our capacity to efficiently produce new high-quality system solutions.

Systems and competence

Omega CEO Petter Aalvik looks back at 2009.

Our websites omega.no and insideomega.com have now been migrated to our new Appframe technology platform. This will give users more content – I can even publish things myself now – and a quicker and more organised user experience when browsing the sites. Many of our Pims customers have started to use the new solutions, best practices have been collected in simpler Pims modules, and we have more marketing material and documentation than ever before.

Our competent developers make the products. However, Omega’s solutions for clients are more than just the product. We provide system solutions that support the client’s project model and are seamlessly integrated into their business. Methods, procedures and trade skills combined with clever system solutions gives the best result for the client.

We would like even more technology resources with a desire to learn the trade. System engineers who can cover both the trade and system side of things are what makes Omega stand out from the competitors. Recently, Arild Røksund and Sigurd Bell received “Leading Advisor appreciation award Risk Management 2009”, formally awarded at a Statoil trade gathering, for providing “support and deliveries beyond expectations and customer oriented attitude”. If you are a system engineer with ambitions, grab any chance you have to get project and trade experience!

Quality for the customer

Individuals are important, but even more important is creating a project management environment at the client with methods and tools. This requires a team with the right mix of trade and system competence. At Omega we are fortunate to have many experienced consultants with a thorough knowledge of the trade and an understanding of the challenges the clients are facing. They are uncompromisingly on the client’s side and demand quality work from Omega. Especially our technology department works closely with the consultants and are faced with demands of high quality and better functionality at no extra cost for the client. The consultant works as the architect, pushing Omega to deliver and become a better company in the process.

In 2009 we have a great example of this from our work with DONG Energy in Copenhagen, Denmark. They gave Omega the chance – with people from various fields in Norway and Denmark – to establish a new project management environment with accompanying methods and tools. In this article we present Sven-Olaf Jørstad and his team in DONG, where they work to introduce new system tools and integrated project management methods.

Stable demand and safe finances

Throughout 2009 we have experienced a stable demand for system solutions and project services. 630 employees at the end of the year as opposed to 605 at the beginning represents new growth, and we brought our 2008 growth with us into the new year. For those who might worry after Norwegian newspaper Finansavisen’s report in August that Omega’s bottom line was decreasing, we can report that our gross margin and return is lower than last year due to rate reductions in the market, but our growth and decreased administration and technology costs makes Omega a stronger company than last year.

Going into 2010 our customers are demanding more standardisation in development projects and more focus on quality from their subcontractors. They would like to develop new projects that are profitable at levels lower than today’s oil price. More standardisation and increased quality, that is Omega!

I would like to thank everyone for their efforts in 2009. Have a relaxing and peaceful holiday, think safety and avoid accidents. Merry Christmas and a happy new year.