Ocean International Suppliers

Ocean International Suppliers, Inc., based in Lakeland, FL, provides pipe and pipe fittings to the offshore oil and gas industry. Their products are used in the construction and maintenance of oil rigs and chemical plants worldwide. These materials are comprised of metals called super alloys, such as super duplex stainless steel and titanium. The many grades of alloys require stringent verification processes and each item is manufactured with its own specification sheet that must be retained, traceable and included with every shipment.

Delivering to producers of oil and gas in the U.K., Scandinavia and Canada among other countries, Ocean International was at a disadvantage not being ISO certified. ISO, a series of quality standards set by the International Organization for Standardization, is the most widely used quality management system in the world. ISO requires strict management of documentation.

To solve these issues, Ocean International approached DocuVantage™ to assist them with the overwhelming documentation requirements that surrounds their industry. Using the system offered by DocuVantage™, Ocean International was able to overcome the challenges of managing their product and service documentation - previously administered manually - and obtained ISO 9002 certification, opening doors to supply the world's leaders in the oil and gas industries.

Operating on a Windows 2000 platform, DocuVantage™ implemented an Electronic Document Management system that allowed for rapid deployment, workflow with an easy-to-use GUI to route documents, secure browser-based access, and text search. Furthermore, DocuVantage™ worked closely with Ocean International to integrate the new system into Ocean's pre-existing intranet application that handles quoting and sales, plus employee tasking.

When asked what other benefits they have received in implementing the system, Anne Bokneberg, president of Ocean International said, " The workflow product by DocuVantage™ allowed us to identify redundant processes in our daily operations and to free up time for more productive tasks than handling paper all day. Our goal is to maximize output from each employee and with an EDMS solution; we have significantly improved performance without adding people to our overhead, keeping us lean, mean and competitive," she adds with a smile.

Another benefit, Bokneberg noted, is the secure storage of documents. Weather in Florida poses a large threat to businesses in this region but with electronic imaging, offsite storage means a company can safeguard irreplaceable documents - the lack of which could put a company out of business, especially applicable to Ocean International who is committed by ISO regulations and the general demand for document accessibility in their industry. "When you are dealing with billion-dollar oil rigs or chemical plants, it is critical to locate documentation in seconds," said Bokneberg.