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Eramet improves the safety and fluidity of its maintenance operations thanks to Nerya solutions

  • benoit239
  • 2 days ago
  • 5 min read

Eramet, a group specialising in metals for the energy transition, operates industrial sites around the world. As such, the maintenance of its industrial facilities is a major strategic issue. To make its processes more reliable, enhance operator safety and increase agility, the group has chosen to rely on Nerya's Tracks software. This is a prime example of the effective implementation of Nerya tools. Testimonials from Edouard Salathé, CSR & Compliance IS Product Line Manager at Eramet, and Jean-Claude Hippomène, CEO and co-founder of Nerya.




Eramet: an industrial metals player committed to the energy transition


A strategic industrial player for the metals of tomorrow

Eramet is a French mining and metallurgical group with international reach, specialising in the extraction and processing of strategic metals. With 10,000 employees, it operates in more than 15 countries around the world.

It addresses sustainable development challenges by actively contributing to the energy transition through the responsible production of strategic metals such as manganese, nickel and, more recently, lithium.


The extraction sites are located in Gabon (manganese), Senegal (mineralised sands), Indonesia and New Caledonia (nickel), and Argentina (lithium).


They are used in many industries:

  • batteries;

  • electric mobility;

  • construction;

  • infrastructure;

  • etc.


Eramet meets the needs of its industrial customers for responsible metals by reducing the environmental impact of all its operations, from extraction to processing.


Innovation, safety and performance at the heart of the strategy

Eramet's industrial culture is based on stringent requirements in terms of:

  • safety;

  • equipment reliability;

  • process optimisation.


To maintain this level of operational excellence on an international scale, Eramet must rely on robust management tools and high-performance digitalisation. It was in this ongoing quest to improve the reliability and safety of operations that the collaboration with Nerya was born, with one goal in mind: to transform maintenance practices in a concrete way for ever greater efficiency.




Industrial maintenance challenges at Eramet


For Eramet, maintenance is a major operational risk: in 2023, maintenance activities were identified as particularly accident-prone. As part of its IT and security roadmap, the group decided to launch an international call for tenders to digitise and secure these processes.


This approach is part of a broader strategy implemented by Eramet across the group. To manage its industrial requirements, the company relies on its integrated management system, the Eramet Production System (EPS), which aims to strengthen operational excellence and responsiveness in the field. At the same time, its R&D centre, Eramet Ideas, develops innovative solutions, particularly in the areas of extractive processes, decarbonisation and industrial data management.


It is in this overall context of innovation and improving the reliability of practices that the partnership with Nerya took on its full meaning.


Nerya and its Tracks solution were chosen based on a combination of criteria:

  • functionality;

  • regulatory compliance;

  • cost;

  • technological robustness.


What made the difference was the tool's ability to cover the entire safety-related business chain (prevention plan, work permits, lockout/tagout, etc.), while offering an agile and scalable approach. In addition, Eramet was looking for a partner capable of evolving alongside its growing needs and adapting to the specific characteristics of each site.




Digitising maintenance: why Eramet chose the Nerya Tracks solution


Nerya is a software provider whose Tracks solution focuses on managing maintenance operations in industry.


Edouard Salathé, CSR & Compliance IS Product Line Manager at Eramet, explains:

‘We chose Nerya for its ability to offer us a user-friendly, intuitive solution that meets our industrial requirements. We also wanted a partner capable of supporting us over the long term, with a genuine understanding of our needs on the ground.’


Jean-Claude Hippomène, CEO of Nerya, emphasises:

‘We have worked with Eramet to develop a solution that fits into their daily industrial operations without unnecessary complexity. The challenge was to simplify usage while maintaining a high level of traceability and security.’




The Nerya approach: service, software solution configuration and turnkey delivery of the solution to the customer


Nerya's unique selling point is its focus on listening to customers, bringing teams together around change management, configuring solutions and providing post-installation support.


The steps involved in installing Tracks

  1. Initial diagnosis: Analysis of issues, listening to teams' concerns and studying the realities on the ground.

  2. Collaborative workshops: Organisation of working meetings with teams to identify specific business needs.

  3. Development of a progress plan: Establishment of a roadmap with specific milestones and clear deadlines.

  4. Turnkey configuration: Complete configuration of the solution and delivery ready for use, equipment included.

  5. Certified training: Training in methods and tools using Qualiopi methodology.

  6. Transition to independent use: Support for the site to move towards autonomous use of the tools.

  7. Ongoing support: Continued support role after implementation.




Tracks: Successful deployment of an effective digital maintenance tool


The Nerya solution was not rolled out across Eramet all at once: it was first launched at a pilot site in Norway, chosen to test its performance in real-world conditions. In mid-2024, feedback was gathered from the pilot site before the tool was rolled out to other sites.


At this pilot site, following employee training, subcontractors were gradually integrated. This step is essential to standardise best practices in safety and maintenance. At the same time, several other sites within the group were already in production. The sites in Gabon and Dunkirk will be soon deployed.


This controlled pace of deployment ensures not only gradual adoption, but also adaptation to the specific constraints of each site and the realities on the ground.




Digitisation of maintenance with Nerya's Tracks: Concrete results and benefits


  1. Reduction of errors and oversights in critical procedures (work permits, lockouts, validations)

  2. Complete traceability of actions and authorisations, facilitating internal controls and audits

  3. Simplification of operators' daily tasks, thanks to an intuitive mobile application adapted to the field

  4. Operational time savings in the management of safety documents and the preparation of interventions

  5. Less stress for teams: procedures are guided, steps are clear, and the risk of oversights is limited

  6. Better coordination between field teams and EHS managers

  7. Rapid adoption of the solution by users, even on complex sites

  8. Reduced validation times, thanks to the smooth flow of information

  9. Greater alignment between safety practices and regulatory requirements

  10. Ability to adapt the tool to Eramet's specific needs, based on a co-construction approach




A relationship of mutual trust between Eramet and Nerya focused on continuous improvement


One of the distinctive features of the partnership between Eramet and Nerya is its collaborative approach to development.


‘Being able to vote on changes to the applications is essential for us. It allows us to tailor the tool to the real needs of users. It is a shared, flexible and scalable tool.’

Edouard Salathé, CSR & Compliance IS Product Line Manager, Eramet


‘We consider our customers to be partners in product development. Their feedback is incorporated into our roadmap, and priority developments are decided together.’

Jean-Claude Hippomène, Nerya




Towards broader coverage of security processes


While the initial rollout focused on industrial maintenance, Eramet was also impressed by Tracks' ability to cover a wider range of safety-related processes, such as prevention plans, work permits and lockouts.


Without explicitly mentioning future expansion, Nerya's modular and integrated approach suggests the possibility of a gradual broadening of uses, in the interests of greater operational consistency and comprehensive traceability of critical procedures.




Would you like to streamline and secure your maintenance operations?

👉 Contact the Nerya team to discuss your challenges in the field and find out how our solutions can help you.



 
 
 

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