Where strategy meets execution: Royal IHC's experience with Floor2Plan

Royal IHC

Royal IHC is a leading Dutch innovator in maritime technology, providing advanced and integrated solutions for the dredging, offshore, mining, and defense industries. With a heritage dating back to 1642 and a strong commitment to sustainability, Royal IHC empowers clients worldwide to enhance operational efficiency and tackle complex industrial challenges.

Headquarters: Kinderdijk, Netherlands
Founded: 1642
Core Services: Shipbuilding, repair, and maintenance
Employees: 2.000 – 3.000
Partnership with Floor2Plan: Since 2012
Website: Royal IHC

The following testimonial features the perspectives of Royal IHC’s leadership team on their experience working with Floor2Plan. We had the pleasure of speaking with Derk te Bokkel (CEO), Johan de Bie (Director Capacity Centers), and William Leeuwestein (Production Coordinator), who shared valuable insights into how Floor2Plan supports complex shipbuilding operations, enhances planning transparency, and drives continuous performance improvement at Royal IHC.

1. What was the problem or challenge you were facing before you started working with Floor2Plan?

Before implementing Floor2Plan, our planning insights and actual production data were scattered across numerous Excel spreadsheets and different systems. Some information was partially stored in our ERP, but there was no single source of truth. This fragmentation made it difficult to get a clear, real-time overview of project progress and often led to inefficiencies and miscommunication within our teams.

2. What were the results from this old way of working?

The lack of clear, up-to-date information created daily challenges across the entire shipyard. For management, it was difficult to set the right priorities or make timely decisions because the overall status was never fully transparent. On the shop floor, teams often had to chase down the latest updates or clarify shifting priorities, which led to confusion and wasted time. A lot of energy went into manually gathering and reconciling data from different sources, rather than focusing on actual production. This not only slowed us down, but also made it hard to work proactively or confidently steer projects forward.

3. What is different when using Floor2Plan?

With Floor2Plan, we now have a single, integrated platform that provides real-time visibility into planning and production status at every level of the shipyard. Management can instantly see project priorities and progress, while teams on the shop floor always know what needs to be done next. This clarity has streamlined our communication, reduced manual data handling, and made it much easier to proactively manage resources and timelines.

4. Can you describe the moment when you realized Floor2Plan was solving your challenges?

The turning point came when we we realized that we were all referencing the same data on production status and actuals. It was clear that Floor2Plan had become our shared perspective.

5. How has daily life at the shipyard changed now that your challenges are being addressed with Floor2Plan?

We now have a clear, shared overview of priorities and progress, which means everyone—from management to the shop floor—can focus on their work with confidence. Communication has improved as we spend less time searching for information or clarifying next steps.

The collaboration between Floorganise and Royal IHC fits within the ambitions of the Dutch Maritime Masterplan, including strengthening national shipbuilding capacity through digital collaboration platforms. To explore the broader impact of this partnership on the Dutch shipbuilding industry, we invite you to read the full article: Royal IHC and Floorganise strengthen Dutch shipbuilding with renewed partnership.

This is how Royal IHC improved efficiency and planning. Ready to explore what Floor2Plan can do for you?