How ATS Thrives and Expands in the Shipbuilding and Industrial Engineering
ATS, an engineering firm originally established in the historic mining and metallurgy center of Le Creusot, France, has expanded its reach significantly in recent years. With new locations in Nantes, Lyon, Porto, Barcelona, and Montreal, ATS continues to grow its presence across Europe and North America.
In a highly competitive market, the company has distinguished itself by integrating Hexagon’s advanced engineering solutions—such as Intergraph Smart® 3D, Intergraph Smart P&ID and CAESAR II®—into its operations, allowing it to deliver innovative and efficient engineering services to clients in sectors ranging from shipbuilding to renewable energy.
A Strategic Bet That Paid Off
Fifteen years ago, ATS became one of the early adopters of Hexagon’s suite of solutions. Stéphane Poirier, Head of Growth and Development at ATS, recalls the decision: “As a company, we’ve always been willing to make some calculated bets on things we believe in. At the time, we felt that industry standards, such as PDMS, were losing ground and becoming obsolete. Moving to Hexagon’s solutions was initially an investment for us, but with Hexagon’s help, we were able to train and gain proficiency very fast.”
This forward-thinking decision gave ATS a competitive advantage in key markets like shipbuilding, chemicals, and hydrogen.
From Underdog to Industry Standard
Poirier highlights the growing adoption of Hexagon’s tools in the industrial sector, especially for piping and calculation systems. “Among industrial companies, Hexagon solutions represent 90% of the French market,” he notes. The company has tackled significant challenges in less mature industries, such as overcoming a “culture of PDF and legacy software.”
By adopting Hexagon’s solutions like Smart 3D, ATS has enabled its clients to streamline their processes and leverage advanced drawing, schematics, and workflow capabilities.
Delivering High-Impact Results Across Sectors
ATS’s ability to execute 45 projects annually using Hexagon’s full spectrum of design solutions has been crucial to its growth. The company has delivered more than 500,000 hours of conception work using Hexagon’s solutions, resulting in significant efficiency gains. “It has helped us win some great projects and accounts,” says Poirier. ATS is now involved in every program at Chantiers de l’Atlantique, from civil and military initiatives to renewable marine energy infrastructure.
As ATS continues its growth and international expansion, it plans to broaden the use of Hexagon’s solutions to meet a broader range of client needs. Reflecting on their partnership, Poirier says, “What I particularly appreciate with Hexagon is that there is always a way to see eye-to-eye and build something together.”
To know more about the full story, read the case study here