PMFORUM Breaking News

Reported by Miles Shepherd in London, UK.

The International Project Management Association (IPMA) has announced that the winner of IPMA’s International Project Excellence Award 2007 is the Technological Revamping Project of 150,000 t/a Acetic Acid, Jiangsu Sopo (Group) Co. Ltd., China.

The plant produces acetic acid with methanol and carbon monoxide as feedstock. It uses self-developed technology, which is advanced in process, produces a high quality end product, is low in consumption, and is competitive in the market. The project had stiff objectives including a 40 month schedule, 891 Million Yuan budget and a zero accident safety target. All these were achieved as well as passing the Government acceptance tests.

Second Level Prize Winners included:

Beijing Medical Insurance Information System Construction, Operation and Maintenance Project, by Capinfo Co. Ltd., China. The project’s aim was to construct and manage the Beijing Medical Insurance Information System. It included 26 agencies, more than 1200 hospitals and 300 social security offices. It successfully computerized the operation of the medical insurance of more than 6.8 million people.

Luojiaohe Hydro Power Project in Guizhou Province, by Guizhou Zhongshui Construction Project Management Co.Ltd., China. The project covered the entire process of Project Management and contract management services for the construction of a hydropower station with an installed capacity of 200 Mega Watt, adopting a new construction mode.

Interitissue Paper Mill Project, by Polimex - Mostostal S.A., Poland. The project designed, supplied and assembled the steel construction and erection of a cellulose warehouse with a conveyor building for a paper mill. The Project allowed the company to win new partners and enter new markets.

Other Finalists included the following projects and teams:

Computer-Based Education System - Sistemul Educational Informatizat (SEI) Project, by SIVECO Romania SA, Romania. The project implemented the Romanian government’s strategy in the field of ITC and computer assisted education. It focuses on digital literacy of the population through the young population, as well as ITC support for teaching/learning management activities

Voca Payment Platform Project, by Voca Limited, United Kingdom. The project delivered a compliant inter-bank clearing system for the European market to enter this market. It was set out to replace the existing mainframe based payment platform in such a way that 100,000 connected clients would not notice it. The project delivers greater security, faster clearing cycles and faster time to market.

The members of the International Jury including among others, Mr. Otto Zieglmeier, Vice-President of IPMA and Mr. Stanislaw Sroka, President of the Project Management Polska Association, Mrs. Mary McKinlay IPMA Vice President, Mrs. Mary Koutintchewa, Chairman Award Management Board, and Mr Hans van Wieren, Award Winner 2002. Dr. Thor Möller, Board Member GPM German Project Management Association, in absence of Jury Chairman Mr. Thiagarajan Sankaralingam, Award Winner 2005 and CEO of NTPC India, performed the great ceremony and handed over the Trophies and Certificates to the winners and finalists with greetings from the IPMA President Veikko Valila and his Executive Board Team.

The awards were announced and presented in Krakow, Poland on June 18, 2007 during the 21st IPMA World Congress on project Management. More information can be found at http://www.ipma.ch/Pages/IPMA.aspx.

Founded in 1967 and registered in Switzerland, the International Project Management Association (IPMA) is the world’s oldest project management professional organization. IPMA is a global network of over 40 national PM societies in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas that serve the needs of each country in its national language. IPMA provides an umbrella organization to represent them at the international level. IPMA offers a highly acclaimed 4 Level PM Certification Programme that has been embraced by organizations worldwide, and annually presents project management awards to teams that achieve great feats in project management. IPMA maintains its continuous presence in the global PM arena through regular International Symposia, Expert Seminars and its Annual World Congress. The president of IPMA for 2007-2008 is Veikko Valila. Additional information is available at www.ipma.ch.

Miles Shepherd International Correspondent UK based in London Mr. Miles Shepherd is an International Correspondent for www.pmforum.org in London, UK. . Miles has over 30 years experience on a variety of projects in UK, Eastern Europe and Russia. His PM experience includes defence, major IT projects, decommissioning of nuclear reactors, rail and business projects for the EU. Past Chairman of the Association for Project Management (APM), Miles is also past president and chair of the International Project Management Association (IPMA). Additional information about Mr. Shepherd can be found at www.pmforum.org/pm forum team/. Miles can be contacted at miles.shepherd@msp-ltd.co.uka