A decade of IT evolution: EP NL’s digital transformation journey with Cegeka

For more than ten years, Dutch energy provider EP NL has counted on its trusted partner, Cegeka, to meet the complex demands of an ever-evolving market. Since 2013, EP NL has undergone significant IT transformations, tackling everything from cloud migration to essential system updates, including a major transition from BizTalk to Azure Integration Services (AIS), all with the help of the IT teams of Cegeka. Together, EP NL and Cegeka have forged a partnership that stands as a testament to what a dedicated collaboration can achieve.

EP NL's complex and evolving needs

From the start, EP NL needed Cegeka to do more than simply manage IT tasks – they needed a partner who could share the load of a complex, high-stakes operation, as EP NL CIO Anco Hoekstra explains. “There was a lot of complexity, and it was a very broad scope: from networking to application support to development.” At EP NL, energy trading is a 24/7 business involving essential applications for trading gas, electricity, and CO₂. This dependency on key applications left no room for error; any downtime could mean significant financial losses. “For example, without AIS, we risked significant downtime and lost revenue. Ensuring a smooth transition was crucial to maintaining our energy trading operations,” Anco Hoekstra recalls.

EP NL’s challenges demanded targeted expertise and careful coordination across departments and locations, as Anco Hoekstra explains. “We worked with different departments within Cegeka, and sometimes even cross-border, partly supported from Belgium.”  EP NL’s IT needs were extensive and had to be met within a tight talent market, where finding the right individuals for the job was not always easy. Additionally, EP NL was dealing with aging software. With BizTalk nearing its end of life, EP NL needed to migrate to a new platform to avoid the risk of operating on unsupported software.

Future-proof: modernizing EP NL's IT landscape

With so many challenges facing EP NL, Cegeka’s responsive approach, strategic insight and hands-on expertise proved invaluable as the two companies worked together to modernize EP NL’s IT landscape.

One of their largest projects to date was a cloud migration. Cegeka facilitated EP NL’s shift from on-premises data centres by migrating over 180 interfaces from BizTalk to Microsoft Azure, a move that increased scalability and reduced dependency on physical infrastructure. This transition has allowed EP NL to become more agile, adapting their operations to meet evolving demands and helping them avoid vendor lock-in. This migration was not only crucial for compliance but also helped EP NL strengthen the stability of their critical systems. By moving to the cloud, EP NL gained the ability to handle peak loads and adjust seamlessly during high-demand periods, giving them the flexibility they needed to be future-ready.

This digital transformation wasn’t limited to integration improvements. Cegeka’s solutions have also allowed EP NL to monitor and manage renewable energy sources in real time, enabling them to integrate data from wind farms into their core operations. As Anco Hoekstra notes, “Moving to Azure and AIS has enabled EP NL to handle high traffic and peak loads dynamically, providing the flexibility and scalability essential in the energy sector.”

The impact on EP NL

More than just implementing solutions, Cegeka has become deeply invested in EP NL’s operations. This close partnership became invaluable when unexpected challenges arose, such as when the number of high-priority integrations needed disrupted the project timeline. Cegeka’s responsiveness helped minimize disruptions by swiftly adding a ready-to-go nearshore team. This kept the project on track, avoiding disruption to the scope of the BizTalk migration project and helping EP NL to meet new regulatory standards in time. This proactive problem-solving became a hallmark of the partnership, helping maintain EP NL’s confidence even during complex projects.

“For me, close cooperation means that I don’t see a difference between my own team members and Cegeka’s people, in terms of commitment and willingness to work together,” Hoekstra reflects. “The people at Cegeka really work with us and make our success their success.”

With the final phase of the AIS migration set to complete in November, EP NL is poised to take another step forward in fortifying their digital infrastructure. EP NL’s high expectations rest on the achievements already realized through their partnership with Cegeka. The shift to Azure and AIS has provided a stable, reliable platform that supports the company’s energy trading operations around the clock, significantly reducing risks and ensuring business continuity.

The value of this stability cannot be overstated. Hoekstra emphasizes the financial stakes, saying, “Losing connection, even for just 10 minutes, can mean losing a lot of money. We are talking tens of thousands of Euros. That’s not something you want to tell your boss!” Cegeka’s proactive management approach has helped EP NL prevent such scenarios, allowing them to stay productive and avoid costly interruptions.

In a market that requires flexibility, the migration to Azure has given EP NL the scalability they need to adapt to fluctuating demands. This agility ensures they can continue to grow and respond to industry changes, all while maintaining operational excellence.

Looking to the future

After more than a decade, the partnership between EP NL and Cegeka shows no signs of slowing down. Cegeka’s deep industry expertise, commitment to EP NL’s long-term goals, and flexible problem-solving approach have helped EP NL overcome challenges and set their sights on new horizons. The current contract may be ending end of 2025 but discussions are already underway on how the partnership will evolve. Cegeka currently manages a substantial portion of EP NL’s outsourced IT services, and with several large projects nearing completion, both teams are eager to explore what comes next. “Right now, we’re finishing off some pretty big projects and talking with Cegeka about how we can work together in the future. What maintenance and support can Cegeka provide? How can they support new applications? After more than a decade, the discussion is still ongoing,” Anco Hoekstra says. “With whatever hurdles we have faced together over the last decade, trust, openness, honesty, and close cooperation have been the most important factors.”