Alfred Grunner, IT Infrastructure Manager Europapier
After multiple outbreaks and slowed services, the IT security solution of paper distribution firm Europapier Austria wasn’t cutting it. The solution: a comprehensive new security suite by Cisco, implemented in record time by Cegeka.
Currently one of Central and Eastern Europe’s premier paper merchants, Europapier was established in 1971 and is now active in 12 countries. The multinational has a ma-jor attribute in common with Cegeka: it depends on its local businesses to deeply understand customers’ needs and speak their languages, but it has access to the re-sources, scalability and broad expertise that come with a global company.
While this close cooperation with customers is a must for success in today’s connected world, a focus on streamlined IT processes is also at the core of Europapier’s strategy. Operational efficiency and effective-ness are essential to every single subsidiary as Europapier embraces the principles of Industry 4.0. However, the company’s previous security solution was in need of an upgrade to bring it up to speed with the ad-vanced business processes of the digital age.
Information sharing and communication-related IT processes are cen-tralized at Europapier via a VPN network used by nearly 1,000 employ-ees. But unneeded software, malware and slowed IT services pushed Europapier’s IT team to seek a tailored security solution and the ideal partner to implement it.
“A couple of our Eastern European businesses had suffered from ran-somware outbreaks,” explains Alfred Grunner, IT Infrastructure Manag-er of Europapier Group. “In addition, the centralized IT services that we were relying on were being bogged down by unnecessary processes and files, which caused problems among our sales teams, impacting order processing and communication with clients.”
Cegeka wasn’t a new name to the paper merchant. Europapier had re-lied on thte company in previous years for outsourced services and had been impressed with the expertise of its security specialists. A Cegeka security team performed an audit of Europapier’s current security situ-ation. Based on the results, and after just a few meetings with Europa-pier’s internal IT team, Cegeka successfully implemented the compre-hensive Cisco Security Suite. It includes high-powered email security, virtual web and advanced malware protection services.
The result? A streamlined, successful go-live in under five business days led to nearly 100% ransomware avoidance, lightning-fast and secure e-mailing and vastly improved order processing that empowers end users.
“There was virtually zero negative impact on our company, the imple-mentation was so fast,” says Alfred. “Even more, it’s so easy to work with Cegeka – we have direct access to their technicians, and our tech people can collaborate with theirs without any middlemen or service desks in the way. Cegeka knows how we work, and vice versa. Transparency is essential to this close, communicative and extremely effective way of working together.”
"Cegeka knows how we work, and vice-versa. Transparency is essential to this close, communicative and extremely effective way of working together.”