Start-up companies and organisations undergoing fast growth need stable IT infrastructures that can adapt to constant change and demand. Professional advice from an expert in IT is a valuable asset that enables companies to make informed decisions for the right reasons and that are not cost prohibitive.
Complete confidence and capability from the get-go
Helen Doughty, SHD Composites Director explains: “BLUE Profile knew how our business worked and were able to provide us with a solution to grow into. During our initial consultancy period we were presented with the pros and cons of solutions and the justification for infrastructure recommendations. Each improvement implemented and change made has been a smooth experience and we trust Wayne and the team implicitly.
“Our clients are high profile and our unique IP and manufacturing process is highly confidential. As a consequence, our data must be protected by high security firewalls and defence software.
“We’re not concerned about cybercrime, more conscious of the threat but at ease about the IT measures in place to protect the data.”
Huge five-year expansion supported by IT
SHD Composites started production in a small Sleaford unit in 2012.
Internet connectivity was poor due to the rural location and it was prohibitive to rely on a cloud-only solution to support the subsequent growth from three to fifty staff across four sites.
Using a hybrid cloud and on-premise server solution enables collaborative sharing on a realtime basis and remote access to files, storage and data.
In 2017 a new facility opened in Slovenia. Operating procedures and equipment not only needed to be compatible with the UK for 24/7 communication and sharing, but also to comply with respective legislation and a mobilised international workforce.
Helen continues: “Having the facility to communicate with clients and the team from any location has made a huge difference.
“Every growth stage has been smooth running with IT because we’ve been able to pre-plan what was needed, find the best systems and pre-empt any associated risks. Everything has been achievable to cost elements on a five-year growth plan.”
Round the clock IT maintenance
Support includes a remote helpdesk over email and the telephone, and three annual face-to-face meetings. Regular communication ensures progress is maintained and the IT infrastructure is still fit for purpose.
Next steps are discussed and BLUE Profile is well placed to consider and advise on future needs, not just current obstacles, overseeing all project management and managing the back end of all IT and communications.
“We have a small IT team in-house in Slovenia but BLUE Profile are still an integral part of the setup and high level issues and developments are scaled up to them. Updates are still managed in the UK and distributed across the networks,” Helen explains.
