Scafom-rux

Valid helps Scafom-rux make IT more cyber resilient

A cyber attack acted as a catalyst for leading scaffolding manufacturer Scafom-rux. The realization dawned then that not only the security level of IT systems needed to be improved. The entire IT landscape also needed to be raised to a higher maturity level. Valid helped the Brabant family business take the first important step towards quality improvement.

Improving cyber resilience applies to the headquarters and the Belgian production site. Standardization, merging and modernization is underway for the global IT facilities and applications. Indeed, Scafom-rux operates on several continents with its self-developed and manufactured high-quality scaffolding equipment.

Challenge: modernize and improve security

Paul van Driel is Head of Information Technology at Scafom-rux. He said the cyber-attack that hit the company made it clear that the then IT service provider had fallen short. "It ended well, but the incident underscored the need for quality improvement in our IT," he said. A benchmark showed that investments had lagged behind comparable companies. At that time, each factory and/or sales site had its own IT infrastructure with its own management, supported by the ICT team in the Netherlands.

Scafom-rux went looking for a new IT service provider, with the right experience and clout. Not only to improve security, but also to modernize the IT infrastructure and assist in day-to-day operations. Van Driel had a preference for a partner in the area and chose Valid, with whom he already had positive experiences in a previous work environment. According to Van Driel, there is a cultural fit with Valid's people. ''Like Scafom-rux, they are down-to-earth, practical and solution-oriented."

Scaffold Scafom-rux
Scaffolding construction Scafrom-rux
Solution: update, upgrade and introduce modern workstations

To permanently solve the cybersecurity problem, the network was segmented, firewalls were properly configured, and workstations deployed with InTune. Overdue updates and upgrades were also implemented. Furthermore, a monitoring and alerting system was implemented.

Collaborative advantages: always enough capacity

The cooperation is going so well, that in addition to cybersecurity, Valid's specialists are increasingly performing IT management and support, leaving Van Driel's team free to work out the next steps in further IT maturity.

 ''For Scafom-rux it is nice that Valid has quite a bit of IT capacity available on the back burner," says Martijn Embregts, account manager at Valid. "Because it remains difficult to attract IT people."

"I wanted a partner in the neighborhood who will help you out now and also help you in the future."

Paul van Driel Head of Information Technology Scafom-rux
Valid - business 2
Valid - man 3
The result: secure foundation for the future

Scafom-rux now has a secure and highly manageable infrastructure, in its offices in the Netherlands and Belgium. Best-practices and tooling in the field of cybersecurity are being rolled out to the other regions. Standardization in terms of equipment and management is underway. Migration of data and applications to the private cloud in the Netherlands is coming. Migration to Office 365 including SharePoint is in preparation. The improvement program is on track; only limitations in manpower and budget can still be an obstacle to carefree growth.

Scafom-rux
  • Active in more than 20 countries on five continents
  • 85K+ tons of rental equipment in stock
  • Founded in 1978
  • 1,200 employees
  • Approximately 145 million in sales
  • Belongs to the global top 5 in the market
Five levels of ICT maturity
  • The CMM (Capability Maturity) model has five tiers.
  • 'Initial' (level 1 - putting out fires)
  • 'Repeatable' (level 2 - simple project management)
  • 'Defined' (level 3 - standardized processes)
  • 'Quantitative management' (level 4 - measuring is knowing)
  • 'Optimize' (level 5 - ongoing work on more efficient processes)
  • Scafom-rux was initially between level 0 and 1 and is fast approaching 3
Added value Valid
  • Vast knowledge and experience in the field of cybersecurity
  • Structured yet flexible approach and project management
  • One-stop shop for versatile ICT services: consulting, management, support, cloud, modern workplace, agile application development, analytics and BI
  • High handling speed
  • Added value throughout all aspects and phases of a project or collaboration
  • Eye for the long term
  • Result-oriented
  • Teamwork with the customer