About Aluminium Duffel
Aluminium Duffel is a company specialising in the production of aluminium semi-finished products for the automotive and industrial sectors. While their products are used in various applications, their main focus lies in the automotive industry, with major clients such as Audi and Tesla. With approximately one thousand employees, it operates primarily from their headquarters in Duffel, Belgium, with a few remote side offices in locations like Milan and Germany.
CHALLENGES
The collaboration between Appdate and Aluminium Duffel began when they encountered challenges with their Microsoft licenses and sought assistance from another company. Appdate played a crucial role in resolving the licensing issues. Since then, they have become their go-to contact for anything related to Microsoft.
With a dedicated IT team of 20 people, Aluminium Duffel relies on their expertise to navigate the complexities of Microsoft solutions and ensure they have the right tools and licenses for their needs.
COLLABORATION WITH APPDATE
Initially, the collaboration focused on licensing discussions and finding the most suitable Microsoft applications for Aluminium Duffel. However, Rember, the CEO of Appdate, introduced them to their program Appsafe, to help optimise license usage and provide valuable insights into security and reporting allowing them to identify unused licenses and potential areas for improvement, enhancing both efficiency and security within their Microsoft environment.
The partnership involves regular monthly meetings, during which they are presented with a detailed report. These reports highlight key performance indicators (KPIs) and provide valuable recommendations for improvement. Additionally, they discuss upcoming goals and initiatives, ensuring a proactive approach to their Microsoft environment.
Appdate’s assistance has been instrumental during significant transitions, such as the carve-out when Aluminium Duffel was acquired by another company. In this process, they needed to rebuild their Microsoft infrastructure from scratch. Appdate’s extensive network enabled them to connect Aluminium Duffel with the right partners who could facilitate this rapid transition, ensuring a smooth and successful outcome. The trust and confidence in Appdate’s ability to understand their specific needs have made them an integral part of Aluminium Duffel’s IT strategy.
While their involvement is primarily focused on Microsoft solutions, they also provide guidance and recommendations beyond specific requests such us keeping a close eye on Microsoft’s latest offerings and proactively suggesting tools or applications that could benefit the company, acting as trusted advisors in their technological journey.
FUTURE PLANS
Looking ahead, Aluminium Duffel plans to continue their collaboration with Appdate. As they navigate the vast world of Microsoft solutions, they find great value in having a partner like Appdate to guide them and maintain a comprehensive overview of their Microsoft environment.
OUTCOME AND WORDS OF APPRECIATION
The IT solutions engineer and first/second-line coordinator at Aluminium Duffel shares that their collaboration with Appdate has been outstanding. From managing licenses to facilitating rapid transitions and providing guidance, Appdate has consistently demonstrated professionalism and expertise. The IT director fully supports the collaboration and recognizes the value it brings to their company.
“Rember is someone who makes you feel good and is very sincere. I really see Rember more as an extension of us, helping where we need him. The trust is really there.”
“Once you go down that Microsoft road, that’s such a big world. It’s very helpful for us to be able to work with a company like Appdate to keep an overview. We are definitely going to continue working with Rember and his team in the future.”
As Aluminium Duffel continues to rely on Microsoft technologies, they appreciate the personal and trustworthy approach of Appdate. With Rember’s involvement, they have confidence in their Microsoft solutions and can focus on maintaining a smooth and efficient IT environment, thanks to the ongoing collaboration with Appdate.