Tosca is a global leader in reusable plastic packaging and pooling solutions. Their products aim to minimise food waste, labour and transportation waste while at the same time improving the efficiency of their users. In recent years, the Tosca Technology Department has been actively working towards creating a corporate network that is scalable, secure and future-proof to provide better and more efficient support to the company. After a rigorous selection process, Tosca ultimately chose Cisco Meraki as their solution, and Arxus as their service delivery partner.

The collaboration between Arxus and Tosca started seven years ago, when Arxus became the permanent IT partner of Contraload, which Tosca acquired in 2020. In 2016, Contraload was looking for an external IT partner to support and advise their internal IT team. When Contraload and Tosca merged in 2020, Arxus and Contraload had already equipped some of their branches in the United Kingdom with Meraki. Tosca's acquisition of Contraload accelerated the rollout of the network solution to branches across Europe.

Tosca required a comprehensive cloud-managed network solution from Meraki to assist with managing their network. This can include, for example, wireless access points, switches, security devices and mobile management tools. For Tosca, Meraki offers several advantages over traditional network solutions, such as scalability and user-friendliness, enabling Tosca’s own IT team to handle an increasing number of tasks.

User-friendliness above cost

The decision to switch to Meraki was therefore a conscious choice to enable the monitoring of their network and connectivity, but it comes at a cost. Nevertheless, Tosca is convinced of the benefits of Meraki. The user-friendliness and the ability to provide remote support more than justify the additional expenses.

“In order not to put too much pressure on the budget, we decided to tackle the sites gradually after the merger”, says Lode Smits, ICT Operations Manager. “Every year, four to five sites receive the ‘Meraki upgrade’. This is done taking account of factors such as the size of the site, where it is located, and the current state of the on-site network.”

“Whereas Arxus used to tackle the entire project from start to finish, much of the work can now be done by Tosca’s IT team thanks to their knowledge and the user-friendliness of Meraki”, said Michiel Quintelier, Network & Security Consultant at Arxus. “Arxus still takes care of the orders for the hardware, and prepares the networks. Tosca then takes care of the installation on site, and also the site visits. This allows for an even distribution of the workload.”

Despite the significant expansion of Tosca’s internal IT team in recent years and their increasing ability to handle tasks independently, they continue to rely on the services provided by Arxus.

“Arxus is an ideal partner for us. They help us to choose the right equipment, and its design. But they also keep us informed of the latest new features that are being introduced to the market. We see them as an extension of our own IT team. This way we can always reach them when we need them”, says Lode.

Golden cooperation

They have benefited from this cooperation. Following the successful implementation and the proven positive results of Meraki on the European sites, Tosca decided to equip all of their United States sites with the cloud network solution as well. According to Arxus, this is the ultimate proof that good cooperation can lead to good results.

Michiel: “The great thing about the collaboration with Tosca and especially Lode is that Lode already knew a lot about Meraki and the possibilities that the technology offers. It gave us the opportunity to develop forward-looking proposals, and to use more cutting edge features. Because we are also on the same line, drawing up an appropriate vision for the future was almost child’s play. Tosca’s decision to switch to Meraki in the United States as a result of that vision is an added benefit for all parties involved.”

“That's where the added value in our cooperation really lies”, Lode interjects. “Arxus continues to refine their expertise and is willing to collaborate with the customer. They provide everything that a customer needs. They are reliable, listen to your needs and give honest feedback. Arxus will always put aside their own interests to ensure that you as a customer receive the best possible service. Ultimately, this is what you are looking for in a partner."

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