Network solutions provider Systal has unveiled a major multi-year upgrade to its partnership with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), the company responsible for bottling on behalf of the world's biggest soft drink company in Western Europe.
Glasgow-based Systal will provide managed network support to more than 6,500 devices such as switchers and routers responsible for production and warehousing activities. This network is spread across 300 locations in 11 European countries.
The three-year deal follows six years of Systal providing support to CCEP via a multi-partner agreement. CCEP will now rank among the Scottish company's largest direct customers, along with the likes of ScottishPower.
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Neil Wisbey, chief information officer at Systal, said the new agreement is "probably double" the size of the scope of services previously provided to CCEP. Systal also provides voice, maintenance and project services to CCEP, which is looking to transform its network via a new manufacturing system, supply chain rationalisation, and product diversification.
“We are thrilled to officially go live with our direct service as CCEP’s trusted technology services partner," Mr Wisbey said.
“Our team's agility and dedication to providing a higher value service delivery has been the bedrock of our CCEP partnership over the past six years. We are excited to continue supporting CCEP as they innovate and transform their critical network infrastructure."
Set up in 2008, the company has grown from just 80 employees in 2018 to more than 1,000 people. Latest published accounts for 2022 show revenues of £74.8 million, with year-on-year turnover increasing by 77%.
About 200 of its staff work out of its headquarters in Bishopbriggs, with the rest spread across 35 countries in Europe, Asia, North America and the Pacific regions.
The business is majority owned by its founders, chief executive Neil Nicolson, chief revenue officer Douglas Cumming, and chief operating officer Gary O’Neil. Now a board member and minority shareholder, Mr Wisbey was among the first people hired by Systal when he joined from IBM 15 years ago.
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"We are the best-kept secret in Scotland," Mr Wisbey said when asked about the company's relatively low profile.
"It is amazing when you think about how we have grown from where we were originally in Livingston to where we are now. It is incredible, really."
The company has further ambitious plans following the opening earlier this year of its US headquarters in Florida, where there are "huge opportunities" for growth.
For its part, CCEP is aiming to become the world's most digitised bottler. It is also seeking to increase its range of products into new categories such as coffee and alcohol, with network infrastructure at the core of its transformation strategy.
“We are excited to partner with Systal, a company known for its expertise in network infrastructure solutions," said Tim Davies, director of network infrastructure and services at CCEP. "This contract will significantly enhance our operational efficiency and allow us to better serve our customers and stakeholders."
Formerly known as Coca-Cola European Partners, CCEP is a British-American company formed in 2016 through the combination of the three main bottling companies for the Coca-Cola Company in Western Europe. It has been listed on the London Stock Exchange since March 2019.
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