Manufacturing

Vulcan’s mission: Driving growth and customer success

Vulcan's journey in the steel and metal industry is one of strategic growth and unwavering dedication. From its humble beginnings in 1995 with a single site in New Zealand, Vulcan has grown into one of the largest metal distributors across Australia and New Zealand, with over 60 sites and a workforce of more than 1,300 employees. Offering a diverse array of steel and metal products, Vulcan has expanded through strategic partnerships, a steadfast commitment to service, and innovative solutions like hybrid sites that broaden its offerings.

The steel and metal industry is a cornerstone of the Australasian economy, supporting infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture, and more sectors than one might expect. Vulcan’s extensive product range acts as a foundation for these sectors, underscoring its pivotal role in the region’s economy.

Vulcan’s proprietary systems have long been considered a competitive advantage, enabling tailored workflows that differentiate the company’s customer experience. This transformation builds on that foundation extending the company’s ability to scale with agility.

At the core of Vulcan's operations is a focus on customer satisfaction, reflected in its consistently high Delivery in Full on Time (DIFOT) scores. A key aspect of Vulcan’s growth strategy has been the ability to scale efficiently while maintaining operational excellence. The acquisition of Ullrich Aluminium marked a critical milestone, enabling Vulcan to enter the aluminium market and strengthen its portfolio, providing tailored solutions to meet the diverse needs of its customers.

However, this growth journey came with challenges, including aging infrastructure, fragmented systems, and the need for centralized management. Overcoming these hurdles will be crucial for Vulcan to sustain its growth and maintain its leadership in the dynamic industry landscape.

Addressing legacy networks: Challenges in modernization

Vulcan's pursuit of operational efficiency faced significant challenges due to aging infrastructure and a lack of centralized management.

The operational toll of legacy network systems

As Vulcan’s network expanded alongside its operational footprint, the demands on its infrastructure naturally increased. The systems that had served the business well for many years particularly in enabling fit-for-purpose, proprietary workflows began to face new pressures as the scale and complexity of operations grew.

In today’s fast-moving environment, maintaining consistent system availability across a geographically dispersed network is essential. Any network issue, no matter how small, has the potential to cause downstream impacts especially in areas like processing or dispatch, where timing is critical. Delays in accessing systems or resolving connectivity issues can hinder teams’ ability to respond promptly to customer needs, which, in turn, can influence Vulcan’s Delivery in Full on Time (DIFOT) performance.

While the existing network architecture was thoughtfully implemented for previous stages of growth, increasing integration across sites, evolving service expectations, and a broader digital operating model called for a new level of visibility, resilience, and scalability. This recognition guided Vulcan’s decision to move toward a cloud-based network approach preserving what has worked well while building greater agility for the future.

The need for centralized management and cloud-based transformation

A lack of visibility into Vulcan’s network made troubleshooting cumbersome and time-consuming. Previously reliant on third-party providers, Vulcan lacked direct access to its network, delaying the setup of new connections and implementation of redundancy measures.

The reliance on MPLS networks added another layer of complexity. While suitable for on-premise setups, MPLS networks required specialized knowledge and lacked the flexibility needed for scaling and expansion. Resolving network issues often required multiple steps and hours of work. Additionally, Vulcan’s geographically dispersed operations across New Zealand and Australia required frequent travel for IT staff to address technical issues, which increased costs and delayed resolutions.

Recognizing the need for modernization, Vulcan transitioned to a cloud-based network, enabling faster deployments, improved disaster recovery, and reduced operational costs. Cloud migration offered several advantages, including reduced geographic limitations, simplified disaster recovery, as well as operational and financial benefits. For Vulcan, this transition was pivotal in ensuring enhanced customer experiences while laying the foundation for a new era of growth and efficiency.

Merging systems, bridging gaps: IT challenges in acquisitions

As part of Vulcan’s growth strategy to meet customers at every location, every point, and every need, the company has strategically pursued acquisitions that complement its offerings. A significant milestone was the acquisition of Ullrich Aluminium, a well-established aluminium distribution business with over 40 sites across Australia and New Zealand. However, this acquisition also introduced significant technological challenges that required immediate attention.

Addressing Ullrich’s IT infrastructure gaps

Ullrich’s IT infrastructure was severely underdeveloped, with approximately 30 sites lacking Wi-Fi, which limited productivity and employee access to modern tools, making it difficult to deliver the seamless customer experience that Vulcan is known for. Additionally, Ullrich’s sites relied on fragmented systems with different service providers, creating a patchwork of incompatible technology stacks. This lack of uniformity complicated integration efforts, highlighting the urgent need for a network overhaul to ensure operational consistency and efficiency across both Vulcan and Ullrich sites.

Ensuring operational continuity

Maintaining business continuity during the IT transformation was critical. For Vulcan, where timely service is a cornerstone of its reputation, any delays or challenges during the transformation could have significant financial and operational implications. Vulcan’s team needed to address the unique requirements of each site while minimizing downtime – all while maintaining momentum toward realizing the synergies and growth opportunities the acquisition promised.

From legacy networks to building a legacy: The network’s impact

The deployment of Cisco Meraki solutions has transformed Vulcan’s IT infrastructure, enabling the company to overcome challenges and unlock new opportunities for growth and operational efficiency. By implementing cloud-managed Cisco Meraki MR wireless access points for seamless Wi-Fi connectivity, along with Meraki MS Switches and Meraki MX SD-WAN Appliances to enhance network reliability and security, Vulcan built a secure, high-performing, and scalable network – addressing legacy issues and delivering agility and reliability across the organization.

The move from MPLS networks to Meraki SD-WAN resulted in a 40% reduction in networking costs, while enhancing flexibility. Site setup times, which previously took up to six months, have been reduced to just weeks, enabling Vulcan to scale operations rapidly. For example, when a site lacked Wi-Fi, the IT team shipped pre-configured Meraki access points that could be installed by on-site staff within minutes, eliminating the need for engineers and saving both time and resources.

The integration of Ullrich Aluminium’s 40+ sites into Vulcan’s network was completed within just nine months – a testament to the efficiency of Meraki’s centralized management and plug-and-play functionality. Many Ullrich sites, which previously lacked Wi-Fi, now enjoy high-speed, reliable, and secure connectivity. Employees who once struggled with outdated technology now work seamlessly, improving productivity across the organization. This improved connectivity drastically reduced network-related complaints and empowered employees to deliver a higher standard of service, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted operations.

Meraki’s centralized dashboard has provided Vulcan’s IT team with unprecedented visibility and control over the network, streamlining day-to-day maintenance and monitoring. IT teams can now oversee and manage the entire infrastructure from a single pane of glass. Troubleshooting times were reduced from hours – or even days – to just 20 minutes, thanks to real-time insights and historical data. This efficiency freed up IT resources, allowing the team to focus on strategic initiatives that drive business growth. Standardized templates and cloud backups further ensured minimal downtime and business continuity by enabling devices to be restored instantly to their original configurations.

Beyond technical efficiencies, the transformation had a direct impact on Vulcan’s customer service. A more robust and reliable network enhanced call quality for internal sales teams, enabling faster and more effective responses to customer inquiries. This consistency helped Vulcan maintain its high Delivery in Full on Time (DIFOT) scores – a critical metric in building trust and satisfaction among customers.

By addressing fragmented systems, outdated infrastructure, and integration complexities, Vulcan has successfully transformed the network from a roadblock into a strategic enabler, enabling Vulcan to focus on its core mission of being the most customer-focused and efficient metals distributor in Australasia. The company is now positioned to scale operations and standardize processes across its footprint. The network serves as the backbone of Vulcan’s operations – empowering employees, delivering exceptional customer experiences, and driving long-term business success. This transformation reflects Vulcan’s continued investment in operational excellence and its ability to adapt IT infrastructure to support business growth not only through best-in-class technology, but through clear leadership and strategic execution.