Roger van der Meer is the IT Director at Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods. This Dutch family-owned company has specialized in the production of high-quality milk powders since 1954. With four production sites in the Netherlands and an office in Madrid, Vreugdenhil processes more than one billion kilograms of milk annually into nutrient-rich products and ingredients. The products find their way to consumers, the food industry, and specialized applications in more than 130 countries worldwide. In this large-scale and production-sensitive environment, a stable and future-oriented IT infrastructure is crucial.
The reason: time for a new IT partner
Vreugdenhil had been working with its previous Managed Services Provider for over ten years. What began as a good partnership changed over the years. “We noticed that the services no longer fully met our expectations. Our organization has grown, and our IT needs have changed. Because our former MSP wasn’t fully keeping pace with our growth, we started looking for a partner that better suits our current needs.”
In 2022, Vreugdenhil therefore launched an RFP process. After an extensive and careful evaluation process, DATAGROUP (formerly Valid Managed Services) was selected as the best fit, thanks to its combination of technical expertise, knowledge of production environments, and a good match with the company culture.
With approximately 600 employees, five locations, and a rapidly expanding IT landscape, the challenge was clear: Vreugdenhil was looking for a partner that could operate as an extension of the internal team. “As a relatively small organization, you can’t hire someone for every specialty. That’s why you need a reliable partner who has the expertise in-house and can adapt quickly.”
A particular focus was on IT/OT integration and convergence: the production environment places high demands on stability and continuity. “We truly see Valid as an extension of our IT organization. And that goes for our OT team as well: you need a partner who speaks their language and understands what’s going on.”
Onboarding and Transformation
Onboarding began in September 2024 and was successfully completed in December, two days ahead of schedule. “We divided the onboarding process into two phases: first stabilization, then optimization. That approach works well.” What stood out was the personal commitment. The responsible client team from DATAGROUP visited Vreugdenhil’s production sites and got an up-close look at the production process. “That fosters mutual understanding and a shared sense of responsibility. You see firsthand how quickly things can go wrong if, for example, a network outage occurs.”
“We divided the onboarding process into two phases: first stabilization, then optimization. That approach works well.”
Challenges and Solutions
After ten years of collaboration with the previous MSP, many processes had become routine, and a great deal of tacit knowledge had accumulated, making the knowledge transfer a challenging task. “It was a bit of a struggle at first, mainly because we were temporarily working with three parties. But once everyone involved got to know each other well and knew how to reach one another, the knowledge transfer went smoothly. DATAGROUP put a lot of effort into this.”
Despite careful preparations, extensive technical due diligence, and assessments, surprises are inevitable in a complex production environment. Clear communication and short lines of communication are essential to addressing these effectively and efficiently. Furthermore, maintenance and upgrades are necessary in a production environment, and in some cases, this can lead to temporary downtime. There is understanding for this within the organization, provided there is clear communication and good coordination, thereby minimizing the impact on production.
Co-management between IT, OT, production, and DATAGROUP plays a key role in this. The further ahead planning can be done, the better all parties involved can anticipate these situations. Especially in an environment where the IT landscape is constantly changing and some components need to be replaced, it is important to work within a controlled model. This approach is only possible thanks to strong collaboration, short lines of communication, and mutual trust.
Collaboration in Practice
Roger views the collaboration positively. “What I appreciate is the open communication. It’s not a standard customer-supplier relationship, but a true partnership centered on open and honest communication.
“DATAGROUP’s involvement at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels aligns well with Vreugdenhil’s way of working. At the start of the collaboration, Vreugdenhil actively introduced itself to the team, and DATAGROUP employees visited the site to familiarize themselves with Vreugdenhil’s processes and staff. “That really contributed to mutual understanding. You get to see what production entails, and why it’s so important that systems are always available.”
“What I appreciate is the open communication. It’s not a standard client-vendor relationship, but a true partnership centered on open and honest communication.”
DATAGROUP as a Partner for the Future
The decision to choose Valid is based not only on current needs but also on Vreugdenhil’s vision for the future. “We want to continue innovating while maintaining stability. Valid helps us with both. “The impact of IT on the business has increased enormously. Developments are happening at lightning speed. Think of the rise of AI, the growing reliance on cloud technology, and the increasing pressure on cybersecurity. For an organization like Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods, it’s essential to stay on the right course in this regard. “Valid helps us stay on top of technological developments and determine what’s relevant to our organization. While not everything is necessary, we do want to understand what’s going on and what the potential impact might be.”
“Even with small teams, you still have to stay up to date. And that’s where communication is crucial: do we all understand where we’re headed, and are we well-equipped to make the right choices? With knowledge of industrial production environments, a culture that aligns with Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods, and a pragmatic mindset, Valid offers the necessary expertise and scalability. And we have a partner that can grow with us.”
Results and Outlook
In the first few months of our collaboration, we’ve seen that DATAGROUP is capable of taking over and stabilizing complex IT environments without disrupting operations. Vreugdenhil is now working with DATAGROUP to look ahead to the transformation phase: how can processes and services be further optimized and automated? “Ultimately, we want everything to run smoothly. And if maintenance or upgrades are needed, we want to do so in a controlled manner, with as little disruption as possible. The partnership helps enormously in this regard.”
Trust as the Foundation
According to Roger, what characterizes this partnership is openness. “We both want Vreugdenhil to succeed in what we do. That means sharing knowledge, transparency, and walking the path together. If that’s the foundation, you can achieve a lot.”
“We both want Vreugdenhil and Valid to succeed in what we do. That means sharing knowledge, transparency, and walking the path together. With that as the foundation, you can achieve a great deal.”
This case study is based on an interview with Roger van der Meer, IT Director at Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods.
Why choose DATAGROUP as a Managed Services Provider for industrial environments?
Thanks to our many years of extensive experience with industrial and manufacturing companies, we understand the complexity of industrial IT and OT environments. Our unique hybrid approach combines proven technologies with customized solutions tailored to the needs of manufacturing and production companies. With our extensive experience in both IT and OT, we are the partner that supports your production processes, reliably, securely, and innovatively.