From Outdated AV to Operational Excellence: Euro Steel’s Cybersecurity Transformation
Challenge
Euro Steel, a leading South African distributor and exporter of stainless steel and corrosion-resistant materials, supports key industries such as chemicals, transport, engineering, mining, and power. With five locations and 800 employees, including 150 remote users, the company relies heavily on technology to maintain operations and compliance.
Before adopting WatchGuard, Euro Steel’s network security consisted of a costly, outdated AV system that was found to be difficult to run and did not integrate with the rest of their tech stack. “There was a significant reliance on manual processes for repetitive tasks, where automation would have greatly improved efficiency and reduced the risk of human error,” explains Fritz Fulde, IT manager. Additionally, the absence of a centralized dashboard created challenges in maintaining compliance and made it difficult to effectively prioritize key risks.
Euro Steel needed a modern, integrated cybersecurity solution that could streamline workflows, improve visibility, and reduce administrative overhead.
Solution
Euro Steel faced mounting challenges with its outdated security tools. With a strong focus on security and operational efficiency, Fulde recognized early on that Euro Steel’s existing tools were creating unnecessary complexity and risk. After evaluating alternative solutions, Euro Steel chose WatchGuard for its strong value, unified dashboard, and straightforward deployment. “WatchGuard’s ability to provide a single pane of glass for visibility and management was a critical differentiator, enabling us to simplify our security management,” said Fulde.
In February 2025, Euro Steel deployed WatchGuard’s Endpoint Protection Detection & Response (EPDR), Patch Management, Panda Systems Management, and AuthPoint MFA. These solutions were chosen because they addressed the company’s biggest pain points: securing endpoints, automating patching, and protecting identities. The transition was smooth, with Knovation providing hands-on deployment support and ongoing post-implementation assistance, ensuring Euro Steel’s team could operate the solution confidently with their own resources. That combination of autonomy and expert backup gave them confidence from the beginning.
Knovation Solutions played a key role in making this happen. Acting as a strategic advisor, they helped Euro Steel align the technology with its business goals. They understood the weight of compliance pressure, resource constraints, and the daily friction of managing fragmented systems. By consolidating multiple functions into one platform and automating repetitive tasks, WatchGuard delivered a solution that not only met Euro Steel’s technical requirements but also supported its broader vision of sustainability and operational excellence.
Results
Since implementing WatchGuard, Euro Steel has experienced significant improvements across its IT operations. The unified dashboard provided complete visibility into the environment, enabling the IT team to prioritize risks and maintain compliance with ease. Continuous threat monitoring and detection have strengthened Euro Steel’s ability to respond proactively to potential vulnerabilities, reducing exposure and enhancing overall resilience. The automation of repetitive tasks, such as patching and updates, has reclaimed valuable time for the IT team, allowing them to focus on strategic initiatives rather than manual processes.
WatchGuard’s Patch Management module has minimized errors and improved system reliability. The IT team has reclaimed countless hours, resulting in less time spent on routine maintenance and more time solving bigger challenges. Compliance has also improved thanks to streamlined processes and better reporting. All of this adds up to a stronger security posture and more efficient day-to-day management.
Beyond technical performance, Euro Steel values the ease of use and strong support ecosystem provided by WatchGuard and Knovation Solutions. They feel empowered to manage their security environment confidently, knowing they have Knovation’s support when needed. Looking ahead, Euro Steel plans to expand its use of AuthPoint MFA and explore additional features like encryption to further strengthen its defenses. The success of this deployment demonstrates how the right combination of technology and partnership can transform security operations, delivering measurable results and long-term strategic benefits.