How Gundle Improved Uptime and Operational Efficiency Across Multiple Locations
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- Manufacturing & Industrial
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Summary:
Gundle is one of Africa’s largest manufacturers of flexible plastics, supplying products to the construction, agricultural, industrial, and packaging sectors. Facing unreliable internet services, poor voice quality, ageing infrastructure, and increasing downtime, Gundle partnered with Zinia to modernise its connectivity, telephony, and network environment. The result was improved uptime, better communication, enhanced security, and a more reliable technology platform supporting operations across multiple locations.
Industry:
Manufacturing & Industrial
Services Delivered:
Fibre Connectivity, VoIP Telephony, Managed IT Services, Network Infrastructure, Firewall & Security
Partnership Duration:
More than 9 years
— Manufacturing & Industrial
Executive Summary
As one of Africa’s leading manufacturers of flexible plastics, Gundle relies heavily on technology to support communication, sales, operations, and collaboration across multiple facilities and distribution centres.
The organisation was experiencing recurring downtime, unreliable internet services, poor voice quality, and ageing infrastructure. Branches also struggled with slow access to the Syspro ERP, leading to operational inefficiencies and reduced productivity.
To address these challenges, Gundle partnered with Zinia to modernise its technology environment through a comprehensive upgrade to its connectivity, telephony, network, and security.
By consolidating multiple providers into a single technology partner and implementing a fully integrated solution, Gundle significantly improved uptime, enhanced communication, strengthened security, and created a more reliable technology environment that supports ongoing business operations and future growth.
Client Snapshot
Industry:
Manufacturing & Industrial
Organisation Type:
Flexible Plastics Manufacturer
Location:
Germiston, Gauteng
Operational Locations:
Germiston, Springs, Eswatini, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Gqeberha, Durban, Nelspruit
Services Delivered:
Dedicated Fibre Connectivity, VoIP & PBX Modernisation, Network Infrastructure Upgrades, Firewall & Security Services, Ongoing Support
Primary Objective:
Reduce downtime, improve communication, and modernise ageing infrastructure.
The Business Challenge
Gundle’s Springs operation faced several technology-related challenges that were affecting productivity and operational efficiency.
Telephone service was unreliable, voice quality was poor, and internet connectivity was regularly unreliable. Existing telephony and network infrastructure had become outdated and increasingly difficult to support.
The impact extended beyond communication. Branches experienced slow connectivity to the Syspro ERP, a business-critical platform used across the organisation. These performance issues affected productivity and reduced operational efficiency.
To make matters more complicated, Gundle was dealing with three separate technology providers. This created accountability challenges whenever issues occurred and often slowed the resolution process.
The organisation required a technology partner capable of delivering a modern, integrated solution that would improve reliability, simplify support, and provide a stronger foundation for future operations.
The Zinia Solution
Fibre Connectivity Upgrade
Zinia implemented a dedicated premium fibre service designed to improve uptime, increase reliability, and provide faster upload and download speeds.
The improved connectivity platform delivered a more stable internet experience while supporting critical business applications and communication systems.
VoIP and Telephony Modernisation
To address concerns about voice quality and reliability, Zinia deployed a SIP-enabled VoIP PBX solution supported by modern IP telephony devices.
The new platform improved call quality, reduced communication costs, and provided a more reliable voice environment for employees, customers, and suppliers.
Network Infrastructure Refresh
The existing network infrastructure was upgraded by installing new LAN cabling and supporting network components.
This provided a stronger and more reliable foundation for business operations while supporting future scalability.
Security and Firewall Management
Zinia implemented an advanced firewall solution to strengthen security and improve network management.
Key capabilities included:
- Traffic prioritisation
- Load balancing
- Threat protection
- Detailed reporting
- Secure remote access
This improved both operational performance and overall security posture.
Consolidated Technology Management
By consolidating internet, voice, infrastructure, and support services under a single provider, Gundle gained a single point of accountability for technology management and support.
This simplified service delivery and improved responsiveness when assistance was required.
Outcomes Achieved
Following the implementation, Gundle experienced:
- Faster and more reliable internet connectivity
- Improved uptime across critical business systems
- Better voice quality for customer and supplier communications
- Increased staff productivity
- Faster access to Syspro ERP across locations
- Reduced complexity through provider consolidation
- Improved network security
- Secure remote access capabilities
- Lower communication costs through VoIP technology
- A single technology partner responsible for support and service delivery
Why This Matters for Manufacturing Organisations
Manufacturing businesses depend on reliable communication, stable connectivity, and uninterrupted access to operational systems.
Technology downtime affects far more than IT. It can impact sales, customer service, supplier engagement, productivity, and overall operational efficiency.
This case study demonstrates how modernising connectivity, telephony, security, and infrastructure can significantly improve reliability while simplifying technology management.
For manufacturing organisations operating across multiple locations, partnering with a single technology provider can reduce complexity, improve accountability, and create a more stable foundation for future growth.
Frequently asked questions
How can fibre connectivity improve manufacturing operations?
Reliable fibre connectivity improves communication, supports cloud applications, provides faster access to business systems, and reduces downtime that can affect productivity.
What are the benefits of VoIP for manufacturing businesses?
VoIP solutions improve call quality, reduce communication costs, support business scalability, and provide greater flexibility than traditional telephony systems.
Why is provider consolidation beneficial?
Working with a single technology partner simplifies support, improves accountability, speeds up issue resolution, and provides a more consistent service experience.
How does a firewall improve business operations?
Modern firewall solutions improve security, manage network traffic, provide reporting capabilities, enable secure remote access, and help protect against external threats.
Can Zinia support Syspro ERP environments?
Yes. Zinia supports the connectivity, infrastructure, and underlying technology environments required to help organisations maintain reliable access to business-critical ERP platforms such as Syspro.
— Related Services
— Related Industries
Manufacturing & Industrial
About
Gundle
Founded more than 30 years ago, Gundle is one of Africa’s largest manufacturers of flexible plastics, supplying products across the construction, agriculture, industrial, packaging, and environmental sectors.
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