At Google Cloud Summit 2024, Marc Lemke and Étienne Grivelet from Delfingen share the company’s strategies for optimizing its global operations using Google’s cloud solutions. Find out how this third-generation family business is tackling IT infrastructure and cybersecurity challenges.
At the Google Cloud Summit 2024, Marc Lemke, VP CIO of Delfingen, and Étienne Grivelet, CTO, revealed the company’s digital transformation strategies. Delfingen, a third generation family business, operates in 21 countries and specializes in vehicle wiring harness protection, supplying all of the world’s automotive manufacturers. With 37 sites around the world, a turnover of around 460 million euros and 4,000 employees, the management of the IT infrastructure is crucial for the company.
Cloud challenges and solutions
Marc Lemke explained Delfingen’s approach to cloud. “Given our international presence, we quickly realized that we could not afford to build and maintain a large in-house data center.,” did he declare. Since its inception in the company 25 years ago, Delfingen has faced logistical and technological challenges, particularly due to its limited resources and restricted network connections.. The company’s international expansion has made it necessary to adopt cloud solutions to ensure better connectivity and increased operational security. Delfingen therefore opted for an IaaS model, allowing lift-and-shift for redundancy and robust backup plans.
Adoption of Google Workspace and Chromebooks
Delfingen has used Google Workspace since 2012, demonstrating its early commitment to cloud and SaaS solutions. Étienne Grivelet, CTO, detailed the adoption of Chromebooks within the company. “We are at approximately 70% of Chromebooks deployed internationally, with a goal of reaching 80% by the end of the year,” he announced. Delfingen’s cloud-first orientation guided this choice, offering easy and secure endpoint management. Chromebooks, combined with Google Workspace, strengthen enterprise cybersecurity by protecting against phishing attacks and ransomware, while simplifying global deployment.
Future strategy and microservices
Marc Lemke also discussed the next steps in Delfingen’s cloud strategy. “We will continue to develop our IS internally, switching our applications to microservices to guarantee their sustainability and evolution.,” he explained. Delfingen plans to decommission legacy IaaS applications to adopt full SaaS or cloud-native solutions. The objective is to complete the rewriting into microservices by 2030 and the decommissioning of legacy applications by 2026, thus consolidating the robustness and flexibility of the company’s IT infrastructure.
Through careful planning and strategic adoption of cloud technologies, Delfingen is strengthening its positioning in the automotive sector while optimizing its global operations and ensuring leading cybersecurity.
