Success Stories
Building Clean Energy on a Smarter IT Foundation
How An Alberta Business Removed IT Roadblocks to Advance Its Goals
This renewable energy company is in the business of transformation. Every day, their team dedicates itself to converting waste into renewable energy through innovative natural gas and bioenergy projects. But while their operations are future-focused, in 2024, their IT support was holding them back. Specifically, the relationship with their managed IT provider felt like an obstacle to growth.
In 2024, their Director of IT began searching for a better way forward. After reaching out to several providers, one company stood out: Kaco. The conversations felt different. Clearer, more collaborative.
They officially partnered with Kaco in October 2024 and since then, they’ve experienced a smoother IT environment that supports their pace, their people, and their mission.
"The partnership has had a significant positive impact on our organization. Everything is now running much more seamlessly than before.”
Director of IT
Transparent IT Management and Streamlined Access to Critical Resources
Before Kaco, this energy company struggled with managed IT service providers that prioritized upselling their services over providing support. Their previous providers assured the team they’d “handle everything,” yet tucked vital data behind proprietary systems and built contract terms that made it nearly impossible to access that information or switch vendors. This left them with virtually no control over their own infrastructure.
Kaco's Approach
From the moment Kaco came on board, the company appreciated that we prioritized making every system, every setting, every byte of data stays under their control. The company’s information was treated as proprietary—because it is—and they received solutions that let their team focus on turning waste into energy, not wrestling with IT.
Rather than “owning” the infrastructure for them, our Kaco team only steps in where it adds value.
The result?
The energy company now has full access to all of their data. Their IT team can analyze trends, track incoming tickets, and monitor everything happening within their environment. The company also has the agility to scale projects, adapt quickly, and keep their clean-energy mission moving forward, without ever losing sight of their own data.
Improving Cybersecurity with Robust Network Configuration
Although the company operates primarily remotely, secure on-site Wi-Fi is essential to prevent new points of entry for threats. Before partnering with Kaco, they faced several network weaknesses that put both safety and productivity at risk.
Key Issues Identified:
- Their facilities depend on internet-connected human-machine interfaces to control valves, tank levels, throughput, and other critical functions. The SCADA networks that manage these devices weren’t optimally configured and contained exploitable flaws that created attack surfaces.
- The on-site wireless infrastructure was neither robust nor up to date, leaving devices—and the broader operational environment—exposed to potential compromise.
How Kaco Fixed It
Kaco properly secured the company's WiFi and SCADA networks using modern data protection techniques and best practices. Our upgrades resolved the lingering security issues and significantly enhanced the security of the company’s control networks across multiple sites. They are now in a much stronger position to prevent unauthorized access to their mission-critical devices.
Faster Turnarounds and No Surprise Charges
With this energy company's previous provider, system changes could drag on for 10 to 12 weeks and nearly every support request came with unexpected costs.
Beforehand, whenever the company's IT team asked their MSP to address issues like Wi-Fi upgrades or VPN connection security, the response was always, “This project will take three months and cost extra.”
The Kaco Difference:
The company now has a dedicated IT team that delivers both steady, day-to-day support and on-demand project management. A stable core group on our team handles routine tasks, while experienced project managers step in whenever a new initiative needs extra oversight to keep every project on schedule and on budget. Best of all, many of these project-related services are included in their standard support agreement, with no hidden fees.
The result?
The company can rely on a consistently responsive IT support team to address issues promptly, meet their expectations, and deliver services within a realistic timeline.
A Strategic IT Partnership Rooted in Collaboration and Growth
From the beginning, this energy company has appreciated that our Kaco team acts as an extension of their operations. Rather than just treating ourselves as an outside contractor, their IT team benefits from our collaborative, transparent approach:
- Clear communication: The company's IT team gets informed about every network change, including the technical details and the reasoning behind them.
- Knowledge sharing: Their IT team receives explanations about each option and our expert insights so they can make informed decisions.
- Collaborative mindset: Since we avoid creating dependencies, the company instead feels empowered to adapt and grow independently.
- Aligned priorities: The energy company gets recommendations based on what’s right for them, not what benefits Kaco’s bottom line. They can focus on scaling their mission with confidence.
Quiet Improvements, Lasting Impact
Working with Kaco has transformed the way this company manages its IT environment.
From day-to-day operations to longer-term planning, everything now runs more smoothly and with far less friction than before. Due to a series of small but meaningful improvements, the company relies on a stronger environment without disrupting their operations or introducing risk.
Our thoughtful, steady approach means the company can continue driving forward their clean energy mission, reliably and without compromise.
“I would highly recommend Kaco for any IT needs. They've been a great company to deal with and they've been very open and honest throughout all of our interactions.”
Director of IT
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