Northern and Shell Media Group
Founded in 1974, Northern and Shell Media Group has become a major force in British and worldwide news outlets, with a UK audience of more than 1.7 million. Titles include The Daily Express, Daily Star and celebrity magazines OK! New! and Star. The company operates in all major areas of publishing, with diverse interests in new media, print, distribution, investment and property.
Challenges
Project 1. The team at SynergyPlus were aware that the sites they already provided services for would be closed and relocated to the company’s headquarters at 10 Lower Thames Street, EC3. SynergyPlus would be assisting with the successful termination of contracts at the previous sites.
Project 2. The relocation of their West Ferry Printworks to a new, state-of-the-art facility located within the Vauxhall Business Mall enterprise zone in Luton.
Project 3. Moving The Express LTS estate over to SIP.
Highlights
SynergyPlus’s initial engagement with the Northern and Shell Media Group began shortly after their successful acquisition of Channel 5 in early 2011. We have now completed multiple projects across the Group including a managed service contract, SIP and hosted IP deployment and new wide area network (WAN).
Solution
The team at SynergyPlus are frequently required to work closely with in-house IT departments. This relationship enabled the successful termination of contracts at the previous sites. The effectiveness of this resulted in Group Head of Technology, Simon Cohen promising to allow SynergyPlus to tender for future projects.
The decision to relocate their Northern & Shell West Ferry Printworks provided an opportunity for SynergyPlus to tender for a range of fully outsourced services, including; Hosted IP telephony, support agreements, Data Connectivity and a cordless DECT phone solution across the whole site, including ‘man down’ facilities and a SIP trunk solution using DECT handsets.
“SynergyPlus has become our partner rather than just a supplier of services, and have successfully helped us navigate a path through the current and in to the future.”
Group Head – Technology,
Express Newspaper/Daily Star/OK!
“SynergyPlus has become our partner rather than just a supplier of services, and have successfully helped us navigate a path through the current and in to the future.”
Group Head – Technology,
Express Newspaper/Daily Star/OK!
The Outcome
After detailed discussions with Northern and Shell, SynergyPlus were awarded a long-term managed services contract for the Luton site in June 2011. The project was completed on time and on budget in November 2011. Following the success before, during and after the West Ferry project, SynergyPlus has maintained a strong working relationship with Northern and Shell, discussing working together in other areas of the business.
“As other contracts within the group have come up for renewal, the rapid advances in technology and with the group as a whole evolving, SynergyPlus have become our partner rather than just a supplier of services, and have successfully helped us navigate a path through the current and in to the future.”
Group Head – Technology, Northern & Shell Media.
