Modernizing IT for a Growing Box Manufacturer
Harris Packaging, a family-operated corrugated box manufacturer established in 1976, produces 3.1 million square feet of boxes and displays daily from a 225,000 square foot facility near Velo's Louisiana origins. The company ships approximately 21 trailer loads each day to clients in various industries, including food and furniture. When Velo became involved, the business faced challenges due to years of postponed IT investments. The aging infrastructure, obsolete hardware, and security vulnerabilities were hindering operations on the plant floor. Forklift operators relied on a stack of login cheat sheets to access necessary paperwork, and when systems failed, the team had to send screenshots between phones to keep production ongoing. A failed server reboot after a standard update highlighted the critical risk of a potential major issue. Velo adopted a strategic, business-focused approach to address these challenges. Recognizing that every minute of downtime meant lost production, the team conducted an on-site assessment, planned a phased rollout to reduce disruptions, and worked tirelessly as needed. The project included upgrades to switches, server hardware, software, security, and endpoints, all rebuilt on a secure, scalable foundation designed for growth. Today, Harris Packaging operates on a modern, stable platform from top to bottom. Outages are reduced, and security has improved. The workflow on the plant floor has been streamlined to a simple process: scan in, retrieve, print, load, and scan out. Email, scheduling, cost systems, and floor reporting remain operational, allowing the team to concentrate on production. As Harris prepares to open a second warehouse, Velo is enhancing connectivity to ensure both facilities operate cohesively. According to the client, "We haven't encountered a challenge they can't manage."