How tech helps GSE Environmental drive an eco-friendly business

By Microsoft in Business Team

March 9, 2017

Focus on: Optimize Operations, Empower Employees

Over the course of its four-decade history, GSE Environmental has built a reputation for being a pioneer in the geosynthetics field. In addition to being the first company to develop a full-scale geosynthetics laboratory, GSE has always been committed to setting the industry standard for product performance and quality. Today, GSE produces the widest range of durable and dependable geosynthetics lining products on the market, and continues to lead by example through its commitment to corporate citizenship.

For GSE, producing quality geosynthetics products and creating positive change in the communities they serve go hand in hand. Geosynthetics, which is the term used to describe eight categories of synthetic polymer materials created to solve a variety of engineering challenges, are critical in supporting a healthier and safer global environment. From preventing landfill leakage and aiding water conservation, to helping meet energy demands and playing pivotal roles in civil engineering projects, geosynthetics are used for many purposes around the globe.

After nearly 40 years, GSE’s customers expect the global industry leader to responsibly deliver the highest quality of geosynthetics products and services. To continue their commitment to innovation, GSE recently embarked on a digital transformation journey to replace its legacy data management systems with a cloud-based solution.Recognizing the need for radical IT changeDelivering the right products to the right customers across a myriad of global markets requires seamless collaboration among GSE’s internal teams and real-time data analysis.

Prior to beginning its digital transformation, however, GSE lacked an integrated data management solution, which created two significant issues. First, siloed systems made it extremely challenging to correlate data and get that information into the right hands. Under this legacy approach, gaining actionable insights from data and accurately relaying these insights to the proper teams and customers in a timely manner was difficult.

Second, the man-hours and resources spend performing regular maintenance activities like backups and off-site replication bogged systems down and prevented IT staff from spending time on more high-value activities. For GSE to effectively continue its legacy of working responsibly and providing the best geosynthetics products, Whitelaw and his team knew a radical change had to be made.

Optimizing operations with integrated data managementBecause of his previous experience with Microsoft products and reputation, Whitelaw knew he could simplify and consolidate data management right out of the box with Microsoft solutions. After evaluating the capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics 365 and realizing they aligned with GSE’s vision and timeline for transformation, it was clear Dynamics 365 was the right solution.

By moving data management completely to the Microsoft Cloud, GSE was immediately able to significantly reduce on-premises infrastructure—almost eliminating it entirely.

By downsizing its physical IT infrastructure, GSE has experienced significant cost savings, reducing IT spending from $7.8 million to $2.8 million. The move to the Microsoft Cloud and Dynamics 365 also enabled Whitelaw to consolidate his staff and reduce the burden on his department.

“Now, Microsoft has taken most of the load off of our department—for all of the [disaster recovery and version control], server management, patching—all the things that are a cost to an IT organization. Now we can focus on things that really add value to the business.”Driving digital transformationGeosynthetics are an integral part of engineering projects that ensure our roadways and infrastructure are secure, our water is safe, and our environment is sustainable. Digital transformation is empowering GSE Environmental to improve the quality of the products it provides—and the quality of life for the larger global community the company serves.

GSE has built a legacy on being early adopters, and digital transformation is only the latest example of that legacy. Streamlining data sources, uniting systems, and influencing radical change has helped GSE Environmental once again set the pace for the rest of its industry.

Working smarter with cloud-connected operations allows GSE to increase visibility across its network and enhance collaboration. Predictive analytics and centralized data management enable GSE to identify environmental issues before they occur. Now, instead of spending time trying to correlate data across disparate systems, GSE can get accurate reporting on metrics in real time, identify potential indicators of a problem, and take action before it negatively impacts customers and the environment.

“What surprised me was how easy the integration [on Dynamics 365] was and how simple it is to manage. When you look at what Microsoft offers, it [almost seems] too good to be true, but until you’re on it and using it, it really is that good.”

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is driving GSE’s digital transformation journey, and there are countless other stories of organizations across a range of industries leveraging the latest technology to achieve their unique business goals.

What will Dynamics 365 and digital transformation help your business achieve? Visit https://info.microsoft.com/dynamics365-digital-first-business.html to learn more.