Securing a global manufacturing company

Protecting precision manufacturing in a connected supply chain

KeyTec produces high-precision metal parts and plastic components, from prototypes to mass-volume runs, using deep drawing, injection moulding, laser welding and precision assembly.

Founded in 1999 as a divestment from Philips Electronics, KeyTec today employs around 1,000 people across the Netherlands, China and the Czech Republic, with its International head office on the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven and Dutch manufacturing concentrated in Sittard.

In an industry where production uptime, intellectual property, and customer data are inseparable from competitiveness, cybersecurity has become a core operational requirement.

Why a long-standing setup needed a fresh look

KeyTec Netherlands had outsourced its office automation and, with it, antivirus and antimalware to IT partner ISL Automatisering. The setup had served the business well. But two pressures converged.

First, the threat landscape shifted. Ransomware attacks on manufacturers had surged in recent years. The sector was now the most-targeted industry globally for the fifth consecutive year. Headlines about cyber attacks on Maersk, NetCom, and MediaMarkt had made the risk concrete.

Second, KeyTec's customers started asking harder questions. Procurement teams wanted evidence of how their data and designs were being protected.

"Attacks can be detrimental for your business operations and your image. That's no different for us. We didn't want to be the weak link in our supply chain by not properly securing sensitive customer data."
Rik Jaeken
IT Manager

Production wouldn't halt the moment ransomware struck but eventually it would. Without access to data, manufacturing would grind to a stop. Mitigating that risk became a board-level priority.

What set Eye Security apart

KeyTec evaluated several providers and asked them to run an independent security test. Eye Security stood out on three dimensions:

• 24/7 monitoring of every endpoint and identity, powered by CrowdStrike
• A collaborative model that worked alongside KeyTec's existing IT partner
• Trusted by the cyber insurance market: KeyTec first encountered Eye through an Aon webinar

"The other providers offered awareness programmes and phishing campaigns too, but continuous monitoring with CrowdStrike was really the main reason we chose Eye. We work together in a strong triangle with our IT partner."
Rik Jaeken
IT Manager

A smooth onboarding, invisible to the shop floor

Onboarding began with a kick-off involving KeyTec, ISL Automatisering and Eye Security. ISL handled the rollout of the security software across endpoints. Within a month, KeyTec was fully live with no disruption noticed by employees on the production floor or in the office.

From day one, KeyTec's environment was monitored around the clock for deviations from normal patterns. When something looks wrong, Eye's SOC specialists investigate and act immediately.

Detection that has already proven its value

The 24/7 service has caught real-world threats and verified false alarms in equal measure, the hallmark of a SOC that understands its customer.

• A malicious USB was blocked at the workstation. When an employee plugged in a Chinese-made USB stick, Eye detected a virus-like program and blocked the device on the spot, Jaeken was notified immediately.
• Unfamiliar network activity was verified, not just flagged. An unusual install was detected on the network and traced back to a legitimate ERP package deployment, confirmed without unnecessary escalation.
• Zero-day awareness came ahead of the news. When a critical Java vulnerability emerged, KeyTec was notified by Eye before the story broke in the media.

"It is comforting to know all deviations are detected and verified. The software will only get better at recognising the patterns that belong to our network and the ones that don't."
Rik Jaeken
IT Manager

Building a stronger human firewall

Alongside MDR, Eye runs ongoing phishing simulations across KeyTec's workforce. The results show in everyday behaviour.

"Not only are we seeing employees improving in signalling suspicious emails, but people are even starting to alert each other if they see something that doesn’t add up."
Rik Jaeken
IT Manager

A bi-annual review keeps strategy and tactics aligned. The most recent consultation confirmed KeyTec's systems are well protected, with a clear list of incremental improvements to keep raising the bar.