Tag: HCS

Centric360 acquires Irish managed services provider HCS

HCS – the managed services provider with offices in Dublin, Waterford and Cork – today announces that it has been acquired by Centric360. Centric360 is an investment vehicle owned jointly by Pamela Farrell and Brian Larkin, former directors of the Evros Technology Group which was acquired in 2020 by eir. The acquisition will be followed by further investment in HCS throughout 2025, including the expansion of its service portfolio and team.

Over the past 30 years, HCS has become a highly successful managed services business spanning cyber security, cloud, digital transformation and telecoms. HCS has an impressive customer base across financial services, healthcare, hospitality, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing sectors.

Since 2020, HCS has increased its turnover from €3.5 million to a projected revenue of €8 million in this financial year and more than doubled its team from 24 to 50 employees. The company has also invested heavily in automating its systems across sales and services, providing a foundation for long-term growth and innovation.

Building on this acquisition by Centric360, both Larkin and Farrell see significant scope for further investment in the business in 2025. This will include enhancing and scaling the existing HCS service portfolio and expanding the sales and professional services teams to deliver an end-to-end offering with a best-in-class customer experience.

The vision is to build on the company’s impressive growth and foundations by extending the range of products and services to meet the rising demands of existing and future customers. Furthermore, the business intends to shift its focus beyond the SME and midmarket space to include larger enterprises.

To support these plans, HCS will add additional expertise and resources to its experienced team in the coming months. In addition to creating jobs across its three Irish offices, the company will invest in the professional development and progression of the existing team.

The acquisition also includes the purchase of the HCS headquarters in Waterford, where the business intends to strengthen its presence further. The current HCS owners and directors – Seán Hegarty, Dan Hegarty and Neil Phelan – will continue in their vital roles, contributing significantly to HCS’s ongoing growth and future success.

Meanwhile, Larkin will become Chairman and Farrell will assume the role of Managing Director. Together they bring extensive knowledge to the organisation, having been key contributors to building the Evros Technology Group to revenues of over €100 million and a 400-strong team.

Speaking about the acquisition, HCS CEO Neil Phelan said: “It was important for us to join forces with people who understand our brand and history. Together, we hope to continue driving growth not just for the business but for our employees and customers too. Pamela and Brian bring extensive industry experience, strong professional reputation, and a proven track record in leadership and business expansion. Combined with our high-quality services, excellent client relationships and talented team, we look forward to elevating HCS to the next level.”

Pamela Farrell added: “It was clear from the moment we met with HCS that we shared similar values and vision for business. With the alignment of culture and expertise, we look forward to further investing in operations, expanding the company’s capabilities, and bolstering the team. In turn, we intend to open up new opportunities while building on the organisation’s existing legacy of delivering transformational, innovative services which customers can trust.”

Half of office workers in Ireland have clicked a link in a suspicious email in the past year

HCS, a leading IT, cybersecurity, and digital transformation services company, announced the results of new research that explores office workers’ attitudes to, and experiences of, cybersecurity at work. The study found that in the past 12 months, more than half (51%) of office workers in Ireland have clicked on a link or attachment within a suspicious email sent to their work email address.

The research of 503 office workers based in Ireland was carried out by Censuswide on behalf of HCS, with the support of Fortinet, global leader driving the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. It found that 50% of those who admitted to clicking on a link and/or attachment in a suspicious email also claimed to be confident that they can identify phishing emails when they receive them.

Of those who opened a suspicious link or attachment, 61% reported it to the proper authority in their workplace immediately, while 34% reported it within the same day, but not immediately.

As employees can often be the first point of attack for cyber criminals targeting businesses, those surveyed were asked how they determine whether a communication received on a work-related device is legitimate. The survey found that 65% check whether it has come from a caller or sender that they recognise, 53% check whether the caller or sender is asking for private or sensitive information, and half look for grammar or spelling errors. A quarter (25%) contact the caller or sender via another form of communication to confirm their identity.

As the cyber threat landscape continues to evolve, 67% of those surveyed say they are aware of their company having a plan or protocol in the event of a successful cyberattack. Despite this, just 41% of office workers said their employer has provided formal cybersecurity awareness training in the past year. Of those who haven’t received any cybersecurity training in this timeframe, 79% said that their previous training is not sufficient to keep pace with modern cyber threats.

When asked what they perceive to be the biggest cyber threats to their business in 2024, Irish-based office workers named human error (49%), malware (49%) and social engineering such as phishing (43%). Some 42% say phishing attempts are becoming more convincing.

Dan Hegarty, Head of Sales, HCS, said: “This research serves to highlight some of the real-world cybersecurity risks facing businesses. Employees are often the weakest link in an organisation’s chain of cyber defences, so it’s concerning to see that a large number of the employees who were deceived by a suspicious email also believe that they are alert to cybersecurity threats.

“Evidently, the training that employees are receiving – if any – may not be enough. The survey underscores the need for regular cybersecurity awareness training within organisations. The reality is that – particularly now, given the speed of advancement in AI – what could have sufficed 12 months ago may now be outdated. Complacency in this area could prove to be the biggest threat to businesses.

“Our research also shows that it’s not enough to just have a strategy in place in the event of a cyberattack. Any strategy needs to be tried and tested across the business and continually updated as cyberattacks continue to become more advanced. At HCS, we see first-hand the daily challenges posed to customers by cyber criminals attempting to exploit vulnerabilities. We ensure that security is at the core of everything that we do for our customers, minimising risk and enabling better business performance.”

Paul Donegan, Country Manager Ireland, Fortinet: “These findings underscore the need for continuous improvement within organisations. In a cyber landscape that’s becoming ever more complex, businesses must make cybersecurity a key priority and they must equip their employees with the tools to do the same. That’s why through the Fortinet Training Institute we are committed to supporting companies of all sizes to keep pace with evolving cybersecurity trends and skill sets with appropriate cybersecurity training and courses for every person in the organisation.

“It’s also important that employees understand the importance of putting their hands up if they make an error of judgment or are misled by a fraudulent email or call. It’s crucial to get out in front of a potential breach, and employees need to realise that time is of the essence and report an incident as soon as it happens. It’s up to organisations to promote this from the top down and instill a sense of cybersecurity ownership and responsibility across the business.”

HCS to increase revenues by €2.5 million through Fortinet partnership

HCS, a leading IT services, cybersecurity and digital transformation company, is today announcing that it expects to increase revenues by €2.5 million in the next two years through its enhanced partnership with Fortinet, a global leader in cybersecurity solutions and services. HCS has been awarded Expert level partnership with Fortinet, one of only a handful of Irish companies to achieve this status.

HCS was recognised as its Fortinet team has achieved the highest level of technical certification and has a proven track record in delivering innovative Fortinet security solutions to customers through professional and managed services. To support the expected growth in demand for these services, HCS will create 15 jobs across its security managed and professional services teams.

As a Fortinet Expert partner, HCS will provide specialist managed offerings to customers across cloud security, network security, firewalls, security fabric, Zero Trust network access, and SD-WAN. The company expects to see the biggest growth in SOCaaS (security operations centre as-a-service) and SASE (secure access service edge) over the next 12 months. The enhanced Fortinet partnership will enable HCS to add endpoint detection and response (EDR) capabilities to its managed services portfolio.

The partnership is also enabling HCS to expand its customer base into the financial and government sectors. Customers will have increased access to cybersecurity skills and resources, enabling them to maximise their business performance.

Dan Hegarty, Head of Sales, HCS: “We are delighted to have achieved Expert level partnership with Fortinet. This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team and a strong validation of our Fortinet offering. It cements our position in the security solutions and services marketplace and will enable us to provide an enhanced offering to our customers.

“We build security into every solution we manage. Customers’ security needs are evolving and implementations based on standards such as the Public Sector Cybersecurity Baseline Standards and those required by cybersecurity insurance companies are gathering pace. We look forward to working with both new and existing customers to build out their security architectures and further developing our strong relationship with Fortinet.”

Paul Donegan, Country Manager Ireland, Fortinet: “We are thrilled to name HCS as a Fortinet Expert partner. The team has a depth of expertise in cybersecurity and providing innovative and transformative Fortinet security solutions to customers. With this achievement HCS now join a select number of Irish companies to have reached this partnership level which cements their position and recognises the ongoing commitment and investment across the business. We are excited to continue to work closely with HCS and build on our valued partnership.”

HCS technology underpins Shorla’s operations as it prepares to launch first life-saving oncology drug

HCS, a leading business IT, security and telecoms company, is today announcing that it has delivered comprehensive managed technology infrastructure to Shorla Oncology. This top-to-bottom IT system underpins Shorla’s vital operations which, in turn, is allowing the company to research, develop, and commercialise its products. Shorla is preparing to launch its first life-saving oncology drug.

Shorla’s mission is to re-think, re-imagine, and improve on existing oncology treatments. Working with world-renowned key opinion leaders and first-in-class research scientists, its team merges experience and innovation to solve real-world clinical problems. Its aim is to greatly improve patients’ lives by integrating these innovative solutions into effective oncology treatments.

HCS was tasked with building the company’s entire IT infrastructure from the ground up. Security and compliance are of the utmost importance as Shorla operates in a highly regulated industry, and the company needed to safeguard its sensitive data. With offices in Ireland and the U.S., Shorla also needed to effectively connect dispersed teams who were working across different locations and time zones.

HCS designed and deployed an IT solution tailored to Shorla’s unique needs, and monitors and manages all IT functions for the company. The solution proactively secures the IT systems of the organisation, from employee devices and data storage to email and web hosting. HCS onboards new Shorla employees to the IT system and manages permissions to maintain high levels of security. The system is fully compliant and all of the company’s critical data is securely backed up to ensure peace of mind.

An end-to-end Microsoft365 suite enables effective collaboration between teams operating in different locations, with capabilities across Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive. HCS manages and remotely monitors all company devices, meaning a speedy response and little or no downtime in the event of an incident. The solution is primarily cloud-based, and employee devices are the company’s only physical infrastructure.

HCS’ system is flexible and scalable in line with business growth. The company wanted to be as paperless as possible and working from a cloud-based system is helping it to achieve its sustainability goals. HCS provides ongoing support with a remote helpdesk, access to highly trained engineers and a 24/7 emergency support facility.

Orlaith Ryan, Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer, Shorla Oncology: “This top-to-bottom IT solution from HCS gives us the confidence to roll out our services in the knowledge that our data and operations are fully secure and compliant. The system and services provided by HCS ensures our employees are enabled to do their jobs effectively, even when working in different regions and time zones. HCS’ support is proactive and reliable which is crucial for us, particularly as our team is dispersed.”

Orlaith Connell, Account Manager, HCS: “Security is built into everything we do for our customers, and effective cyber and data security was the priority for an organisation such as Shorla which deals with critical data on a daily basis. HCS is providing peace of mind with 24/7 support, with a particular focus on security. By proactively monitoring and safeguarding against any potential compromise, we are providing resilience as the company continues to grow and evolve.

“In turn, this has enabled Shorla to enhance its own service rollout. We are thrilled to have been chosen by the team to deploy this solution as the company is providing crucial services and making a lasting impact on the science industry and beyond.”

HCS to grow its telecoms revenue to €1 million following Fixaphone acquisition

HCS, a leading business IT, security and telecoms company, is today announcing that it has acquired Waterford-based Fixaphone, a leading provider of business telephone systems. Following the acquisition, HCS forecasts that its telecoms turnover will reach €1 million in the next three years. The acquisition will add 750 Fixaphone business telecoms customers to HCS’ portfolio, which will increase by 125% following the deal.

In business for more than 20 years, Fixaphone specialises in on-premise PBX telephony sales and maintenance for small businesses. Combining this deep industry knowledge with HCS’ modern cloud-hosted telecoms solutions will provide both customer bases with an enhanced service offering as the move to the cloud continues in earnest.

HCS provides secure integrated IT, telecoms and productivity solutions to enable better business performance for Irish organisations. The company uses secure by design principles to ensure that it significantly reduces risk for customers with security built in. Headquartered in Waterford and with a base in Dublin, the company recently opened a third location in Cork.

Fixaphone will integrate into HCS and trade under the HCS brand with immediate effect. The acquisition will enhance HCS’ telecom sales team and allow it to cross-sell to each customer base, driving value and enabling them to grow and innovate. Fixaphone customers include Brothers of Charity Services, Keeling’s, Fitzgerald Power Chartered Accountants, and Mount Congreve Estate.

Mick Foley, Managing Director, Fixaphone: “HCS are leaders in the hosted telecoms sphere, so I’m delighted that we are joining forces. By combining our skillsets, we can provide an enhanced level of services and support to our existing and prospective clients.

“Though technologies and platforms are changing, the telecoms knowledge and experience built up with Fixaphone over the last 20 years will be invaluable on the next stage of the journey. We have the golden opportunity to leverage each other’s expertise to accelerate our shared growth.”

Sean Hegarty, Head of Operations, HCS: “We are thrilled to announce this acquisition and welcome Fixaphone to our team. Merging the pool of knowledge and experience that Fixaphone brings with our modern telecommunications solutions will give us a powerful edge. We look forward to building on this as we continue on our upward growth trajectory.

“In today’s hybrid work environment, effective business communication is paramount. We feel we are well placed as the move from on-premise to cloud accelerates and traditional non-digital telephony becomes obsolete. This acquisition will bolster our telecoms services offerings, so we can provide our customers with best-in-class solutions to allow them greater flexibility and enable them to grow.”