Industry
Aquaculture
Company HQ
Massachusetts
Number of Employees
50-100 employees
Client Since
2021
Supporting a world-class, vertically integrated shellfish farm in expanding their operations
An oyster farm on the east coast of Massachusetts has more technological complexity than one might guess – especially when it’s a global vertically integrated shellfish business, including a hatchery, a genetics program, several brick and mortar locations, and a thriving direct-to-consumer ecommerce business.
After taking over a run-down former marine research facility with 60,000 square feet on the property, including converted antique ship captain’s homes, a laboratory, storage, distribution areas, a restaurant and dining space, and more, the team turned to Davin Technology to transform it into a hyper-connected, optimized, modern campus.
The challenge
Right-sized infrastructure for a midsized, growing business
“Given that we are a midsize business, we often find ourselves in this kind of awkward middle ground between large and small,” said their CEO Chris. “There’s a lot of solutions out there for small businesses, you know, like an IT person who bills hourly. And there’s also major corporate IT service providers that are more designed for bigger businesses. And obviously, one option was bringing it in house as well. But we couldn’t justify the investment given the scope of work.”
Spotty internet at the hatchery and on-site raw bar was a constant concern. The team had been burned by using a local contractor that lacked a comprehensive IT strategy, which proved expensive but ineffective when it came to putting the pieces together. Instead, we were able to adapt to the business’ needs, providing custom IT services for a full infrastructure overhaul, and sending the right support their way as they grew.
The goals
Make strategic IT decisions alongside rapid business growth, and appropriately support the team
The business was undertaking a lot of construction projects across its new campus, updating a lot of buildings that now needed modern IT infrastructure.
“Infrastructure was the biggest piece of it. A big part of what we did for the first few years we worked together was just to stand up and repair networking infrastructure on campus,” their CEO said. “We basically redid the entire fiber optic network, but I was also looking for an informed partner in the decision making process around that. Do we go fiber optic? Do we run lines directly from the street? Do we do aerial? Do we go underground? It was a lot to wrap our heads around.”
Additionally, the team had grown to 120 full-time employees and maintenance tasks like administration and managing devices had grown along with it. “It got to the point where if something breaks, it’s nice to have somebody to reach out to,” Chris explained.
“I was also looking for an informed partner in the decision making process… It was a lot to wrap our heads around.”
The solution
Partner with an expert IT management and strategy team
To create a plan for comprehensive IT support, we had to look at the full picture, which meant evaluating existing risks and understanding goals. Infrastructure was the number one priority, as a number of tenants on the property were struggling with spotty connectivity as well.
The CEO also wanted systems that his largely non-technical team could operate, and to be able to call on Davin when it came time to update or expand to new locations.
The process
Set up dependable infrastructure and provide trustworthy IT guidance
First, we updated and expanded the entire fiber optic network across the business campus, creating secure connections the team could rely on. We also created a strategy for maintaining the company’s devices and programs across locations and teams.
An important part of the process has been training the management team on best practices along the way. “Davin has been particularly helpful in saving some money on [managing licenses and spend across the software platforms we use] and also equipping our management team with better decision-making around IT resources,” Chris explained.
“They’ve been patient with us and helpful in educating our management team on the best options when there are so many available.”
The outcome
Stable systems, ongoing support, and a trusted IT partner as they scale
Working with Davin Tech Group has enabled Chris’ teams to focus on what they know best: hatching, farming, shipping, and serving shellfish.
“Now, if we want to open a new facility or a new restaurant, for instance, and we need to implement a new POS system and all the hardware, make sure that that’s synced up with the networks – that’s everything that used to be a pretty big lift for us. And we just outsource that to Davin,” Chris said.
The results
The impact of Davin Tech Group’s partnership
“In building out [our business], there are so many natural hurdles and bottlenecks, as many that aren’t core to the mission that we can eliminate or outsource or kind of check that box – It just makes growth that much better,” Chris said.
After partnering with Davin Tech Group, the business was able to achieve:
- Reliable infrastructure and improved enterprise resource planning (ERP)
- Improved and informed decision making around IT solutions
- Streamlined administration and maintenance of devices and programs
- A trusted partner for technical expansion for new locations
We’re proud to have been able to help tackle this business’ unique challenges and support such a vibrant part of the local community.
