Compliance and security are crucial for us
A motorsport race may officially start with the green flag, but the foundation for a coveted victory is laid in a quiet industrial park in Nieuw-Vennep. There, Race Winning Brands produces high-quality parts for international motorsports. The company is growing as fast as the racing machines it powers, so the IT environment has to keep pace.
An imposing V8 engine in the boardroom. Brightly coloured, signed shirts of motocross champions on the walls of the office space. And pistons of all shapes and sizes adorn the glass display cases in the hallway. Even before visitors receive a proper introduction to the company, it’s clear that this is the beating heart – or rather, the roaring engine – of automotive and powersports-loving Europe.
And that’s no exaggeration, as becomes evident when we talk to director Martin Stelleman. “Walk into any garage, open up a Honda motocross bike, and there’s a 90 percent chance that it has one of our engines.”
Established name
Race Winning Brands is a manufacturer and distributor of high-quality, OEM-equivalent engine and drivetrain-related parts, such as pistons, intake manifolds and crankshafts. The company, headquartered in the US, owns 10 brands that are sold in more than 70 countries worldwide. The best known of these is ProX, which is especially popular in the motocross world.
The parts are used in powersports (motocross, jet skis, snowmobiles) and motorsports – up to the highest levels of Formula 1, NASCAR and NHRA. “We make original parts, at a lower price, and in all different sizes,” Martin explains. “We can source products that no one else can. Because of this position, our brands are established names in the international powersports and automotive markets.”
Security & data
For a company operating in a dynamic international market, the quality and reliability of the digital working environment are crucial. Aster assisted with the transition from local servers to the cloud. Martin: “We have a massive SQL database. We import 900 lines times 150 products daily. All of that data is also broken down, so we’re dealing with huge amounts of data that need to be managed.”
Compliance and security are crucial for us
Add in the US component, and it’s clear that the IT partner cannot afford to slip up when it comes to compliance and security.
Advantage in IT
Race Winning Brands has entrusted the management of its digital work environment and infrastructure to Aster since the days of its predecessor, PMi. “We were among Aster’s first batch of customers, and we’ve grown up together,” Martin says. “Aster fits our style well: accessible, down-to-earth, no fuss. You feel welcome both as a customer and as a person. They listen to what you have to say, and in all these years, there’s never been an invoice that wasn’t accurate.”
“Race Winning Brands is growing like a rocket,” Martin continues. “These growth spurts need to be supported by IT as well. And that’s not always easy, especially since ‘America’ also has a say in things. That creates a bit of tension. But with Aster, we’ve managed to gain a significant IT advantage over our competiton.”
Everything running like clockwork
Meanwhile, in the warehouse in Nieuw-Vennep, new shipments of products are arriving and orders are being picked. Hundreds of thousands of parts are stored in towering shelving units. The warehouse management system, which processes the orders, is maintained by Aster. Today, once again, everything is running like clockwork. How things are managed behind the scenes in IT is something Martin prefers to leave to others. “It’s all a mystery to me. I only know if something works or doesn’t work. So, for over fifteen years, I’ve happily left that to Aster.”
This allows Martin to focus on the technology that does interest him: brake discs, clutch plates and cylinder heads. In short: “Start your engines” and race towards the checkered flag!