KNDS UK

Defence engineering specialists KNDS UK have over a century’s experience of designing and manufacturing products for 43 countries worldwide. Originally focused on aviation parts, they are now market leaders in military bridges which can be deployed in minutes. Since 2021, KNDS UK is helping to build more than 500 Boxer armoured vehicles for the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD). As well as creating the vehicle hulls, KNDS UK is responsible for assembling and testing the complete vehicles, using parts produced by several different suppliers. To ensure all components are manufactured correctly, KNDS UK need to share detailed drawings and specifications with suppliers. They also have to exchange quotes, contracts, and project updates with suppliers.

Because the Boxer vehicles are for the MOD, detailed information about their manufacturing is bound by the Official Secrets Act. Adhering to this is a contractual obligation for KNDS UK. So to ensure contractual compliance, KNDS UK needed an ultra-secure way to exchange digital messages and files with suppliers. While military-grade data protection was essential, it wasn’t the only consideration. To protect staff productivity, KNDS UK’s Head of IT, Mike Curry, wanted a solution that was as user-friendly as possible.

KNDS UK’s market research revealed two potential options for email encryption software that meets MOD standards, one of which was Galaxkey Secure Email. KNDS UK trialled both products and then decided to purchase Galaxkey Secure Email for their purchasing department. This encrypts emails and attachments, and keeps them protected even after being opened and saved elsewhere by suppliers.

After seeing demos of Galaxkey Secure Workspace, Mike and his colleagues realised this would be a useful way to manage files and collaborate on specific projects. With Galaxkey Secure Workspace, KNDS UK staff can set up a dedicated, secure workspace for a specific project, and grant access to the relevant supplier. Both parties can then upload and download files securely, add comments and exchange messages, all in one place.

KNDS UK staff now have complete confidence that sensitive data is always kept secure when they share it with suppliers, whether by email or in a file. This gives peace of mind they are complying with their contractual data protection obligations. Far from adding an extra administrative burden for staff, using Galaxkey has streamlined some processes.

KNDS UK staff find collaborating with suppliers is easier via the secure workspace. It reduces the volume of emails and makes it simpler to keep track of files, rather than hunting through email chains for the latest or final version. Galaxkey’s user-friendly set-up is also a benefit for the IT team. They receive very few staff requests for support with using Galaxkey.

“The best thing about Galaxkey is the ease of use. We install it, show people how to use it, and then that’s it – they’re away and running with it. Users don’t need the same support as with some other applications.”