Oost-Vlaamse Bouwmaterialen chooses structural cybersecurity with Axians.

The cyber incident was a wake-up call. After this experience, OVB chose a structural approach. A strategy was needed that combined prevention, detection, and rapid response. OVB has been working with Axians for IT services and infrastructure for some time. This existing trust relationship made it easy to act quickly after the incident. Axians combined cybersecurity expertise with knowledge of the business context, resulting in a pragmatic and achievable roadmap.

Step-by-step improvement journey

As part of the VLAIO program, OVB started a medium improvement track in September 2024, followed by an extension in June 2025. The approach was based on the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and began with a GAP analysis. Based on this, priorities were set and concrete actions planned:

• Conducting a risk assessment
• Raising employee awareness
• Network segmentation and stricter access control
• Implementing monitoring and incident response

Thanks to these measures, OVB significantly increased its cyber resilience. Moreover, VLAIO’s financial support made the project feasible.

Ready for a sustainable digital future

The journey proves that even small steps make a big difference. By embedding cybersecurity structurally, OVB invests not only in security but also in business continuity and trust with customers and partners. This way, the company continues to build a future where digital resilience is an integral part of sustainable growth.