Cosmo DeNicola Companies News

Monday, December 13, 2021

Futura Continues Cyber Security Hardening Rollout

Fort Washington, PA – December 8, 2021 - In an effort to make sure that our internal and customer facing cyber protection keeps up with external Bad Forces Futura Services initiated multiple projects to reduce vulnerabilities.

Network and server vulnerability can be found everywhere, putting data, processes, and companies at risk. Our project included the review and the activities to combat Cyber Security focusing on the following security areas:

Applications/databases/OS
Servers
Networks

Initiatives and actions Included:

Deployed Carbon Black to Priority Servers and Endpoints
Rolled out multi-factor authentication across critical access points and priority servers

Upgraded firewall at HQ (515 Pennsylvania)
Upgraded Cloud Firewall at High Availability (hosting provider)
Forced password reset across admin, user, service and network accounts. Implemented complex password requirements
Conducted audit of Active Directory accounting for all legitimate and possible illegitimate accounts
Disabled elevated privileges on all admin accounts in non-critical roles
Changed and confirmed all financial, banking or critical account passwords
Enabled Windows Credential Guard
Completed Network Assessment and Vulnerability Scans
Complete MFA roll-out at network login and lower priority servers
Complete Carbon Black deployment to all End Users and Lower Priority Servers
Confirm all insecure TLS versions are disabled throughout environment

“Cyber Security is an ongoing project as threats become more sophisticated” stated, Dominic Sambucci Futura Services President.

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Peak Rock Capital Acquires Amtech Software

Peak Rock Capital has struck the first deal of a new $2 billion private-equity fund with the acquisition of a software maker focused on the manufacturing sector.

Fort Washington, Pa.- based Amtech LLC and New Futura Services LLC, collectively known as Amtech Software, provide enterprise resource planning software and technology services that help packaging companies and other manufacturers manage their businesses by integrating different parts of their operations. The company’s products are used by 245 customers and more than 750 manufacturing plants. Its tailored solutions enable manufactures to remain competitive in a fast-evolving industry, while also achieving operational excellence in areas including plant management, production planning, supply chain, sales and customer service. Amtech’s offerings provide a compelling value proposition to the full spectrum of manufacturers.

Cosmo DeNicola, founder and CEO of Amtech, commented, “Over the past 40 years, the Amtech team and I have built and refined a differentiated software solution to optimize our customers’ manufacturing operations. Our team is proud of the success it has achieved to date and believes that Peak Rock is the ideal partner for our business as we undertake the next stage of growth. I am thrilled to continue as a shareholder in the Company and in my role as CEO.”

Pete Leibman, Managing Director of Peak Rock, said, “Amtech represents an exciting opportunity to invest in a well-established software platform with a track record of providing significant value to its customers. This investment highlights Peak Rock’s continued commitment to investing in technology businesses that are leaders in their categories and that are well-positioned for further revenue growth. We look forward to working with the Company's management team to enhance the business and build on the legacy of the DeNicola family. We are confident that Amtech is an excellent platform for expansion, through continued investments in new product development and strategic add-on acquisitions.”

Anthony DiSimone, Chief Executive Officer of Peak Rock, added, “This transaction further exemplifies Peak Rock’s technology investing strategy, which focuses on growing founder and family-owned businesses in the software and technology sector. We continue to seek technology platforms and acquisitions that we believe would benefit from our ability to drive rapid growth and performance improvement.”

DC Advisory served as exclusive financial advisor to Peak Rock on this transaction.

ABOUT AMTECH SOFTWARE

Founded in 1981, Amtech Software is a leading provider of manufacturing ERP software and technology solutions to the packaging and other manufacturing industries. Amtech’s fully integrated product suite of modules, multilingual and enterprise solutions provide a compelling value proposition to the full spectrum of manufacturers. Its software solutions serve over 245 customers at over 750 manufacturing plants in North America, Europe and Latin America. The company is headquartered in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.

ABOUT PEAK ROCK CAPITAL

Peak Rock Capital is a leading middle-market private investment firm that makes equity and debt investments in companies in North America and Europe. Peak Rock’s equity investment platform focuses on opportunities where it can support senior management to drive rapid growth and performance improvement, with expertise in corporate carve-outs and partnering with families and founders seeking first-time institutional capital. Peak Rock’s credit platform invests across capital structures, with a broad mandate to provide flexible, tailored capital solutions to middle-market and growth-oriented businesses. Peak Rock’s real estate platform makes equity and debt investments in small to mid-sized real estate assets in attractive, growing geographies. For further information about Peak Rock Capital, please visit www.peakrockcapital.com

Friday, February 19, 2021

Futura Services Disaster Avoidance, Planning and Recoveries

Fort Washington, PA - 2020 has served many technological challenges to the packaging industry. COVID-19 has driven employees to working remotely. Companies have had to manage the complexities of quickly shifting their infrastructure to accommodate online access needs and address changes in their workloads. Not to mention the uptick in cyber security breaches we have seen. For over the past thirty years we have helped our customers navigate the same type of technological challenges this year has presented with our Cloud Hosting and Remote Technology, Cyber Security Solutions, and Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery Services.

CLOUD AND REMOTE TECHNOLOGY

Our Cloud Hosting Services enables packaging companies to exit the on-premise physical hardware business and migrate their business applications to a remote, virtual, highly-available, and secure environment. For one fixed monthly fee, you procure only the computing resources needed. As your business grows and changes, you have the flexibility to modify or expand your computing resources without large capital outlays for on-premise hardware that has a fixed life and requires exhausting ongoing and expensive administration and maintenance.

CYBER SECURITY

The packaging industry is not exempt from today’s elevated level of cyber-threats and we all know of companies that have been victims. To keep our customers secure, our Cyber Security Solutions consist of leading anti-malware tools, risk mitigating maintenance activities, and intrusion testing protecting valuable assets and information. Additionally, we offer education programs specifically designed to aid and guide end-user communities to recognize and report possible threats. This is the time to get ahead of threats and ensure your company is protected with solutions and services provided by experts in this field.

BUSINESS CONTINUITY/DISASTER RECOVERY

Whether you experience a server failure, ransomware event, telecommunication outage, or a natural disaster, Futura’s Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery Service can get your business back up and running. Our services include proven methodologies to recover your essential business systems and data. We work with you to identify critical business systems, determine downtime thresholds, and develop comprehensive recovery plans. Then we test our plans to identify and address gaps before a disruptive event ever happens ensuring a quick and seamless recovery.

Futura Services offers the perfect combination of services and solutions tailored for the packaging industry to keep your technology running and supported 24/7/365 so your business remains operational. From regular status and review meetings with our customers, to testing, to staying abreast of the latest technological challenges and advancements, our dedication and focus to customer service is unparalleled. Our goal? To help you focus on what you do best… serving as an essential component of today’s packaging and consumer supply chain.

To learn how Futura Services can help you avoid technological pitfalls contact: sales@futuraservices.net or visit our website at www.futuraservices.com.

Monday, November 23, 2020

Security Concerns Leading To Growth

Fort Washington, PA - The COVID-19 pandemic is creating a higher level of awareness of security and disaster recovery concerns among Futura clients. More business is being conducted online by millions of new remote workers. Although the transition was rapid and efficient there existed many holes in companies' networks. Futura immediately offered to clients existing solutions and technologies that can be implemented quickly that ensure safe and secure computing. New projects were initiated to implement Cisco AMP to enhance cyber-security and endpoint protection. Customers have also migrated to the cloud, upgraded servers and communication technologies to create the additional bandwidth required by their expanding networks. " I am so proud of how we were able to offer, implement and take live the growing list of our client's technology needs, " stated Futura's Executive Director, Shari Divone.

Monday, November 23, 2020

Futura Services Rolls Out New Technology For 3 National Companies

Fort Washington, PA - In response to growing needs due to eCommerce Supply Chain expansion the Futura team is managing projects to refresh technology and move systems to the cloud for 3 major national Packaging companies. The projects include ERP system migration, Corporate Financial Consolidations and deployment of thousands of computer endpoints of the Kaseya monitoring and remote control solution. "We are seeing an immediate response from our major customers to consolidate and lean up their supply chains with technology", stated Futura President Dominic Sambucci.

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Futura Services Expands Global Services Footprint

Fort Washington, PA - Futura Services signs agreement with Amtech Automation to provide Level 1 & 2 outsourced software support for 24 plants in 5 languages across Europe.

Futura Services signs agreement with Amtech Automation to provide Level 1 & 2 outsourced software support for 24 plants in 5 languages across Europe. On behalf of Amtech Automation, Futura Services will be supporting is a specialized data collection and analytics software system built to monitor performance on 85 different industrial manufacturing machines. Support services includes working with the organization’s help desk as well as providing support to the end-users and management at the customer’s location.

“With metric and multi-lingual capabilities built into our CMS, a ServiceNow Platform, and combined with a proven knowledge transfer methodology, it has been an easy assimilation for our support staff and supported end-users”, stated Futura Services President, Dominic Sambucci.

Futura Services provides IT Management Services, Cloud Hosting Services, Security Services & Solutions, Outsourced Help Desk Services, and more.

For more information please visit: www.futuraservices.com

Or contact:

Shari Divone, Executive Director: sdivone@futuraservices.net

Monday, September 14, 2020

Futura Adds Major National Customer

Futura adds Major National Customer

FORT WASHINGTON, PA- Futura Services signs an outsourced Managed IT Services and Cloud Hosting agreement with a US-based, multi-plant manufacturing company.

The scope of the services includes a full data center migration for 10 plants and more than 300 concurrent users on an accelerated timeline to Cloud Hosting and Operations with a Virtual Server and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure. Supported software involved specialty ERP and scheduling software along with normal office productivity solutions. Additionally, Futura Services is providing ongoing IT Managed Services supporting the desktop and providing a Hot Spare Services to keep business users operational.

“Futura Services exceeded our expectations by assisting us in migrating our plants on an accelerated timeline, being nimble enough to change course several times in response to the needs of the business, and making it possible for us to upgrade our infrastructure and redesign the network all at the same time”, says the Customer’s CIO.

Futura Services provides IT Management Services, Cloud Hosting Services, Security Services & Solutions, Outsourced Help Desk Services, and more.

For more information please visit: www.futuraservices.com

Or contact:

Shari Divone, Executive Director: sdivone@futuraservices.net

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Futura Services Responds to Customer Needs During COVID-19 Pandemic

Organizations are changing how they do business. COVID-19 has quickly shown us this in a few short weeks.

FORT WASHINGTON, PA- Futura Services Quickly Responds to Customer Needs During COVID-19 Pandemic

Organizations are changing how they do business. COVID-19 has quickly shown us this in a few short weeks. From quarantines to government stimulus, organizations are fundamentally having to change how they operate. For a lot of packaging businesses, production has increased forcing the need to quickly scale. For other businesses it means having to be more creative, efficient, and adaptive.

Futura is no stranger to helping businesses adjust to changes like this. For over 40 years we have been deploying proven solutions that support today’s new business world. If you don’t have the right solutions in place…now is the time to get ahead.

FUTURA SERVICES DELIVERS AGILE SOLUTIONS

Quick transition in-office workers to remote workers in 24-48 hours
Deliver network and data security solutions to protect against the recent uptick in breeches and ransomware
Ensure maximum availability of systems with our cloud hosting solutions built for the packaging industry
Secure, web-based platform for easy remote worker access
Portals which allow customers to place orders/re-orders online
Elimination of paper-based workflows into organized electronic workflows for quick, online access

Whether you are a Futura customer or not, don’t let the fear of the unknown keep you from being wildly successful in this new economy. This new way of doing business isn’t going to happen sometime in the new future. It is happening now! Get ahead and stay ahead.

For more information contact:

Dominic Sambucci, President of Futura Services: dsambucci@futuraservices.net