How Softwerx Helped Tristel Turn Compliance into Competitive Advantage

For Tristel, cybersecurity is directly tied to business continuity. Its proprietary ClO₂ chemistry underpins its products and commercial success, making the protection of its intellectual property critical.  Any compromise of the data underpinning this patented formula could erode Tristel’s competitive advantage and damage its long-term reputation. At the same time, its reliance on on-premises systems for manufacturing created operational vulnerability, as any cyber incident could disrupt production and halt operations, potentially resulting in significant financial and operational damage.

Strict compliance requirements add further pressure. Tristel works closely with the NHS and handles sensitive healthcare data, so strong protection is essential to maintain trust and meet GDPR requirements, as well as additional scrutiny in the US when managing PHI. With 300 employees spread across multiple time zones and a lean IT team, keeping constant visibility and responding quickly to threats isn’t easy, increasing the risk and impact of any potential breach.

Taken together, these challenges meant the consequences of a breach could be severe. A single incident could halt production, expose sensitive healthcare data, trigger regulatory penalties and cause lasting reputational damage.

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Tristel took a strategic decision to build on its existing Microsoft investment, creating a fully integrated, Microsoft-centric security architecture. The security stack was standardised around Microsoft 365 E5 licenses, incorporating Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, Azure Monitor Logs and Azure Logic Apps. This unified approach enhanced visibility, streamlined management, and ensured the security environment was fully supported by Microsoft.

A key part of the transformation was Softwerx secure365®, a 24×7 managed XDR service delivered through a UK-based SOC. Continuous monitoring and rapid threat escalation gave Tristel round the clock coverage that its IT team could not achieve, significantly reducing risk and enabling swift, decisive response to potential incidents.

Alongside this, Tristel modernised its infrastructure and strengthened identity security. Legacy on premises systems were refreshed to ensure stability while supporting real time manufacturing needs, and privileged access was secured with MFA and YubiKey protected emergency accounts. Together, this reduced vendor complexity and allowed Tristel to fully realise the value of its Microsoft security investment.