KING ICT in 2022 – the year of Schengen, Euro conversion, strengthening of its international and domestic market position, and employee growth
The consequence of instability on the European territory in 2022 affected everyone, particularly the business world. However, with the synergy of our expert staff, technological partners and clients, KING ICT was ready to tackle every new challenge. KING is sure to remember 2022 as a year of major projects, a growth in staff, and further strengthening of the market position by keeping existing and winning new clients. The number of experts in the King Group rose to 720 people this year, with an organic rate of growth of 10% over the year before.
NATO, BENELUX AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
The year began with successful implementation of a cyber security solution for the NATO Agency, and continued with the contracting of a series of new projects for existing and new clients on different markets, including those of Western Europe. KING has been focusing its efforts on the Benelux region, where it is locally present. In the international sphere, it is also worth mentioning the project for the Weidmann Group, seated in Switzerland, which encompassed 22 locations around the world, including Brazil, Canada, USA, Mexico, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands.
The KING ICT team includes not only top-quality domestic experts, but international experts and managers with experience in the leading IT companies, such as the large global IT service company – Accenture. Large global IT players, such as Intersec S.A from France and Bosch from Germany have joined forces with KING ICT, resulting in a successful implementation of projects, and KING continued acting as the Google For Education partner for Croatia. This is last year in Croatia before transitioning to the Euro, and joining the Schengen zone places Croatia in the zone of modern countries and economies, bringing massive benefits for the IT industry. Accordingly, KING ICT has implemented conversion projects for the transition to the Euro for a large number of its clients, and executed many other successful projects, particularly its contribution to fulfilling all the technical requirements for the country to accede to the Schengen zone.
The projects that marked 2022
CONVERSION PROJECTS FOR THE EURO TRANSITION FOR ALL OF OUR EXISTING CLIENTS
For the purpose of transitioning to the Euro on 1 January 2023, for all of our clients using SAP technology solutions, we launched a project for conversion to the new currency. In 2022, we worked on more than 20 conversion projects to
successfully conduct the necessary analyses and preparations and perform test conversions to ensure that all changes to production systems will be carried out reliably and on time. Given the number of consultants involved, the Euro conversion is the largest portfolio of individual projects in SAP technologies in the last several years.
NATO COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION AGENCY
KING ICT delivered Passive Network Structured Cabling project for the technical facilities at the NATO Communications and Information Agency in Braine-L’Alleud, Belgium. The project included professional project management services, delivery of equipment, implementation, installation, ILS – Integrated Logistics Support, validation and verification. It was completed in full, in accordance with the contract terms and conditions, within budget and within the agreed schedule.
NATO COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION AGENCY
KING ICT delivered a structured passive network calibration project for the NATO Agency in Braine-L’Alleud, Belgium. The project included professional project management services, equipment delivery, implementation, installations, integrated logistics support (ILS), validation and verification. The project was fully completed, in accordance with the contractual terms, on time and on budget.
WEIDMANN GROUP, SWITZERLAND
This year, KING ICT delivered several projects based on Software Defined WAN intelligent network infrastructure. These projects included the connection of more than 1000 locations in the Republic of Croatia, to projects connect offices and locations around the world. An example is the project for the Weidmann Group, seated in Switzerland, and which involved connecting its 22 locations around the globe: Brazil, Canada, USA, Mexico, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Turkey, Ukraine and Croatia. With automation and central management, this intelligent and contemporary network infrastructure enables high quality communications infrastructure independent of mobile telecommunications services and technology, and independent of telecom service providers. It also guarantees high accessibility and quality of the network infrastructure, and reduced costs of telecom services.
CROATIAN MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR
Early warning and crisis management system
This project enables the establishment of a single national early warning and crisis management system (NEWCMS) for the purpose of issuing early public warnings to citizens via mobile devices during crisis situations (fires, floods, storms or technological catastrophes such as nuclear, radiological, chemical or biological incidents) and planning measures to be taking to reduce human casualties and material damages. The system is based on a state-of-the-art geolocation and communication technologies, and its implementation was executed by a consortium of Croatian companies KING ICT d.o.o. and GDi d.o.o., with Intersec S.A from France.
Schengen Information System
With Croatia’s accession to the Schengen zone, in addition to Schengen surveillance and control mechanisms, the conditions will be in place for the exchange of data in the Schengen information system. For this purpose, the system Records of certain categories of aliens was updated and upon accession into the Schengen zone, this system will be capable of exchanging information with other Member States on aliens against whom a ban on entry or stay in the European Economic Area has been imposed.
CARNET
e-School
As part of the programme entitled “e-School: comprehensive informatisation of school operations processes and teaching processes for the purpose of creating digitally mature schools for the 21st century”, active network infrastructure was delivered and implemented and connected to the central system of CARNET. The implemented wireless local networks enable sufficient coverage and signal quality in schools. The second phase of the programme is currently underway, with 645 primary and secondary schools, and 405 district primary schools completed. The new school networks are based on the newest Wi-Fi 6 standard. Implementation was performed by members of the consortium KING ICT, Comping and Hrvatski Telekom.
e-Enrolment
The e-Enrolment project has been delivered with the aim of establishing electronic services for all beneficiaries of educational institutions. The project includes registration and enrolment in preschool, primary and secondary school, registration in pupil residence, registering for the state matura exit exams, and enrolment in higher education institutions, the establishment of a system of adult education, and records of all collected data. This system will enable end users to use public enrolment services without any additional administrative obligations. Five of the total eight subsystems have been delivered, and the remaining three are scheduled for the end of December 2022.
ADDIKO BANK HRVATSKA
A team of KING ICT experts is working on solutions to optimise, administer and monitor databases. This project enables banks to positively influence the making of key decisions pertaining to bank operations. Based on this, banks are able to optimise their business processes, while also increasing the efficacy of their operations.
MINISTRY OF PHYSICAL PLANNING, CONSTRUCTION AND STATE ASSETS
We developed the application e-Construction Log (eGD), which as of 1 January 2023 will become mandatory for use for all participants in construction. The digitalisation of construction logs will ensure that all documentation is available to all participants in construction always and everywhere, and that it bears a digital signature. The eGD application is highly integrated with the systems e-Permit, e-Citizen, OKP, OIB service and all engineering chambers. The e-Permit system was upgraded with data on the energy properties of buildings, aligned with the new Regulation on office operations, connected to the ZUP IT system, new types of procedures were introduced, and the public portal was redesigned. As part of the Brownfield system, an application solution was developed for mapping the existing situation and monitoring the development of the circular management of space and buildings.
CENTRE OF SHARED SERVICES (CDU)
The “Central State Infrastructure” project is currently ongoing for the CDU. This is one of the key projects of the Central State Office for the development of a digital society. The project will enable connection of the state information infrastructure and allow for the shared use of information and communications technologies and the same application solutions. All public sector bodies will be able to use the shared, reliable, and scalable ICT infrastructure using the cloud.
CROATIAN MOTORWAYS (HAC)
Implementation of a new video surveillance and video detection system is underway along the entire motorway network managed by Croatian Motorways (Hrvatskih autocesta d.o.o.) which includes the replacement of more than 1700 cameras. The analogue system is being replaced by digital technology, which will largely contribute to better and faster detection of potentially dangerous situations (such as driving in the wrong direction) and enable automatic incident detection. The system will also contribute to better surveillance, communications with the Regional Centres for Traffic Surveillance and Management situated along the entire motorway network, and with that will ensure the faster flow of information towards end users and better coordination and harmonisation of traffic.
CROATIAN FORESTS
A project to implement a comprehensive IT system (ERP) is underway by partners in the consortium, B4B d.o.o and KING ICT d.o.o. System implementation is performed in line with the SAP Activate methodology for project management, in line with the best global practices.
CITY OF ZAGREB
The project to establish the Traffic Surveillance Centre (TSC) of the City of Zagreb has been completed. The TSC is the central traffic system for surveillance and monitoring traffic, and it will serve as the hub for connecting all other subsystems dealing with traffic in the city. The existing video surveillance system covers the city streets, and with the new surveillance centre will also allow for traffic analysis. At 14 traffic-light regulated intersections, the system has been integrated with the traffic light systems at critical traffic points. This surveillance system aims to ensure a high level of overall security in the city, good traffic management and consequently to reduce the negative impacts of traffic on the environment, reduce traffic congestion, and increase traffic safety.
ZAGREB INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
A project to maintain the complete ICT infrastructure of the Zagreb International Airport is ongoing. Services include proactive surveillance and maintenance of servers and network infrastructure, data storage system and system repairs. This maintenance is the follow-up service after KING ICT successfully delivered and implemented the complete ICT infrastructure of the new terminal at the Zagreb International Airport several years ago.
CITY OF ZADAR
A project to establish the first phase of an intelligent transport system (ITS) has been completed, as part of the project “Development and implementation of an ITS and reconstruction of roads to give priority to public transit vehicles and bicycle lanes in the City of Zadar”. At 17 light-controlled intersections, a new traffic light system has been installed with electrical wiring and communications system, information system, video surveillance system for the purpose of traffic management, and a central surveillance and management system, called the Zadar Centre for Traffic Control. The system will manage the traffic in the city, reduce the negative impacts on the environment, increase the level of general safety, and lay the foundations for developing new plans for the future planning and development of the traffic system of the City of Zadar.
CITY OF ŠIBENIK
A project to deliver one of the most modern video surveillance systems in Croatia is now in its final phase. The project is focused on traffic safety, traffic analysis and crime prevention by raising the general safety level in the city. The project will be completed in 2023. The video surveillance system covers all public areas and city streets, and with the installation of the surveillance centre, preventative radar devices, stationary photo stations and weather stations, the system has been fully integrated with the city traffic system. The project lays the foundation for building a smart city, and in the future will serve to reduce traffic congestion and create sustainable development policies for the City of Šibenik.
PROMET D.O.O SPLIT
We are currently handing over the project of a comprehensive eTicketing system that includes implementation of the central eTicketing system and equipping of 155 city buses, 25 sales locations and 15 bus stops. This is a complex integration project that includes both hardware (equipment in busses, ticket booths, ticket sales at sales locations, information panels) and software segments (sales, distribution and validation, mobile application and website, administration, control, fleet analysis management and reporting).
DIGITAL SIGNALS AND NETWORKS
Since 2018, KING ICT has been implementing a remote location surveillance system at numerous locations of the company Digital Signals and Networks (Odašiljača i veza (OIV)) in cooperation with the company Eccos Engineering d.o.o.. The project includes an integrated technical protection system. In addition to project implementation in 2022, the project also includes maintenance services with a multi-year guarantee that KING ICT has been providing to OIV since 2018. The project enables surveillance of remote receiver locations that are completely automated and crewless, thereby achieving a high level of security and reliability in the functioning of this infrastructure resources of special interest for the Republic of Croatia.
HEP PLIN D.O.O. (Osijek)
Upgrades have been made to the SAP system for the public service of natural gas distribution and supply in the gas supply areas of the company HEP Plin. These upgrades are best on the best practices of SAP technology in municipal and energy activities, and were largely implemented in line with changes to the regulations.
HEP DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS OPERATOR (HEP ODS)
We regularly maintain and update the SAP system that supports business processes in electricity distribution for more than 2.5 million clients of the distribution network, and ensures support for the work of all participants on the electricity market in the Republic of Croatia. Last year’s implementation of this on-premise SAP solution, based on the Industry Solution for Utilities SAP IS-U and SAP ECC components included all key processes in the distribution of electrical energy, accompanied by maintenance of the distribution network, providing services to the end customer, and financial monitoring of business results. This year’s upgrades were largely implemented due to changes in the regulations.
PAYMENTS AGENCY IN AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Bids Portal
The Bids portal was delivered, enabling beneficiaries of rural development measure to request bids for their projects. Also, it enables any registered user to apply to a posted bid, thereby achieving fully transparent collection of bids and all documentation needed to conduct competitions within the rural development programme.
Expert assessment
An upgrade of the Expert Assessment system has been delivered. This system is used for additional control of parcels in the monitoring system, using some of the tools (Sentinel 2, high resolution satellite images, geotagged photography and field controls). Following from the upgrade for the Expert Assessment system, modules and mobile applications were developed for Field Controls used by the controllers of the Agency to conduct quick field visits and collect data on agricultural parcels, fill out questionnaires and take geotagged photographs.
SMART ENERGY
HEP PRODUCTION
The project to construct a heat storage system with a heat capacity of 100 MWh and heat power of 150 MW as part of the EL-TO Zagreb plant is nearing completion. This will optimise the functioning of the existing heat and electricity sources at this location.
BAUWERK GROUP HRVATSKA
In order to ensure partial energy autonomy and indirectly to reduce CO2 emissions, the Bauwerk team has begun an investment into Croatia’s largest private solar plant – the Bauwerk solar plant. The first phase of the solar plant was implemented by the company Smart Energy, and has a capacity of nearly 1.0 MW, and will generate nearly 1.0 GWh of electricity each year. Upon completion of the solar plant, it will generate nearly a third of the total electricity needs and will reduce indirect CO2 emissions by more than 1200 tonnes of CO2.
OMEGA SOFTWARE
CROATIAN MOUNTAIN SEARCH AND RESCUE (HGSS)
A project was launched to deliver the electronic office system – Centrix. Since HGSS is distributed throughout the country, implementation of the Centrix system will enable complete digitalisation of operations, reduce the need for printing and sending documents, as the data will now be able to be accessed from any location at any time, eliminating the need to send documents for signing.
BIH – KING ICT SARAJEVO
TELEMACH BH
A new data centre with accompanying infrastructure, including IT equipment cabinets, uninterrupted power supply system, air conditioning, stable turn off, and environmental monitoring system has been installed, in line with the highest technological and security standards.
BH TELECOM D.D SARAJEVO
The final activities are underway to implement solutions for advanced endpoint malware protection on servers, tabletop and mobile devices, and virtual machines. This solution is a NGAV (Next Generation Antivirus) with EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) characteristics that automatically and proactively detect and react to suspicious behaviour at endpoints.
FBIH ROADS
An upgrade has been completed to the server and network equipment, and the archiving system, thereby achieving modernisation of the IT infrastructure, while system migrations were also updated to the newest versions. A SAN storage system was delivered and implemented, together with applicative and virtualisation servers, software controllers for load distribution and active network equipment.
BIH LOCAL ADMINISTRATION
Successful cooperation continues with the United Nations Development Programme u BiH. Implementation is ongoing of the second phase of the eCitizen solution for digitalisation of the local administration, which includes 16 existing and 21 additional towns and municipalities in BiH. The implementation will encompass improving the existing system functionalities, and the delivery of new modules. The project aim is to support the local authorities in the digitalisation process and to increase civil participation in public processes through digital channels of communication. This is expected to contribute to strengthening efficacy and transparency of the work of public authorities.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
This year, KING ICT was proud to receive many recognitions, proving the expertise of the KING team and our dedication to our partnerships.
DELL TECHNOLOGIES
- PARTNER OF THE YEAR CROATIA – confirmation of our excellent results, received for the second year in a row among strong competition
- EXCELLENCE IN SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD – confirmation of our dedication to sustainability goals, inclusivity, business ethics and stimulating digital transformation in society
SAP – BEST SAP CLOUD PARTNER – for results achieved in the past year, for the fifth year in a row
CISCO – MARKETING PARTNER OF THE YEAR – Central Theater Award – for dedication to partnership and clients, expertise and innovativeness of the company KING ICT, and exceptional results
VMware – NSX AWARD– (solutions for network virtualisation) – King is the winner for the third year in a row of this award given for outstanding achievements.
F5 – GOLD PARTNER – strong confirmation of expertise within the field of cyber security and authorisation for the presale of F5 products and services
PMI CROATIA – SPECIAL CHARTER FOR EXCELLENCE AND INTERNATIONAL PROJECT RECOGNISABILITY – Project Management Institute (PMI) Croatia; KING ICT was awarded for the project SIEM Technology Refresh, i.e., the project for the NATO Agency, with an award for Luka Kaštelančić (senior project manager at KING ICT)
OPEN COSMOS – KING ICT became a member of the OpenCosmos platform that gathers highly innovative research institutions and representatives of various industries within Europe that want to use EU funds from the Horizon programme to develop their projects.
INITIATIVES
KING ICT supported the initiative of the trade department of the Embassy of the Republic of Austria entitled “Teachers in companies” aimed at enabling teachers at vocational schools to undergo professional learning in companies that perform the activities related to their profession. This helps to improve vocational education in Croatia.
As a Google for Education partner for Croatia, KING ICT has equipped a second digital classroom of the future in Croatia, in Čakovec. The first such classroom was equipped by KING in 2020 at the Teacher’s College, University of Zagreb.
In April, the Girls in ICT Day was held, in which female experts from KING ICT held workshops for female students. Alongside their KING mentors, the girls developed proposals for simple mobile phone applications to buy movie tickets, and also had the opportunity to learn more about business analysis.
A record number of students applied for this year’s KING ICT Academy, a free education programme with a paid internship – 150 applications, 22 mentors, 55 lecturers, 11 interns was a combination that resulted in the development of two excellent solutions as two different approaches to build an internal communications application.
The KING team gave a practical overview of how knowledge and experience are shared by hosting the 8th annual internal conference PM@King on project management trends.
In May, the largest ever KING ICT teambuilding event was held. More than 600 staff spent three days in Poreč with the motto “work and chill”. All teambuilding activities also had a charity character. As part of the teambuilding activities, the staff of KING ICT assembled 54 bicycles that were then donated through the Oaza society to children from foster families. Furniture was built for two children’s homes and funds were donated to three selected societies.
