Video: 10 Minute IT Jams – Who is blueAPACHE?

Blue Apache is quietly making waves in the global IT sector. Founded in 1998, the technology services provider has grown steadily, offering a suite of services to organisations in Australia, North America, Singapore and the UK.

At the heart of the company's ethos is a dedication to application delivery and data security. Managing Director Chris Marshall said this core focus "underpins really all of our core lines of business" and ensures Blue Apache can provide solutions across diverse industries and geographies.

In a recent interview, Marshall provided insights into how the company has evolved but remained firmly grounded in its foundational values. "I guess that 22 years Blue Apache has continued to evolve in the marketplace," he said. "But one thing that really stays true to our core servicing service offering is our focus on application delivery and data security."

This focus manifests in the company's wide-ranging solutions, which touch every layer of a business's IT environment. "Our managed services is really the beating heart of Blue Apache," he explained. The firm's portfolio also includes cloud, network, and unified communications platforms designed to ensure a seamless user experience.

Blue Apache's reach is truly global. Headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, with offices in Sydney, Brisbane, Miami, Dallas, Singapore and the UK, the company employs nearly 200 staff. Marshall said, "Today we've organisation of nearly 200 staff, head offices uh here in Melbourne, Australia with other offices in Sydney, Brisbane, also in Miami in the US, with a presence in Singapore, the UK and also in Dallas."

The secret to this international expansion, according to Marshall, lies in the company's full-spectrum technical expertise and an unwavering commitment to client outcomes. "It's really about that application delivery piece and what that means to our clients is delivering the best possible user experience," he said. That experience ranges "from the procurement to modern management, right through to the access layer networking, wide area networking and then working with organisations to be able to deliver those applications."

Delivering these services has required Blue Apache to remain agile and innovative, especially as workplaces and IT environments become more complex. Hybrid cloud, software-as-a-service, private cloud and on-premises solutions have all become part of the IT lexicon, with Blue Apache maintaining technical skills "in-house to be able to deliver those solutions for our clients."

The year 2020 brought fresh challenges and opportunities, particularly as the COVID-19 pandemic transformed business operations worldwide. "We've had an incredibly busy 2020, certainly supporting our customers through the challenges of COVID has added an additional layer of complexity to the work environment," Marshall said.

Yet, despite the disruptions, Blue Apache continued to grow and secure new contracts. One of the year's highlights was a significant deal with Berry Street, a Melbourne-based family and social services organisation supporting about 40,000 children in Victoria. "It was a really significant win for us," Marshall said. Securing the contract "was a very competitive environment, particularly in the current climate, and to be able to come out on top was a tremendous effort to the whole organisation."

Such wins have led to increased demand for Blue Apache's workforce. "That's also in combination with a number of other wins, has seen a significant demand in our workforce, so we're continuing to recruit, looking at sort of approaching a headcount of around 200 people by the end of the year," he said. The company is actively recruiting in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and for network operations in its US office.

A key area of focus for Blue Apache is infrastructure and resources in Australia, especially for supporting local customers. "It's important that when we move into a new market, that we have all of the infrastructure to be able to serve those customers," Marshall explained. "Here in Australia we have about 150 staff, the bulk of those really are in the technical delivery capacity."

Blue Apache's managed services, network operations, cloud and unified communications solutions are provided through its own infrastructure. "From a managed services perspective our help desk and network operations is here onshore in Australia," said Marshall. The company's private cloud solution is delivered through four availability zones in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, with two zones in Melbourne alone.

Marshall also pointed to unified communications as another area of strength. Blue Apache offers direct dialling and "carrier class soft switching capabilities" to support business communication requirements, delivering these services across the eastern seaboard of Australia.

For enterprising users or potential partners wishing to engage with Blue Apache, Marshall encourages direct communication. "The best way is really to jump onto our website and hit the contact us page," he said, explaining that users will then be put "right in touch with a commercial team or solution architect based in the geographical region that you're in."

Ending the discussion, Marshall reflected on the company's journey and the importance of its customer-driven vision. "Thanks for having me," he said. "It's fantastic to have the opportunity to share what we've been up to."