From advice to intense collaboration. An integration architecture for Yara.

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Digital Transformation Business Architecture Integration Roadmap
From advice to intense collaboration. An integration architecture for Yara.

The need for integration - a keyword for accelerating digital innovation - is everywhere. And even though Yara has tons of knowledge and experience on board, they needed extra capacity and expertise to realize their integration architecture and digital transformation plans. The requesting party: Yara, not your typical multinational, but a company with a human touch. Their trusted partner: The Value Hub, a company where people come first and the company culture plays an important role. And if you bring together two organizations with shared values, magic happens.

As stated on the Yara website: "As the world’s leading crop nutrition company and a provider of environmental and agricultural solutions, we address global challenges and create positive change." How do they approach that change? Sustainability. Yara focuses on renewable energy for the creation of their mineral fertilizers. "The shift towards green energy is our number one priority." And for that (mindset) shift, a series of changes has to be made.

A little roadmap

  • October 2022. The first contacts with The Value Hub as a possible partner.
  • February 2023. The start of the collaboration in the integration team, with consultants and analysts.
  • Summer 2023. Our expert integration architect, Axel Vuylsteke, takes on an advisory role to establish the future architecture.
  • March 2024. Our architecture advice has been largely implemented through our hybrid team, in a collaboration with a positive, proactive and constructive vibe.
  • Now - 2025. We are realizing Yara’s ambitions together, such as the migration of integrations to AWS, the launch of a big transformation program, and more…

A match made in heaven

"A match made in heaven? It's something you need to experience to know that it actually exists. A fully commercial approach is not our cup of tea. When we felt that the focus of The Value Hub is on the 'helping' side, we knew we were on the right track with them. Their goal is to create value in a very human way, and that humanity - next to the innovation mindset - is what unites us. Sharing values is a great starting point."

Yara architect

I believe in people, rather than in organizations. If the feeling is right, it will work out.

Stijn De Clerck, Yara

From strategy to the operational level

One team

"Teamwork makes the dream work, but when 1 + 1 is not 3, things have to change. The Value Hub tackles problems in a very constructive and positive way with only one goal ahead: the best possible situation and outcome. And we got there, quickly. The ownership of the analysts from The Value Hub is what makes them stand out. They really go the extra mile (to use another cliché).

1 + 1 = 3. Or at least, that's what you should aim for when you work in a team. And that's what we achieve in our collaboration with The Value Hub.

Stijn De Clerck, Yara

Where experts meet

Besides strengthening the integration team with several analysts, The Value Hub got assigned another role, as an advisory partner.

  • The assignment? Advice for a future-proof integration architecture.
  • The advice? An event driven architecture next to the API-Led architecture, and identifying the right solution vendor to get there.
  • The approach? A lot of research and the exploration of different scenarios using a FIT-scoring exercise.
  • The result? The advice to choose AWS and its various web services, the design of the best possible integration patterns, and the documentation of this approach to simplify the day to day work of the integration team.
Integration architects of Yara and The Value Hub

In this 'side project' too, it was mostly 'the match' that made it work out. Both parties - Axel, Integration Architect at The Value Hub and Stijn & Sagnik, Integration Architects on the side of Yara - share a passion for integration.


Direct communication, different expertises and a 'no bullshit' mindset led to a great collaboration, and new insights for both sides.

Flashforward

Today, the collaboration is what it should be: transparent, fluent and proactive. "In these challenging times - lots of work, few people - we can count on The Value Hub to contribute to the stability we need. Nothing is too much to ask."

Integration is at full speed; it never stops, and neither does the challenge to get a company with thousands of employees on that train.

But luckily, the passion for integration (in terms of innovation and growth) continues with that need. Today, Yara focuses on getting the most out of the available team capacity. 'Choose your battles' is the reality, but also a great motto to make the right decisions for optimal efficiency. But the plans and ambitions are big. And in those plans, The Value Hub will be one of the preferred partners for Yara to co-create, collaborate and innovate with.

Customized future-proof solutions

The Value Hub is your partner that lets your organization become a digital innovator. We help organizations embrace a digital mindset and provide expert guidance and support in integration, transformation and digital culture changes. Curious to find out which added value we can offer for your organization? Get in touch to kickstart your digital transformation!

At the start or already up and running?
The co-creation starts wherever you like.

At the start or already up and running? The co-creation starts wherever you like.

Get in touch

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ZEB
Kloosterboer
Fednot
Argenta
Vlaamse Overheid
Torfs
KBC
ITAA
Veritas
Estox
ZEB
Kloosterboer
Fednot
Argenta
Vlaamse Overheid
Torfs
KBC
ITAA
Veritas
Estox