CyrusOne Case Study

When CyrusOne began transitioning its mission-critical operations technicians from a third-party workforce model to CyrusOne-employed, full-time technicians, it created an opportunity to establish a new, consistent standard of electrical safety PPE across its business.

With 400+ people requiring PPE across the program, including mission-critical technicians and managers, the challenge was about far more than supplying workwear.

These technicians operate in environments where there is potential exposure to electrical arc flash hazards, making appropriately certified arc flash protective clothing an important part of their PPE requirements.

Listen to watch Dan Moore, Senior Director from CyrusOne had to say:

The Challenge

CyrusOne needed a solution that combined technical protection, wearer comfort, individual fit, operational simplicity and a consistent corporate image, while being capable of being deployed rapidly across multiple locations.

SKANWEAR® was selected to deliver that program.

Why SKANWEAR®?

A key consideration for CyrusOne was the difference between inherent arc flash protection and conventional treated FR alternatives.

SKANWEAR®'s inherent protective fabrics are engineered with their protective properties built into the fibre itself, rather than relying on a chemical treatment applied to the fabric. This provides confidence that the protective performance is designed to remain inherent throughout the useful life of the garment.

For CyrusOne, this was particularly valuable for a workforce that would be wearing and home laundering their PPE regularly. Inherent protection provides a durable solution without relying on a treatment remaining effective through repeated laundering.

The combination of arc flash protection, durability, lightweight construction and comfort was particularly important for technicians who can spend long periods wearing PPE in demanding working environments.

SKANWEAR® was also able to offer super-lightweight inherent garments, helping reduce the burden of wearing arc-rated PPE for extended shifts while maintaining the required level of protection.

One Standard. Multiple Needs.

Rather than selecting a single garment for every employee, CyrusOne worked with SKANWEAR® to develop a portfolio that could accommodate different wearer requirements, climates and working environments while maintaining a consistent corporate image.

This approach gave CyrusOne flexibility without compromising standardization.

Different garments could be selected according to the individual wearer, role and environmental conditions, while the overall program maintained a consistent CyrusOne look and professional image across its locations.

Making PPE Personal

The scale and complexity of the sizing program were significant.

SKANWEAR® visited approximately 20 CyrusOne locations to provide on-site sizing. At many locations, the team supported three different shift patterns, including early-morning starts, daytime teams and late-night shifts.

The objective was simple:

Every technician should receive their own correctly fitted PPE package from day one.

The program was therefore designed around the individual wearer rather than treating PPE as a bulk commodity.

Every order was:

• Individually tagged to the wearer
• Individually packaged
• Supplied with a packing slip
• Accompanied by specific garment care instructions
• Managed through SAFELINE
• Fulfilled directly by SKANWEAR®

This approach was particularly important during CyrusOne's transition from the former third-party workforce model to its new in-house FTE structure.

From the first day, their PPE was theirs.

Putting PPE in the Wearer's Hands

SAFELINE became a central part of the CyrusOne PPE experience.

Rather than relying entirely on an administrator to manage every order, individual CyrusOne technicians could access SAFELINE themselves using their own personal login and password.

Each wearer had their own personal product wardrobe, containing the products available to them.

Importantly, CyrusOne applied product and quantity limitations within these wardrobes. This gave technicians the freedom and convenience of ordering their own PPE while providing CyrusOne with appropriate controls around standardization and budget.

Once an order was submitted, it went directly to SKANWEAR® for fulfilment.

This significantly reduced the operational administration required from CyrusOne. The process effectively moved from:

Technician → CyrusOne administrator → Supplier

to:

Technician → SAFELINE → SKANWEAR® fulfillment

The result was a simpler, more efficient and more wearer-centric PPE experience, without losing the governance CyrusOne required.

A Rapid Rollout Aligned to a Workforce Transition

From the initial conversation in April through to product delivery in August, SKANWEAR® worked with CyrusOne to implement the program across its operational footprint.

The timeframe was particularly important.

The PPE rollout was aligned with CyrusOne's transition of technicians from the previous third-party workforce arrangement into CyrusOne's own full-time employee structure.

This meant the program had to deliver at scale, across multiple locations, while ensuring that new CyrusOne employees had the correct PPE available to them as they transitioned into their new roles.

More than 400 people across the CyrusOne business were brought into the program.

Beyond PPE Supply: Creating an Operationally Simple Model

The project demonstrated how a complex PPE program can be made operationally simple for the customer.

SKANWEAR®'s Customer Services team, including Brett and Holly, managed the initial order process through SAFELINE, while the platform provided the digital infrastructure for ongoing wearer self-service.

With individual wearer profiles, controlled product wardrobes, direct fulfillment and personalized packaging, CyrusOne was able to reduce the amount of day-to-day administration required internally.

This allowed the CyrusOne team to focus on its core operational responsibilities, rather than managing individual PPE transactions.

Phase Two: Building a Complete Head-to-Toe PPE Solution

Following the success of the initial clothing rollout, the partnership is now moving into Phase Two.

The objective is to develop a complete head-to-toe PPE solution for CyrusOne's mission-critical operations, complementing the specific requirements of individual data center sites across North America.

This will allow SKANWEAR® to build on the foundations established through the original arc flash clothing program and support a broader range of PPE requirements, while retaining the same principles of:

1. Standardization.
2. Personalization.
3. Protection.
4. Simplicity.

The program also reflects the increasingly global nature of the relationship, with SKANWEAR® supporting CyrusOne across North America and other global regions, including EMEA.

The long-term vision is to provide CyrusOne with a consistent global PPE standard while allowing individual sites and wearers to access the products appropriate to their specific working environments.

From Rollout to Long-Term Partnership

The successful implementation has also led CyrusOne to establish a full PPE catalog with SKANWEAR®, creating a structured platform for ongoing orders and the continued expansion of the product range.

This provides CyrusOne with a scalable framework as its PPE requirements evolve — without having to rebuild the ordering and fulfilment process each time a new product is introduced.

The result is a PPE program designed to grow with the organization.

The Result

Listen to what CyrusOne had to say: