Global Manufacturer Cuts Mainframe Costs by $22 Million Per Year
Together we:
- Eliminated an estimated $22 million in annual software spend
- Completed a complex software migration one month ahead of schedule
- Delivered a seamless transition with zero disruption to production systems
- Empowered client teams with new tools and training
The Client
A Fortune 500 multinational organization based in the United States, this client is a global science and manufacturing leader that operates across industrial, consumer, health care, and safety sectors.
The client is renowned for its innovation and diverse portfolio of over 60,000 products, and serves customers in over 200 countries. Their products play a vital role in everyday life, and their technologies are embedded in global supply chains and daily routines.
With a commitment to operational excellence, the company invests in infrastructure that empowers its workforce and supports the delivery of essential products to customers worldwide through stable, scalable IT systems.
The Challenge
In 2023, the client was hit with a fivefold increase in its mainframe software renewal costs—jumping from approximately $4 million to $22 million annually. This wasn’t just a budget issue, it was a strategic threat. The spike forced the company to pause critical modernization efforts, including cloud migration and ERP upgrades, and diverted resources from innovation to cost containment.
For employees, the pressure was immediate. IT teams were stretched thin, managing legacy systems while trying to prepare for a major business spin-off. The financial strain also risked slowing down operational improvements that directly affect manufacturing efficiency and product delivery, impacting internal teams and global customers.
This project became a turning point. The company needed to regain control of its infrastructure, reduce spend, and create space for growth.
The Journey
The client needed a partner who could move quickly and reduce risk. Ensono adopted a hands-on, collaborative approach.
Ensono:
- Conducted deep-dive discovery workshops to understand how the client’s existing software was used.
- Mapped legacy software to functionally equivalent alternatives.
- Recommended a multivendor software stack aligned with business and technical priorities.
- Designed a migration plan that minimized disruption and aligned with business priorities.
- Delivered training and documentation to empower client teams.
- Decommissioned the existing products and transitioned to a more flexible, cost-effective stack.
Throughout the process, Ensono worked alongside the client’s infrastructure teams—listening, adapting, and staying focused on outcomes that mattered to the business.
The Outcomes
The successful migration of over 20 software products delivered significant cost savings, reduced software stack complexity, and gave the client’s teams the freedom to focus on other strategic initiatives.
- Business evolution: IT leaders can now prioritize cloud migration, ERP modernization, and innovation without being constrained by legacy software costs.
- Empowered teams: Employees gained access to better tools, documentation, and support—freeing them from manual workarounds and reactive troubleshooting.
- Financial clarity: With the new path forward, the organization reclaimed $22 million annually, allowing for smarter reinvestment in future initiatives.
- Operational confidence: The project was completed one month ahead of schedule and without disruption, reinforcing trust across business units and leadership.
Technologies Used:
By partnering with Ensono, the organization not only solved a pressing financial challenge, it also created space for growth, innovation, and long-term resilience.
Your relentless ally
You want customers that are thrilled, operations that hum, iron-clad resilience and a limitless future.
Ensono makes it happen with the expertise, flexibility, and level of commitment you never thought possible.
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