Case Study
Nirlat’s IT Recovery After October 7: A Story of Resilience and Cloud Readiness
Eran Anav, Head of Infrastructure, Support, and Information Security at Nirlat, shares how the company’s 2019 transition to the We-Ankor cloud (WeCloud) dramatically shortened its recovery time after the devastating fire that hit the paint factory in Nir Oz on October 7.
At the start of the war, Nirlat’s main production facility in Kibbutz Nir Oz, near the Gaza border, suffered severe damage from rocket fire and the resulting fires.
“On that cursed morning of October 7, we had no idea how badly we were hit — only that there was a massive fire,” said Eran Anav, Head of Infrastructure, Support, and Information Security at the southern Israeli paint manufacturer.
“Fortunately, no employees were present, as the plant does not operate on Shabbat. On October 15, we were allowed to enter the site for the first time and discovered that 70% of our inventory and production capacity had been destroyed.”
Despite the devastation, weeks later, thanks to rapid rehabilitation efforts, Nirlat resumed operations.
“It was an enormous challenge, but we had no time to grieve. We had to get back to producing paint and sustaining the livelihood of hundreds of families. Today, we’re in the midst of rebuilding alternative production sites and restoring full operational capabilities — and IT plays a central role.”
Nirlat was the largest factory impacted on October 7. Significant parts of the plant were destroyed, including raw material warehouses and production lines, as well as the adjacent logistics center.
Nirlat is owned by Inrom Group, which manufactures and markets building solutions including concrete blocks, finishing materials (plaster, adhesives, sealants), paints, and plumbing systems. Nirlat, which focuses on paints, is one of Inrom’s subsidiaries, alongside Ytong (blocks), Mister Fix (construction materials), and SP (plumbing systems).
200 Employees at Nir Oz
“Nirlat was founded in Nir Oz in 1982, initially producing waterproofing products, later expanding into paints for buildings,” said Anav.
“We operate two main sites — in Nir Oz and the Netanya industrial zone — with an annual production capacity of 80 million liters of paint.”
Nirlat employs about 400 people, with 200 based in Nir Oz, and has annual revenues of approximately 500 million shekels. The main facility spans 51 dunams (approx. 13 acres), producing the majority of the company’s products including paints, coatings, painting aids, and sealants.
“In recent years, we’ve experienced 5.2% annual growth, thanks to our investment in innovation and automation, which expanded our production capacity.”
Nirlat’s IT Environment
Nirlat’s IT systems operate on WeCloud, the managed cloud platform by We-Ankor, part of the Hilan Group. The cloud provides a range of services including high-performance virtual servers, ransomware-resistant backup and data protection, cybersecurity, internet connectivity, and disaster recovery — all hosted in secure, underground facilities across central and northern Israel.
“Luckily, we moved to We-Ankor’s managed cloud at the end of the last decade,” said Anav.
“Since our core systems were in the cloud, they remained intact and provided the infrastructure we needed to keep operating. If our on-site servers had burned — it would’ve been a total disaster.”
“Immediately after October 7, we focused on our solvent plant, which wasn’t badly damaged. We quickly reconnected it to the cloud and provided secure access for 80 employees working from home.”
Temporary Sites, New Infrastructure
“After the fire, we began building alternative sites in Ashkelon and Netivot — a temporary logistics center and a raw materials warehouse with dedicated communications. Simultaneously, we transferred some production lines to our northern plant.”
“In the next phase, we rented a full compound in Be’er Sheva’s Emek Sarah industrial area, setting up a new production line for putties and textured coatings, alongside a fresh IT environment and separate OT systems. Later, we rented more buildings to establish office spaces — to bring back employees from remote work.”
“We-Ankor’s cloud also helped us address staffing shortages. Some of my team members were called up for reserve duty, and I managed this entire crisis with only one additional IT staff member.”
Roy Barkai, VP of Cloud Division at We-Ankor, commented:
“Nirlat’s use of our managed cloud services enabled full business continuity. Their IT, production, and logistics systems remained fully functional — allowing them to keep operating even during the crisis. We’re proud that our cloud platform could support their recovery efforts.”
“We Brought the Color Back — to the Company and the Market”
“The decision to move to We-Ankor’s managed cloud turned out to be an excellent one,” Anav concluded.
“After experiencing such a disaster, much of the recovery work was saved thanks to the cloud. We’re now in the midst of a full revival project for Nirlat. We’ve hired five engineers, and we’re moving the former server room from Nir Oz to the solvent plant.”
“We’re building a modern, advanced factory, a new logistics center, and new offices — all expected to be completed by the end of the decade. We brought the color back — to the company, and to the market.”
