ETESIA SUFFER CRIPPLING CYBER-ATTACK

On February 2nd 2024, Etesia SAS in France was the victim of a major cyber-attack, which rendered virtually their entire IT network and server data unavailable.

As a result, the whole operation was effectively shut down from that date when the attack was discovered. This meant that the company lost all IT related services, emails, production, parts distribution, manufacturing etc.

Since that date Etesia France has been working to rebuild a new, secure computer network enabling the company to gradually restart their activities.

Les Malin, Etesia UK managing director, said in a communication to their dealer network, "Although Etesia UK is not directly part of Etesia France, we do share many facilities via our joint owners, the Societe Elmar Wolf Groupe.

"So, this cyber-attack meant we also lost our IT systems, emails, and links to the CRM systems. To keep contact with our dealers and end users, we set up a temporary email address which helped tremendously."

Les continued, "After a few weeks of inactivity, we are happy to be able to announce that Etesia SAS has restarted its sales activities at a normal level, and is able again to deliver all orders to their customers, which is very important at a time when the green space maintenance season is starting up again.

"We would like to reassure our distributors and end-users that we have over 10 million euro of finished products in stock in France ready for shipment, which will enable us to process all orders already in-hand, and even more important, all production activities have also resumed last, and Etesia France will be able to return to near-normal activity by early April, a much faster turnaround than anyone expected.

"To date we have supplied everything that has been required by our dealers here in the UK and we are expecting more machinery to arrive and spare parts stocks have also been received. Which means here in the UK it's business as usual.

"I am sure we will experience some further disruption and no doubt shortages at some times, but we will continue to work with our French colleagues and move forward through what is a difficult time for all."