NSG Group Chooses Verizon Business for Global Network

Managed Verizon Private IP Solution Streamlines Infrastructure to Achieve Management Efficiencies

The NSG Group, one of the world's largest manufacturers of glass and glazing products, has chosen Verizon Business to deploy and manage the company's global communications infrastructure. A fully managed Verizon Private IP solution will provide secure, scalable and flexible connectivity for more than 430 NSG Group sites in Europe, India, Japan, and North and South America, helping the company to streamline its global business operations, while also realising cost and management efficiencies.

The NSG Group -- which acquired Pilkington, a U.K.-based glass manufacturer, in 2006 -- is a global leader in the flat glass industry, employing around 32,500 people worldwide. The company supplies glazing to the construction, automotive and specialty glass sectors, with manufacturing operations in 29 countries on four continents, and sales in more than 130 countries.

The NSG Group is currently centralising its network infrastructure with a single supplier to support the efficient delivery and availability of key business applications, such as enterprise-resource planning. The company wanted to identify a partner that could develop a flexible, reliable, secure and scalable IP network infrastructure to maximise network performance and availability while reducing internal management requirements and achieving cost efficiencies.

Verizon Business was chosen for the job based on the company's proven experience in the design, deployment and management of networks for multinational companies; its global reach; and its simple yet comprehensive global billing and client-management systems. Verizon Business was also able to demonstrate a strong understanding of the NSG Group's business requirements, and quickly and proactively develop solutions to support its needs.

Verizon Private IP will serve as the NSG Group's core data communications network in 29 countries, with Verizon Secure Gateway providing cost-efficient DSL access and backup for sites in Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, the U.K. and the U.S. Verizon's IMPACT management platform will provide a unified view of global network activity, enabling the Verizon Business team to swiftly identify any potential issues for rapid resolution, and maximising network availability.

Stephen Pownall, the NSG Group's chief information officer, comments: "Global businesses such as ours need our network to work hard to support our overall business needs. Our business relies on the efficient sharing of information across our global supply chain, from our specialist manufacturing facilities to our global sales offices, to enable proactive customer service. We need to ensure our key applications are always available to our employees, wherever they are in the world. Verizon Business clearly had the technical and service capabilities to meet our needs. However, it is the company's commitment to really getting under the skin of our business and working alongside us as part of the global team that has really impressed. We are sure we have made the right choice."

Blair Crump, Verizon Business group president of worldwide sales, adds: "The NSG Group is a fine example of a global brand working to use technology in support of business goals. The company has built its reputation on a combination of specialist products and excellent customer service, and was keen to develop a future business infrastructure that could maintain these tenets, even in the face of increasing global competition and a challenging economic environment. Our overall objective is always to make life as simple as possible for our customers by taking a holistic and proactive approach to meeting their network needs so they can focus on their own business goals. The Verizon Business combination of managed services expertise and high-quality network infrastructure combines to give global companies not only overall cost efficiencies, but a firm foundation on which to build their future success."

Verizon Business manages 270,000-plus devices on more than 4,200 customer networks in 142 countries and territories, overseeing non-Verizon connections from more than 60 network providers around the world. Verizon Business' industry-leading service-level commitments and award-winning IMPACT management platform underscore its legacy of service and innovation. Verizon Business also offers a suite of professional network and security services to help customers optimise network design, scalability and protection.

About the NSG Group

The NSG Group is one of the world's largest manufacturers of glass and glazing products for the building, automotive and specialty glass markets. Employing 32,500 people, the Group has manufacturing operations in 29 countries and sales in over 130.

Overall, the NSG Group reported sales of Yen 865,588 million (approximately euro 5.5 billion) in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008. Of the Group's consolidated sales, 51 per cent were generated in Europe, 25 per cent in Japan, 13 per cent in North America and 11 per cent in the rest of the world.

About Verizon Business

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ), is a global leader in communications and IT solutions. We combine professional expertise with the world's most connected IP network to deliver award-winning communications, IT, information security and network solutions. We securely connect today's extended enterprises of widespread and mobile customers, partners, suppliers and employees — enabling them to increase productivity and efficiency and help preserve the environment. Many of the world's largest businesses and governments — including 96 percent of the Fortune 1000 and thousands of government agencies and educational institutions — rely on our professional and managed services and network technologies to accelerate their business. Find out more at www.verizonbusiness.com.