Industries · Manufacturing
IT for manufacturers where downtime is measured on the production line
Fabricators, food processors, machine shops and assemblers depend on ERP systems, shop-floor computers and equipment that may be decades old. We manage the IT side, protect the boundary with operational technology, and plan around production schedules.
At a glance
- Who this is for
- Small and mid-sized manufacturers, fabricators and processors with roughly 5 to 200 employees in BC and Alberta
- Typical environment
- ERP or MRP system, shop-floor PCs and terminals, machine-connected computers, label and barcode equipment, office Microsoft 365 and on-premises servers
- Common priorities
- Separating office IT from production systems, protecting legacy machines, ERP availability and maintenance windows that respect production
- OT boundary
- We manage IT and the network boundary; control systems, PLCs and machine programming remain with your equipment vendors and integrators
- Pricing basis
- Per user and per device or site, confirmed in a written quotation after discovery
Technology challenges on and off the shop floor
IT and OT share one network
Machine controllers, HMIs, programming PCs and production monitoring often sit on the same flat network as office laptops and email. A problem in the office can reach the production floor.
Legacy systems that cannot be upgraded
A CNC programming station or test rig may run an old version of Windows because the software or controller was never updated by its vendor. Replacing it may mean replacing the machine.
Shop-floor PCs in harsh conditions
Dust, vibration, temperature and shared use shorten the life of shop-floor computers and terminals, and shared logins make it hard to secure them.
ERP is the system of record
Orders, inventory, scheduling, costing and shipping run through the ERP. Database performance, backups and upgrades need careful coordination with the vendor and production.
Risks that halt production
- Ransomware spreading from an office computer to shop-floor PCs and the ERP server
- Unsupported legacy systems exposed to the internet or to ordinary user devices
- Vendor remote access tools left permanently open on production machines
- ERP server failure without a tested restore, stopping order entry and shipping
- Phishing that leads to supplier payment fraud or stolen engineering drawings
- Unplanned updates or reboots during a production run
Services we recommend for manufacturers
Network and firewall management
Segmentation between office, production and guest networks, with firewall rules that allow only the traffic production systems actually need.
Server administration
Care of ERP, file and database servers, including patching windows aligned with production, monitoring and capacity planning.
Backup and disaster recovery
Backups of ERP databases, servers and engineering files with offsite copies, plus documented recovery for legacy machine configurations where possible.
Managed endpoint security
Endpoint protection on office and shop-floor PCs, with compensating controls for legacy systems that cannot run modern agents.
Lifecycle management
A plan for replacing shop-floor computers and retiring unsupported systems as equipment is upgraded.
Microsoft 365 for the office and the floor
Office staff in manufacturing use Microsoft 365 like any business: email, Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive. The difference is the shop floor. Supervisors and leads may need Teams or shared documents on a kiosk or tablet, while machine operators may need no account at all. We help assign licences that fit frontline roles rather than giving everyone a full desktop licence.
SharePoint is useful for controlled documents such as work instructions, quality procedures and safety data, with versioning so the floor always sees the current revision. We configure permissions so documents can be read widely but edited only by the people responsible for them, and protect every account with multifactor authentication.
Continuity planning for production
- Restore-tested backups of the ERP database and servers, with offsite or immutable copies
- Images or documented configurations of critical shop-floor and machine-connected PCs
- Spare pre-configured shop-floor PCs for quick replacement
- Maintenance windows agreed with production, so updates and reboots never surprise the floor
- A downtime procedure that covers manual order processing and shipping if the ERP is unavailable
Security at the IT and OT boundary
- Separate network segments for production equipment, with tightly limited access from the office network
- Vendor remote access through controlled, logged, time-limited connections instead of always-on tools
- Legacy systems isolated from the internet and from general user devices
- Endpoint detection and response on servers and supported office and shop-floor PCs
- Multifactor authentication for Microsoft 365, remote access and ERP where supported
- Individual or role-based shop-floor accounts in place of shared administrator logins
How we work with manufacturers
Map the plant and office
We document network connections, servers, shop-floor PCs, legacy systems and vendor remote access, working with your production lead.
Protect backups first
We confirm the ERP and critical servers can be restored before making other changes.
Segment carefully
We plan network separation with your equipment vendors and implement it during agreed shutdown windows.
Standardize endpoints
We bring office and shop-floor PCs under management and apply compensating controls to legacy machines.
Plan the lifecycle
Quarterly reviews cover risks, aging equipment and upcoming production changes.
Where IT support stops
PLC programming, control system configuration and machine safety systems remain with your equipment vendors and integrators. We coordinate with them on network access, remote support connections and the computers that connect to their equipment.
Frequently asked questions
Do you support our machines and PLCs?
No. Control systems and machine programming stay with your equipment vendors and integrators. We support the computers, network and accounts around them and coordinate network changes with those vendors.
We have an old Windows PC running a machine. What can we do?
If the PC cannot be upgraded, we isolate it from the internet and the office network, restrict who can access it, document its configuration and keep a backup image where possible.
Will updates interrupt production?
Maintenance windows are agreed with you in advance. Shop-floor and server updates are scheduled around production rather than applied automatically during shifts.
Do you support our ERP?
We support the server, database backups, workstations and access around the ERP and coordinate with the ERP vendor for application issues and upgrades.
Do you provide on-site support at our plant?
Most work is remote. On-site visits in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Calgary are confirmed per address, and network segmentation projects usually include scheduled on-site time.
Related services
Products and packages
Industries we support
Service areas
Protect production without slowing it down
Book a consultation to review your network, ERP and shop-floor systems. You will receive a written scope before any recurring commitment.