Industries
IT for manufacturing and machining
ERP on the shop floor, CAD workstations, and machines that talk to a network from 2009. We have supported businesses like yours since 2005, and we know where the trouble starts.
What breaks, and when
The ERP runs everything from quoting to shipping, and it often runs on hardware nobody has looked at since it was installed. We have found one on a desktop PC under a desk, with the vendor's blessing.
CNC controllers, PLCs and inspection equipment come with their own operating systems, often ones the manufacturer stopped patching years ago. They cannot be treated like office PCs and they cannot be left on the open network either.
CAD and CAM workstations need real graphics hardware and real backups. A lost drawing is a lost job.
Microsoft updates. A patch that breaks a label printer or a shop-floor application at 6 a.m. stops the line. Updates have to be staged and tested, not just allowed to happen.
What we do differently
We serve injection molders, precision machining shops, stainless fabricators, automotive and mechanical parts makers, packaging and distribution. We have migrated shops off Great Plains, moved an ERP off a desktop PC while holding the vendor to account, and segmented shop-floor equipment so a ransomware event in the office cannot stop the line.
Sunk cost is a conversation we are willing to have. If a server or a controller has years left, we will say so.
And we follow up. One manufacturer's office manager put it best: after an emergency fix, the engineer checked back to make sure everything stayed working.
What clients in manufacturing and machining say
"Another emergency taken care of by Mike at Midwest IT. I love his thoroughness in everything he does. And he is following up to make sure all stays working properly as well. Grateful he is following up, as we all know Microsoft can't wait to do another update that breaks more programs."
Debbie, manufacturerMeet Mike Gold Star survey"Mike is ALWAYS super helpful and quick to respond."
Julie, automotive parts manufacturerMeet Mike Gold Star survey"Mike and Jim got on it and took care of business. I appreciate the help."
Brian, injection moldingMeet Mike Gold Star survey"Justin did a great job as always. We love Midwest IT."
Accounts team, manufacturerMeet JustinA backup that has never been restored is a hope, not a plan. Ask for the date of the last tested restore.
What to actually test From the shopEvery piece of gear we ship was configured and tested on a bench in Pell Lake first. Problems found here cost an afternoon. Problems found in your server room cost production.
The second-host storyCompliance, insurance and audits
Customers audit their suppliers now. Automotive and aerospace customers ask about cybersecurity as part of quality audits, and defense-related work brings the government's cybersecurity framework into scope. Even without that, cyber insurance applications ask the same questions. We segment the plant from the office, back up the ERP and the drawings, document the controls, and give you the evidence when a customer's auditor asks for it.
Your first sixty days with us
Document what the ERP runs on and test a restore of it. If the answer is frightening, fix that first.
Separate shop-floor machines from the office network so a problem in one cannot reach the other.
Put Windows updates on a staged schedule so nothing surprises the first shift.
Software we already know
Not on the list? Ask. We have probably seen it.
Stories from this kind of work
The ERP was running on a desktop PC. The vendor said that was fine.
We disagreed, in writing, and stayed on the vendor until the system was where it belonged.
Read the story
Great Plains to a modern ERP without losing a month
An end-of-life accounting system, a vendor deadline, and a migration scheduled around the client's quarter instead of the vendor's calendar.
Read the storyQuestions we get asked
Our machines run old Windows. Do we have to replace them?
Usually not. They have to be isolated, backed up and documented so a problem stays a problem with one machine rather than the whole plant.
Our ERP vendor says our setup is fine. Should we believe them?
Ask them to put it in writing. If they will, good. If they will not, call us.
A customer sent us a cybersecurity questionnaire. Now what?
Send it to us. Most of what they ask for is the basics done properly and written down, and we will tell you honestly which answers are already yes and which need work.
The full answer
- A technician who knows your setup takes every request. Not a dispatcher, not a queue.
- Every closed ticket is surveyed and a partner reads every response.
- 99.5% of surveys come back positive.
- Family-owned since 2005. 21 years in the same corner of Wisconsin, not going anywhere.
"Another emergency taken care of by Mike at Midwest IT. I love his thoroughness in everything he does. And he is following up to make sure all stays working properly as well. Grateful he is following up, as we all know Microsoft can't wait to do another update that breaks more programs."
Debbie, manufacturerTalk to a partner, not a sales script.
Tell us what is going on. A partner will call you back the same business day, look at what you have, and tell you honestly whether we are the right fit. No pricing pressure, no pitch deck.