Manufacturing IT Strategy & Leadership Built for Complex Operations

Fractional CIO expertise for mid-market manufacturers navigating ERP systems, digital transformation, and supply chain technology. Strategic leadership without full-time costs.

The Value We Deliver to Manufacturers

Industry Expertise

15+ years leading IT operations in complex manufacturing environments. We understand ERP systems, supply chain technology, production floor integration, and the unique challenges of manufacturing. Most IT consultants aren't. We are.

Strategy + Execution

Beyond vendor management. We guide ERP selection, digital transformation planning, IT-OT integration, and technology roadmaps aligned with your manufacturing strategy. Think of us as your external CIO—available when you need strategic direction, hands-on support, or a trusted second opinion.

Cost Efficiency

Full-time IT Director costs £150,000+/year. Get strategic leadership from someone with manufacturing experience for £2,000-8,500/month. Scale hours based on your needs. No fixed overhead. Just expertise when you need it.

Your Path to Manufacturing IT Leadership

Step 1

Discovery

30-minute call to understand your manufacturing environment, current IT challenges, and strategic priorities. No sales pitch—just clarity.

Outcome: Weunderstand your situation; you understand how we work.

Step 2

Assessment

Review of your IT infrastructure, ERP systems, vendor relationships, and technology roadmap. We'll benchmark you against industry standards for manufacturing.

Outcome: Comprehensive assessment report with prioritized recommendations.

Step 3

Strategy

1-week development of your manufacturing IT roadmap (12-month and 3-year priorities) plus 90-day quick wins.

Outcome: We understand your situation; you understand how we work.

Step 4

Partnership

Ongoing monthly retainer engagement. We become your. external CIO, managing vendor relationships, overseeing technology initiatives, and adapting your roadmap based on market changes.

Outcome: Predictable IT leadership; strategic advantage; 15-20% annual vendor cost savings (typical for our clients).

Manufacturing IT Challenges Require Manufacturing Expertise

Manufacturing IT is fundamentally different from other industries. Your IT environment must support:

Production floor uptime criticality:

Downtime isn't an inconvenience; it stops production and costs thousands per hour.

Legacy system integration:

Manufacturing environments often run 20-year-old ERP systems alongside newer cloud platforms. Integration is complex.

OT-IT convergence:

Manufacturing is increasingly merging operational technology (sensors, production equipment) with information technology (cloud, analytics, AI). This requires specialist expertise.

Regulatory compliance:

Manufacturers operate under quality (ISO), safety (OSHA), and increasingly, environmental regulations tied to IT systems.

Vendor complexity:

Manufacturing requires specialized solutions (MES, demand planning, supply chain visibility) not commonly needed in other sectors.

Supply chain dependencies:

Your IT must integrate with supplier systems, customer platforms, and logistics networks.

Most IT consultants understand servers and networks. Few understand manufacturing. We've spent 15+ years solving manufacturing IT challenges. We speak your language.

What Our Clients Say

Real results from leaders who’ve partnered with us.

"We weren't sure if we needed a full-time IT Director or could get by with freelance support. Bailey Associates' fractional model gave us the best of both worlds—experienced IT leadership without the overhead. Plus, their manufacturing experience meant they understood our ERP complexity immediately."

"Typical IT consultants approach vendor negotiations like IT people. Bailey Associates negotiated our ERP contract like someone who understands manufacturing value and complexity. We saved £180k on a £2M system."

Download our free "IT Directors Playbook" for business leaders and owners

The free Playbook is a 28 page document complete with tables and explanations (in layman terms) to give you everything you need to self control your businesses IT function. It will help ensure you cover all the bases to use IT as a driver of growth.

Ready to Add a Fractional Data Director to Your Team?

Take the first step — get your free readiness score or book a discovery call.