Reduce avoidable downtime, protect business systems and plan technology around production
Stratiis helps manufacturing companies across Scotland improve managed IT, Microsoft 365, cybersecurity, infrastructure, backup, supplier coordination and strategic planning—so technology supports safe, resilient operations.
What IT support does a manufacturing company need?
A manufacturing company needs responsive user support, reliable business infrastructure, secure Microsoft 365 and identity management, protected devices and data, clear boundaries between IT and operational technology, controlled supplier access, tested backup and recovery and a technology roadmap aligned with production, sites, systems and growth.
IT built around production continuity, people and supply chains
Manufacturers depend on office systems, specialist applications, production information, communications and external suppliers working together reliably.
Reduced disruption
Find and address business-IT risks before they interrupt employees or operations.
Protected access
Strengthen identities, devices, email, supplier connections and critical information.
Clear responsibility
Define ownership across managed IT, production systems, applications and vendors.
Planned investment
Forecast lifecycle, security, infrastructure, site and project requirements.
Common IT challenges facing manufacturers
The right response connects each technical issue to production, customer, supply-chain and financial impact.
| Challenge | Potential business impact | How Stratiis helps |
|---|---|---|
| Ransomware and cyber threats | Production disruption, lost data, delayed orders, fraud and reputational damage. | Layer identity, endpoint, email, awareness, backup and monitoring controls. |
| Ageing infrastructure | Unplanned failure, security exposure and unsupported dependencies. | Assess condition and support status and build replacement into a lifecycle plan. |
| IT and OT overlap | Unclear ownership, uncontrolled connections and changes affecting production. | Document boundaries, dependencies, access and escalation with operational specialists. |
| Supplier access | Third parties can become a route into sensitive business or production environments. | Apply named accounts, least privilege, MFA, controlled remote access and review. |
| Reactive support | Employee downtime, delayed decisions and operational workarounds. | Provide structured helpdesk support, monitoring, maintenance and escalation. |
| Unclear recovery | Backups exist but cannot restore the systems or data operations need quickly. | Define scope, priorities, objectives, responsibilities and testing. |
| Multiple sites and systems | Inconsistent standards, visibility, support and security controls. | Create common policies and a roadmap while accounting for local operational needs. |
Core IT services for manufacturing businesses
Support, cybersecurity, recovery and strategic planning work best when operational boundaries are explicit.
Managed IT support
Helpdesk, monitoring, patching, user administration, network support, vendor liaison and onsite or remote assistance.
Cybersecurity
Identity, endpoint, email, awareness, vulnerability, monitoring and governance controls.
Microsoft 365
Secure management of Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, Intune, Entra ID and Defender.
Cloud, backup and recovery
Protect critical business information and clarify how services will be restored.
Manufacturing-system support
Support the underlying IT platform and coordinate with ERP, warehouse, quality and production-software vendors.
Communications and connectivity
Support reliable internet, networks, Wi-Fi and business communications across facilities.
Projects and transformation
Deliver migrations, infrastructure changes, new facilities and business technology projects.
vCIO guidance
Give leaders a roadmap, budget, lifecycle plan, supplier view and cyber-risk reporting.
Co-managed IT
Add specialist skills, project capacity and escalation support around an internal IT resource.
Define the boundary before changing or securing connected systems
Business IT and operational technology can share networks, identities, vendors and data, but production equipment often has different safety, availability, support and change-control requirements.
| Area | Typical owner or specialist | What must be agreed |
|---|---|---|
| Business IT | Managed IT provider or internal IT team. | Users, devices, Microsoft 365, servers, networks, security, backup and support scope. |
| Operational technology | Production, engineering, automation or equipment specialists. | Safety, availability, approved changes, vendor support and recovery procedures. |
| ERP and business applications | Application vendor plus IT platform owner. | Application, database, server, integration, access, backup and escalation responsibilities. |
| Connected production systems | Shared across operations, vendor and IT. | Network boundaries, data flows, patch constraints, monitoring and incident coordination. |
| Remote vendor access | System owner approves; technical teams implement. | Named users, MFA, time limits, least privilege, logging and emergency removal. |
| Change management | Accountable operational owner. | Testing, maintenance windows, rollback, safety implications and communication. |
Does Stratiis manage operational technology?
Stratiis can manage business IT and help secure or coordinate shared infrastructure and access. Specialist production equipment, control systems and safety-critical changes should remain within an explicitly agreed scope involving the manufacturer, operational owners and appropriate equipment or automation specialists.
Support the platform around ERP, inventory, production and quality applications
Specialist applications often involve several providers. Documenting the service boundary avoids delays when an incident crosses them.
| System type | Business role | Support consideration |
|---|---|---|
| ERP | Finance, orders, purchasing, planning and business processes. | Clarify application, database, server, integration, identity and backup responsibilities. |
| Inventory and warehouse | Stock accuracy, picking, dispatch and supply-chain visibility. | Assess devices, wireless coverage, integrations and outage workarounds. |
| Production planning | Schedules, capacity, materials and workflow decisions. | Understand data dependencies, performance and recovery priority. |
| Quality management | Procedures, evidence, non-conformance and traceability. | Protect records, access, retention and availability. |
| Supplier and customer portals | External communication, orders and shared information. | Control identities, access, integrations and data movement. |
| Microsoft 365 | Email, collaboration, documents, identity and device management. | Align Teams and SharePoint with authoritative operational systems rather than duplicating uncontrolled data. |
Protect the routes attackers use and prepare for operational disruption
Layer prevention, detection and response
Ransomware commonly exploits compromised identities, phishing, exposed remote access, unpatched systems and weak administration. Controls must reduce entry routes and limit the impact of compromise.
Recovery is more than a successful backup job
The plan must identify critical data and systems, dependencies, restoration order, acceptable downtime and how operations will continue while recovery takes place.
Connect technical recovery to production priorities
Manufacturing recovery plans should be developed with operational leaders because business systems, suppliers and production environments can depend on one another.
| Recovery question | Why it matters | Useful evidence |
|---|---|---|
| What must return first? | Not every service has the same effect on production, dispatch or customer commitments. | A prioritised system, process and dependency inventory. |
| What is backed up? | Microsoft 365, servers, databases, configurations and cloud applications may have different coverage. | Documented scope, exclusions, retention and accountable owners. |
| How much loss is acceptable? | Data change rates and manual re-entry affect operational impact. | Agreed recovery point objectives. |
| How long can operations wait? | Restore times need to reflect production and customer consequences. | Agreed recovery time objectives and interim workarounds. |
| Has recovery been tested? | A backup report does not prove applications, data and dependencies will work together. | Test results, issues, corrective actions and retest dates. |
| Who makes decisions? | Cyber incidents require technical, operational, legal and communications coordination. | A maintained incident plan, contacts and exercise outcomes. |
From manufacturing technology review to continuous improvement
The process addresses immediate business-IT risk while respecting operational ownership and change control.
Assess
Review users, sites, systems, suppliers, Microsoft 365, security and recovery.
Map
Document IT, OT, application and vendor boundaries and critical dependencies.
Stabilise
Resolve immediate issues and establish clear support and escalation ownership.
Secure
Implement agreed identity, device, network, email, backup and monitoring controls.
Plan
Create a roadmap for lifecycle, sites, resilience, systems and investment.
Improve
Support teams and update priorities as operations and risks evolve.
How much should a manufacturing business budget for IT support?
The existing Stratiis ranges are retained as indicative guidance. A proposal should define scope and account for facilities, systems, suppliers, operational boundaries, Microsoft licensing, security, backup and continuity requirements.
| Users | Indicative monthly managed-support range | Factors that can change total investment |
|---|---|---|
| Per user | Approximately £35–£60 per user per month. | Support coverage, response commitments, device count and included management. |
| 10 users | Approximately £350–£600 per month. | Microsoft licensing, cybersecurity, backup and application responsibilities may be additional. |
| 25 users | Approximately £875–£1,500 per month. | Facilities, shift patterns, networks, suppliers and onsite needs affect scope. |
| 50 users | Approximately £1,750–£3,000 per month. | Multiple systems, sites, governance and continuity requirements influence cost. |
| 100 users | Approximately £3,500–£6,000 per month. | Internal IT, OT boundaries, service hours and application complexity must be defined. |
What should be included in a manufacturing IT proposal?
Look for clear user, device, site, network and application coverage; support hours and response targets; IT, OT and vendor responsibilities; Microsoft 365; security, monitoring, backup and recovery; project rates; pricing assumptions; reporting; contract terms and exit arrangements.
A technology partner for users, production dependencies and cyber risk
Cybersecurity first
Security is considered across support, Microsoft 365, devices, networks and strategy.
Boundary-aware
Clarify ownership across business IT, operational systems, applications and suppliers.
Joined-up capability
Connect support, cloud, communications, projects, security and vCIO guidance.
Operationally focused
Explain technology risk and investment through downtime, delivery and resilience.
IT support for manufacturing companies across Scotland
Stratiis supports growing manufacturers and established multi-site operations.
Glasgow
Managed IT, cybersecurity and infrastructure support across Glasgow and the west.
Edinburgh & Lothian
Support for manufacturing teams, facilities and hybrid employees across the east.
Lanarkshire
Local and remote technology support across North and South Lanarkshire.
Ayrshire
Secure IT services for manufacturers operating across Ayrshire.
Dumfries & Galloway
Remote and planned onsite support for organisations across southern Scotland.
Perthshire
Managed support and strategic guidance for manufacturing businesses in Perthshire.
Multiple facilities
Consistent identities, devices, networks and support across sites.
Office and operational teams
Clear service and security standards around different working environments.
IT support for manufacturers explained
Why are manufacturers targeted by ransomware?
Attackers know that production disruption creates pressure to recover quickly. Manufacturers also hold valuable commercial data and may have older systems, supplier access and complex operational dependencies.
What cybersecurity protections should a manufacturer have?
Controls should include MFA, secure administration, email and endpoint protection, managed patching, controlled remote access, segmentation, awareness, backup, monitoring and incident planning proportionate to risk.
How often should manufacturers replace PCs and servers?
Replacement should consider warranty, condition, performance, operating-system and application support, security, dependencies and downtime impact. A risk-based lifecycle plan is better than waiting for failure.
Should manufacturing companies move to Microsoft 365?
Microsoft 365 can improve email, collaboration, identity and device management. Suitability depends on connectivity, users, data, operational applications, security and migration planning.
Can Stratiis support multiple manufacturing sites?
Yes. Support can cover business users, devices, Microsoft 365, networks, connectivity, security and common standards across facilities, with operational-system responsibilities agreed separately.
Can Stratiis support ERP and production software?
Stratiis can support the underlying business IT platform, identity, devices, servers, networks, security and backup, and coordinate with the application vendor for product-specific issues.
Does Microsoft 365 backup protect production systems?
No. Microsoft 365 backup covers selected cloud data according to the service. Production systems, databases, servers and configurations require their own documented backup and recovery arrangements.
What happens during a manufacturing technology review?
Stratiis reviews users, business systems, sites, Microsoft 365, devices, infrastructure, security, suppliers, backup and IT–OT dependencies, then explains risks and recommended next steps.
Book a manufacturing technology review
Understand the gaps in support, systems, Microsoft 365, cybersecurity, infrastructure, supplier access, backup and future technology planning.
Book a technology reviewExplore managed IT services
Call 0141 348 7960 or email hello@stratiis.com.
