Sound familiar?
- A CNC or inspection machine PC still runs Windows 7 or XP and is on the office network
- The ERP server is slow at month end and nobody knows when it was last restarted
- A major customer asks for Cyber Essentials before renewing a contract
- CAD workstations crash when opening large assemblies
- Warehouse scanners lose Wi-Fi at the far end of the building
- Backups sit on a NAS in the same rack as the server
Key facts
- Support for the servers and PCs behind ERP and MRP such as Sage 200, Business Central, SAP Business One and Epicor
- CAD and CAM workstations for SolidWorks, Inventor and Fusion kept on certified drivers
- Machine controllers on legacy Windows isolated on their own network segment
- Backups designed so ransomware on the office network cannot reach them
- Cyber Essentials readiness for customers and supply chains that require it
- Complete plan £99 a month + VAT; ad-hoc £45 an hour + VAT; network projects quoted
Why manufacturing is a target
Production stops when IT stops, and attackers know it. The August 2025 cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover halted production for weeks, and the Cyber Monitoring Centre, chaired by the former head of the NCSC, estimated that more than 5,000 UK organisations in its supply chain were affected. Small manufacturers felt it twice: as suppliers whose orders stopped, and as businesses with the same weaknesses.
The risks we see most often in small factories are flat networks where office PCs, shop-floor machines and CCTV can all see each other, unsupported Windows on machine controllers, shared logins on production PCs, and backups that sit on the same network as the systems they protect.
Separating office IT from the shop floor
Machine controllers, inspection equipment and PLC programming PCs often run old Windows versions because the machine supplier only certified them that way. You cannot always upgrade them, but you can protect them.
- Put production equipment on its own VLAN with firewall rules that allow only what it needs.
- Block internet access from machines that do not need it.
- Use a controlled transfer method for programs and drawings instead of USB sticks from home.
- Keep an inventory of every networked machine, its operating system and who supports it.
See firewall support and network support.
ERP, CAD and the systems that run the business
ERP and MRP systems such as Sage 200, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, SAP Business One, Epicor or MRPeasy hold orders, stock, routings and invoicing. On-premises installs depend on a healthy SQL Server, enough disk and regular maintenance. We monitor the server, apply updates in agreed windows and work with your ERP partner when the fault is in their software.
CAD and CAM workstations running SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor or Fusion need graphics drivers certified by the software vendor, plenty of RAM for large assemblies and fast local storage. We specify, set up and maintain them. Bespoke integrations between ERP, website and shop floor can be built by our sister company at dijitul developments.
Backups, recovery and customer requirements
A backup on a NAS in the same rack, on the same domain, is often encrypted along with everything else in a ransomware attack. We set up backups with an offline or immutable copy, test restores of the ERP database and drawings, and write down how long a full recovery takes so you can plan around it. See data backup and recovery.
Customers, especially in defence, automotive and public sector supply chains, increasingly ask suppliers for Cyber Essentials. According to the UK Government's Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025/2026, only 15% of businesses review the cyber risks posed by their immediate suppliers, so a firm that can show its controls stands out. We get you ready for assessment; see Cyber Essentials readiness.
Warehouse Wi-Fi, scanners and labels
Goods-in, picking and despatch increasingly depend on handheld scanners, label printers and tablets. Warehouses are hard for Wi-Fi: high racking full of metal, forklifts, roller doors and long distances from the office. Scanners that drop connection lead to missed picks and duplicate labels.
We survey coverage at the heights and aisles where scanners are actually used, position access points on the racking or ceiling with cabled connections, and set scanners to roam correctly between them. Label printers get fixed addresses and print queues that recover after a power cut. Where the ERP or carrier software prints shipping labels, we check drivers and print templates after every update so despatch is not held up on a Friday afternoon. See Wi-Fi support.
Plans and prices for manufacturers
Most small manufacturers choose the Complete plan at £99 a month + VAT, which includes IT and Microsoft 365 helpdesk support for office staff, monitoring, daily backups and 3 hours of fixes or changes each month. Ad-hoc work is £45 an hour + VAT.
Network segmentation, server replacement, warehouse Wi-Fi and Cyber Essentials remediation projects are quoted, because they depend on your site and machines. Ask for a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Can we keep machines that run Windows XP or 7?
Often you have to, because the machine supplier has not certified newer versions. dijitul isolates them on a separate network segment, blocks internet access, controls file transfers and documents them, which greatly reduces the risk while you plan replacements.
Do you support our ERP system?
We support the servers, SQL Server, PCs and network your ERP runs on, and we work with your ERP partner on faults inside the software. Licensing and ERP configuration stay with them, so you keep your existing support contract.
A customer wants us to have Cyber Essentials. Can you help?
Yes. dijitul checks your firewalls, devices, accounts, malware protection and patching against the Cyber Essentials requirements, fixes the gaps and gets you ready for assessment. The certificate itself is issued by an independent certification body.
How much does IT support for a small manufacturer cost?
dijitul's Complete plan is £99 a month + VAT, including a helpdesk for office staff and 3 hours of fixes each month. Ad-hoc work is £45 an hour + VAT. Network segmentation and server projects are quoted upfront.
What specification do CAD workstations need?
It depends on your software and model sizes. As a rule, use the vendor's certified graphics cards and drivers, plenty of RAM for large assemblies and fast NVMe storage. dijitul specifies machines against your CAD vendor's published requirements.
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