Managed IT · Manufacturing · Naples, FL
Managed IT Services for Manufacturing
IT that plans around your shift change.
Your machines don’t take unplanned breaks. Your network shouldn’t either. NerdSquad is a Managed Service Provider (MSP) that runs, secures and plans the technology behind your plant, from the office network and ERP to the rugged gear on the floor, so the line stops when you schedule it to.
Floor-grade gear where it counts
Office and plant networks kept apart
Local Naples team
Plant status board
Illustrative
Office network
Monitored
Plant-floor network
Segmented
Backups
Protected
Patch window
Scheduled
Example view only. Your board, your shifts, your priorities.
Systems your IT touches //
ERP
MES
CNC + CAM
PLC + HMI
CAD + PLM
Quality systems
Warehouse + WMS
Barcode + RF scanners
EDI
[ 01 // the short version ]
Managed IT services for manufacturing, minus the acronym soup
Managed IT services for manufacturing means one accountable partner runs the technology on both sides of your plant wall: the office systems that quote, schedule and ship, and the network that carries data from machines and scanners. You pay for steady, planned care instead of a scramble every time a line goes quiet.
A plant isn’t an office with louder chairs. Downtime is measured in missed shipments, not missed emails, and some of your most important equipment can’t be patched on a Tuesday afternoon. Good managed IT respects that. It knows which systems can restart, which can’t, and when your schedule allows either.
Think of it as preventive maintenance for your technology. Nobody waits for a spindle to seize before oiling it.
Zone 1
Business network
IT · Information technology
What lives here
Email and Microsoft 365, ERP and quoting clients, office laptops, printers, phones, guest Wi-Fi, and the people who use them every day.
Zone 2
The boundary
Firewalls · Remote access
What lives here
The firewalls, remote-access paths and vendor connections between the office and the floor. It’s where most plant-wide problems either get stopped or get through.
Our job
Plan it, lock it down and document it. Vendors and integrators get the access they need, and only that.
Zone 3
Plant floor
OT · Operational technology
What lives here
PLCs, HMIs, CNC machines, presses, scanners, label printers, cameras and the industrial network that connects them. Equipment built to run for years, often on software that can’t easily change.
Our job
Design the network and hardware to survive the environment, isolate what can’t be updated, and work alongside your machine builders instead of stepping on them.
Machine-control programs and equipment settings stay with your machine builder or integrator. We work next to them, not over them.
[ 02 // how we add value ]
We promise to add value. Here’s the work order.
Anyone can say it. Here’s what it looks like in a plant: seven things we do on purpose, and what you get from each. No mystery line items.
Work order · NS-VALUE
Priority: keep the line running
Line 01
Learn the floor first
What we do
Before we change anything, we walk the plant with you: what runs when, what can’t stop, who owns each system, and where the last outage really started.
What it means for you
Recommendations that fit your operation instead of a generic checklist, and fewer surprises on the floor.
Line 02
Keep IT and the plant in their own lanes
What we do
We separate the office network from the plant-floor network and control what crosses between them, so an email mistake is far less likely to reach a machine.
What it means for you
A problem in one zone has a much harder time becoming a problem in the other.
Line 03
Buy the right hardware once
What we do
Floor-grade gear where heat, dust, vibration or washdown demand it. Office-grade where they don’t. We plan lifecycles so replacements aren’t emergency purchases.
What it means for you
No armor plating for the front office, and no consumer-grade gear dying in its first Florida summer.
Line 04
Work around production, not through it
What we do
Patches, upgrades and changes are planned around your shifts, changeovers and shipping deadlines, with a rollback plan ready.
What it means for you
Maintenance happens when it hurts least. No mid-run reboots.
Line 05
Be your advocate with vendors
What we do
When the ERP vendor blames the network and the internet provider blames the ERP, we take the call, gather the evidence and push for the fix.
What it means for you
You stop being the go-between, and finger-pointing stops costing you shifts.
Line 06
Answer for your security before customers ask
What we do
Multi-factor authentication, endpoint protection, tested backups and documented controls, plus help with customer security questionnaires and cyber-insurance applications.
What it means for you
Fewer awkward audits, and fewer reasons to lose a bid over IT paperwork.
Line 07
Plan the next year with you
What we do
Regular reviews of equipment age, risks and upcoming projects, tied to your budget, your customers and your growth plans.
What it means for you
Technology spending that follows the business plan instead of the last emergency.
Our promise is to add value, and that starts with honest advice. If a project isn’t worth your money, we’ll say so. It’s backed by ownership with decades of experience delivering complex IT for fast-growing, compliance-heavy companies, plus hands-on experience running a business.
Start with a conversation[ 03 // built for the floor ]
Harsh environments call for different equipment
The shop floor punishes hardware that was designed for an air-conditioned office. Heat, dust, vibration, washdown and electrical noise shorten the life of ordinary switches, PCs and access points, and the failures tend to show up mid-shift. So we specify equipment for the environment it will actually live in.
Spec
Office-grade
Floor-grade
Temperature
Typically rated for roughly 0 to 50 °C.
Industrial models are commonly rated -10 to 70 °C, with extended-range versions reaching -40 to 75 °C.
Dust and water
Vented plastic cases that welcome dust in.
Sealed, hardened enclosures, commonly rated IP30 to IP40, with IP67 options for washdown or outdoor spots.
Vibration and shock
Built for a desk that stays put.
Fanless, solid-state designs made to handle vibration and shock near presses, conveyors and forklifts.
Mounting and power
Shelf or rack, plugged into a wall.
DIN-rail or panel mounting, wide-range DC power, and power over Ethernet for cameras and access points.
Failure design
One path. If it breaks, it breaks.
Ring and redundant paths that can recover in milliseconds when a cable gets cut or a port fails.
Interference
Copper cabling everywhere.
Fiber and shielded cabling near welders, drives and motors, and coated circuit boards against corrosion.
Typical operating range, degrees Celsius
Office-grade: 0 to 50
Industrial: -10 to 70
Industrial extended: -40 to 75
°C
-40
0
40
80
Typical published ranges. Exact specifications vary by product, and a metal building in July can run hotter than the weather report.
What we specify, and why
EQ-01
Industrial managed switches
DIN-rail, wide-temperature and fanless, with ring redundancy so one cut cable doesn’t stop a line.
EQ-02
Fiber in noisy zones
Fiber runs and shielded cabling near welders, drives and motors, where ordinary copper picks up interference.
EQ-03
Fanless industrial and panel PCs
Sealed computers for HMIs, quality stations and machine-side terminals, without fans that clog with dust.
EQ-04
Rugged tablets and scanners
Drop-rated, dust- and water-resistant devices for receiving, inspection and the warehouse.
EQ-05
Sealed, washable peripherals
Keyboards, mice and displays that shrug off coolant mist, sanding dust and sanitizer.
EQ-06
NEMA-rated enclosures
Properly sized, ventilated or cooled cabinets, so network gear doesn’t bake next to the machine it serves.
EQ-07
Industrial Wi-Fi, surveyed first
Coverage planned around steel racking, machinery and moving forklifts, not guessed from a floor plan.
EQ-08
Power protection for motors
UPS and surge protection sized for the real load, with Florida lightning season in mind.
EQ-09
Industrial firewalls
Purpose-built protection at the office-to-plant boundary, with rules we document and review with you.
Not everything needs armor. Office gear stays office-grade. We match the equipment to the environment, so you don’t overspend on the front office or under-buy on the floor.
[ 04 // florida is hard on equipment ]
Southwest Florida tests your gear before your customers do
Manufacturing in Southwest Florida means heat, humidity, salt air, afternoon lightning and power that isn’t always polite. We plan for those conditions from day one, and we keep it practical: equipment and backups chosen with the climate in mind.
Heat
Metal buildings, machine heat
Cabinets next to hot equipment can pass what office gear tolerates. We plan ventilation and choose wide-temperature hardware where it matters.
Humidity
Moisture finds connectors
Sealed enclosures and coated electronics hold up better than open cases in a humid building.
Salt air
Corrosion near the coast
Marine and coastal shops get corrosion-aware choices for cabling, connectors and enclosures.
Lightning
Rainy-season surges
The National Weather Service describes a rainy season from mid-May to mid-October with frequent lightning. Surge protection and clean grounding cost far less than a fried switch.
Source: National Weather ServicePower
Noisy, imperfect electricity
Motors, drives and welders make electrical noise, and outages happen. UPS sizing, filtering and orderly shutdown keep a blip from becoming a rebuild.
Built for the manufacturers next door
For example: marine and boat builders, medical device and skincare producers, food and beverage makers, CNC and fabrication shops, and contract or light-assembly manufacturers. If you make something in Southwest Florida, we understand the pressure you’re under.
Our only office is in Naples, and we serve manufacturers across Southwest Florida. We can’t promise how a storm will affect any system, but we can help make sure you aren’t tied to a single server or a single building.
Downtime is expensive
Let’s talk about keeping the line, the office and the network running together.
[ 05 // security, without the scare tactics ]
Ransomware doesn’t care what you make
Manufacturing has been the most-attacked industry for five years running, according to IBM’s X-Force. That’s not a reason to panic. It’s a reason to close the boring doors first.
27.7%
of the cyberattacks IBM X-Force tracked in 2025 hit manufacturers, the most of any industry for the fifth year running.
Source: Manufacturing Dive on IBM X-Force32%
of manufacturing ransomware victims surveyed by Sophos said the attack began with an exploited vulnerability, the top root cause. Malicious email came second at 23%.
Source: Sophos, 202542.5%
of those victims named a lack of in-house expertise as a contributing factor. Nobody was watching the door, or nobody knew it was open.
Source: Sophos, 2025How a plant-wide stoppage usually starts, and where we step in
Five links, five places to break the chain. The most common ways in are unpatched public-facing systems, stolen or reused credentials and exposed remote access.
Link 1
Unpatched system facing the internet
Where we step in
Scheduled patching for internet-facing systems, and a plan to retire what can’t be patched.
Link 2
Stolen or reused password
Where we step in
Multi-factor authentication and sound password practice on every account that matters.
Link 3
Open remote access
Where we step in
Vendor and remote access that is controlled, logged and switched off when not needed.
Link 4
Flat network
Where we step in
Office and plant separated, with only approved traffic allowed between them.
Link 5
Slow recovery
Where we step in
Protected, tested backups and endpoint detection, so a bad day is a recovery instead of a rebuild.
Every incident is different, and no provider can promise an attack will never arrive. The goal is fewer ways in and a faster way back.
[ 06 // legacy equipment ]
The machine that still runs Windows 7
Every plant has one: the CNC, PLC or inspection station that works perfectly, runs old software and can’t be updated without a call to the vendor and a shutdown. We don’t pretend it isn’t there. We fence it in.
If it can’t be patched, the network has to protect it. That is the whole idea, and it works because it doesn’t require touching the machine.
Quarantine cell
01
Isolate it on its own network segment, away from email and the open internet.
02
Allow only the connections it actually needs, and block the rest.
03
Control who and what can reach it remotely, including vendors.
04
Keep current backups of its programs and configurations where the equipment allows it.
05
Plan its replacement on your timeline, before it plans one for you.
[ 07 // customer and compliance requirements ]
When a customer, insurer or auditor asks about your security
Manufacturers get security questionnaires from the companies they supply and from the people who insure them. We help you answer with real controls and real documentation, not a scramble the week before.
REQ // 01
NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC
If you make parts for defense contractors, your customer may need you to meet NIST SP 800-171 controls, and CMMC is the framework that verifies them. We help you see where you stand, close technical gaps and keep documentation current. Your compliance consultant or assessor decides what applies to you.
REQ // 02
Customer security audits
Larger customers send supplier questionnaires and sometimes audit on site. We keep asset lists, access records, patching history and backup evidence organized, so you can answer with facts instead of guesses.
REQ // 03
Cyber insurance applications
Insurers ask whether you have multi-factor authentication, tested backups, endpoint protection and network segmentation. We help you put those controls in place and answer accurately.
Plain talk
NerdSquad does not certify compliance or guarantee an audit result. We build the technical controls and the evidence behind them, and we work alongside your compliance consultant, assessor or counsel.
CMMC or customer security questionnaires?
Get help sorting out what your contracts actually ask of your IT.
[ 08 // shift coverage ]
IT that works around your production schedule
A plant doesn’t have a slow hour that’s convenient for updates. We plan disruptive work around your production schedule, not ours.
1st shift
2nd shift
3rd shift + weekends
6 AM
2 PM
10 PM
6 AM
Planned
Change windows agreed in advance
Patches, firmware and network changes are scheduled with your production lead for planned downtime, changeovers or weekends, not mid-run.
Quiet
Fewer surprises during a run
Monitoring and maintenance run in the background to catch failing drives, full disks and offline devices before they stop a line.
Personal
A team that already knows your plant
When something goes wrong on the floor, you reach people who know your network, your equipment and who to call. Coverage hours and response are spelled out in your agreement.
Illustrative shift pattern. Your production schedule sets ours.
[ 09 // what’s included ]
Managed IT services for manufacturers: what you get
One team for the office, the plant network, the security and the equipment that has to survive the floor.
01
Help desk and onsite support
Fast help for office and floor users, with local onsite visits across Southwest Florida when a problem needs hands.
02
Network and Wi-Fi design
Segmented networks with industrial-grade switching and wireless, designed for big, metal-heavy, electrically noisy buildings.
03
Cybersecurity
Multi-factor authentication, endpoint protection, email security, patching and monitoring, built to protect a plant.
04
Backup and recovery
Backups for servers and cloud data and, where equipment allows, machine programs and configurations. We help you test restores.
05
Microsoft 365 and cloud
Email, files and collaboration set up securely, with sensible sharing for drawings, quotes and purchase orders.
06
Rugged floor hardware
We recommend and support sealed, fanless and industrial-rated computers, tablets, scanners and printers for dust, heat and vibration.
07
Vendor coordination
We work with your ERP, MES, machine and software vendors so you aren’t the go-between.
08
IT planning and budgeting
A roadmap for aging equipment, replacements and upgrades, timed around production and paid for on your terms.
[ 10 // getting started ]
Four steps from “hello” to a quieter plant
No forced marathon, no rip-and-replace. We learn your operation first, then change things in an order that respects your production schedule.
1
Talk
A short conversation about your plant, your people and what worries you most. We listen first.
2
Walk the floor
We look at the network, equipment, security and backups, onsite in Southwest Florida or remotely to start.
3
Get a plain-English plan
A prioritized list of what to fix first, what can wait and what it costs. You decide what happens next.
4
Onboard without stopping the line
Monitoring, security and support roll out in stages, scheduled around production.
[ 11 // straight answers ]
Managed IT for manufacturers: questions we hear most
Plain answers, no jargon-as-drama. If yours isn’t here, call us.
What are managed IT services for manufacturing?
Managed IT services for manufacturing are ongoing, proactive IT support from a Managed Service Provider (MSP) that covers both your office and your plant: help desk, networks, security, backups and planning, shaped around how production actually runs. Instead of paying for emergencies, you get a partner that keeps systems running and protected and already knows your setup when you call.
How is IT for a manufacturer different from IT for an office?
An office worries about laptops and email. A plant also has machines, controllers, scanners and printers on the floor, older software that can’t be updated freely, heat, dust, vibration and shifts that never quite stop. Downtime costs production, not just convenience. So we plan around your schedule, choose equipment built for the environment and protect machines that can’t be patched.
What equipment do you use on the plant floor?
It depends on the environment. On the floor that often means sealed, fanless industrial computers, rugged tablets and handhelds, industrial-rated switches and wireless access points, and enclosures and mounting suited to dust, moisture, heat and vibration. In the office we use standard business equipment. We recommend what fits each location and its conditions instead of putting office gear where it won’t survive.
Can you support machines and systems that run older software?
Yes. We can’t patch what the vendor no longer supports, so we protect it another way: a separate network segment, only the connections it needs, controlled vendor access and current backups where the equipment allows. We also help you plan its replacement on your timeline.
Do you work on PLCs, CNC machines and SCADA systems?
We support the IT around them: networks, servers, backups, remote access, security and the connections to your business systems. Programming and tuning controllers stays with your automation integrator or the equipment vendor, and we coordinate with them so changes don’t surprise anyone.
How do you help protect a plant from ransomware?
With layers: multi-factor authentication, email filtering, endpoint protection and monitoring, prompt patching, a network that separates office systems from production, and backups we help you test. No provider can promise an attack will never happen, so we also help you plan how to keep running and recover if one does.
How do you schedule maintenance without stopping production?
We agree on change windows with your production lead, such as planned downtime, changeovers or weekends, and do disruptive work then. Routine monitoring and maintenance run in the background. If something needs fixing right away, we tell you what it affects before we touch it.
Can you help us with NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC?
We can help with the technical side: access controls, multi-factor authentication, encryption, logging, patching, backups and documentation of how they work. Whether and how these requirements apply to you depends on your contracts, so we work alongside your compliance consultant, assessor or counsel. NerdSquad does not certify compliance or guarantee an assessment result.
Can you secure remote access for equipment vendors?
Yes. Vendors often need remote access to service machines. We set that up so it is controlled, logged and limited to the equipment they support, and switched off when it isn’t needed, instead of leaving a standing connection into your network.
How does NerdSquad add value for a manufacturer?
We promise to add value, and here is how. We learn your operation before we recommend anything. We reduce avoidable downtime with proactive monitoring and planned changes. We protect what would be expensive to lose. We tell you honestly what to fix first, and what not to buy. And we give you a plan and a budget that avoid surprises. Our ownership brings decades of experience delivering complex IT for fast-growing, compliance-heavy companies, and that experience goes into every recommendation. The work order near the top of this page shows the details.
Do you serve manufacturers outside Naples?
Yes. Our only office is in Naples, and we serve manufacturers across Southwest Florida, including Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs and Lehigh Acres. Most support happens remotely, and we come onsite when the work is hands-on, like floor equipment and network work.
How much do managed IT services cost for a manufacturer?
It depends on how many people and devices you have, how many sites you run, what equipment is on the floor and which protections you need. We will talk through your setup and give you a clear recommendation before you commit to anything. Contact us for a conversation about what fits.
[ // where to next ]
Find your way around NerdSquad
Manufacturing is one of several industries we support. Here is how the rest of the site fits together: who we serve, what we do and where we work.
Industries we serve
What we do
Serving Southwest Florida
About and help
[ 12 // keep reading ]
Straight answers from our knowledge base
Short explainers written for business owners, not engineers.
[ 13 // next shift starts now ]
Ready for IT that adds value?
Tell us about your plant. We will listen, look at what you have and give you an honest plan, whether or not we end up working together.
NerdSquad Managed IT Services // Naples, Florida // Serving manufacturers across Southwest Florida
[ 14 // send a work request ]
Tell us about your plant
Send a note, or just call. A real person in Naples reads every message.
What you make and roughly how many people use computers
What’s been going wrong, or what’s coming up
The best time to reach you around your shifts
