Manufacturing | High Point, NC
IT Services and Cybersecurity for Small and Mid-Sized Manufacturers
Preferred Data runs the IT, security, networks and business software of small and mid-sized manufacturers. We support the office and the plant floor on one plan and prepare defense suppliers for CMMC. We have worked from our office in High Point, North Carolina since 1987, are on site anywhere within 200 miles, and support plants remotely across the United States and around the world. Schedule a consultation or call (336) 886-3282.
What we cover for manufacturers
- Managed IT for offices, shop floors and warehouses on one per-user plan
- Plant-floor and office networks kept on separate segments by our network team
- 24/7 threat detection and response on every plan, plus cybersecurity and CMMC readiness
- The PDC Software Suite ERP, written and supported in High Point
- Restore-tested backup and IT due diligence when you buy or sell a company
- In business since 1987
- 39 years
- Active clients
- 100+
- Average client tenure
- 20+ years
- BBB Accredited rating
- A+
- On site from High Point; remote support worldwide
- 200 mi
- Threat monitoring on every plan
- 24/7
Services manufacturers use us for
Each card links to the full service page, with what is included, how it is priced and answers to common questions.
Managed IT
Monitoring, patching, helpdesk and planning for offices, shop floors and warehouses, priced per user per month.
Learn moreCybersecurity and CMMC readiness
24/7 detection and response on every plan, with CMMC and NIST 800-171 readiness management on Preferred Complete.
Learn moreNetwork infrastructure
Firewalls, switching, plant and warehouse WiFi, and segments that keep machines apart from office traffic.
Learn moreBackup and disaster recovery
Restore-tested backup, with servers and ERP systems planned around how long you can afford to be down.
Learn morePDC Software Suite
On-premise ERP for orders, inventory, purchasing, bill of materials and accounting, built in High Point.
Learn moreM&A technology due diligence
A written Quality of Technology review before you buy a company, then integration after closing.
Learn moreWhat IT services do manufacturers need?
Most manufacturers need the same core as any business (managed support, security, backup and a reliable network) plus two things an office does not: a plant floor that cannot stop, and business software that ties orders, inventory and production together. In North Carolina, where we are headquartered, there were about 450,000 manufacturing jobs in August 2026 (preliminary), according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and most of them sit in smaller companies without a full IT department.
In our home state the sector is large and mostly small-business: manufacturing produced 15.4% of North Carolina's GDP in 2022, and firms with fewer than 100 employees made up about 90% of the state's manufacturing establishments, according to NC Commerce. Companies of that size, wherever they are, are the ones Preferred Data is built for: too big to run IT off one person's spare time, too small to staff a full department.
- Managed IT: workstations, servers, Microsoft 365, helpdesk and planning on one monthly agreement
- Security: 24/7 detection and response, MFA, email protection and awareness training on every plan, see cybersecurity services
- Networks for offices, plants and warehouses, including manufacturing and warehouse WiFi
- Backup and disaster recovery sized to how long production can be down
- ERP and custom programming through the PDC Software Suite
Key takeaway: For a manufacturer, IT downtime is lost production. Our guide to the cost of IT downtime for manufacturers shows how to put a number on it.
Why are manufacturers targeted by cyberattacks?
Manufacturing has been the most attacked industry for five years running: it accounted for 27.7% of the incidents IBM X-Force observed in 2025, with data theft the most common outcome, according to the IBM 2026 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index. Plants carry a lot of equipment per person, run older systems that are hard to patch, and lose money by the hour when they stop, which makes them attractive to ransomware crews.
The controls that stop most of these attacks are not exotic. Every Preferred Data plan, including the smallest, includes endpoint detection and response, 24/7 managed detection and response monitored by people, MFA, patching, email threat protection, security awareness training and backup we test by restoring it. We do not remove pieces of that baseline to lower a price.
Preferred Professional adds identity threat detection, a password manager, email encryption, and zero-trust VPN with DNS filtering. Preferred Complete adds recurring vulnerability scanning and an annual security assessment with penetration test coordination.
How should a manufacturer secure its plant-floor (OT) network?
Start by separating it. Machines, controllers and cameras on the plant floor (operational technology, or OT) should sit on their own network segments, with firewall rules deciding what can talk to the office network and the internet, so one infected laptop cannot reach production equipment.
Preferred Data designs and supports segmented networks for offices, plants and warehouses through our network infrastructure services: separate segments for staff, guests, machines and cameras, and 24/7 network monitoring for managed clients. Our articles on network segmentation for manufacturers and OT security for factory networks go further.
- Inventory what is on the plant network before changing anything
- Separate machines and cameras from office and guest traffic
- Allow only the connections production actually needs, and log the rest
- Plan changes around your production schedule with your operations lead
Do defense suppliers need CMMC in 2026?
Yes, if you hold or bid on Department of Defense contracts that involve Federal Contract Information (FCI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). CMMC contract requirements took effect on November 10, 2025; the next phase, which would have required third-party certification for most CUI work, was suspended on July 13, 2026, and a September 3, 2026 class deviation now directs contracting officers to remove CMMC third-party assessment requirements from contracts while the program is reviewed.
Self-assessments did not go away. Under the CMMC program rule, Level 1 covers FCI and means meeting 15 basic safeguarding requirements with an annual self-assessment in the Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS); Level 2 covers CUI and means meeting the 110 requirements of NIST SP 800-171. DFARS 252.204-7012, NIST SP 800-171 and SPRS score submissions all remain in effect.
Preferred Complete includes compliance readiness management for CMMC and NIST 800-171 (monitoring, documentation and evidence collection), and it is an add-on to Preferred Professional. We prepare you; certification comes from your own self-assessment or an accredited third-party assessor (C3PAO), never from your IT provider. Read our CMMC Phase 2 suspension briefing and Level 1 self-assessment guide.
Which managed IT plan fits a manufacturer?
Most manufacturers fit Preferred Professional, which adds identity protection, on-site visits when a problem cannot be fixed remotely and quarterly IT planning to the security baseline. Defense suppliers working toward CMMC, and plants that want 24/7 helpdesk coverage for second and third shifts, usually need Preferred Complete.
| Manufacturer need | Essentials | Professional | Complete |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24/7 threat detection and response, MFA, patching, restore-tested backup | Included | Included | Included |
| Helpdesk hours for multi-shift plants | Business hours | Extended hours, priority response | 24/7, including after-hours and weekends |
| On-site visits to the plant (within 200 miles of High Point) | Quoted before work starts | Included when we cannot fix it remotely | Unlimited on-site support |
| Technician hours included each month (whole account) | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| Identity threat detection, zero-trust VPN and DNS filtering | Not included | Included | Included |
| CMMC and NIST 800-171 readiness management | Not included | Add-on | Included |
| Vulnerability scanning and annual security assessment | Not included | Not included | Included |
| Planning | Annual technology review | Quarterly reviews, IT roadmap and budget | Dedicated vCIO, monthly cadence |
Plans are priced per user per month. Servers, firewalls, switches, access points and storage are counted during a free quote and covered on the same agreement, so an equipment-heavy plant is priced on what we actually manage. Full plan details and a quote request are on the pricing page.
Can one provider support our ERP, our network and an acquisition?
Yes. Preferred Data, founded in 1987, writes and supports the PDC Software Suite for manufacturers and distributors, so the team that runs your network also understands how order entry, inventory and production depend on it. The suite covers order entry and invoicing, inventory, purchase orders, bill of materials and production, receivables, payables and the general ledger.
- The PDC Software Suite runs on your own server and is changed to fit how you work, with custom programming quoted before it starts. Choosing a system? See our ERP selection guide for manufacturers.
- Industry pages for furniture manufacturers and textile businesses, including fabric roll and cut tracking
- Buying another manufacturer? Our M&A technology due diligence puts the target's IT risks and fix costs in writing before closing, and our 90-day post-merger IT playbook covers what comes after.
Where do you work, and do you come on site?
Preferred Data supports manufacturers remotely across the United States and around the world, and on site within 200 miles of our office at 1208 Eastchester Drive in High Point, North Carolina. That on-site area covers the Piedmont Triad, Charlotte, Raleigh and most of North Carolina. Our service area page lists what we deliver remotely and on site.
- IT services in High Point, where our office is
- Greensboro and Winston-Salem, the rest of the Piedmont Triad
- Charlotte and Raleigh
Free resource library
Free resources for manufacturers
Guides, free tools, policy templates and checklists picked for manufacturers, in one place. Everything here is free to read and use. Most of it needs no sign-up; the policy generators ask for your contact details before the finished document unlocks.
Start with a guide
GuideCMMC for North Carolina Defense Suppliers, in Plain EnglishCMMC in plain English for North Carolina defense suppliers and subcontractors: which level applies, what changed in 2026, what an SPRS score means and what to do first.
GuideEcoVadis and Customer Security Questionnaires: What US Manufacturers Need to KnowWhat EcoVadis ratings and customer questionnaires ask of US manufacturers, why customers ask, what EU law does and does not require, and which parts your IT can help prove.
GuideHow to Use AI at Work Safely: A Small Business GuideHow a small business can use AI tools safely: approve the right tools, keep sensitive data out, write a short policy, train people and have a person check the output.
GuideRansomware: How North Carolina Small Businesses Prevent It and RecoverWhat ransomware is, how criminals usually get in, the handful of controls the FBI and CISA recommend, what to do in the first day, and whether to pay.
GuideCyber Insurance for Small Businesses: What Insurers Ask and How to QualifyWhat cyber insurance covers, the security controls insurers commonly ask about, why claims get disputed, and how to get ready for your next renewal.
GuideNorth Carolina Data Breach Notification Law: A Plain-English GuideWho North Carolina's breach notice law applies to, what counts as personal information and a breach, who you must notify and when, and the written disposal policy the law expects.
Free tools
Free toolSPRS Score CalculatorAnswer the 110 NIST SP 800-171 requirements in plain language and see your estimated SPRS score, from -203 to 110, plus the gaps worth the most points.
Free toolCyber Insurance Readiness CheckerSixteen quick questions about the security controls insurers commonly ask about, with a readiness score and a fix list in priority order.
Free toolCybersecurity AssessmentEighteen yes, partly or no questions on logins, computers, data and people, with a letter grade and the actions to take first.
Free toolIT Budget CalculatorPick the IT services your business needs and get a realistic monthly and yearly budget range for your size.
Free toolWebsite Health AnalyzerEnter any web address to check its speed, security settings and search basics, with a score for each.
Free toolM&A Technology Readiness AssessmentFor buyers of a business: rate the target company’s technology risk and see how hidden IT costs could change the deal math.
Show 2 more free tools
Free toolEmail Domain Security CheckerType your domain to see, in plain English, whether criminals can send email in your name and whether you meet the Google and Yahoo sender rules.
Free toolMSP Evaluation ScorecardCompare up to three managed IT providers on the questions that matter, from response times to who owns your passwords, and print your results.
Policy templates
Policy templateIT Supplier Code of ConductSet clear expectations for the companies you buy IT from: security, data protection, ethics, labor and environmental basics, take-back and recycling, and your right to ask for evidence.
Policy templateSystem Security Plan (SSP) StarterA starter System Security Plan for defense contractors that handle CUI, organized by the 14 NIST SP 800-171 families, with a plan of action and milestones (POA&M) section and the CMMC rules that apply to it.
Policy templateOT and Plant Floor Security PolicyProtect the machines, PLCs, HMIs and plant PCs that run production: an equipment list, a wall between office and plant networks, safe vendor access, USB rules, backups of machine programs and a plan for machines you cannot patch.
Policy templateAI Governance PolicySet how your organization approves, uses, oversees and audits AI tools, aligned to the NIST AI Risk Management Framework.
Policy templateAI Acceptable Use PolicyGive every employee clear, signable rules for using ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini and other AI tools at work without exposing company or customer data.
Policy templateIT Acceptable Use PolicySet clear rules for how employees use company computers, email, internet, software and data, and what monitoring they should expect.
Show 18 more policy templates
Policy templateInformation Security PolicyEstablish the core security program every insurer, auditor and customer now asks about: data classification, access control, patching, encryption, logging and vendor risk.
Policy templateIncident Response PlanKnow exactly who does what in the first hours of a ransomware attack, data breach or business email compromise, including who to call and which notification clocks start.
Policy templatePassword and MFA PolicyModern password and MFA rules based on current NIST SP 800-63B guidance: long passphrases, a password manager, no forced resets, and phishing-resistant MFA where it matters.
Policy templateRemote Work and BYOD PolicyLet people work from home and use their own phones safely, with clear rules for home networks, device enrollment, company data and what happens when someone leaves.
Policy templateData Backup and Recovery PolicyDefine what gets backed up, how often, where copies live and how fast you must recover, using the 3-2-1-1-0 rule that ransomware now demands.
Policy templateWire Transfer Verification PolicyStop fake invoices and email payment fraud with simple rules: call back on a known number before any bank change, two approvers for large payments, and no payment changes by email alone.
Policy templateVendor Risk Management PolicyChoose and monitor the vendors that hold your data or reach your systems: a vendor list, simple risk tiers, security questions, contract clauses, remote access rules and a clean exit.
Policy templateAccess Control PolicyGive people only the access they need, protect every sign-in with MFA, keep admin accounts separate, review access every quarter and remove it the moment someone leaves.
Policy templateData Retention and Destruction PolicyDecide what records to keep and for how long, with a sensible default schedule, legal holds, and secure destruction of paper and devices following NIST SP 800-88.
Policy templateSecurity Awareness Training PolicyDecide who gets cybersecurity training, when, how phishing tests work, and which training records you keep for insurers and customer questionnaires.
Policy templateBusiness Continuity PolicyKeep the business running through storms, outages, fires and cyberattacks: critical functions, recovery targets in plain words, a call tree and an annual tabletop test.
Policy templateData Protection and Privacy PolicySet internal rules for the personal and confidential data you hold: collect less, limit access, share carefully with vendors, handle requests, and respond to a breach under North Carolina law.
Policy templateIT Asset Disposal PolicyRetire old computers, phones, servers and copiers safely: track every device, wipe or destroy data to NIST SP 800-88, get certificates of destruction, and recycle through certified recyclers.
Policy templateVendor Remote Access PolicyControl how vendors, machine builders, software suppliers and IT providers connect in: approved tools only, a named account and MFA for every technician, access switched on per session, logged sessions and quick removal.
Policy templateIncident Response PlaybooksStep-by-step playbooks for email account takeover, vendor or IT provider compromise, insider data theft, malware, misdirected data and website attacks, built to work with your incident response plan.
Policy templateBreach Notification ProcedureDecide with your breach counsel whether an incident legally requires notice, then notify the right people with the right content: North Carolina rules by default, with HIPAA, FTC, DFARS and multistate steps when they apply.
Policy templateIncident Report FormThe forms to fill in during a cyber incident: an initial report, triage sheet, timestamped log, evidence and chain of custody register, decision log, notification tracker, cost tracker and closure summary.
Policy templateTabletop Exercise PlanRehearse your incident response plan in a two-hour guided discussion: ready-made ransomware, wire fraud and account takeover scenarios with timed injects, a scoring sheet and an after-action report.
Checklists
ChecklistEcoVadis IT evidence checklistThe IT and data security documents to gather before an EcoVadis assessment or a large customer’s security questionnaire.
ChecklistRansomware: the first 24 hoursHour-by-hour steps for the first day after ransomware or a suspected breach: what to unplug, who to call, and what to report.
ChecklistEmployee offboarding IT checklistEverything to revoke, recover and transfer when someone leaves: accounts, MFA, shared passwords, email, devices, keys and licenses.
ChecklistOffice move IT checklistThe IT plan for moving or opening an office: internet orders, phones, cabling, Wi-Fi, cameras, cutover weekend and testing.
Recent articles for manufacturers
- BeyondTrust CVE-2026-102764: NC Plant Vendor Access Check
- PHP2Shell RCE: Finding Hidden PHP at NC Manufacturers
- CISA Cyber Decoys: NC Small Business Detection Guide
- Kiteworks Urged Customers to Power Down: NC Plant Lesson
- Server 2012 Final ESU Ended Oct 13: NC Manufacturer Plan
- Windows Update Cutoff May 2027: NC Plant PC Check Plan
Questions manufacturers ask us
How much do IT services cost for a manufacturer?
Preferred Data prices managed IT per user per month and covers servers, firewalls, switches, access points and storage on the same agreement after counting them in a free quote. We do not publish a rate card, because a 40-person plant with heavy equipment and a 40-person office are different jobs. Request a written quote on the pricing page or call (336) 886-3282.
Do you support plant-floor and OT networks?
We design and support the network the plant floor runs on, including segmentation that keeps machines, controllers and cameras apart from office and guest traffic, with firewall rules between them. Machine programming and control-system engineering stay with your equipment vendors and integrators; we make sure the network under them is secure and monitored.
Can Preferred Data get us CMMC certified?
We prepare you for CMMC; we do not issue the certification. Preferred Complete includes readiness management for CMMC and NIST 800-171, and it is an add-on to Preferred Professional. Level 1 is a self-assessment, and third-party (C3PAO) assessment requirements are currently suspended under the September 3, 2026 class deviation while the program is reviewed.
Is 24/7 support included for second and third shifts?
Every plan includes 24/7 threat detection and response and around-the-clock endpoint monitoring. The helpdesk runs business hours on Preferred Essentials and extended hours on Preferred Professional; Preferred Complete adds 24/7 support including after-hours and weekends, which is the usual choice for multi-shift plants.
Do you work with small manufacturers?
Yes. Preferred Data is built for small and mid-sized companies, which is most of the sector: in North Carolina, where we are headquartered, about 90% of manufacturing establishments had fewer than 100 employees in 2022, according to NC Commerce. Preferred Essentials is built for small teams that need the security baseline done properly.
Do you sell ERP software for manufacturers?
Yes. The PDC Software Suite is an on-premise ERP for manufacturers, distributors and importers, covering orders, inventory, purchasing, bill of materials and accounting. It is licensed on its own agreement, separate from managed IT, and custom programming is quoted per project.
Do you provide on-site IT support for manufacturers in the Piedmont Triad?
Yes. Our office is in High Point and we support plants on site anywhere within 200 miles, including Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Raleigh. Preferred Professional includes on-site visits when a problem cannot be fixed remotely, and Preferred Complete includes unlimited on-site support.
Do you work with manufacturers outside North Carolina?
Yes. Managed IT, helpdesk, security monitoring, CMMC readiness management and PDC Software support are delivered remotely to manufacturers across the United States and around the world. On-site work, such as plant visits and network installation, is within 200 miles of our High Point office. Microsoft 365 licensing outside the United States and any on-site need beyond 200 miles are set out in your written quote. Our service area page lists what we deliver remotely and on site.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, North Carolina Economy at a Glance
- NC Commerce, Why every North Carolinian should care about the state's manufacturing industry (July 2023)
- IBM Newsroom, IBM 2026 X-Force Threat Index (February 25, 2026)
- Federal Register, Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Program final rule (32 CFR 170)
- Federal Register, DFARS final rule on CMMC contract requirements (effective November 10, 2025)
- Holland & Knight, DOW Suspends CMMC Phase II Requirements (July 2026)
- Nextgov/FCW, CMMC Phase 2 suspension locked into binding regulation (September 2026)
Related services and resources
Get a written IT plan for your plant and your office
Tell us how many people and machines you run, what shifts you work and what is not working today. We will walk the site, recommend a plan and put in writing what it does and does not cover. The quote is free.
Preferred Data Corporation, 1208 Eastchester Drive, Suite 131, High Point, NC 27265