Manufacturing companies in North Carolina face a distinct set of technology challenges that general-purpose IT providers often lack the experience to address properly. The convergence of operational technology, the industrial control systems and programmable logic controllers that run production equipment, with standard information technology creates security and reliability risks that require specialized expertise. Add to this the IoT sensors proliferating across factory floors, the real-time data requirements of modern manufacturing execution systems, and growing compliance demands from customers and regulators, and you have an environment where the wrong IT partner can create as many problems as they solve. This guide explains what NC manufacturers need from their technology infrastructure and their IT provider.
What Is the Difference Between IT and OT in Manufacturing?
Information technology refers to the systems used for business computing: email, ERP systems, document management, accounting, and collaboration tools. Operational technology refers to the hardware and software that monitors and controls physical equipment and production processes: PLCs, SCADA systems, HMIs, distributed control systems, and industrial robotics. Historically, OT and IT were completely separate, with OT running on isolated proprietary networks with no connection to the outside world. That isolation has eroded as manufacturers connected OT systems to IT networks for data visibility, remote monitoring, and ERP integration. This convergence creates significant cybersecurity risk because OT systems were designed for reliability and longevity, not security, and many run operating systems that are years out of date and cannot be patched without disrupting production.
Why Are NC Manufacturers Increasingly Targeted by Cyberattacks?
Manufacturing has become the most targeted sector for ransomware attacks in the United States, displacing healthcare for that unwanted distinction in recent years. Attackers target manufacturers because production downtime is enormously costly, creating pressure to pay ransoms quickly to restore operations. NC manufacturers are attractive targets because the state has a large and diverse manufacturing base, including food processing, textiles, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and automotive components. Many mid-sized manufacturers have invested heavily in connected equipment and enterprise systems without making equivalent investments in security. A single successful ransomware attack against a production environment can halt manufacturing for days or weeks, with losses reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars per day at some facilities.
How Should Manufacturers Approach Network Segmentation?
Proper network segmentation is the single most important security measure for a manufacturing environment. OT systems and IT systems must be separated into distinct network zones with strict controls on traffic that crosses the boundary. The OT network should be isolated from the corporate IT network using industrial firewalls and DMZ architectures that allow necessary data flows — such as production data feeding into ERP systems — while blocking the lateral movement that allows ransomware to spread from an infected office workstation to your production floor. Within the OT environment, further segmentation by production cell, machine type, or criticality adds additional barriers. This architecture ensures that even if an attacker compromises a corporate endpoint, they cannot directly reach the PLCs and SCADA systems controlling your equipment.
Compliance Requirements Facing NC Manufacturers
North Carolina manufacturers increasingly face compliance requirements from multiple directions. Defense contractors and their supply chains must comply with CMMC, which requires documented security programs, specific technical controls, and in many cases third-party assessments. Pharmaceutical and food manufacturers face FDA requirements including 21 CFR Part 11 for electronic records and signatures. Manufacturers working with automotive OEMs face IATF 16949 requirements that include cybersecurity provisions. Increasingly, major customers include cybersecurity requirements in supplier qualification questionnaires and contracts, meaning that manufacturers without documented security programs may lose business to better-prepared competitors. Your IT provider should understand these requirements and help you build documentation and controls that satisfy them without distracting from production operations.
Choosing an IT Provider That Understands Manufacturing
The requirements of a manufacturing IT environment differ fundamentally from those of an office environment. Maintenance windows must align with production schedules, not the other way around. Patch deployments that are routine in an office environment can be disruptive or even dangerous if executed incorrectly in an OT environment where downtime costs thousands of dollars per hour. Support engineers who work in a manufacturing facility need to understand the implications of their actions on connected production systems. Look for a provider with documented experience in OT/IT convergence, references from other manufacturers, and engineers who understand industrial protocols. PCG supports manufacturing facilities across North Carolina with IT services designed around the unique demands of production environments, from OT network segmentation and industrial security to ERP integration and compliance documentation.