Not in Manufacturing? We serve companies of all types.
Go to Main SiteMargins are under pressure.
Significant savings are already in your building.
Most mid-market manufacturers are finding six-figure savings inside systems they already own. We help you find it, capture it, and build the data foundation that makes the next decade of automation actually work.
10%
Raw material cost increase over two years.
75%+
Named cost & trade uncertainty their #1 concern.
60%
Of AI projects abandoned without AI-ready data.
Based on the SDS Data Intelligence Framework™
10%
Raw material cost increase over two years — while margins stay flat.
75%+
Of manufacturers named cost & trade uncertainty their #1 concern every quarter of 2025.
60%
Of AI projects abandoned without AI-ready data infrastructure, per Gartner.
What's driving the conversation
Three pressures. One foundation.
Cost Pressure
31% of manufacturers have trouble getting bank financing.
Raw material costs up ~10% over two years. Trade uncertainty at record highs. The companies that navigate this aren't doing it on instinct — they're doing it on data.
See the cost-pressure analysis →Workforce Pressure
42% of any employee's knowledge exists only in their head.
1 in 3 workers over 55. When institutional knowledge walks out the door, it doesn't come back — unless you've built a system to capture it.
See the staffing analysis →AI Pressure
Only 6% of companies have data infrastructure that's fully AI-ready.
Your board is asking about AI. The honest answer is that AI only works when the data underneath it is clean, connected, and governed.
See the AI readiness analysis →Our methodology
The SDS Data Intelligence Framework™
Close the data gap. Drive AI outcomes. Capture measurable ROI.
A proven five-step methodology for mid-tier manufacturers ready to connect their systems, modernize their workflows, and turn data into decisions. Built from 25 years of operational leadership — not from a slide deck.
See the full framework →Strategic Clarity
Align data goals with business outcomes. Define what measurable ROI looks like.
Data Foundation
Audit, clean, and govern your data so it's trustworthy and AI-ready.
Systems Integration
Connect ERP, MES, CRM, and other siloed systems into a unified data layer.
Operational Insight
Real-time dashboards and reporting your operations team will actually use.
Automation & AI Readiness
Targeted automation and ML where the ROI is clear — not where it's fashionable.
Our Engagement Ladder
Discovery, Strategic Plan, and Roadmap
A focused 4–6 week engagement that maps your current data infrastructure, identifies your highest-ROI opportunities, and produces a prioritized roadmap your team can act on.
Learn more →Data Transformation
Implementation of the foundational data layer: connecting systems, cleaning data, deploying dashboards your operations team will actually use, and putting governance in place.
Learn more →Custom Software & AI
Custom applications, ML models, and AI-driven automation for manufacturers who have the foundation in place and are ready to extract measurable ROI from it.
Learn more →Results in the real world
Case Study: Tier-2 Auto Parts Manufacturer
Phase 1
Inspection moved off the floor
Manual quality inspection was consuming inspector time directly on the production floor — one line, one inspector, no leverage. We redesigned the process and built the tooling to move inspection into a centralized office environment, where a single inspector can monitor and manage multiple lines simultaneously.
Phase 2
Foundation laid for up to 95% reduction in manual inspection
With the new process in place, we built structured data collection across the line — capturing the production variables, defect patterns, and inspection outcomes needed to train an ML model. The model is designed to flag high-risk components before manual review, with a projected reduction in manual inspection volume of up to 95%.
Phase 3 · In Development
Self-directed model training for new parts
The next phase replaces the manual model-building process entirely. Inspectors will begin feeding data using the software — and the system will use that unstructured input to auto-configure and train a new detection model, no data scientist required.
Case Study: University-Affiliated Contract Biomanufacturer
Discovery Engagement
A GMP contract manufacturing organization needed clarity before its next move. We went deep: structured interviews across every function — quality, operations, business development, and the bench — tracing how work, information, and decisions actually flow through the facility versus how they're assumed to.
The deliverables were concrete: a candid organizational assessment for leadership, a communication protocol now in active use, a role redesign for business development, a zero-cost procurement policy that eliminates duplicate ordering and waste, and a build-vs-buy decision framework for digitizing a regulated quality workflow — each one designed to outlast any individual leader.
Sometimes the most valuable engagement isn't the one that builds something. It's the one that shows an organization exactly what it's working with, so the next investment is the right one.
Free tools for manufacturers
Built by someone who gets it.
I love people, business, and data, in that order. I spent 25 years in operational leadership — managing P&Ls, leading teams, and solving the exact problems I now help manufacturers solve. That's the difference between a data consultant and a data-enabled operating partner.
More about Erik and Simplified Data Solutions →Let's spend 20 minutes looking at your operation.
No deck. No pitch. A real conversation about where the data gaps are and what fixing them is worth — in plain numbers.
Schedule a 20-Minute Conversation