When CraftMark Bakery launched its state-of-the-art frozen bakery operation, the company faced a decision that every modern manufacturer eventually confronts: how do you protect production lines that run 24/7, depend on networked equipment, and can’t afford a single hour of unplanned downtime — all while keeping cyber threats from shutting everything down?
It’s a question more manufacturing executives should be asking. Manufacturing is now the number one most-targeted industry for cyberattacks, accounting for 68% of all industrial ransomware incidents. And the cost of getting it wrong is staggering — the average manufacturing downtime runs $260,000 per hour.
The Collision of IT, OT, and Real-World Consequences
Modern manufacturing facilities don’t just have computers in the front office. They run Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), SCADA systems, and networked sensors across every production line. These operational technology (OT) systems control everything from oven temperatures and conveyor speeds to ingredient batching and quality inspections.
Here’s the problem: 75% of cyberattacks on manufacturing OT systems originate from the IT network. An attacker compromises a workstation through a phishing email, moves laterally through the network, and suddenly has access to the systems that control your production floor. Without proper network segmentation between IT and OT environments, a single compromised email account can cascade into a full production shutdown.
This isn’t theoretical. JBS Foods — the world’s largest meat processor — paid $11 million in ransom after attackers forced the shutdown of 13 U.S. processing plants. Norsk Hydro, one of the world’s largest aluminum producers, suffered $70 million in damages when ransomware infected 22,000 computers across 170 locations. Mondelez International lost over $100 million when NotPetya destroyed 1,700 servers and 24,000 laptops.
What CraftMark Got Right From Day One
CraftMark Bakery took a different approach. As a greenfield startup supplying frozen bakery products to some of the largest restaurant chains and retailers in North America, CraftMark’s leadership understood that their IT infrastructure was as critical as their ovens and production lines. Uninterrupted production wasn’t just a goal — it was the business model.
Rather than hiring an internal IT team with limited expertise across security, networking, and industrial systems, CraftMark partnered with Infonaligy to manage their entire technology stack — from network design and virtual infrastructure to multi-factor authentication, managed cybersecurity, and ongoing IT operations.
“We see Infonaligy as a true extension of our business,” said CraftMark CEO Ahmad Hamade. “Whether it’s ensuring consistent day-to-day IT and security or supporting key growth initiatives, they are extremely responsive, apply the necessary resources and resolve any issues quickly.”
The result? Infonaligy’s managed security approach has prevented multiple cryptolocker events and social engineering attacks that would have meant days of manufacturing downtime. The redundant infrastructure Infonaligy designed and operates has successfully avoided seven days of potential downtime — which at manufacturing rates could have cost the company millions.
Why Manufacturing IT Requires a Different Approach
Manufacturing IT isn’t the same as office IT. Production environments have unique requirements that most IT providers don’t understand:
24/7 uptime requirements. Production lines don’t stop at 5 PM. Your IT support and security monitoring can’t either. When a network issue impacts a production line at 2 AM on a Saturday, the response time isn’t measured in business days — it’s measured in dollars per minute.
OT/IT convergence security. Connecting your MES, PLCs, and SCADA systems to the network delivers enormous operational benefits — real-time production data, remote monitoring, predictive maintenance. But it also exposes equipment designed decades ago to modern cyber threats. Only 19% of manufacturers are considered “advanced” in securing their IT/OT environments. Proper network segmentation with next-generation firewalls keeps production systems isolated from business network threats.
Compliance complexity. Food manufacturers face FDA and FSMA requirements where cybersecurity directly impacts food safety. If an attacker alters a cook-step temperature or spoofs a sensor reading, the system records “pass” while the product is potentially unsafe. Cyberattacks on food manufacturing have doubled in the past year, and 90% of breached manufacturers had fewer than 1,000 employees.
Patch management without production disruption. Manufacturing systems can’t simply be rebooted for updates during a production run. Automated patch management with proper scheduling ensures systems stay current without interrupting operations — critical when 60% of breaches involve unpatched vulnerabilities.
The Growth Factor
CraftMark’s story also illustrates why scalable IT matters. Three years after opening a 225,000-square-foot facility in Indianapolis, CraftMark expanded by adding 120,000 square feet, installed a fourth production line, and is planning three more. Each expansion means new network infrastructure, additional MES integration, more endpoints to protect, and more complex operations to support.
An in-house IT team would need to scale with each expansion — new hires, new specializations, higher costs. Infonaligy scales seamlessly, providing the engineering talent and security expertise each expansion demands without the hiring delays and overhead.
The Bottom Line for Manufacturing Executives
Manufacturing cybersecurity isn’t optional anymore. Cyber insurers now require MFA, endpoint detection and response, encrypted backups, and documented incident response plans as conditions of coverage. Attackers are specifically targeting manufacturers because of high downtime costs and legacy systems. And the average ransomware incident causes 21 days of operational disruption.
CraftMark Bakery made the decision to invest in comprehensive managed IT and security from the start. Their production lines stay running, their data stays protected, and their leadership can focus on what they do best — delivering excellence from start to finish.
The question every manufacturing executive needs to answer: can your operation survive 21 days of downtime?
If you’re not sure, contact Infonaligy today for a complimentary manufacturing IT and security assessment.
This is part of our series on why every layer of your security stack matters. Read the full breakdown of the layered cybersecurity approach that protects the businesses we serve.
