05 January, 2021 Putting all your IT eggs in one basket is risky. And it often delivers poor results for the business. Therefore, a strong team approach is critical to success. Meet External Super GuyOften, the “guy” is a technology contractor or vendor.  They are branded as both an expert in business AND an inexpensive outsourced solution. The problem is that 99% of IT companies only focus on IT components. They don’t know how a manufacturing company works. They also don’t know what is required to deliver the ERP and business software. Business software is the foundation of the business....

15 December, 2020 As 2020 wraps up, we wanted to share some year-end best practices for closing out your Fourth Shift ERP. This has been an exciting and productive year in manufacturing! The below checklist will guide you through items that will help get your business set up to hit the ground running in 2021! Fourth Shift ERP:Lot Trace: — Review Retest and Expiration dates for lot numbers and move them to corresponding location — Purge Lot Trace history as needed, keeping in mind compliance and retention requirements: LHIP (Perform Fourth Shift Backup prior to any purge) Purchasing: — Review...

11 December, 2020 ICG, along with the manufacturing sector, continues to grow and expand our services. ICG recently added two new employees to our team and we would like to take this opportunity to introduce them to you. Meet Deron HuffDeron joins ICG as our Business Development Professional. He is a skilled relationship builder and has worked for nearly 10 years in sales technology. He prides himself on building loyalty and long-term relationships with his customers. Deron grew up in the Northeast, and lives in Rochester, NH with his wife, three kids, and two dogs. When he’s not working, Deron...

01 December, 2020 ICG has been a leader in providing manufacturing technology solutions for over a decade. In that time, we have also grown our portfolio of IT services. It’s vital to have a solid technology foundation driving and supporting the business. Without that, any investment in technology may be doomed from the start.   In this three-part series, ICG CEO Jeff Bronson, shares pitfalls seen in a company’s approach to IT. Namely, there’s a common misconception that there is one person or one system that can solve all problems. Jeff calls it the “I got a guy” method and...

18 November, 2020 We had the privilege to sponsor and present at the recent Tennessee Manufacturing Association Road Show focused on Recovery. It is a multi-week event spearheaded by the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Tennessee Manufacturing Association. National and state manufacturing experts shared their perspectives on the current and future state of manufacturing in Tennessee.  Our CEO, Jeff Bronson, gave a presentation called “A Look Forward—Manufacturing Technology & Digital Adoption.” Jeff’s presentation focused on permanent and temporary changes resulting from the pandemic. The manufacturing sector is experiencing a surge in production based in the Americas. An...