Why Most Manufacturing Companies Don’t Need an IT Manager — They Need a CIO

By Corey Joinville

President & Chief Information Officer, AnchorPoint CIO Inc.

Most small to mid-sized manufacturing companies have IT support.

They have someone to fix issues. They have backups (hopefully).They have systems that “mostly work.”

But what they don’t have is direction.

And that’s where problems start.

The Real Problem Isn’t IT Support — It’s Lack of Leadership

In many organizations I work with, IT looks like this:

• Multiple vendors with no clear ownership

• Aging infrastructure that “still works”

• No real cybersecurity strategy

• Backup systems that have never been tested

• No long-term technology roadmap

Everything is reactive.

Nothing is aligned to the business.

What a CIO Actually Does (That Most Companies Are Missing)

A CIO doesn’t fix computers.

A CIO:

• Aligns IT with business goals

• Plans for growth and scalability

• Reduces operational risk

• Ensures uptime for production and engineering

• Controls IT spending and vendor relationships

In manufacturing, this directly impacts:

• Production uptime

• Engineering performance (CAD, CAM, etc.)

• Data security (especially with OEM requirements)

• Operational efficiency

Why Hiring a Full-Time CIO Doesn’t Make Sense

For most companies in the 20–250 employee range:

• A full-time CIO is too expensive

• The workload doesn’t justify a full-time executive

• IT gets stuck somewhere between “support” and “strategy”

So the business stays reactive.

The Rise of the Fractional CIO

This is where the model is changing.

A Fractional CIO provides:

• Executive-level IT leadership (part-time)

• Strategic planning and oversight

• Vendor and MSP management

• Cybersecurity and risk guidance

• Long-term technology direction

Without the full-time cost.

What I See Working (Across Manufacturing & Agriculture)

The companies that are winning right now:

• Have clear IT direction

• Treat cybersecurity seriously

• Invest in infrastructure before it breaks

• Align IT decisions with operations

They don’t guess.

They plan.

Final Thought

If your IT environment feels like:

“It works… but we’re not sure where it’s going”

You don’t need more support.

You need leadership.

If you’re a business owner or operator in manufacturing, agriculture, or professional services and want clarity around your IT:

📩 Reach out or connect — always open to a conversation.

info@anchorpointcio.com

Written by Corey Joinville

President & Chief Information Officer, AnchorPoint CIO Inc.

Corey is a Fractional CIO helping businesses take control of IT, reduce cybersecurity risk, and align technology with real business outcomes. With experience leading multi-million-dollar IT environments across North America, he works directly with ownership and executive teams to bring structure, strategy, and accountability to technology.