The Right Partner, the Right Solution:

How a Global Industrial Leader Achieved Scalable Connectivity with Arch

After a $5 million investment and over a year of effort failed to deliver meaningful connectivity through a new MES, a global industrial leader turned to Arch for a more effective solution. Within weeks, the Arch Platform enabled secure, scalable machine connectivity and real-time analytics across multiple factories. The rapid success validated the importance of choosing the right partner and platform to achieve connected manufacturing at scale.

HIGHLIGHTS:

$5M+

Recovered sunk costs

Factories connected within months, after zero progress in 12+ months

  • Arch enabled connectivity across multiple business units and equipment types
  • Security approvals and connector development completed with minimal disruption
  • A failed $30M MES initiative replaced with a scalable, proven alternative

The Challenge

After committing to a major MES initiative, the manufacturer struggled to meet basic goals for machine connectivity and analytics, incurring major losses and delays. Key operational challenges included:

  • 12+ months with no factory connected under the MES program
  • $5M spent before the program was halted
  • Total cancellation of a $30M+ five-year MES roadmap
  • Lost time, reorganization, and stalled digital transformation efforts

The Arch Approach

Following the MES program failure, the manufacturer engaged Arch to deliver secure, flexible connectivity that could work across diverse machines, business units, and global factories. The Arch Platform deployment featured:

  • Rapid security approval and rollout of Arch data brokers
  • Machine connectivity established in weeks, not months
  • Custom connectors developed quickly for unfamiliar equipment types
  • Minimal disruption to factory operations during implementation
  • Scalable architecture supporting both current and future business units

Key Outcomes

Connectivity Achieved in Weeks, Not Years

Arch succeeded where the MES platform failed by delivering real-time data collection and integration across global sites.

  • Connectivity established at 5 factories within months
  • MES platform had failed to connect a single site in over a year
  • Set a new internal benchmark for project success

Scalable Platform Enabled Enterprise Expansion

Arch’s flexible infrastructure allowed the solution to expand across diverse sites and systems without custom rebuilds or vendor lock-in.

  • Deployed across multiple business units and operational contexts
  • Supported integration with a wide range of equipment types
  • Built for scale and long-term sustainability

Trusted Partnership Replaced a Failed Program

Arch provided more than a platform. It delivered execution, speed, and collaboration that helped restore stakeholder confidence.

  • Replaced a $30M failed program with a functional, extensible solution
  • Teams praised Arch’s responsiveness and technical agility
  • Laid the foundation for ongoing digital factory expansion

Strategic Lessons

Digital transformation requires more than ambition. Choosing the right partner and platform is essential for success, speed, and scale in complex manufacturing environments. Key takeaways include:

  • Speed to value builds trust: Arch delivered results in months, not years
  • Flexibility beats rigidity: Scalable architecture handled complexity without disruption
  • Connectivity is the foundation: Real-time data access is essential for MES and analytics success
  • A failed plan doesn’t mean a failed goal: Pivoting quickly restored progress
  • Partnership matters: Arch brought the expertise and execution needed to turn around a stalled initiative

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