Engineering & Operations Consulting

Built For
Industrial
Results

Manufacturing automation roadmaps, custom ERP systems, and operational infrastructure — built by an engineer who's led a $450M automation system and authored a $5.6M capital program targeting 300-400% capacity increase. We don't consult theory. We build what works.

$450M
Automation System Led
FedEx Express Parcel Automation — 99% uptime
300–400%
Production Capacity Increase
$5.6M automation program · 2.6-year avg payback
15+
Years Engineering Leadership
General Dynamics · FORTNA · Industrial Manufacturing
Experience With
FORTNA
FedEx Express
TriStrata Group
Quail Systems
Catalent Pharma

Services That Move The Needle

From automation roadmaps to custom software, we deliver systems that turn manufacturing operations into competitive advantages.

⚙️

Manufacturing Automation Roadmap

End-to-end automation strategy built for your operation — CNC, robotic welding, powder coat, packaging, and beyond. Phased, budgeted, and ready to execute.

$5,000 – $8,000 flat fee
CNC / RoboticsLean Six SigmaROI AnalysisCapital Planning
💻

Custom ERP & Operations Software

Off-the-shelf doesn't fit your floor. We build custom ERP systems, production tracking, and operations dashboards tailored exactly to how your business runs.

$12,000 – $25,000 per project
Custom ERPWeb AppsInventoryReporting
🏭

Fractional COO / Director of Ops

Senior ops leadership without the full-time cost. We embed as your Fractional COO or Director of Operations — building infrastructure, processes, and teams to scale.

$175/hr or $3,500/wk retainer
Fractional COOSOPsTeam BuildingP&L
🔌

Controls & PLC Engineering

PLC programming, HMI design, system commissioning, and controls integration for industrial automation systems. From design through go-live, on time.

$150/hr
PLC / HMIAllen-BradleyControls DesignCommissioning
📋

Operations Audit & Infrastructure

Full operational audit covering processes, people, technology, and waste. We find the gaps and build the SOPs, training, and systems to close them.

$3,500 – $6,000 flat fee
Process AuditSOP Library5S / LeanTime Study
📦

MRP / Inventory & Supply Chain

Material requirements planning, inventory tracking, vendor management, and supply chain optimization — built into systems your team will actually use.

$8,000 – $15,000 per project
MRPInventoryVendor OpsERP Integration

Proven Results At Scale

Real projects, real outcomes. We don't pad portfolios with theory — every case study below was built, shipped, and is running in production.

FORTNA · Controls Engineering

$450M FedEx Express Parcel Automation

Led electrical engineering and commissioning for one of the largest parcel automation systems in North America. Directed a team of 15 engineers to deliver the system ahead of schedule and under budget. Custom PLC logic increased sortation turnover rate by 50%.

$450M
Project Value
99%
System Uptime
50%
Turnover Increase
30%
Downtime Reduction
Custom Aluminum Manufacturing · ERP Development

Custom Manufacturing ERP — Built From Scratch

Designed and built a full-featured, role-based ERP system for a custom aluminum railing manufacturer. Includes inventory management, order processing, production queue, purchasing, invoicing, sales pipeline, commissions, and real-time KPI dashboards.

15+
Modules Built
5
User Roles
97%
On-Time Delivery
0
External Dev Cost
Manufacturing Automation · Strategic Planning

$5.6M Manufacturing Automation Program — 30-Month Roadmap

Designed and authored a complete 8-station, 3-phase manufacturing automation program for a custom aluminum manufacturer. Covers tube laser cutting, robotic welding, CNC machining, powder coat prep, automated powder coating line, RFID inventory, robotic palletizing, and packaging. Includes full equipment specs, vendor selection, phased capital plan, ROI models, and ownership presentation package.

$5.6M
Capital Program
$2.1M
Annual Savings
2.6 yr
Avg Payback
300–400%
Capacity Increase
CNC Operations · Process Engineering

CNC Program & CAM Workflow Implementation

Commissioned Laguna Swift CNC router with RichAuto DSP controller. Developed complete Fusion 360 CAM workflows for custom aluminum railing components. Authored the company's first formal CNC SOP library — 12 documents covering operation, maintenance, and quality standards.

99+
SOPs Written
100%
Repeatability
40%
Error Reduction
125+
CNC Programs Written

Transparent Pricing

No surprises. Every engagement starts with a free 30-minute discovery call to make sure we're the right fit before anyone commits.

Ops Audit

$3,500
flat fee · 1–2 weeks
Full operational review — find the constraints, waste, and opportunities across your production floor.
  • On-site process observation
  • Time study & waste analysis
  • Gap assessment report
  • Priority recommendations
  • 30-day follow-up call

Custom ERP / Software

$12K+
per project · scope-based
Custom-built operations software tailored to exactly how your business runs — from inventory to invoicing to production tracking.
  • Requirements discovery
  • Custom web application
  • Role-based access control
  • Training & documentation
  • 30-day support included

Fractional COO

$175
/hr or $3,500/wk retainer
Embedded senior ops leadership on a part-time basis. Build the infrastructure, processes, and team your company needs to scale.
  • Weekly leadership presence
  • KPI development & tracking
  • SOP development
  • Vendor & team management
  • Direct ownership reporting

Engineering Meets Operations

Apex Industrial Group was built on a simple truth: the best operations leaders are engineers, and the best engineers understand operations. Most consultants give you one. We give you both.

Our principal has spent 15+ years in the field — from maintaining combat vehicles for General Dynamics, to leading a team of 15 engineers on a $450M FedEx Express automation system at FORTNA, to building a full ERP and manufacturing automation program for a custom aluminum manufacturer entirely from scratch.

We don't come in with slide decks. We come in with tools, code, and a plan that works on your floor — then we stay until it does.

🎓
BE, Electrical & Electronics Engineering
Eastern Kentucky University
🏆
Sr. Controls Engineer — FORTNA
$450M FedEx Express Automation · Team of 15 · Delivered ahead of schedule
💡
PLC · HMI · Robotics · CNC CAM · ERP Architecture
Lean Six Sigma · Allen-Bradley · Fusion 360 · React / Web Development
$450M
Largest Project Led
15+
Years Experience
99%
Uptime Delivered
40%
Avg Error Reduction
Industries Served
Custom ManufacturingMetal FabricationParcel / LogisticsPharmaceuticalDefenseIndustrial EquipmentBuilding MaterialsPowder Coat / Finishing
"We don't consult theory. We build what works — then we make sure it keeps working."
— Daniel Jones, Principal

The Apex Process

No 90-day discovery phases. We assess fast, build faster, and stay through execution.

01

Assess

Free 30-min discovery call. We audit your constraints, quantify the opportunity, and tell you honestly if we can help.

02

Design

Phased roadmap, technology selections, and a build plan scoped to your budget and timeline. No fluff.

03

Build

Hands-on execution — systems, SOPs, software, integrations. We work alongside your team, in the field.

04

Scale

Optimize, train, and hand off a documented operation ready to run without us — or keep us on retainer.

Real Work. Real Numbers.

Not projections. Not estimates. Actual outcomes from actual engagements.

Case Study 01 — Custom Manufacturer · Idaho

Full ERP System Built From Scratch

A custom aluminum manufacturer was running operations entirely on spreadsheets, whiteboards, and tribal knowledge. No order tracking, no production queue, no inventory visibility, no invoicing system. Every process lived in someone's head.

What We Built
Full custom ERP: orders, production queue, inventory, invoicing, purchasing
Real-time production dashboard with KPIs, analytics, and hot queue
AI-powered order import (PDF, image, Excel → structured order in seconds)
Multi-location inventory with bidirectional transfers and audit trail
Finance module: P&L, commissions, forecasting, and reorder alerts
97%
On-Time Delivery
100%
Custom Built
0
Off-Shelf Software
Case Study 02 — Custom Manufacturer · Idaho

Manufacturing Automation Roadmap

Same manufacturer needed a credible path to scale production 2-3x without proportionally scaling headcount. Labor costs were consuming margin. The owner needed a capital plan he could actually execute and fund.

What We Delivered
Phased automation roadmap: CNC, robotic welding, powder coat automation
$5.6M capital program with 2.6-year average payback analysis
Vendor selection framework and equipment specifications
Labor model: 60-75% cost reduction target with staffing transition plan
Production capacity model: path to 2-3x output with current facility
$5.6M
Capital Program
3x
Capacity Target
2.6yr
Avg Payback

* Client identities withheld by mutual agreement.

Ready to Build Something That Lasts?

Free 30-minute discovery call. No sales pitch, no obligation — just an honest conversation about what's possible for your operation.

Schedule a Free Call

Let's Talk

Tell us about your operation. We'll respond within 24 hours with an honest take on how we can help.

📍
Hayden, Idaho · Serving clients nationwide
✉️
daniel@apexindustrialgroup.llc
⏱️
Response within 24 hours · Free discovery call
Good Fit For Us
✓  Small-to-mid manufacturers ($2M–$50M revenue)
✓  Companies scaling production without more headcount
✓  Owners frustrated with manual processes and tribal knowledge
✓  Ops teams that need software but can't afford enterprise ERP