For many manufacturers, growth isn’t limited by machines, people, or even new business opportunities — it’s limited by the ability of their ERP system to keep up.
As customer requirements increase, product mix shifts, and schedules get tighter, the cracks in an aging or underutilized ERP system start to show.

The challenge is that most manufacturers don’t realize ERP is the bottleneck until the symptoms become unavoidable: missed ship dates, rework, data inconsistencies, or frustrated teams who spend more time fixing issues than producing parts.

Here are the clearest signs your ERP system may be holding back your growth — and what you can do to fix it.

For manufacturers in the aerospace and defense supply chain, AS9100 compliance isn’t optional — it’s essential. But meeting the standard isn’t just about passing audits or maintaining documentation. It’s about controlling processes, ensuring traceability, and proving consistency across every production step.

Your ERP system is the backbone of that effort. When it’s set up and used correctly, ERP becomes one of the strongest tools for maintaining AS9100 compliance. When it’s not, it can quietly create gaps that auditors — and customers — will notice.

Here’s how ERP supports compliance, and where many companies go wrong.

Many manufacturers reach a point where basic system support isn't enough. Production data needs cleaning, reporting needs improving, users need help, and processes need tightening. At that point, the logical question becomes: “Do we need to hire an ERP analyst?”