The Business Benefits of Cloud Software: Real Results from Aptean Customers

We’ve written plenty about the nitty gritty details of enterprise software, cloud migration and digital transformation. But let’s skip the theory for a moment and focus on what matters most: tangible, measurable improvements, like increases in productivity and reductions in operational costs, from real cloud users. These are the kind of proof points you can actually use with your leadership team, board or stakeholders.

Of course, the cloud is hyped up everywhere—but it can be difficult to convince all your business stakeholders to make the switch without real-world examples of why it’s so beneficial. That’s why we’re spotlighting practical case studies and stories of transformation directly from Aptean’s customers to help you drive cloud adoption in your business.

These organisations, spanning a variety of industries, faced challenges because of their on-premise software, including data silos that slowed decision-making, legacy systems that blocked remote work, production bottlenecks, regulatory headaches and a growing need for fast and reliable insights. Adopting Aptean cloud-based solutions, didn’t just patch up these problems—it gave these companies new ways to collaborate, compete and thrive.

So, if you want to see how scalable technology really works out in the field—not just in the brochure—read on.

Unified Operations and Global Visibility

For multi-site operations, a centralised system is essential to coordinate supply chains, ensure data consistency and drive performance across all locations. Operating on disparate on-premise systems creates data silos that obscure performance and hinder the standardisation of best practices.

Without a unified platform, it's nearly impossible to compare operations or scale efficiently across different facilities and newly acquired companies. This was the challenge facing Emerald Technologies, an electronic manufacturing services provider with 10 facilities, before the company consolidated onto a single cloud platform.

"Before, without a common platform, it was very hard to say which sites were doing which processes well," said Bradley Hong, Vice President of Digital and IT. "But now it's different. We can easily extend those common best practices to all sites. And every time we have a new initiative, it can also be easily deployed to different sites."

By migrating all its facilities to Aptean’s discrete manufacturing ERP, a single, cloud-based platform, Emerald Technologies created a single source of truth that broke down informational barriers. This consolidation enabled leadership to evaluate performance, compare processes objectively and rapidly deploy improvements across the entire organisation with confidence.

Read the complete Emerald Technologies case study for more.

Enhanced System Reliability and Uptime

When your operation depends on on-premise servers, unexpected downtime can halt production, cause customer frustration and disrupt business continuity. Weather incidents, power outages, internal IT availability and hardware failures pose constant threats to companies relying on local infrastructure. Many of our customers—including Black Bros. Co., a laminating and roll coating equipment manufacturer and DeIorio Foods a nationwide supplier of frozen dough products—experienced these challenges first hand before moving to the cloud.

Aptean’s cloud-based software ensures 99.9% uptime, giving businesses peace of mind.

Robert Letterly from Black Bros. IT team explained why this was such an important upgrade for the business: “We had several major weather incidents, which knocked out the power to our area. That meant server downtime. ... The cloud will take that notion away.”

Meanwhile, Corey Jones, Vice President of Finance from DeIorio’s confirmed the peace of mind that comes with a cloud-based system: “We don’t have to worry about a power outage or anything else at our site because we know that it’s backed up in the cloud and there are other people who are watching over it. That means a lot fewer headaches for us.”

By shifting to Aptean's cloud-hosted solutions, your business can eliminate the vulnerability of local servers to environmental factors and hardware failures. The guaranteed high availability ensures your operations continue uninterrupted, supporting your reputation for reliability and enabling you to meet customer commitments without disruption.

Read the full Black Bros. Co. and DeIorio’s case studies for more. 

Streamlined System Updates and Security

On-premise systems can leave businesses grappling with complex hardware upgrades, maintenance woes and inflexibility that stunts growth. For AO, one of the UK’s leading online electrical retailers, these limitations of legacy systems had become more of a roadblock than a solution.

Moving to Aptean’s cloud-based route optimisation system was a breath of fresh air for AO, liberating the company from the constraints of outdated, unsupported on-premise software. Instead , AO’s team now benefits from automated system updates and superior flexibility—especially when changing the number of users and system permissions. This enabled a level of scalability and access to new product features that the previous on-premise system could never deliver. Seamless updates enabled by the cloud will only grow in importance as AI innovations continue to roll out, ensuring companies can readily adopt and apply the latest intelligent capabilities.

In addition, a cloud-based environment enables greater security. For AO, this meant a routing system with advanced encryption, multi-factor authentication, geo-fencing intrusion detection and more. Carl Phillips, Group Tech Director at the company, offered this advice: "For anyone considering a cloud-based routing solution, thorough research is crucial. Look beyond commercial aspects and consider security, governance and operational factors.”

Read the full AO case study for more.

Scalable Growth and Digital Transformation

Legacy, on-premise systems often act as brakes on expansion. Whether scaling organically, entering new markets or integrating acquisitions, your business needs a technology foundation that is as dynamic as your growth plans. The success stories of companies like Pipp Mobile Storage Solutions and ASK Chemicals, which have transformed scalability from a challenge to a competitive advantage by embracing cloud-based ERP, serve as inspiring examples of what is possible.

Pipp Mobile Storage Solutions leveraged a cloud manufacturing ERP to support growth through acquisitions, streamline daily operations and easily scale without expensive hardware upgrades. “Going to the cloud will be much easier than trying to set up our network and access all the tools. This is a much better solution for us as we continue to grow,” explained IT Director Tonya Butler. With integrated modules and automation, Pipp increased productivity and eliminated manual tasks, fuelling expansion without the burden of costly hardware or connectivity issues.

Similarly, ASK Chemicals unified its global footprint—spanning 18 production facilities—on Aptean’s cloud ERP. CIO Christian Dusek credits their digital-first strategy with a 20 to 30% reduction in IT costs and the foundational flexibility needed to support new business models and innovation. “For ASK, we were very clear that it is a cloud ERP environment that is our enabler to deliver to our customers with an innovative digital business model,” Christian Dusek said. “It always starts with a modern, open ERP architecture and business process platform.”

Read the full Pipp Mobile Storage Solutions and ASK Chemicals case studies for more or watch our on-demand webinar with Christian from ASK Chemicals. 

Improved Inventory Management and Cost Control

Accurate inventory tracking is crucial to manufacturing profitability. Still, manual counts and disparate on-premise systems often result in significant discrepancies that impact financial reporting and operational efficiency. Pizza Joe's, with 39 locations across western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, struggled with inventory accuracy before implementing cloud ERP.

"We wanted something cloud-based that would make it quicker to read reports and manage inventory tracking,” commented Jerry Dugan, Pizza Joe's controller. “Last year, I did three on-hand inventory counts with our old system and every single time, item counts were off by 50 to 70 units. Now, it's a lot easier to see and that helps with financial tracking."

With Aptean's cloud-based food and beverage ERP, Pizza Joe's gained comprehensive inventory management features that boosted precision and visibility. The system provides real-time insights into stock levels, movement patterns and financial impacts, enabling more informed purchasing decisions and eliminating the expense of hiring outside auditors for year-end reconciliations.

Read the full Pizza Joe's case study for more.

Seamless Remote Accessibility and Business Continuity

The shift to hybrid work models requires systems that employees can access securely from any location, without complex technical setups or compromised performance. Traditional on-premise solutions often rely on cumbersome VPN connections and remote desktop setups that hinder productivity. Portable Pipe Hangers experienced these limitations before migrating to the cloud.

"The biggest benefit from moving to the cloud is remote access," said Jason Fulton, IT Manager. "Not having a physical server, not having to maintain that and not having to get on site in case there will be computer and server crashes for long periods of time."

By implementing Aptean's cloud-based Industrial Manufacturing ERP, Portable Pipe Hangers eliminated the multiple steps and VPN requirements that made remote access inconvenient in the past. Employees can now connect to the system from anywhere with internet access, ensuring business continuity regardless of location or circumstances—all while maintaining full system functionality and security.

Read the full Portable Pipe Hangers case study for more. 

Rapid Implementation and Business Agility

The ability to deploy new systems quickly and adapt to changing business conditions is crucial in today's fast-paced manufacturing environment. Traditional on-premise implementations often take months or even years to complete, delaying the realisation of value. Instead, cloud technology enables rapid deployment and business agility.

Take Wiley Companies for example, the business was able to quickly gain the benefits of Aptean’s cloud ERP while minimising business disruption. "We worked with Aptean to basically re-implement in 90 days, which was this unheard-of idea at the time," said Thomas Dean Watson, Director of IT.

The cloud deployment proved particularly valuable when the pandemic struck shortly after implementation. "To be honest, SaaS saved us, because otherwise we would have had the same issues everyone else had in 2020," Watson noted. The company's ability to continue operations seamlessly during the shift to remote work demonstrated how cloud technology provides crucial business agility as priorities and industries change.

That kind of agility will only become more critical as we enter the AI era—where the manufacturers that can rapidly implement and scale new AI-driven capabilities will be the ones increasing productivity and profitability. And the cloud will be the foundation that makes it all possible.

Read the full Wiley Companies case study for more. 

Why Aptean Is the Partner You Need for Smooth Cloud Migration

You’ve just explored a rich selection of success stories where Aptean’s cloud software made a tangible difference—from streamlining production and logistics to enhancing operational agility across industries. But even with these powerful proof points, it can be difficult to overcome any resistance to change within your organisation.

Aptean's here to smooth that process. Our expert in-house teams have helped customers across a range of complex industries successfully transition to the cloud, with standardised implementation processes and by-your-side support. And, because our range of solutions are crafted specifically to meet the unique needs of sectors such as manufacturing, food and beverage, transport and more, your teams can get up and running quickly without a ton of workarounds or ill-fitting functionality to learn.

Even better, by migrating to the cloud our customers are able to take advantage of our latest innovation, Aptean AppCentral. This cloud-native, AI-powered platform offers you an intuitive user experience and seamless integration across our ecosystem of connected industry-specific app, making adoption faster and workflows smoother than ever.

What’s more, it puts intelligent automation and AI capabilities directly into your hands, no-coding, no hassle. From industry-configured AI agents and customisable workspaces, to predictive intelligence and GenAI Query, a feature that answers your most challenging questions in plain language. Aptean’s cloud and AI offerings give your business the edge to make faster, smarter decisions, unlock greater productivity and drive growth.

Schedule a personalised demo today to see AppCentral or any of our cloud software solutions in action as well as hear how Aptean can help simplify your transition to the cloud.