For a 50–200 employee manufacturing company in Alberta, managed IT typically costs $150–$250 per user per month, or approximately $7,500 to $50,000 per month total, depending on cybersecurity requirements, compliance needs, and production environment complexity. Manufacturers with OT systems, multi-site facilities, or 24/7 production schedules should expect pricing toward the higher end of that range. The real cost depends on risk exposure, downtime tolerance, and the level of security and strategic planning included.

Here’s how to calculate what your company should realistically budget.

The 5-Factor Cost Framework for Manufacturing IT:

Managed IT pricing for manufacturers is not random. It is typically based on five variables:

1️⃣ Number of Users & Devices

  • 50 employees = ~$7,500–$12,500/month

  • 100 employees = ~$15,000–$25,000/month

  • 200 employees = ~$30,000–$50,000/month

Devices, shared terminals, plant-floor systems, and mobile endpoints all factor in.

2️⃣ Cybersecurity Requirements (SOC + EDR + MDR)

Manufacturers are high-value ransomware targets.
If your package includes:

  • 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC)

  • Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR)

  • Managed Detection & Response (MDR)

  • SIEM monitoring

  • Email security & phishing simulation

Expect pricing closer to $200–$250/user/month.

Basic monitoring-only services may fall near $150/user/month — but often lack full incident response coverage.

3️⃣ IT + OT Environment Complexity

Manufacturing is different from standard office IT.

Costs increase when you have:

  • PLC-connected production equipment

  • Legacy operating systems on machinery

  • Segmented networks for plant floor

  • Multi-location operations

  • 24/7 uptime requirements

If your MSP understands OT security and segmentation, that expertise is built into pricing.

4️⃣ SLA & Response Time Guarantees

Stronger SLA = higher investment.

Example structure:

  • 15-minute response for critical issues

  • 1-hour escalation for production-impacting outages

  • 24/7 support desk

  • Onsite support availability

Manufacturers with tight production schedules should not accept slow response tiers.

5️⃣ Strategic IT Planning (vCIO Services)

Companies investing in long-term growth typically include:

  • Quarterly IT roadmap planning

  • Budget forecasting

  • Cyber risk assessments

  • Compliance alignment (NIST, ISO, CMMC)

  • Infrastructure lifecycle planning

Strategic planning prevents reactive spending — and reduces surprise capital expenses.

What’s Typically Included at $150–$250 Per User?

Most comprehensive manufacturing-focused managed IT plans include:

  • 24/7 SOC monitoring

  • Patch management

  • Backup & disaster recovery

  • Microsoft 365 management

  • Firewall & network management

  • Endpoint security

  • Helpdesk support

  • Strategic IT planning

  • Compliance guidance

If you are receiving significantly less — pricing may appear lower, but risk exposure is higher.

Real Example: 120-Employee Alberta Manufacturer

A 120-employee fabrication company in Alberta transitioned from break-fix IT to a fixed-fee managed IT model.

Before:

  • 2–3 ransomware scares per year

  • Unplanned downtime averaging 6–8 hours annually

  • Reactive IT spend ~$300,000/year

After Managed IT at ~$210/user/month (~$25,200/month):

  • 24/7 SOC monitoring

  • Network segmentation between IT and OT

  • Documented disaster recovery plan

  • Downtime reduced by 70%

  • Predictable IT budget with no surprise invoices

Annualized investment: ~$302,400
Operational stability improved dramatically and cybersecurity risk decreased.

Why Manufacturers in Alberta Pay More Than Standard Offices

Manufacturing environments face:

  • Higher ransomware targeting

  • Downtime cost often exceeding $10,000–$25,000 per hour

  • Supply chain security requirements

  • Insurance cybersecurity mandates

  • Increasing compliance pressures

Cheap IT is often the most expensive long-term decision.

How to Budget Properly

Use this quick formula:

Employees × $175–$225 = realistic mid-range budget

Example:

  • 75 employees × $200 = $15,000/month

  • 150 employees × $200 = $30,000/month

If you are below $150 per user, review what is missing.

What Questions Should You Ask Before Signing?

  1. Do you provide 24/7 SOC or just business-hours monitoring?

  2. Do you secure both IT and OT networks?

  3. What are your guaranteed SLA response times?

  4. Is strategic IT planning included?

  5. Is pricing fixed or variable?

About Aura Advanced

Aura Advanced specializes in managed IT and cybersecurity for 20–250 employee manufacturing companies in Alberta.

We provide:

  • Fixed-fee pricing ($150–$250 per user/month)

  • 24/7 SOC monitoring

  • Cybersecurity-first architecture

  • Strategic IT planning

  • SLA-backed response times

Our focus is helping manufacturers reduce risk, protect production, and operate with predictable IT costs.

Final Thoughts

For a 50–200 employee manufacturer in Alberta, managed IT is not just an IT expense — it’s operational risk management.

Most companies should budget $180–$220 per user/month for secure, strategic coverage.

If you’re significantly below that range, evaluate what protections may be missing.

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