Manufacturing
Securing the Future: CMMC Readiness and Continuity Planning
Southern Spring & Stamping (SSS), a Florida-based manufacturer with a 70-year history, has long been known for its commitment to quality, service, and craftsmanship. For decades, the company’s Chief Financial Officer and a CPA by trade, managed both financial and IT responsibilities, an impressive feat that included writing early custom business software from scratch. As the business grew and cybersecurity risks escalated, SSS knew it was time to modernize its approach to technology and security.
The Right Time for a New IT Partnership
At one point, SSS worked with a small, local IT provider. Over time, it became clear that the arrangement left the company too exposed to modern cyber risks. “We had limited defenses, we just hadn’t been found yet,” recalled the CFO. The company wasn’t just looking for better tech support, it needed a strategic partner who could guide them toward CMMC compliance, formalize their IT operations, and relieve the CFO of his hands-on role after 45 years of service.
Systematic Change and Security Modernization Bring Peace of Mind
SSS selected Thrive as their new Managed Service Provider (MSP) and began a thorough, methodical transition. “It was a slow ramp-up, but it was very intentional, very dedicated, and very detailed. When we got running, there were no pending issues out there waiting to resolve,” said SSS’s CFO.
That attention to detail has paid off. From the beginning, Thrive helped identify and close critical security gaps as part of SSS’s work toward CMMC compliance. A virtual CISO (vCISO) and technical advisors worked closely with SSS leadership each week to develop and refine processes, policies, and documentation that will support and maintain certification. In addition, SSS relies on Thrive for managed networking, cloud infrastructure, end user support and security, workstation patching, pen testing, incident response, and more.
Thrive doesn’t wait for issues to arise, they take a proactive approach to identifying vulnerabilities, improving system reliability, and guiding long-term planning. From simulating phishing attacks to formalizing disaster recovery plans, the focus has always been on anticipating problems before they occur and resolving them without disruption to the business.
As part of their modernization, SSS moved to the cloud, a shift that brought resilience and performance gains. The CFO shared, “Our users didn’t notice changes, except that the speed went up tremendously.” The transition also removed many of the infrastructure concerns that had been managed in house.
The improvements extend beyond security and performance. With cloud-based systems and VoIP phones supported by Thrive, SSS’s operations now remain stable even in the face of bad weather, including hurricanes. Before moving to the cloud, their satellite location in North Carolina used to be affected when the Florida site lost power or connectivity. Now, services automatically reroute, and customers never know there’s been an issue.
A Clear Path Forward
Today, Southern Spring & Stamping has a hardened, standardized IT environment with built-in resilience and redundancy. With new user setups, computer configurations, support tickets, patching, monitoring, and more all handled externally. “The institutional knowledge gathered over the years is no longer necessary for the proper function of the company,” remarked the CFO.
SSS continues working toward full CMMC compliance, confident they have the systems and documentation to demonstrate their readiness. For a company that spent decades relying on internal know-how and informal processes, the transformation with Thrive has been both substantial and empowering.
“Our partnership with Thrive has allowed me to consider retirement…now I submit a case and let them take care of it. I trust that they’re going to do it right — and they always do.”- Lloyd Weed, CFO, Southern Spring & Stamping
About Thrive
Thrive is a NextGen global technology outsourcing provider that empowers small and mid-market organizations to transform their technology into a strategic advantage. Offering a breadth of services from AI and cybersecurity to cloud, compliance, and traditional MSP/MSSP solutions, Thrive’s team of seasoned experts develop strategies that standardize, scale, and automate technology to achieve outsized ROI. From advisory services to a 24×7×365 SOC and NOC, Thrive provides end-to-end IT and cybersecurity management so clients can focus on innovation and growth. With Thrive, your business is always supported and always secure. Learn more at www.thrivenextgen.com or follow us on LinkedIn.