ERP Advisory & Technology Leadership

Your portfolio company's technology risk is a value creation problem.

Pelorus Advisors helps PE firms and their portfolio manufacturers stabilize IT, select and implement ERP systems, and build the operational infrastructure that commands a premium at exit.

2–6%
EBITDA improvement from ERP modernization & G&A optimization
11.1×
Manufacturing valuation multiple for operationally mature companies (H1 2025)
70%+
of PE firms cite operational improvements as their primary value creation lever
25 yrs
Combined CIO, Lean, and ERP leadership experience brought to every engagement
The problem we solve

What keeps PE operating partners up at night

Most manufacturing acquisitions carry technology risk that wasn't fully priced in. We've seen it all — and we know how to resolve it before it costs you multiples at exit.

ERP systems that can't scale — or were never right to begin with

Legacy systems stitched together over years create data opacity, manual workarounds, and a ceiling on growth. A new owner inherits all of it on day one.

Technology due diligence that misses the real risks

Standard financial DD doesn't surface IT debt, single-point dependencies, or ERP misalignment. By the time you find them, you've already closed.

No real-time financial or operational visibility

If your portco CEO can't pull accurate margin data without a two-week spreadsheet exercise, your EBITDA story is built on sand. Buyers will find it.

Post-acquisition integration chaos

Add-on acquisitions are a value creation engine — until two ERP systems have to talk to each other. Integration failures stall synergy realization for years.

ERP implementation projects gone off the rails

Failed or stalled ERP implementations are distressingly common. The wrong system, the wrong integrator, or a go-live with no change management bakes in risk for the entire hold period.

Operational data that can't support an exit narrative

Buyers pay a premium for companies with clean, auditable operational data. If your portco can't demonstrate process discipline, you're leaving multiples on the table.

Why Pelorus

Operator experience, not consulting theory

We've sat in the chair. Our principal is a former CIO and Naval Officer who has led ERP transformations, built Lean operating systems, and managed technology through ownership transitions.

01

CIO-level technology leadership, fractional

You get a seasoned technology executive without the $250k+ full-time overhead — available by the project or on a monthly retainer, deployed where your portco needs it most.

02

ERP selection without vendor bias

We don't take implementation commissions. Our ERP selection process is rigorous, manufacturing-specific, and designed to surface the right system for each portco's actual operating model.

03

Lean process thinking embedded in every engagement

With 25 years of Lean Six Sigma experience in complex manufacturing environments, we don't just configure software — we eliminate the process waste that makes ERP fail.

04

Built for the PE timeline

We understand hold periods, 100-day plans, and exit preparation. Every engagement is structured around measurable EBITDA impact within your investment timeline.

The business case for acting now
5–18%
EBITDA uplift achievable through top-quartile operational improvements in PE-backed manufacturers
Source: PE operational alpha research, 2025
6.5×
Exit multiple achieved by a $40M manufacturer that combined ERP modernization with inventory rationalization, vs. a 4.0× baseline for distressed assets
Source: Phoenix Strategy Group, 2025
2–4%
Revenue improvement from better demand forecasting enabled by a properly implemented ERP system
Source: E78 Partners, 2025
11.1×
Manufacturing EBITDA multiple for companies with well-documented processes and operational transparency, up from 10.2× in H1 2024
Source: Phoenix Strategy Group, 2025

Not sure where the technology risk lives in your portco?

A 30-minute call is all it takes to find out if there's a fit — and what the highest-priority issues are.

What we do

Five ways we create value for PE-backed manufacturers

Every engagement is scoped around measurable outcomes — EBITDA improvement, risk elimination, or exit readiness — not billable hours.

01
Fractional CIO
Retainer or Project

Senior technology leadership, without the full-time overhead

Most PE-backed manufacturers are underserved at the CIO level. They have IT staff but no strategic technology leader — no one translating business goals into systems decisions or managing vendor relationships at a senior level. We step in as your fractional CIO, embedded in the business, aligned to your value creation plan.

  • Technology strategy aligned to PE hold period and exit objectives
  • IT vendor and contract management — eliminating overspend and underperformance
  • Cybersecurity posture assessment and remediation oversight
  • IT team leadership and capability building
  • Board and operating partner reporting on technology risk and progress
  • Pre-acquisition technology assessment and 100-day planning

Typically engaged on a monthly retainer of $6,000–$12,000, or as a fixed-fee project for specific initiatives.

02
IT Due Diligence
Project-Based

See the technology risk before you close

Standard financial due diligence doesn't surface IT debt, ERP misalignment, or single-point-of-failure dependencies. By the time you discover them post-close, they're your problem. Our IT capability assessment gives you a clear picture of what you're buying — and what it will cost to fix — before you sign.

  • ERP system assessment: fit, age, scalability, and replacement risk
  • IT infrastructure and security posture review
  • Key-person dependency and IT staffing analysis
  • Technology debt quantification and remediation cost estimate
  • 100-day technology priority roadmap
  • Operating partner briefing with clear go/no-go risk summary

Delivered in 2–4 weeks. Fixed-fee engagement. Designed to fit inside your standard DD timeline.

03
ERP Selection
Project-Based

The right system for how this business actually operates

ERP selection is where portco transformations go wrong most often — a vendor is chosen based on a demo rather than operational fit, the integrator has a commercial relationship with the software vendor, or the selection process skips the business process analysis that determines whether the system will actually work. We run a rigorous, vendor-neutral selection process built around your manufacturing model.

  • Current-state process analysis and ERP requirements definition
  • Vendor landscape assessment for discrete, process, and ETO manufacturing
  • Structured RFP and demo process with apples-to-apples scoring
  • Total cost of ownership modeling across 5-year horizon
  • Implementation partner selection and contract review
  • Board-ready recommendation with full decision rationale

We take no vendor commissions or implementation fees. Our only interest is the right outcome for your portco.

04
Business Process Mapping
Project-Based

Document what the business actually does — then improve it

ERP implementations fail when the system is configured around broken processes. Before any system work begins, we map the current state of your portco's core operations using Lean value stream methodology, identify the waste and bottlenecks, and design the future state that the ERP should enable. This is the work that separates a successful implementation from an expensive failure.

  • Value stream mapping across order-to-cash and procure-to-pay
  • Process waste identification using Lean Six Sigma methodology
  • Future-state process design aligned to ERP capabilities
  • SQDC (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost) metrics framework
  • Standard operating procedure documentation
  • Kaizen facilitation for rapid-cycle process improvement

Often conducted as a precursor to ERP selection or implementation. Can be scoped independently as a standalone operational improvement engagement.

05
ERP Implementation
Project or Rescue

Implementation leadership that protects the investment

Whether you're starting a new implementation or rescuing one that's gone off the rails, we provide the owner-side project leadership that most portcos are missing. Software integrators manage their own scope and budget. We manage yours — holding the integrator accountable, managing the change inside the business, and making sure the system that goes live is the one you actually need.

  • Implementation program management and integrator oversight
  • Business readiness and change management leadership
  • Data migration strategy and cleansing oversight
  • User acceptance testing design and execution management
  • Go-live risk assessment and cutover planning
  • Post-go-live stabilization and continuous improvement

Available as a full implementation engagement or as a rescue/recovery advisory for stalled projects. We've seen most failure modes — and know how to recover from them.

Not sure which service fits your situation?

Most engagements start with a 30-minute call. We'll tell you honestly whether there's a fit — and what we'd prioritize first.

About Pelorus

Operator first. Advisor second.

Pelorus Advisors was founded on a simple premise: the best technology advisor for a manufacturing company is someone who has run technology inside one — not someone who studied it from a conference room.

Tim Monahan — Principal, Pelorus Advisors

25 years in the chair. Now in your corner.

Tim Monahan founded Pelorus Advisors after a 25-year career leading technology transformation inside complex organizations — manufacturing companies, PE-backed businesses, and high-stakes operational environments that leave no room for theory over results.

As a former Chief Information Officer, Tim has led ERP selections, managed full-cycle implementations, navigated post-acquisition technology integration, and rebuilt IT capabilities in businesses that needed both strategic vision and hands-on execution. He's not a consultant who learned about manufacturing — he's an operator who ran it.

His background as a Naval Officer shaped a leadership philosophy built around clarity under pressure, disciplined execution, and accountability for outcomes. That same discipline applies to every Pelorus engagement: clear scope, measurable results, no surprises.

With 25 years of Lean Six Sigma expertise across multi-modal manufacturing environments, Tim brings a process improvement lens to every technology engagement. The best ERP implementation in the world won't fix a broken process. The best Lean initiative won't scale without the right system backbone. The two disciplines are inseparable — and that's exactly how Pelorus approaches them.

Pelorus Advisors works primarily with PE-backed manufacturers and their operating partners — because that's where the expertise is sharpest and the stakes are highest.

Leadership Background

Former Chief Information Officer 25+ years of technology leadership in manufacturing and complex operational environments
U.S. Naval Officer Leadership under pressure, disciplined execution, and mission-critical accountability

Certifications & Expertise

25 years of Lean Six Sigma expertise Value stream mapping, kaizen facilitation, and waste elimination across multi-modal manufacturing environments
Certified High Performance Coach Brendon Burchard methodology — available through Leven Coaching for executive clients
ERP Selection & Implementation Discrete, process, and multi-modal manufacturing environments
Project & Program Management End-to-end program leadership for complex technology transformation initiatives
Organizational Change Management Structured change leadership ensuring adoption and sustainable results

Industry Focus

PE-Backed Manufacturing Mid-market portfolio companies, $10M–$250M revenue
Engineer-to-Order (ETO) Custom, project-based manufacturing with complex operational requirements
Discrete & Process Manufacturing Broad manufacturing environment experience

Ready to talk about your portco's technology situation?

30 minutes. No pitch deck. Just an honest conversation about what the real priorities are.

Get in touch

Let's find out if there's a fit.

Most conversations start with 30 minutes and a straightforward question: what's the technology problem your portco is actually dealing with? We'll tell you honestly whether we can help — and what we'd focus on first.

Schedule a discovery call

Tell us a bit about your situation and we'll follow up within one business day to schedule a call.

Other ways to reach us

Prefer to reach out directly? Use any of the channels below. We respond to every inquiry within one business day.

Email

tim.monahan@pelorus-advisors.com

LinkedIn

Connect with Tim Monahan on LinkedIn — where most conversations start

Location

Chattanooga, Tennessee
Serving PE-backed manufacturers nationwide. On-site available.