By Sarah Betadam, Chief Information Officer & Chief Information Security Officer
As we continue growing globally, operational complexity grows with us. The New Horizons Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) transformation program is helping us build a more scalable and aligned operating foundation across our company.
This multi-year initiative will consolidate 19 separate ERP systems into one shared platform, improving consistency and collaboration across regions and functions. The transformation supports a One Novanta approach to standardizing core financial and manufacturing resource planning processes while strengthening how teams work together globally.
The new system will operate within our broader business application ecosystem to support more streamlined operations across manufacturing, supply chain, finance and operations.
Implementation teams in Stockport, United Kingdom; Apex, North Carolina; El Monte, California; and Detroit, Michigan are actively helping shape how the system will work in practice. Employees across functions have played an important role in process design, testing and implementation to ensure the transformation supports both practical operational needs and long-term business goals.
One of the biggest challenges throughout the process has not been the technology itself, but the mindset shift that comes with standardizing processes globally. Many sites developed systems and workflows that worked well locally over many years, making change management and employee involvement critical parts of the implementation process.
Teams have focused on helping employees understand the broader business value behind the transformation, including stronger data quality and improved visibility, allowing for more connected decision-making across regions.
The implementation has also highlighted the importance of cross-cultural collaboration. Teams across North America and Europe bring different communication styles and operational perspectives, as well as approaches to decision-making. Over time, those differences have strengthened collaboration and helped teams work more effectively together across regions.
At Stockport, the implementation is helping modernize systems and processes to support the site’s continued growth and expanding role within our global manufacturing network. Teams have increasingly recognized the need for more standardized processes and stronger planning capabilities to support visibility and coordination across regions.
At Apex, employees have played a key role in identifying operational risks and supporting data migration to help transition complex legacy systems into the new environment. Cross-functional collaboration between manufacturing, engineering, supply chain and operations teams has been especially important throughout testing and process alignment efforts.
Beyond operational improvements, the New Horizons program is helping create a stronger foundation for future acquisitions, regional manufacturing initiatives and long-term scalable growth. The transformation is also expected to improve the employee experience by reducing manual work and simplifying processes, improving access to reliable data across the company.
As implementation continues through 2026, the program represents more than a systems upgrade. It is a strategic enterprise initiative designed to strengthen collaboration and advance operational excellence, helping us operate more effectively as One Novanta.