Alchemi Data Management Inc., a leading provider of data security and compliance services, today announced that it now offers manufacturers secure enclaves and execution environments that protect sensitive files, enforce zero-trust operations, and produce audit-ready evidence – without slowing down production:

• Alchemi Compliance Enclave (ACE) powered by ShieldCRS, stands as a groundbreaking technology designed to help small and medium-sized manufacturers achieve and maintain compliance with the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 requirements. 
• Alchemi Execution Environment (AXE) protects sensitive data on shop-floor machines – providing an all-encompassing, organization-wide approach to CMMC compliance. Additionally, AXE can be deployed independently of ACE, serving as a shop-floor digitization solution connecting all machines and providing a single point of truth for machine files.

With CMMC enforcement soon in place, manufacturers across the defense supply chain face mounting pressure to meet stringent cybersecurity standards. For small and mid-sized manufacturers, however, the cost and complexity of compliance can be daunting because most believe the only path forward is through working with a combination of specialized consultants, dedicated IT staff, and other ongoing investments that are almost insurmountable.

Alchemi’s ACE and AXE bring manufacturers a much smarter, more efficient path forward. By bridging the long-standing divide between Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT), Alchemi enables manufacturers to unify shop-floor machine data with enterprise information systems in a secure, centralized environment. This unprecedented integration allows manufacturers to prove, achieve and maintain compliance without disrupting production or hiring costly cybersecurity teams.

Bridging the IT/OT Divide

Manufacturers have historically operated in silos: OT manages shop-floor hardware like CNCs, PLCs, and HMIs, while IT focuses on enterprise networks, data, and cloud systems, etc. This separation has made compliance difficult, since both domains play critical roles in protecting sensitive DoD-controlled data such as Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and Federal Contract Information (FCI).

“Think back to the 1990s, when IT and software development worked in isolation,” said Rob Sims, CTO of Alchemi. “It wasn’t sustainable. Thus, organizations ultimately merged the two into unified, secure networks. The same transformation must now happen between IT and OT in manufacturing. Without it, CMMC compliance becomes nearly impossible. With it, compliance becomes an outcome of smarter, more secure operations.”

Alchemi delivers this transformation by creating a secure “enclave” where IT and OT systems converge. The platform continuously monitors, secures and centralizes both machine-level and enterprise data, giving manufacturers a single source of truth. As a result, compliance is no longer an additional burden layered on top of operations — it’s built directly into the way the factory runs. 

Compliance as an Outcome, Not a Burden

Rather than treating CMMC as a checklist exercise, Alchemi’s approach reframes compliance as the natural outcome of well-structured, interconnected systems. With ACE, manufacturers gain:

• Centralized Data Control: Sensitive files, part specifications, and machine data are stored securely with quorum-based approvals, ensuring no single individual can override controls.
• Automated Reporting: Compliance documentation and audit trails are generated automatically, reducing human error and administrative overhead.
• Improved Uptime and Security: Unified IT/OT monitoring helps detect anomalies before they become threats, keeping machines productive and data secure.
• Scalable Access Management: User permissions are enforced consistently across the enterprise and shop floor, protecting sensitive DoD data at every step.

For many small and mid-sized manufacturers, this model eliminates the need to hire expensive cybersecurity consultants or maintain large IT teams. ACE operates as a fully managed compliance environment, enabling manufacturers to focus on what they do best — making precision parts and components — while knowing their compliance obligations are met.

Beyond compliance, Alchemi’s ACE also delivers immediate operational benefits. By consolidating shop-floor data into a secure, digestible “vault,” manufacturers gain real-time insights into machine performance, power consumption, downtime, and throughput. This optimization-first approach reduces waste, improves decision-making, and creates cultural shifts on the shop floor as teams gain shared visibility into performance metrics.

“Optimization and compliance are not separate challenges,” added Sims. “When you unify OT and IT, you run a smarter factory and compliance comes with it. For small and mid-sized manufacturers, that’s a very significant game-changer.”

“CMMC is more than a government mandate,” Sims concluded. “It’s a wake-up call that manufacturers must unify IT and OT. Alchemi is here to make that transition possible, affordable, and sustainable for companies that are vital to our nation’s defense supply chain.”