Data Protection for Manufacturing
Manufacturers manage employee data, supplier information, customer records, and increasingly IoT sensor data across global operations. IQWorks helps manufacturing companies discover and protect personal data across ERP systems, supply chain platforms, and industrial IoT environments.
The Challenge
Manufacturing companies collect personal data across human resources systems, supply chain management platforms, customer relationship management tools, quality management systems, and increasingly through industrial IoT sensors and connected factory environments. Global manufacturers must comply with privacy regulations in every jurisdiction where they operate, employ workers, or sell products.
Employee data governance is a significant challenge for manufacturers with large workforces across multiple countries. HR systems contain sensitive personal information including health records, performance evaluations, and biometric data from time-tracking systems. GDPR, state privacy laws, and labor regulations each impose different requirements on employee data handling.
IoT and Industry 4.0 initiatives introduce new personal data flows as connected systems collect data that can be linked to individual workers. Wearable safety devices, access control systems, and production monitoring tools generate data that may constitute personal information under privacy regulations.
Global Employee Data Compliance
Manufacturers with operations in multiple countries must comply with local employment privacy laws in each jurisdiction, from GDPR employee data rights to state-specific biometric privacy laws.
Supply Chain Data Governance
Supplier and vendor management systems contain personal data of contacts, representatives, and workers throughout the supply chain that must be governed for privacy compliance.
IoT and Connected Factory Data
Industrial IoT sensors, wearable safety devices, and access control systems collect data that may constitute personal information when linked to individual employees, requiring privacy governance.
ERP System Data Discovery
Enterprise resource planning systems contain personal data across finance, HR, procurement, and customer modules. Discovering and classifying PII within complex ERP schemas is challenging.
The Solution
IQWorks provides manufacturers with data protection that spans ERP systems, supply chain platforms, HR tools, and IoT environments. DiscoverIQ scans SAP, Oracle, and other ERP platforms to map personal data across all modules. ClassifyIQ applies jurisdiction-specific classification rules for employee data, customer data, and supplier data.
ProtectIQ applies appropriate protection controls based on data type and jurisdiction, including pseudonymization for European employee data and masking for sensitive HR records. SearchIQ automates employee and customer data subject requests across all manufacturing systems.
ComplyIQ manages multi-jurisdiction compliance for global manufacturers, tracking requirements in every country of operation. RetainIQ enforces retention schedules that account for employment record requirements, product liability considerations, and industry-specific regulations.
How It Works
Connect Manufacturing Systems
IQWorks integrates with ERP platforms like SAP and Oracle, HRIS systems, supply chain management tools, CRM systems, and IoT data platforms.
Discover Personal Data
DiscoverIQ scans all connected systems to identify employee PII, customer data, supplier personal data, and IoT-generated personal information.
Classify by Jurisdiction
ClassifyIQ applies jurisdiction-specific classification rules, ensuring German employee data is governed under GDPR and BDSG while US employee data follows state-specific requirements.
Apply Protection Controls
ProtectIQ enforces jurisdiction-appropriate protection including pseudonymization, encryption, and access controls tailored to the data type and regulatory environment.
Automate Compliance
ComplyIQ tracks compliance requirements across all operating jurisdictions and generates audit-ready documentation for local data protection authorities.
Key Benefits
Recommended Products
Frequently Asked Questions
Does IQWorks integrate with SAP and Oracle ERP systems?
Yes. IQWorks provides deep integration with SAP (including S/4HANA) and Oracle ERP systems, scanning across HR, finance, procurement, and customer modules to discover and classify personal data.
How does IQWorks handle employee data across different countries?
ClassifyIQ applies country-specific classification rules so employee data is governed according to local requirements. ComplyIQ tracks compliance obligations in each jurisdiction and ensures appropriate controls are applied.
Can IQWorks govern IoT data in manufacturing environments?
Yes. IQWorks can discover and classify personal data generated by IoT sensors, wearable devices, and connected factory systems when that data can be linked to individual employees.