Mobile Solutions for Modern Manufacturers
We build mobile apps that help manufacturers manage connected products, digitize shop floor workflows, and give field teams the tools they need to operate efficiently, from order management to IoT device control.
Manufacturers in North-America That Trust Our Expertise
The Challenge
What Slows Down Digital Transformation in Manufacturing
Connected Products Need Better Companion Apps
Manufacturers investing in smart, connected products often underestimate the mobile app component. A poorly designed companion app undermines the product itself, creating support overhead and diminishing the perceived value of the hardware.
Shop Floor Tools Are Outdated or Non-Existent
Many factory and warehouse operations still run on clipboards, spreadsheets, and fragmented desktop systems. Workers on the floor need mobile tools that fit their workflow, not software designed for office environments.
Data Lives in Disconnected Silos
Production data, order information, quality metrics, and inventory levels often sit in separate systems. Without mobile access to consolidated information, managers and field teams make decisions based on incomplete or delayed data.
Industrial-Grade Mobile Expertise
Why Manufacturers Partner with Sidekick Interactive
We build apps that operate in factory environments, survive harsh conditions, and integrate with the systems manufacturers already use. Our experience spans connected product apps, internal workflow tools, and everything in between.
“Manufacturing doesn’t stop because the app has a bug. We build mobile tools that are as reliable as the production line they support.”
What You Gain
What We Deliver
Connected Product Companion Apps
Mobile interfaces for smart products: device setup, monitoring, control, and data visualization
Internal Operations and Workflow Tools
Digital forms, order tracking, inventory checks, and quality reporting from the shop floor
System Integration and Data Access
Mobile gateways to ERP, MES, and inventory systems, putting real-time data in the hands of decision-makers
Our Services
Manufacturing Solutions We Build
Connected Product Applications
Consumer and B2B companion apps for IoT-enabled manufactured products
Device commissioning, firmware management, and usage analytics delivered through mobile
Order Management and Tracking
Mobile order entry, status tracking, and approval workflows for sales teams and distributors
Real-time visibility into production timelines and delivery schedules
Quality Control and Inspection
Digital inspection checklists, defect logging, and photo documentation on mobile
Statistical process control dashboards accessible from the factory floor
Workforce and Operations Tools
Task management, shift coordination, and communication tools for deskless manufacturing workers
Safety reporting, maintenance requests, and incident documentation at the point of occurrence
“Your factory runs 24/7. Your mobile tools should match that standard.”
Who We Work With
Manufacturing Clients We’ve Served
Client
HP
About the company
HP Inc. is a global technology company operating across personal systems, printing, and 3D solutions. Their manufacturing and industrial divisions produce products that increasingly incorporate connected features and digital services.
Sidekick's role
Sidekick Interactive developed mobile applications for HP’s 3D printing ecosystem, focused on 3D scanning and workflow tools that support additive manufacturing operations. The apps enable users to capture, process, and integrate 3D data directly into HP’s printing workflows, streamlining model preparation and improving efficiency across the production pipeline.
Client
ABB
About the company
ABB is a leading global technology company in electrification, robotics, automation, and motion. Their product portfolio spans industrial equipment used in factories, buildings, and infrastructure worldwide.
Sidekick's role
Sidekick Interactive built the field tool that technicians use to manage ABB’s emergency lighting installations in industrial facilities. The app streamlines the full maintenance workflow: onboarding new units, adjusting parameters per building zone, logging compliance checks, and generating audit-ready reports, all from a mobile device in environments where desktop access is impractical.
Client
Parker Hannifin
About the company
Parker is a global leader in motion and control technologies, delivering precision-engineered solutions across mobile, industrial, and aerospace sectors. Their products power a wide range of systems, including refrigeration units that
rely on connected control technologies and mobile interfaces for monitoring and configuration.
Sidekick's role
Sidekick Interactive audited and modernized one of Parker’s mobile applications, which had not been updated in over eight years. Our team upgraded outdated frameworks, replaced deprecated libraries, and ensured full compatibility with current iOS and Android operating systems, as well as App Store and Google Play requirements. This modernization effort stabilized the application, restored performance, and provided Parker with a maintainable codebase ready to support future product evolution.
Our Process
Our Manufacturing App Development Process
Manufacturing apps must integrate with existing systems, survive industrial environments, and deliver value from the first shift. Our process accounts for these realities.
Operational Discovery
We spend time in your facility, understanding the workflow, the systems in place, the pain points, and the environment where the app will be used daily.
Integration Planning
We map connections to your ERP, MES, inventory, and IoT platforms to ensure the mobile app fits into your existing technology ecosystem without disruption.
Industrial-Fit Design
We design for factory conditions: readable displays in bright or dim lighting, large touch targets for gloved hands, and navigation structured for task-focused use.
Robust Development
We build with offline support, error resilience, and hardware durability in mind, because manufacturing environments don’t tolerate fragile software.
Production Floor Testing
We validate the app in the actual work environment with real users performing real tasks, gathering feedback that lab testing can’t replicate.
Deployment and Scaling
We roll out across shifts and locations, provide training support, and iterate based on adoption data and operational feedback.
Technologies for Industrial Mobile Applications
Our technology selection for manufacturing prioritizes offline reliability, system integration capability, and long-term maintainability, ensuring your app investment delivers value across production cycles and technology updates.
React Native
Flutter
Swift
Kotlin
FAQ – Mobile App Development for Manufacturing
Can you integrate with our existing ERP or MES system?
Yes. We build mobile apps that connect to SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, and other major enterprise platforms via APIs. For proprietary systems, we work with your IT team to establish secure, reliable integration channels.
Do you build apps for connected manufactured products?
That’s a core part of our work. We’ve built companion apps for connected industrial equipment, consumer devices, and commercial products, handling device communication, user onboarding, and ongoing feature delivery through mobile.
Will the app work on the shop floor without reliable Wi-Fi?
We design for that scenario. Our manufacturing apps include offline data capture, local storage, and background synchronization. Workers complete their tasks regardless of connectivity, and data syncs when the network is available.
What kind of manufacturing processes can be digitized?
Virtually any paper-based or manual process: inspection checklists, quality audits, order forms, inventory counts, maintenance requests, safety reports, and production logs. We prioritize the workflows that deliver the most operational value first.
From kickoff to deployment, how long should we plan for?
Internal workflow tools typically take 4 to 7 months from discovery to deployment. Connected product companion apps follow a similar timeline. Large-scale platforms with multiple system integrations and multi-facility rollouts may extend to 8–12 months.
What’s the typical budget range?
Internal tools focused on specific workflows generally cost $50,000 to $100,000. Connected product apps with device communication and consumer-facing UX fall in a
similar range. Enterprise platforms integrating multiple systems and supporting multi-site operations typically require $120,000 to $250,000+.
How do you handle multi-facility deployments?
We design with multi-site architecture from the start: centralized administration, role-based access, and configurable workflows that adapt to differences between facilities while maintaining data consistency across the organization.