Zero Drag Consulting

Assuring clear horizons.

We help businesses across a range of industries make practical, bottom-line improvements, with particular expertise in manufacturing and production. From operations and engineering to facility planning, IT infrastructure, communications services, AI implementation, and ERP, we bring the experience and industry connections to help plan, manage, and implement projects from start to finish.

Illustration of facility planning and engineering tools overlooking a manufacturing floor

Planning & Implementation

  • Project scope and budget development
  • Return on investment analysis
  • Project risk and feasibility assessment
  • Project prioritization and management
  • Department restructuring and operational improvement
  • Equipment and asset decisions
  • Vendor selection and coordination
  • Computer sourcing and acquisition
  • Asset inventory and software licensing coordination
  • Hands-on implementation and specialist coordination
  • Workforce training and change management

Operations & Engineering

  • Lean processes and workflow improvement
  • Capacity and bottleneck analysis
  • Quality improvement and root-cause analysis
  • Facility and workspace layouts
  • Standard operating procedures and work instructions
  • Engineering team coordination and development
  • Safety-related process support
  • Maintenance planning and reliability improvement
  • Laboratory workflows and information systems
  • Purchasing and inventory process support
  • Security camera and physical security system coordination

Technology & Automation

  • Custom technology solutions and paperless workflows
  • AI readiness and implementation planning
  • AI agents and workflow automation
  • System integration and data migration
  • ERP evaluation and implementation
  • Reporting and performance dashboards
  • Cybersecurity coordination and IT risk reduction
  • Technology evaluation and adoption
  • IT department formation
  • MSP selection, onboarding, and ongoing management
  • Internet, mobile, and satellite communications sourcing

Leadership experience.

Engineering management.

Within three years of graduating from college, our founder progressed from an entry-level engineering role to simultaneously managing three engineering divisions. He focused on efficient processes, project management, rapid response, team coordination and motivation, quality, and design accuracy—combining flexibility with creative problem-solving.

IT operations turnaround.

In an internal leadership role, our founder led a three-year turnaround of fragmented IT operations. The work included establishing an organized asset inventory, refreshing computers around departmental needs, replacing network infrastructure, transitioning to a new managed service provider, and implementing Microsoft 365 and SharePoint. Modern security practices, including stronger access controls and multifactor authentication, were introduced alongside these changes, creating a more organized foundation for managing technology across multiple buildings.

Consulting primarily serves Northeast Ohio and the surrounding region. Projects farther afield are considered when the fit is right.

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