Customer Spotlight: How SpearTip Helped Manufacturer Haydon Bolts Strengthen its Cyber Defense Program
Cyber ResilienceArticle
For the third consecutive year, the manufacturing industry has been the most targeted sector for cyberattacks.1 For manufacturers like Haydon Bolts, Inc. and Affiliates, cybersecurity has become a critical business risk that can threaten revenue, vendor relationships and even the company’s reputation in the market. As critical as cybersecurity is, it is often viewed as just an IT concern. To strengthen protections for its business and customers, Haydon Bolts, Inc. and Affiliates elevated cybersecurity to a board-level priority and brought in SpearTip to design and implement a robust cyber defense program.
Strategic Shift in Cybersecurity Thinking
Manufacturers are increasingly targeted by cyber threat actors, with confirmed breaches in the sector nearly doubling in just one year. And downtime now costs businesses an astonishing $260,000 per hour on average.2
Haydon Bolts, Inc. and Affiliates, a leading structural bolt manufacturer and distributor, recognized that the risks included business email compromise, vulnerabilities introduced by new internet-connected machinery and the ever-present danger of compromised employee or customer data. The company also recognized that as their business grew, so did their exposure to cyber threats. As Group Controller and Treasurer Brad Spelman explains, “The company’s journey began with a critical realization: to safeguard the company’s systems, operations, employees and customer relationships, cybersecurity needed to move from a background IT service to a board-level priority.” Initially, the company’s cybersecurity protocols were limited. “When I joined, we didn’t have proper antivirus software or a security operations center,” Spelman recalls, “But as we grew, we saw the risk we were potentially facing and the need for a provider that could guide us and help us determine what was needed to ensure greater protection.” The board and executive team took joint ownership, investing in comprehensive controls and bringing in SpearTip for advisory services and 24/7 monitoring of the digital environment.
The cost of downtime from a cyber-attack is $260,000 per hour.2
Business Impact ROI: Uptime, Trust, and Revenue Protection
With every hour of downtime costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the disruption having potential to impact customer relationships and reputation, cybersecurity quickly proved itself a revenue protection tool.
Spelman explains, “We have over 125 devices to manage, and our devices generate millions of logs a year -- firewalls, user logs, and email logs, just to name a few. SpearTip manages all of these endpoints. Their team analyzes threats by device and implements security measures to address each specific risk - from malware, phishing attempts, firewall detection, exploits, cloud monitoring, and more.”
SpearTip’s cyber security actions
- 520M+ logs analyzed annually
- 125 endpoints/unique devices managed
- 330 hours per quarter spent on cybersecurity that the company’s IT department doesn’t have to allocate
- Real-time threat monitoring, using human intelligence and human support, not just AI
- Range of services including training from Managed Security Awareness Training (MSAT) to response tools for threat reporting
- Easier audits and Insurance conversations
“Automated monitoring and incident response are the critical cyber security measures we needed for round-the-clock protections. In addition to the monitoring and incident response capabilities, SpearTip also facilitated Managed Security Awareness Training with our team to help us better protect our organization and defend against even the most sophisticated cyber threats - from ransomware, wire fraud, business email compromise, insider threats and more. SpearTip’s training alone has had a tremendous impact! The insights and services SpearTip provides have also made insurance renewals easier and given us confidence in our cyber resilience. Easier audits and confident insurance renewals make a real difference,” Spelman notes.
Continuous Improvement and Looking Ahead
The journey doesn’t end with implementation. Haydon Bolts, Inc. and Affiliates continues to refine its approach, most recently focusing on incident response planning to ensure the company is prepared for whatever the future holds.
Spelman reflects on key learnings:
- Cybersecurity is a business-enabler: It protects revenue, uptime and reputation, not just IT systems.
- Leadership buy-in is essential: Board-level ownership drives sustained investment and cultural change.
- Continuous improvement matters: Regular reviews, training and planning are necessary to stay ahead of evolving threats.
- Partnerships drive success: Working with expert advisors brings both strategic guidance and day-to-day support.
For other organizations, Spelman’s advice is simple: “Don’t wait. Make cybersecurity a board-level conversation and choose a provider who can educate and support you every step of the way.”
Haydon Bolts, Inc. and Affiliates proves how proactive cybersecurity goes well beyond avoiding risk; it is a critical business strategy that safeguards trust, enhances confidence in your organization, enables growth and helps ensure competitiveness in a digital world.