What Lillyworks does

LillyWorks, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned manufacturing software company headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The company was incorporated in 2014 by Dick Lilly to build a cloud-native successor to the Visual Manufacturing product his prior company sold to Infor in 2004, and it is currently led by second-generation operators Mark Lilly (CEO/President) and Michael Lilly (VP Product Management). LillyWorks targets high-mix, make-to-order, and mid-market discrete manufacturers — particularly job shops whose static ERP schedules break under frequent priority changes — and addresses a tightly defined pain point: chronic missed due dates caused by scheduling logic rooted in 1970s-80s MRP/finite scheduling assumptions.

The company's core product is Protected Flow Manufacturing (PFM), a cloud-based shop floor execution and planning platform built on its proprietary Dynamic Production Method (DPM). PFM replaces static due-date scheduling with real-time threat-level prioritization, buffer-based planning, and controlled work release, supported by a predictive flow analysis module that simulates future shop floor conditions and what-if scenarios. The product line includes PFM (execution), PFM Enterprise (execution plus integrated ERP/financials), and optional add-ons for LillyWorks Financials and DDMRP-based material planning. The platform integrates with a broad set of incumbent ERPs (Acumatica, Epicor, Infor, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, Sage, Syspro, Plex, NetSuite, Macola, and others) and is sold primarily as a non-disruptive add-on to existing ERP investments.

LillyWorks generates revenue through software subscription and licensing fees for PFM and PFM Enterprise, plus implementation, training, and ongoing support delivered by an in-house professional services team. The company uses a consultative, quote-based enterprise sales motion ('Request a Consultation' and 'Book a Demo') complemented by direct field sales, channel partners (notably ECI Software Solutions for Macola users), and referral partners (TCO Strategies). It serves customers across the United States, with named mid-market references in precision manufacturing, metal casting, and aerospace and defense supply chain segments.

Name

Lillyworks

Legal name

LillyWorks, Inc.

Website

https://lillyworks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LillyWorks is a privately held, family-owned SaaS company that builds Protected Flow Manufacturing (PFM), a cloud-based shop floor execution and ERP platform for high-mix, mid-market discrete manufacturers, using real-time threat-level prioritization and buffer-based planning to improve on-time delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Manufacturing Execution / Cloud ERP Software

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Manufacturing ERP (Discrete, Process, Batch) (HDAEAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Core ERP Suites (Financials, Procurement, Projects) (HDAEAEAA)

Keywords

• Manufacturing execution software
• Cloud ERP software
• Shop floor scheduling
• Production planning software
• Discrete manufacturing software

Headquarters

HQ city

Hampton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Protected Flow Manufacturing (PFM) Software Licenses: PFM and PFM Enterprise are sold as cloud-based software platforms. PFM Enterprise includes integrated ERP capabilities alongside shop floor execution. Revenue is generated through software subscription and licensing fees, with optional add-on modules (LillyWorks Financials, DDMRP Material Planning).
2. Professional Services: LillyWorks provides implementation, training, and ongoing support services through a dedicated Professional Services team serving customers nationwide.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

LillyWorks sells a cloud-based manufacturing execution and ERP platform — Protected Flow Manufacturing (PFM) and PFM Enterprise — that helps small, mid-market, and enterprise discrete manufacturers improve on-time delivery and reduce work-in-process using real-time threat-level prioritization, buffer-based planning, and controlled work release. The platform integrates with existing ERP systems (Acumatica, Epicor, Infor, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, Sage, Macola, and others) and is offered with optional add-on modules for financials (LillyWorks Financials) and demand-driven material planning (DDMRP).

Product overview

LillyWorks offers a portfolio of manufacturing execution and ERP solutions anchored by its Protected Flow Manufacturing (PFM) platform. The core PFM product provides real-time shop floor prioritization and execution control, while PFM Enterprise extends this with integrated ERP capabilities including financials. Optional add-ons include LillyWorks Financials for accounting and DDMRP for material planning. The entire platform is grounded in the Dynamic Production Method (DPM) methodology, which emphasizes pragmatic planning, proper pacing, and predictive prioritization to solve the late delivery problem in high-mix manufacturing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Protected Flow Manufacturing (PFM) Cloud-based shop floor production planning and execution system for discrete manufacturers. Uses real-time threat-level prioritization, buffer-based planning, and controlled work release to improve on-time delivery, reduce WIP, and shorten lead times. Integrates with existing ERP systems (Acumatica, Epicor, Infor, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, Sage, Macola, Syspro, Plex, etc.).
• Protected Flow Manufacturing Enterprise (PFM Enterprise) Comprehensive cloud manufacturing ERP solution combining PFM shop floor execution with integrated financial capabilities, providing transparency between financial performance and production operations for manufacturers that want shop floor execution and ERP in a single platform.
• LillyWorks Financials
• Demand Driven MRP (DDMRP) Material Planning
• Professional Services (Implementation, Training, and Support)

Quantifiable outcome

• WIP reduction of 20–30% within 6–8 weeks of implementing Proper Pacing
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration17 records

AI capability3 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• TCO StrategiesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023Referral partnership with TCO Strategies, founded by Jim Mayer, an Employee Experience Consultancy focused on the manufacturing industry. TCO Strategies helps build healthier manufacturing cultures to improve employee retention and recruitment, driving operational improvement. TCO refers manufacturing clients seeking to solve on-time delivery and production scheduling challenges to the PFM ecosystem.
• ECI Software SolutionscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2020Strategic relationship between LillyWorks and ECI Software Solutions to deliver Protected Flow Manufacturing (PFM) to Macola ERP users. ECI is a leader in cloud-based business management solutions serving small and medium-sized manufacturers. PFM serves as an add-on scheduling module for Macola, providing real-time shop floor prioritization, work order visibility, and predictive analytics. ECI actively markets PFM to its Macola customer base to improve on-time delivery and reduce lead times.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Plex Systems (Rockwell Automation): Cloud-native manufacturing execution platform acquired by Rockwell Automation. Competes directly with LillyWorks PFM in shop floor execution, scheduling, and real-time production visibility for discrete manufacturers.
• Aegis Software: Provider of factoryLogix, a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) for discrete manufacturers with scheduling, execution, and traceability capabilities. Direct competitor to PFM in the shop floor execution layer for electronics, medical, and industrial manufacturers.
• ECI Software Solutions: Mid-market manufacturing ERP provider behind JobBoss, Macola, M1, and Deacom. LillyWorks has a formal strategic partnership with ECI to co-sell PFM as an add-on to Macola users, making ECI simultaneously a channel partner and the closest comparable offering in the same customer segment.
• Syspro: Mid-market ERP vendor focused exclusively on manufacturers and distributors. PFM lists Syspro as a supported integration, positioning Syspro as a peer competing for the same high-mix discrete manufacturing customer segment with embedded scheduling capabilities.
• DELMIAworks (Dassault Systèmes): ERP/MES solution for discrete manufacturers (formerly IQMS) acquired by Dassault Systèmes. Targets the same mid-market job shop and make-to-order customers as LillyWorks, with integrated shop floor scheduling and production execution.
• Acumatica: Cloud ERP with a Manufacturing Edition targeting small and mid-sized manufacturers. PFM integrates with Acumatica as an add-on scheduling layer, making Acumatica a direct competitor in the same cloud-deployed, mid-market discrete manufacturing segment.
• Critical Manufacturing: Modern MES platform serving high-mix, complex discrete manufacturers in semiconductor, electronics, medical devices, and aerospace. Competes directly with PFM in providing modern, real-time shop floor prioritization and execution for advanced manufacturers.

Broad incumbents

• Infor: Global enterprise software company whose CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine) targets discrete manufacturers. Infor acquired Visual Manufacturing from Dick Lilly in 2004, creating both historical kinship and direct competition in the manufacturing scheduling space.
• Epicor: Major mid-market and enterprise manufacturing ERP vendor (Epicor Kinetic, Epicor Prophet 21, iScala) used by thousands of discrete manufacturers. PFM integrates with Epicor as an add-on scheduling layer, making Epicor both a partner and the primary incumbent whose legacy finite scheduling LillyWorks aims to modernize.
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (Manufacturing): Broad enterprise business platform with manufacturing capabilities and a large ISV ecosystem. PFM integrates with Dynamics, but Microsoft also represents a long-term competitive threat as it expands native manufacturing scheduling and execution features for mid-market customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lillyworks