We’re in your corner, not your lane
At Software Toolbox, we deeply value the partnerships we have with our System Integrators. Their deep industry knowledge and hands-on expertise are key to delivering real results for end users, and our mission is to support your success, never compete with it.
In this blog post, one of our team members shares honest, insightful feedback from System Integrators about what it's like to work with us — including stories of long-term collaboration and lasting impact.
Watch the Video Testimonials below to hear directly from our partner System Integrators!
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Hi! Let me start by saying this: System Integrators are some of my favorite people in the industry. The highlights of my time in the automation world weren’t the big trade shows, conferences, or flashy events. What stands out most was helping organize the Ecosystem Partner Day while working for an AVEVA Distributor. That event brought together over 100 System Integrators - and continues to grow. What started as “let’s get together and tell the distributor what’s wrong” evolved into a meaningful, collaborative networking experience.
I have a deep appreciation for System Integrators because they’re the ones implementing real solutions to solve real problems. They bring deep industry knowledge that many technology vendors simply don’t have. They challenge technology - asking the right questions about usability, standardization, and scalability. And their first, second, and third priority is always the customer. Above all, they’re honest and direct - and that’s something I truly value.
When I joined the Software Toolbox team, I quickly realized that - here - System Integrators are seen here as an extension of the customer. Not surprising as - since 1996 - Software Toolbox has been a Partner member of the Control System Integrators Association (CSIA). Since 2010, we have been active in leadership roles and regularly sponsor and attend the highly effective CSIA Conference. We see that exchange as an opportunity for us to better understand how we can serve you more effectively and support the mission of CSIA.
Below I am happy to share the unfiltered opinion of experienced System Integrators. Let’s hear from them what they have to say about working with Software Toolbox. And if you don’t have time to watch the full videos, I provided a summary underneath each video.
Let’s hear from ACE
Applied Control Engineering (ACE) specializes in delivering customized solutions, focusing on best-in-class technology selection rather than a one-size-fits-all stack, ensuring clients get optimal, scalable automation tools tailored to their unique needs.
"Our reach and experience allow us to deliver tailored automation solutions across diverse industries." - Phil M. Wood, Sr. Solutions Architect
Highlights of the conversation:
“Software Toolbox's products give us is the ability to easily add custom functionality without the risks of custom code.”
Question: What value do you see Software Toolbox bringing to the table for System Integrators?
Answer: You are providing products that aid System Integrators to add value to the major platforms or products. ACE works with a lot of major control platforms in the industry. What Software Toolbox brings to the table is providing these point solutions for problems that aren't necessarily mainstream. A great example is OmniServer. I’ve been using OmniServer for close to 20 years - if I have a weight scale or a barcode scanner that provides either a serial or TCP passkey protocol that i need to get into SCADA system, OmniServer is my go to product. With OmniServer I can set up the protocol, create tags for that data that then can be exposed via OPC. To be able to grab that data as a tag directly into my SCADA system that means I don't have to go in and do scripting. I don't have to write programming code to interface with that serial port or TCP port. Grab the data, parse it - that's a significant amount of cost savings. Every time I don't have the right hardware code and I can use a tool to do it - that's at least a days’ worth of cost savings.
Question: (How) are your project requirements met by Software Toolbox?
Answer: Usability and flexibility are very important to ACE. As a System Integrator we are often working on capital projects that are specific to a customer, be that a Greenfield system or an existing system where we need to add functionality. What Software Toolbox is offering us is the ability to add that custom functionality that may be more complex if we had to do the same function in the traditional way. For example: the amount of time I need to code to speak to a bar code scanner… finding the interrupt, setting up the protocol etc,. if I'm trying to talk with a SCADA system or Historian, I need to get that data into something that the SCADA system can consume. With OmniServer, I can set up a tag or several tags and be able to instantly consume that data as a tag. That saves us hours of time. TOP Server provides access to aging DCS systems that the mainstream companies may not be providing drivers for anymore. TOP Server and OPC server that have that wide breadth protocols and PLC Suites is significantly beneficial.
Question: What's your experience with the Software Toolbox Support Team?
Answer: Software Toolbox’s support is amazing. It's done at an expert level. You are always talking to someone who is well knowledgeable in the product suite that they're supporting. You are not talking to someone that's reading from a script or someone that's entry level. You are always talking with someone who is responsive and easy to get in touch with. I don't have to go through a giant phone tree, I don't have to send an e-mail first and wait for a response when I’m out there in the field when something is not working and need that support. To have that very responsive, very fast expert level support at your fingertips - that's immeasurable in the amount of dollars that you're saving. I've been doing support in my previous job for about 15 years, I know the level of stress that builds and for you guys to do it consistently on an expert level - that is invaluable.
Let’s hear from Sure Controls
With over 30 years of experience serving manufacturing companies, Sure Controls delivers electronic automation solutions enabling customers to enhance productivity, quality and safety at lower costs.
“Our mission is to keep your operation running at maximum performance and providing our customers with design foresight, product leadership and unequaled responsiveness."
Highlights of the conversation:
"The support is probably top notch, better than I've experienced before with other companies”
Question: How long have you been working with products from Software Toolbox?
Answer: We’ve been working with Software Toolbox products for nearly 20 years, first as Sure Controls, and even before that at other companies I’ve been with. We started with TOP Server, and more recently we’ve been exploring OPC Router and Cogent DataHub.
Question: What makes working with the team and products from Software Toolbox unique?
Answer: The one standout I would say is: customer support. Anytime that I e-mail them, the response is very prompt, and it answers my questions. There are always follow-ups. I'm never concerned that it's just a time sync for them. I feel like a valued customer.
Question: What are the challenges your customers face?
Answer: We primarily deal with manufacturing companies. And the biggest challenges we see are the legacy systems that they still have in place and in use that need to be incorporated into more modern systems. Using the tools that are available through Software Toolbox, we are able to integrate those legacy systems more easily into more current software packages. Also, over the past few years, there's been a major shift towards Digital Transformation, towards integrating into the Ilot sphere where everyone wants their data, more data visibility and enhanced predictive maintenance. This is more than just pure performance, it’s actually getting the data out of the systems and dispersing it to displays where data can be digested more easily.
Let’s hear from at SkyIO (July 2025 will unify A&E Engineering & Apex Manufacturing Solutions)
SkyIO is an agile systems integrator providing Manufacturing IT services, MES, Cloud, Digital Transformation, Consulting, Automation, Batching, SCADA, Process/Mechanical, Fabrication, Commissioning and Turn-Key Project Management to manufacturing clients globally. SkyIO, in July 2025, will unify A&E Engineering & Apex Manufacturing Solutions under one brand.
"Software Toolbox has hands down the best support of any company we deal with." - Lonnie Purvis, Senior Project Manager
Summary of the conversation:
“We do know that if there's something that's not native or something special that we need to connect to that we can go to Software Toolbox and look at the array of software that is available and track down something that we need”
Question: What value does Software Toolbox provide to System Integrators like yourself?
Answer: Our job is to put together all the devices and systems to accomplish the goal of the customer. But it's almost impossible for us to be a master of it all. A lot of times we bump into protocols that we are just not familiar with. In case we get stuck, we know we can always turn to the team of Software Toolbox to provide a solution. Either we purchase the software and we program it ourselves. But even more importantly, we purchase the software and we know they're going to help us configure it out. You guys specialize in that. And it's been incredibly helpful.
Question: What challenges do your customers have that you help solve using Software Toolbox products?
Answer: We bring together all the disparate systems and doing that we are still dealing with some very old systems. But we are also moving into dealing with newer systems and the differences in the way that you connect to them and then integrating IT devices, cameras, scanners, a lot more database interfaces etc. Those are the types of things that, especially with cameras, scanners as well as open connectivity to the databases, those are the types of things that we really depend heavily on Software Toolbox for.
Question: When working with Software Toolbox, what stands out the most?
Answer: Support! Software Toolbox has hands down the best support of any company we deal with. They stand beside their products. When we had an issue once where we had not implemented the software and had to troubleshoot it, John and his team were just amazing with the help that they provided, digging into the system to find out what was going on. Software Toolbox has the best support in the industry.
Let’s hear from Sulzer Consulting
In my early days at Software Toolbox, I came across a video interview recorded 10 years ago between our Founder and President John Weber and Jim Sulzer of Sulzer Consulting, a consultant serving manufacturing companies primarily in the Midwest who had been working with Software Toolbox since its early days.
Summary of conversation:
“Software Toolbox takes pride in doing a good job.”
Question: What are the most pressing challenges for SIs today (back then)
Answer:
- Dealing with multiple vendors that provide high level technology
- Having access to people who can help when things don’t go as expected (did that ever happen to you?)
- Getting to speak to and get support from the right people at the right time, when you are on the shop floor
Question: Why not get everything from 1 Vendor?
Answer: No vendor is good at everything, it is not practical, it will never happen
Question: What makes a good software vendor?
Answer: It’s someone who is available when things go wrong and you’re facing high downtime costs, then you don’t have time for someone to call you back or do paperwork, someone to respond in the moment and be with you.
Question: What’s your experience working with the Software Toolbox Team
Answer: It’s been excellent for 15 years now (and now it’s 25 years!). They know the products; they want to help me solve my problem and take a sense of pride and accomplishment in that. Whoever answers the phone, does everything in their power to get me information or get me to the person to help me with what I need processing so I can get done. They want to help me be successful and look good.
Question: What else do they do to help you?
Answer (abridged): Once everything is done, the Software Toolbox Support Team follows up and asks if everything is good. It all boils done to trust and reliability.
Question: How does the support team compare to others?
Answer (abridged): It’s like calling my associates. They know me, they get me there quickly, they don’t treat me like an idiot, they respect my time and understand the pressure I am under and want to take it off me. They always meet or exceeded my expectations in getting the product up and running.
We are here to support and celebrate System Integrators
Let’s start your journey with Software Toolbox
System Integrators who do not know Software Toolbox that well might sometimes consider us to be just another vendor who wants to take their business and / or customers away. Those that have interacted with us in the past know that this could not be further from the truth. While Software Toolbox offers support and some professional services, these do not in any way replace those of the System Integrator. On the contrary, we invite System Integrators to see us as an extension of their team that helps deliver automation successes to our mutual clients.
We hope the testimonials above show that we’re in your corner, not your lane.
If you're a current Software Toolbox partner, we’d love to hear about your experience working with us. Have you been part of a successful client implementation? Let’s collaborate on a joint success story. You’re the hero, and we’re here to help tell your story. We’ll do the heavy lifting to showcase your expertise and results. Interested in joining our System Integration Partner Program? Or are you looking for a trusted System Integrator to help execute your next project? Get in touch with us, we’re here to help.
