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From legacy to leading edge: How CloudFronts modernized operations for Tinius Olsen

With their expertise in Microsoft Dynamics 365, CloudFronts proved a vital ally when the long-established manufacturer wanted to streamline workflows.

November 12, 2025

In manufacturing, precision is paramount. Machine quality, specification, and the accuracy of results is critical. That’s always been the case. What’s newer in the manufacturing world is the precision required from the systems that support operations.

Manufacturers today are under pressure to deliver seamless customer experiences, whether through e-commerce or service operations, while also maintaining efficiency across global supply chains. Yet many still rely on aging integration frameworks or siloed systems that make it difficult to meet modern expectations.

To keep up with the rapid pace of innovation and increased demands, many manufacturers rely on a partner to help them modernize operations, and one key ally for organizations in this space today is CloudFronts. As a Solutions Partner specializing in Microsoft Dynamics 365, CloudFronts supports a broad spectrum of industries, including manufacturing, by integrating and scaling business-critical systems with Azure, Power BI, and other Microsoft solutions.

This expertise made them an appealing partner when Tinius Olsen, a long-established materials testing manufacturer, wanted to modernize multiple aspects of their digital infrastructure—and do so cost-effectively. The companies had partnered before when CloudFronts upgraded Tinius Olsen’s ERP in 2015. Now, they embarked on a digital transformation journey together to streamline integrations, improve efficiency, and open new opportunities for innovation.

A digital modernization doubleheader

With more than 140 years of history, Tinius Olsen has long been known for precision-engineered testing solutions used in a wide range of industries. But like many established manufacturers, Tinius Olsen faced technology challenges. As customer expectations shifted toward faster digital experiences and their internal IT landscape grew more complex, Tinius Olsen needed to modernize its technology backbone.

On the customer-facing side, the company wanted to expand into e-commerce, offering online sales of consumable items to improve the purchasing experience. But enabling online sales required seamless integration between their chosen platform, Shopify, and their ERP, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations (F&O). Without this integration, customer orders risked delays, inventory data could become inaccurate, and overall customer experience might suffer.

At the same time, the company looked to upgrade their legacy middleware system, which was costly to maintain, struggled to adapt to evolving business needs, and lacked a centralized monitoring capability, leaving teams in the dark about overall integration performance. These challenges hindered operational efficiency and added unnecessary complexity to daily workflows.

The company needed a partner who could address both challenges: modernizing customer-facing systems while rebuilding the back-end integrations that keep business operations running. Given their deep Microsoft expertise and proven track record in delivering scalable, cost-efficient solutions, CloudFronts was a natural choice.


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"The scalable nature of the integration solution allowed Tinius Olsen to adapt to changing business needs and accommodate future growth."

—Abhishek Kumar, Project Manager, CloudFronts

A two-pronged plan to build a transformative new foundation

Upgrading front-end e-commerce and back-end operations became two components of a comprehensive transformation. With the goal of building a digital foundation that could scale, flex, and provide visibility across every stage of the business, the partnership got to work addressing both challenges.

On the customer-facing side, the team worked to connect Shopify with Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O. This integration meant that an order placed online would flow seamlessly into F&O for fulfillment. Product information, inventory levels, and customer sales orders were synchronized between systems, maintaining accuracy at every step of the purchase journey and helping the team at Tinius Olsen provide enhanced customer service and order management.

At the same time, CloudFronts rebuilt all enterprise integrations using Azure services. The new architecture was designed with scalability, transparency, and proactive management in mind. Azure Logic Apps provided reliable connections between Dynamics 365 Field Service and F&O, while standardized templates simplified data handling across systems. Power BI dashboards were layered on top, giving real-time visibility into integration health and usage trends. Automated alerts were introduced to flag potential issues before they could disrupt business operations, allowing IT teams to focus on higher-value work.

"The scalable nature of the integration solution allowed Tinius Olsen to adapt to changing business needs and accommodate future growth,” said Abhishek Kumar, Project Manager at CloudFronts.

Together, these initiatives created a single, unified digital backbone that supports both day-to-day operations and long-term goals. By combining the reach of Shopify with the intelligence and flexibility of Azure, Tinius Olsen gained an integrated platform that not only serves today’s needs but also positions the company for future innovations in analytics, AI, and customer engagement.

Two people working on a laptop together. Two people working on a laptop together.

"Automation and synchronization of key processes, such as order management, inventory management, and customer creation, streamlined operations and reduced manual effort."

—Hitesh Jingare, Team Lead, CloudFronts

Saving on integration, investing in an AI-powered future

The integrated solution has had a transformative impact on Tinius Olsen, streamlining operations and improving how customers engage with the brand. What began as a challenge to balance heritage with modern expectations is now a platform for growth, insight, and resilience.

“Automation and synchronization of key processes, such as order management, inventory management, and customer creation, streamlined operations and reduced manual effort,” said Hitesh Jingare, Team Lead at CloudFronts.

Some of the partnership’s key outcomes include:

  • Reduction in integration costs after moving to Azure.
  • Improved customer experience through a seamless integration between Shopify and Dynamics 365, supporting fast and reliable order processing.
  • Stronger operational oversight with real-time monitoring and automated alerts enabled by Azure Logic Apps and AIS.
  • Higher system reliability with Azure Integration Services ensuring proactive resolution of issues before they disrupt business processes.
  • Smarter decision-making supported by Power BI dashboards, giving teams visibility into both technical performance and customer-facing operations.

Combined, these improvements have enabled Tinius Olsen to deliver both the personalized service modern buyers expect and the operational rigor demanded of a global testing equipment manufacturer. And their strong foundation, along with the savings from Azure, has positioned them to continue expanding digital capabilities and pursue more AI-enhanced projects.

With a secure, flexible foundation already in place, Tinius Olsen can scale innovation across its business units, introduce new customer experiences, and deepen its role as a trusted global leader in materials testing.

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