Industrial Manufacturers Are Paying a Hidden "Silo Tax" on Every Capital Project-- ACS' Ntandem™ Model Helps Control Delivery Costs

As legal and construction experts link fragmented contractor structures to schedule slips, scope gaps, and disputes, Ntandem replaces the typical multi-vendor patchwork with single-source accountability for both facility and equipment systems.

VERONA, Wis., Aug. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Fragmented contractor models lead to cost and schedule overruns that commonly reach 30-45% (Reed Smith, 2025). With tariffs now pushing 78% of organizations to report higher costs (KPMG, 2026), the margin for inefficiency in capital projects has never been thinner. ACS' Ntandem™ model replaces the multi-vendor patchwork with a single-source team that unifies facility and equipment design and execution, preventing the integration gaps that fragment project delivery and inflate budgets.

"Schedule, scope, and budget aren't separate conversations," says Matt Thiel, Director, Integration Engineering. "With Ntandem, we help companies manage all three from the front end, making sure the money goes where it delivers the most value. That's what determines whether a project truly succeeds."

Ntandem helps manufacturers avoid the "silo tax" of late discoveries, rework, and disruptive blame-shifting by treating facilities and test systems as one integrated functional asset, owned by one team, from start to finish.

• One team, zero handoff tension. Leveraging deep in-house expertise across disciplines, the Ntandem model unifies facility, test systems, and construction management under a single accountable team.
• Early integration, maximum cost control. Ntandem's front-end planning process captures facility and equipment requirements together before design is locked, when adjustments are still decisions, not change orders.
• Delivered performance, fully validated. The ACS team leads through commissioning and acceptance, verifying that systems meet real operating requirements, not just the build drawings.

Tariff uncertainty is pushing 82% of organizations to postpone major investments (KPMG, 2026), but there are still products to launch and no reason to cede ground. For manufacturers ready to move while others wait, Ntandem offers an alternative to delay: a proven, single-source model built to deliver complex capital projects on schedule, on budget, and fully operational.

See how single-source accountability works in practice in our short video introducing Ntandem. To talk about your next project, connect with our integration team here.

About ACS:
ACS designs, engineers, and builds innovative equipment, machines, controls, and facilities for industry leaders in markets including automotive, aerospace, and manufacturing. ACS is a systems integrator, helping companies maximize their facilities' efficiency with systems designed and engineered to work together. ACS combines knowledge of building design and construction with expertise and understanding of equipment, R&D and production test, process systems, automation, data acquisition, and controls for industry leaders who require high-performance systems. ACS is based in Verona, WI, with a regional office in Troy, MI, and serves customers across North America and around the world. For more information, visit www.acscm.com.

Contact: Amanda Donahue, Director of Marketing
ACS
(608) 663-1247
[email protected]

SOURCE ACS