As manufacturing moves deeper into Industry 4.0, Central Innovation is reshaping how Australian and New Zealand businesses manage data.
For more than 35 years, Central Innovation (CI) has been a cornerstone of Australia and New Zealand’s design, engineering, and manufacturing sectors. Once known primarily as a value-added reseller, the company has evolved into a full-service data and software provider, focused on bridging the gap between engineering design and business operations.
Through its new Data Solutions Business Unit, CI is helping manufacturers unlock the potential of their most valuable asset – data. The unit forms part of the company’s strategic restructuring to respond to the challenges facing small- to medium-sized businesses, which make up 72 per cent of the ANZ manufacturing and engineering market.
“Central Innovation has restructured its business to capitalise on what we’re learning in our engagements with industry,” said Damien Davis, general manager at Central Innovation. “Small to medium businesses face challenges that are environmental, legislative, economic and skills-based, and we’ve designed our solutions to help them overcome these barriers.”
Connecting design to delivery
According to Davis, of 111,700 engineering and manufacturing businesses across Australia and New Zealand, only 21 per cent are currently using integrated MRP or ERP solutions. For the rest, disjointed systems create inefficiencies, duplication, and errors that slow production and distort margins. CI’s new approach focuses on uniting these isolated systems and enabling real-time data to flow seamlessly across departments – from design to production, procurement, and finance.
At the centre of this effort is MaXXlink – CI’s intelligent CAD/ERP/PLM/MRP integration and bill of materials (BOM) automation tool. Acting as a bridge between design environments like SolidWorks and enterprise systems such as MYOB or Epicor, MaXXlink eliminates the need for manual data handling and ensures every stage of production is built on accurate, synchronised information.
“MaXXlink bridges the gap between CAD and ERP, integrating systems like SolidWorks Product Data Management with enterprise tools,” said Davis. “It removes manual processes and disjointed systems, ensuring accurate margins and mitigating risk by maintaining version control, part accuracy, and procurement confidence.”
CI’s transformation has been driven by a recognition that most small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in manufacturing still rely on fragmented, manual systems. This fragmentation not only affects operational efficiency but also hinders strategic decision-making and growth.
The company’s Data Solutions team applies its decades of engineering, design, and consulting experience to help businesses transition to unified digital systems. This includes bespoke systems integration, solution architecture, and data consulting designed to deliver complete visibility across operations.
“We’re saying to the market: with 35 years of experience in engineering, design, simulation and manufacturing, we can help you bring control and sovereignty over your most critical asset – your data,” said Davis. “By unlocking the value of that data across your systems, you can turn information into competitive advantage and tangible value for your customers.”
Helping SMEs harness Industry 4.0
The company’s newest offering, MaXXlink, exemplifies how CI is bringing Industry 4.0 capabilities to life. The software integrates disparate or siloed systems such as SolidWorks, Inventor, Epicor, and MYOB Advanced, transforming them into production-ready manufacturing BOMs. It automates the flow of validated data between departments, reducing human error and accelerating time to production.
The solution’s visual interface allows engineers to restructure assemblies, automate data transformations, and send approved BOMs to procurement without rebuilding from scratch. With direct connectivity to purchasing workflows, businesses can make sourcing decisions based on accurate part lists, approved substitutes, and real-time availability.
“MaXXlink also acts as a risk mitigation tool, ensuring high confidence in BOM accuracy and costing for procurement,” Davis said. “It consolidates datasets within the CAD and ERP for seamless integration and full traceability from design to the factory floor.”
MaXXlink’s existence acknowledges that Industry 4.0 adoption has been uneven across Australia and New Zealand, with many smaller manufacturers citing cost, complexity, and a lack of skills as barriers. CI’s mission is to remove these obstacles by offering tailored digital transformation pathways that deliver measurable value.
Davis said that many technology providers focus on enterprise-scale clients, leaving smaller players struggling to access the same efficiencies. CI aims to close this gap by partnering directly with SMEs to deliver practical, scalable solutions that improve efficiency and competitiveness.
“Industry 4.0 initiatives are about unlocking efficiency, managing risk, and capitalising on technologies like AI and machine learning,” he said. “We’re focused on the small to medium sector – partnering with them to help define what the next three to five years look like for their business, and how Central Innovation can be a trusted enabler on that journey.”
Over three decades, CI has built relationships with more than 10,500 customers across Australasia. This network gives the company unique insight into industry challenges and opportunities, as well as access to a broad ecosystem of partners and collaborators. Davis said this network plays a key role in CI’s long-term vision to support businesses with multi-partner solutions tailored to their needs.
The future of data-led manufacturing
CI’s evolution from software reseller to full-service solutions provider is illustrated by success stories such as Clutterbot – a start-up developing AI-powered household tidying robots. CI provided SolidWorks as the company’s main design platform and later supported it through MaXXlink integration, helping streamline production and inventory management.
“CI gave us a lot of support as we worked through the design process and technical challenges that naturally come with complex systems,” said Clutterbot production lead, Kimberley Attwell. “MaXXlink is one of the most useful tools I’ve seen for production – it was easy to implement, and their support was great.”
By integrating CAD and ERP systems via MaXXlink, Clutterbot was able to automate its BOM management and reduce the risk of missed design changes, saving valuable time and improving accuracy. The case highlights CI’s ability to deliver beyond software – offering consulting, integration, and ongoing support that transform the way manufacturers operate.
As the manufacturing sector continues to evolve under the pressures of digitisation, sustainability, and competition, Central Innovation is positioning itself at the intersection of technology and transformation. By aligning its expertise in design software with advanced data management and integration, the company is helping manufacturers compete on a global stage.
“Our goal is to partner with businesses on their digital transformation journey,” said Davis. “By combining our intellectual property, consulting expertise, and 35 years of industry experience, we’re empowering manufacturers to become smarter, leaner, and more resilient in an Industry 4.0 world.”
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