A decade later, he runs Crafted Glory, a small-batch luxury furniture brand blending West African artistry with Scandinavian design, while working 10-hour shifts at Eaton as a fabrication supervisor.

In this episode, Chris sits down with Kwadwo to trace the journey from those first end tables built in a garage to a full-scale business.

The conversation covers how Kwadwo manages the constraints of four to five hours in the shop each day, including three strategies he has put in place, a clipboard for tracking time and tasks, using Claude to reflect and connect the dots on the 40-minute drive home, and a networking story from New York that turned one photo on Instagram into a series of interior design projects.

He also walks through the Echoes of the Forest project, two pieces made from trees uprooted by Hurricane Helene, one already installed in Biltmore Forest Town Hall and one headed for Asheville’s historic YMI Cultural Center.

In this episode, find out:

• How Kwadwo got into furniture making in 2015 out of necessity, moving into a house with no furniture and discovering he’d rather build his own, and how that organic beginning grew into Crafted Glory
• How his dual engineering degree from Carnegie Mellon gives him the mindset and the resilience to keep working through problems that feel unsolvable
• What he observed visiting Hellman Chang’s manufacturing plant in Georgia, component part numbers, scan systems, work cells, and 5S, and how it changed what scaling from craft to production can look like while keeping the handmade element intact
• How 12 years as a fabrication supervisor at Eaton translated directly into running his own team, applying method sheets and time studies, and building standard operations that let someone else step in and do what he does
• The three strategies he uses to manage four to five hours of shop time per day alongside a 10-hour shift: a clipboard for time tracking, Claude for end-of-day reflection, and deliberate networking that turned one New York visit into a pipeline of interior design projects
• The Echoes of the Forest project, how Hurricane Helene uprooted thousands of trees across Asheville and led to two commissions: a mantle from a fallen walnut tree installed in Biltmore Forest Town Hall, and an outdoor bench headed for the historic YMI Cultural Center

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “Now I see where I’m spending my time, I see how long each piece takes me. If I know the time, that translates into my pricing. If I get my pricing right, that moves me closer to being free from working another job.”
• “I use AI a lot in helping with organization — Claude specifically. At the end of the day, on my 40-minute drive home, I dictate what happened in the studio, my reflections, the challenges I faced. I love how Claude draws connections and builds on your whole story, your whole journey.”
• “I aspire to have an operation where I still maintain the craft element of what I’m doing, but it is systematized such that I can step away, bring someone in, train them to the documentation, and they can come in and do the same thing that I do.”

Links & mentions:

• Crafted Glory, small batch luxury handmade furniture brand that crafts sustainable hardwood artistic furniture inspired by West African artistry and Scandanavian design
• Biscuit Head, an incredible biscuit-centric breakfast joint with roots in Asheville, NC

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Mentioned in this episode:

Mfg Happy Hour's GOLDEN STATE TAKEOVER Tour

Don't miss Manufacturing Happy Hour on tour this May 2026 as we head across the state of California. We'll be hitting the Bay Area on 5/19, Modesto on 5/20, and Los Angeles on 5/21. Live podcasts and parties in every city. Get your tickets today.

Manufacturing Happy Hour on Tour

In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, Chris sits down remotely with Tony Barlett and Shawn Lambert from Sumitomo Drive Technologies for an inside look at a live warehouse automation project underway at their Chesapeake, Virginia headquarters.

The project combines AutoStore, an automated storage and retrieval system, with automated guided vehicles to compress 30,000 square feet of high-bay racking into a 7,500 square foot footprint, with robots handling the picking and every transaction flowing through a single digital interface.

The conversation runs from the 2021 decision all the way through to where the project stands today. The business case, the technology choices, and what it takes to bring automation into a facility that has run on pen and paper for years.

They get into the workforce question too. What this means for the people on the floor, how Sumitomo plans to grow 50 percent over the next five years without scaling headcount at the same rate, and why the digital foundation they're building now is what makes AI integration possible later.

In this episode, find out:

• How a customer demo in 2021 sparked the decision to stop expanding Sumitomo Drive Technologies' warehouse footprint and automate instead, and what it took to get from that first look to a live project
• What the AutoStore system does at a practical level, and how a simple analogy made the technology immediately understandable for anyone who hasn’t seen it
• How condensing 30,000 square feet of high-bay racking into a 7,500 square foot cube changes what growth looks like for the business
• How moving from pen-and-paper operations to a single digital interface changes day-to-day work for every person on the warehouse floor
• The company’s plan for its existing workforce, and how it expects to grow 50 percent over the next five years with roughly the same headcount it has today
• Why the AI boom has not changed the scope of this project, and why building connected digital infrastructure now is the precondition for AI integration down the road
• The three pieces of advice Tony and Shawn would pass on to any manufacturer considering an automation project of this scale

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• "If you're not doing this from an automation standpoint, you're missing the boat. It is the wave of the future, the labor force shortages are not going away, and they're only going to get more difficult." - Tony Barlett
• "You can't start looking into this soon enough. The more prepared you are for a project of this scale, the better off you're going to be, not just plugging in the automation, but how it connects to your ERP, your processes, your AGVs." - Shawn Lambert
• "AI doesn't do anything for you when you're dealing with pen and paper. Get into a more technological age first, get your software systems in place, and then you can integrate AI to turn static decisions into dynamic ones." - Shawn Lambert

Links & mentions:

• Sumitomo Drive Technologies, dedicated to providing the highest quality power transmission products, gearboxes, gearmotors, and services to industrial companies
• AutoStore, automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) that uses the power of warehouse robots for 24/7 order fulfillment within a cubic layout
• Swisslog, logistics automation; they design, manufacture, and optimize automated logistics solutions across the supply chain
• Nansemond Brewing, craft brewery in downtown Suffolk, VA
• Allgood Lounge, premiere bar and party spot in Athens, GA

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Mentioned in this episode:

Party with Manufacturing Happy Hour!

Join Manufacturing Happy Hour on tour, or at one of our famous EXTRA INNINGS conference afterparties (co-hosted with Jake Hall, The Manufacturing Millennial).

Join The Party

Chris sits down remotely with Colin Morris, Senior Director of Solution Consulting at MaintainX, the AI-powered maintenance and asset management platform built for the industrial frontline. Colin has spent eight years working in this space, long enough to have watched maintenance shift from an afterthought to a strategic asset across North American manufacturing.

They cover the real barriers to AI adoption in maintenance: unstructured data sitting across disconnected systems, outdated assumptions about what predictive tools should deliver, and the foundational steps most facilities skip before they’re ready.

Colin walks through what parts data to collect and why, how maintenance has evolved from cost center to cost saver, and where agentic AI is taking the industry next, including what scheduling looks like when an agent does the first pass and a human approves the plan.

In this episode, find out:

• Whether today’s manufacturers have the data infrastructure AI actually needs, and why having data and having usable data are two very different things
• The gap between what AI-driven predictive maintenance promises and what tends to happen when facilities try to put it into practice
• Why a predictive system that shows no faults can mean things are working exactly as they should, and how confirmation bias leads teams to misread that signal
• The foundations most facilities skip when digitizing, and why jumping ahead without them creates problems that are hard to undo
• What parts information every facility should have on record, why it matters more than most teams realize, and what happens when a critical component is not catalogued
• How maintenance’s status has changed over eight years, from a cost center most facilities avoided spending on, to a core part of a facility’s digital strategy
• What AI looks like across maintenance operations today and where it genuinely adds value versus where human judgment still needs to lead

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “A lot of customers do have the data. The biggest challenge is it’s super unstructured and in different systems, so getting it into a format AI can actually use is still a huge challenge.”
• “People expect predictive maintenance to surface issues, but if an asset is running well, nothing’s going to happen. No insights are sometimes good insights. That means things are operating the way they should.”
• “Historically, about 60% of a technician’s time is admin work. If you can give even 10–20% of that time back, that’s a huge gain in actual wrench time.”

Links & mentions:

• MaintainX, helping industrial teams manage work orders, asset performance, parts, and labor with AI-driven insights that reduce downtime and boost operational excellence
• Nick Haase on Manufacturing Happy Hour, episode 206 featuring MaintainX’s Co-Founder and the company’s first appearance on the podcast
• Left Field Brewery, established in Toronto in 2013 and brews a series of baseball-inspired, distinct and full-flavoured beers

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Mentioned in this episode:

Party with Manufacturing Happy Hour!

Join Manufacturing Happy Hour on tour, or at one of our famous EXTRA INNINGS conference afterparties (co-hosted with Jake Hall, The Manufacturing Millennial).

Join The Party

In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, host Chris Luecke sits down remotely with Matt Bogoshian, Executive Director of the American Manufacturing Communities Collaborative (AMCC) – the nation’s only designated National Manufacturing Community of Practice.

Matt brings the on-the-ground experience of someone who has spent years helping communities across the US turn good intentions into real, durable systems change.

Together they dig into the Big Six elements that every thriving regional manufacturing ecosystem needs, the five steps to creating lasting systems change, and why trust is the one precondition that has to come before everything else.

Matt also shares the story of ‘What’s So Cool About Manufacturing’, a program getting middle school students inside real factories and changing how the next generation sees manufacturing careers.

In this episode, find out:

1. What it takes to build a regional manufacturing ecosystem of support, and why it requires more than any single organization or initiative
2. Why the ‘American project’ can’t succeed long-term without a strong base of manufacturing priority products, and what that means for every community in the US
3. The five steps to creating lasting systems change: relationship building, storytelling, strategy, activation, and the critical step most initiatives never reach
4. Why trust is the precondition for every other element of ecosystem building
5. What the Big Six elements of a thriving manufacturing ecosystem are, and why most regions are underperforming in at least four of them
6. How the Big Six framework helps diagnose where any region stands, and what coordination looks like when it’s working
7. Why the gap between regions that thrive and those that don’t is rarely about resources, and what it’s really about
8. How ‘What’s So Cool About Manufacturing’ is changing how young people see manufacturing careers, and why there’s no ceiling on where those careers can go

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

1. “The American project is not going to thrive long term unless we have a strong cornerstone of manufacturing priority products.” – Matt Bogoshian
2. “Trust is the coin of the realm. Having trusted relationships is really a precondition to everything else.” – Matt Bogoshian
3. “There’s no ceiling on how high a kid could go in manufacturing.” – Matt Bogoshian

Links & mentions:

1. American Manufacturing Communities Collaborative (AMCC), representing a coalition of nationwide communities with the shared goal of revitalizing American manufacturing
2. The Buena Vista, opened in 1916, this corner spot in San Francisco serves its signature Irish coffee alongside American staples

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

A good conversation – with a couple beers – about creativity, grit, and what it really takes to build something that lasts.

In the first live episode of the year, recorded at The Argo in Milwaukee as part of Manufacturing Happy Hour’s 10-year anniversary, host Chris Luecke sits down with two longtime friends: Andrew J. Coate, co-founder of The Argo (a 700-capacity venue his team transformed from a historic 1950s cinema in under seven months), and Michael O’Sullivan, Creative Director at Motivation Media.

Together they dig into the creative process, building businesses from the ground up, co-founder dynamics, and the long-term friendships that shape your best work.

Later in the episode, manufacturing veterans and friends of the show, Kyle Mahan (Former Vice President and General Manager of the Automation Division at Wauseon Machine) and Bill Berrien (CEO at Pela Global Precision) join the stage to bring it all back to the shop floor.

In this episode, find out:

1. How Michael O’Sullivan and Andrew J. Coate have known each other since high school on the south side of Chicago, and how their paths kept crossing through business and creativity over more than two decades
2. What it means to build a creative business in industries you wouldn’t expect, and why B2B and manufacturing are some of the most exciting places to be creative
3. Turning creativity into a daily habit. Why practice, not talent, is the real shortcut, and how both guests built their creative muscles over time
4. How constraints drive better creative decisions, and why that’s one of the most transferable lessons to the manufacturing floor
5. The “done is better than perfect” mindset: balancing flexibility with process discipline when you’re building something new
6. What the manufacturing industry looks like from behind a camera lens, and why storytelling is one of the industry’s most underused assets
7. How Kyle Mahan (EP235) and Bill Berrien (EP160 & EP268) would apply the night’s creative lessons directly to industrial sector

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

1. "Creativity really often needs constraints to be the maximum of what it can be." - Andrew J. Coate
2. "Networking doesn’t just happen at an event. It’s something that can happen over years and decades." - Chris Luecke
3. "I did not start out to form a video production company. Having those people who believed in me along the way gave me that space to keep practicing, to keep pushing it." - Michael O'Sullivan

Links & mentions:

1. The Argo, concert venue, bar & kitchen, and event space located in the historic Fox Bay Theater in Whitefish Bay, WI, minutes from downtown Milwaukee
2. Motivation Media, making videos that make a difference for nonprofits, businesses, commercials, fundraising, and so much more
3. Women in Manufacturing (WiM), a global trade association committed to supporting, promoting, and inspiring women across all the manufacturing industry. We’ve portion of the ticket sales from this show to WiM to support its mission
4. Episode 160: Buying a Manufacturing Company and Reimagining Upskilling with Bill Berrien, CEO of Pindel Global Precision, where Bill shares his thoughts on upskilling your team and continuous learning in the manufacturing industry
5. Episode 235: How to Find Automation Talent Anywhere with Kyle Mahan, VP & GM of Wauseon Machine, where Kyle discusses what it takes to find the best automation talent in the manufacturing industry in today’s industry
6. Episode 260: Innovations Transforming Automotive Manufacturing featuring STÄUBLI, RAM Solutions, and More, a look what’s transforming automotive manufacturing with interesting takes from eight industry experts

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Mentioned in this episode:

Mfg Happy Hour's Rust Belt Renaissance Tour

Manufacturing Happy Hour is hitting the road this spring, hosting live shows Cleveland on 3/24, Rochester on 3/25, and Pittsburgh on 3/26. Get your tickets today.

Second-chance hiring means giving people the chance to showcase their talent, hone their skills, and start again. When you do that, great things can happen for them, you, and your local region.

Here, Chris catches up with Marcus Sheanshang, President of JBM Packaging, to discuss the thriving manufacturer’s Fair Chance Hiring Program.

JBM Packaging is a family-oriented business that specializes in eco-friendly paper packing products and solutions. Since Marcus bought the business in 2008, it has gone from strength to strength. Its Fair Chance Program has played a part in JBM’s ongoing success.

The conversation dives into the mission behind this game-changing program and how it’s grown from an ambitious idea to an initiative now responsible for 43% of JBM’s dedicated team members.

Marcus also discusses how second-chance hiring can transform lives for the better and play a key role in the future of the manufacturing industry.

In this episode, find out:

• The perks of looking for manufacturing talent where other people aren’t
• How to improve or reinvent your manufacturing business by attracting and retaining the right talent
• The essential aspects of a successful and sustainable second-chance hiring program
• How to support and develop new program members and give them a genuine second chance
• Why setting clear candidate criteria and considering a person’s potential are key to making strong hiring choices
• How giving candidates a fair chance can change the trajectory of someone’s life and make your business even stronger
• The driving forces behind JBM’s Fair Chance Program’s continual growth and notable 13% turnover rates

Tweetable Quotes:

• "Can they live our core values, and can they help make this place better? Those are some of the criteria that we need."
• "They need to lead it. This is on them, but we can certainly walk with them as they're walking down their path."
• "It would frighten me right now if we didn't have the Fair Chance Program, 'cause I think we have 67 Fair Chance team members. If we didn't have that, I don't know where we would be."

Links & mentions:

• Fair Chance Program, JBM Packaging's second chance hiring program provides formerly incarcerated workers with the resources they need to thrive at work and in life
• JBM Packaging, a purpose-driven packaging company, JBM provides full-service solutions for brands seeking alternatives to plastic packaging
• Second Chance Month, a concerted effort to raise awareness about the nearly 44,000 legal barriers faced by men and women with a criminal record taking place every April
• Criminal Records and Reentry Toolkit, people with a record (justice-involved or justice-impacted people) includes approximately 77 million people in the United States
• Second-chance hiring continues to gain traction among major manufacturers. In 2024, staffing firm Kelly filled more than 2k jobs with justice-involved people. Monthly turnover was just 9%, lower than the industry average. (source: Manufacturing Dive)

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, stay Thirsty.

Mentioned in this episode:

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

The Industrial Marketing Summit is the go-to gathering for marketers working in the manufacturing, engineering and industrial sectors. Built by Gorilla 76 and TREW Marketing, IMS delivers strategic insight, hands-on learning and true community. Whether you’re a team of one, or leading a scaled marketing department, you’ll walk away ready to market smarter, lead stronger and impact your business. Make sure to use the code "happy hour" at checkout for $100 off registration.

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

When a 30-year veteran retires, decades of expertise used to leave as well. How they ran a machine, which feeds and speeds worked, and all the practical knowledge that separated good from great. Now, Mastercam’s AI co-pilots can capture that information and make it instantly accessible. The learning curve that used to take years can now be compressed into months, making manufacturing careers more accessible to the next generation.

Chris sits down with Russ Bukowski, President of Mastercam, to explore how CAM technology has evolved from manual G-code programming to AI-powered systems that are fundamentally changing manufacturing accessibility.

The conversation covers the business side of manufacturing transformation, why mid-size machine shops and tier-two suppliers are no longer at the mercy of large OEMs, the leadership lessons Russ learned from Walt Disney and why manufacturing salaries are starting at $80K+ for CNC programmers.

In this episode, find out:

1. How CAM systems act as a 10x multiplier for manufacturing professionals.
2. The evolution from manual G-code programming to AI-powered CAM systems
3. Why Mastercam's AI co-pilot is bridging the knowledge gap left by retiring manufacturing experts
4. How post-COVID supply chain vulnerabilities are driving companies to vertically integrate
5. The power shift giving mid-size manufacturers leverage in negotiations and exclusive supplier agreements
6. Why manufacturing needs to be promoted as a viable white-collar career
7. How technical expertise creates leadership credibility
8. The importance of visiting customers and talking to shop floor employees
9. What Mastercam's acquisition enabled in terms of investment, innovation, and customer relationships

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

1. “AI's not a silver bullet. It's not going to replace a program or replace an operator, but it is going to enable them to do more and to move more quickly in the business.”
2. “CAM is really that enabler. Without it, the digital design to physical machine process is slow and error-prone. It removes the cognitive burden and makes complex manufacturing possible. It's that 10x multiplier for somebody in manufacturing, making somebody a 10x manufacturing expert because they're able to deliver results so much faster by using computing power.”
3. “I always like to ask myself this as a leader, if nobody was looking, if there were no repercussions, would I still make the right decision? From a sustainability standpoint, from an ethical standpoint, that's how I hold myself accountable.”

Links & mentions:

1. Mastercam, CAD/CAM solutions that are trusted to deliver superior and reliable machining performance with advanced productivity tools and AI-enabled CAM capabilities
2. Tree House Brewing Company, brewers of Julius and pioneers of hazy IPA, Tree House produces world-renowned beer in Charlton, Massachusetts

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Mentioned in this episode:

Mfg Happy Hour's Rust Belt Renaissance Tour

Manufacturing Happy Hour is hitting the road this spring, hosting live shows Cleveland on 3/24, Rochester on 3/25, and Pittsburgh on 3/26. Get your tickets today.

But 2026 is different. Tax incentives expire mid-year, borrowing costs are down, and the hard data shows CapEx accelerating at 3-4%. The companies acting on facts while others remain frozen are the ones positioned to gain market share, capture expiring tax benefits, and pull ahead.

This episode comes to you live from the A3 Forum 2026, where the message is clear: 2026 isn't about waiting for certainty. It's about preparing for complexity with multiple strategies, acting on hard economic data, and recognizing that technology will solve the labor shortage.

You'll hear why geopolitics can no longer be ignored and why every manufacturing company needs dedicated monitoring and scenario-based planning to navigate constant disruption. We dig into why America's $1+ trillion manufacturing investment boom is creating career opportunities that rival the tech industry and why the outdated narrative around manufacturing jobs is costing the industry the next generation of talent.

Plus, we explore how automation and robotics are becoming the central solution for critical challenges and how theme park robotics taught the industry the power of asking “how” instead of “no”.

In this episode, find out:

1. Why 2026 is transitioning from a year of uncertainty to a year of complexity
2. How to become a value-added partner instead of a transactional seller
3. How America's $1+ trillion manufacturing investment is rebuilding domestic capability
4. Why manufacturing careers now offer competitive tech-level salaries
5. Why 92% of manufacturing CEOs prioritize smart manufacturing as their top growth strategy
6. The impact of expiring tax incentives on CapEx decision-making urgency
7. Why AI has shifted from hype to practical implementation questions
8. How theme park robotics pioneered human-robot collaboration and safety standards
9. Why the answer should be "how" instead of "no" when facing unconventional challenges

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

1. “We are in a manufacturing revolution, but most people don’t realize it yet. More importantly, America is starting to learn how to rebuild and manufacture its own goods. We are starting the process to build and AI is a tool that will help close that chasm.” – Bob Little
2. “If 2025 was marked as a year of uncertainty, I think we are now far enough into the process to recognize that it's transitioning to a year of complexity in 2026. You have to be prepared for a variety of different scenarios. You have to treat it almost like war gaming, if you think about it.” – Alex Chausovsky,
3. “92% of manufacturing CEOs interviewed by Deloitte said smart automation or smart manufacturing is their top priority. This data validates that automation/robotics is the central issue for manufacturing leadership, not a side conversation.” – - Alex Shikany

Links & mentions:

1. A3 - Association for Advancing Automation, connecting innovators, businesses, and technologies across key technology sectors-robotics, vision, motion control, and industrial AI-to accelerate progress in automation
2. 3DM Consulting, tap into Alex Chausovsky's market research and analysis
3. Bardin, helping industrial AI coworkers bridge the sales-engineering gap and, most importantly, helping manufacturers close deals faster
4. Eat'n Park, family restaurants serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner to guests in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia since 1949

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Mentioned in this episode:

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

The Industrial Marketing Summit is the go-to gathering for marketers working in the manufacturing, engineering and industrial sectors. Built by Gorilla 76 and TREW Marketing, IMS delivers strategic insight, hands-on learning and true community. Whether you’re a team of one, or leading a scaled marketing department, you’ll walk away ready to market smarter, lead stronger and impact your business. Make sure to use the code "happy hour" at checkout for $100 off registration.

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

Andrew Johnson, co-founder of HeavyTech and CEO of ShelfAware, joins the show from Everywhere Beer Co. in Anaheim, California, to talk through how he and his partners built HeavyTech, a hybrid and electric big machinery manufacturer, on their own terms. He shares the long road behind developing technology for hybrid and electric heavy machinery, and why, when it came time to scale, they made a deliberate decision to crowdfund and not follow the traditional VC path.

Along the way, we also get into why diversification within a single industry creates leverage most business owners miss, what it means to be fearless in business, and the struggles of connecting with other entrepreneurs at the same stage of growth.

If you’ve ever questioned whether the “standard” approach to funding actually fits your business, this conversation will make you rethink the rules.

In this episode, find out:

• Why timing is the most important factor in business success
• How crowdfunding gives you more control over your business and direct access to future customers
• Why diversifying within an industry is one of the smartest entrepreneurial moves you can make
• The importance of connecting with other entrepreneurs in the same position as you
• How HeavyTech invented its hybrid and electric machines for construction, farm and ranch
• What it means to be fearless in business
• Where Andrew sees the future of U.S. manufacturing going

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “I think the inclination today is that you need to go raise a bunch of money with private equity venture capital. I believe that’s wrong. Crowdfunding allowed us to raise a bunch of money from individuals. Normal people who believed in the future vision of our company and would eventually become our customers.”
• “I think that’s the beauty of diversification. Each business is in the same industrial space. The products are different, but they complement each other. Sometimes I go into a meeting trying to sell ShelfAware, and I end up selling O-rings or end up talking about HeavyTech and leave with a new investor.”
• “Timing is everything in business. You have to be at the right place at the right time. You can have a great idea, but if the market is not ready, it won’t work.”

Links & mentions:

• HeavyTech, a manufacturing company designing and building hybrid and electric machinery for the construction and agriculture industries.
• ShelfAware, a manufacturing intelligence company providing real-time production visibility and workflow insights to improve efficiency on the factory floor.
• Everywhere Beer Co, an independent craft brewery based in Cleaveland, producing small-batch beers.

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Mentioned in this episode:

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

The Industrial Marketing Summit is the go-to gathering for marketers working in the manufacturing, engineering and industrial sectors. Built by Gorilla 76 and TREW Marketing, IMS delivers strategic insight, hands-on learning and true community. Whether you’re a team of one, or leading a scaled marketing department, you’ll walk away ready to market smarter, lead stronger and impact your business. Make sure to use the code "happy hour" at checkout for $100 off registration.

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

They all depend on critical minerals like lithium, graphite, gallium, and polysilicon. Access to these resources affects how people, businesses, and governments communicate, generate power, and operate.

In this episode, Chris sits down with Representative Haley Stevens from Michigan’s 11th district to discuss her plans for lessening U.S. dependence on the production and refining of these resources from other countries.

The conversation digs into the current state of the U.S. supply chain. We look at how innovation shaped the auto rescue during the 2008 recession and how it will continue to influence the success of the American auto industry over the next 25 years.

We also unpack why Representative Stevens is passionate about the manufacturing industry, how it continues to shape her career, and the type of legislation changes you can expect from her 100-page proposal.

In this episode, find out:

• How the auto rescue saved 200,000 Michigan jobs
• The impact of the manufacturing industry on Representative Steven’s career in Congress
• How barriers to entry are costing the manufacturing industry room to innovate
• Why it's important to bring the entire supply chain to the U.S.
• How Representative Stevens plans to lessen U.S. dependence on other countries for critical minerals
• What needs to change from a federal level to fix supply chain vulnerabilities, lower costs, and create jobs
• How environmental concerns fit into legislation plans
• The importance of a tax code that empowers manufacturing workers and small businesses
• What will secure the future of American manufacturing for the next 25 years

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• ”Somewhere between 85 and 95% of critical minerals are processed and refined in China. It’s a supply chain vulnerability.”
• “We need to lessen our dependence on China, invest in loan guarantees and tax credits that will grow this industry here in the United States of America.”
• “Who will continue to lead the free world in the next 25 years? Well, it's going to be American industry through free market principles that allow for equal opportunity and people to thrive.”

Links & mentions:

• Kennedy’s Irish Pub, a longstanding Irish pub serving up draft brews, cocktails, and casual eats in a funky, upbeat atmosphere in Waterford, MI.
• Representative Haley Stevens, Congresswoman for Michigan's 11th District.

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Mentioned in this episode:

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

The Industrial Marketing Summit is the go-to gathering for marketers working in the manufacturing, engineering and industrial sectors. Built by Gorilla 76 and TREW Marketing, IMS delivers strategic insight, hands-on learning and true community. Whether you’re a team of one, or leading a scaled marketing department, you’ll walk away ready to market smarter, lead stronger and impact your business. Make sure to use the code "happy hour" at checkout for $100 off registration.

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

The conversation was recorded on site at the largest diatomaceous earth mine in the world, in Lompoc, California. During the recording, a sonic boom from a nearby SpaceX launch cuts across the background, a reminder of how closely materials, regulation, and advanced manufacturing often overlap.

Chris is joined by Ken Rasmussen, Operations Director at the site, who shares a practical perspective on what modern mining looks like when it’s done right.

Ken walks us through how diatomaceous earth is mined, processed, and shipped as a finished product from a single site, and why that matters. The material is used in industries most people don’t associate with mining, including water filtration, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and vaccines.

In this episode, we look at how mining fits directly into modern manufacturing, and what it takes to run an end-to-end operation on a global scale.

In this episode, find out:

1. Why “if you can’t grow it, you have to mine it” still applies to modern manufacturing
2. What diatomaceous earth is and why it’s critical for filtration, pharma, and medical applications
3. How a mining operation runs start to finish, from raw material to finished product
4. Why mining in California forces higher standards for safety, automation, and environmental control
5. How automation improves recovery, efficiency, and process visibility across the operation
6. What mining really looks like today versus common perceptions
7. How and why mining should coexist with communities instead of being pushed outside them

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

1. “If you can’t grow it, you have to mine it. It’s not magic. Everything we use has to come from somewhere.”
2. “Mining absolutely has to be part of communities, or else everything would need to be imported. There’s no other way around it.”
3. “The safety of our employees is first and foremost in everything we do. Every single person here has the authority to stop work if something doesn’t feel right.”

Links & mentions:

1. Imerys, a provider of mineral-based specialty solutions for industry globally, including construction, automotive, and consumer goods; their Lompoc, CA facility is the world’s largest diatomite mine.
2. SpaceX, a private American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company founded by Elon Musk in 2002. Its primary mission is to revolutionize space technology by making rockets fully and rapidly reusable.

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Mentioned in this episode:

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

The Industrial Marketing Summit is the go-to gathering for marketers working in the manufacturing, engineering and industrial sectors. Built by Gorilla 76 and TREW Marketing, IMS delivers strategic insight, hands-on learning and true community. Whether you’re a team of one, or leading a scaled marketing department, you’ll walk away ready to market smarter, lead stronger and impact your business. Make sure to use the code "happy hour" at checkout for $100 off registration.

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

In this episode, we’re joined by Chris Hale, CEO and Founder at Klear, to uncover a side of manufacturing that often gets overlooked: how money moves through industrial businesses.

The conversation explores how money flows when deal cycles are long, customers are global, and planning starts to feel less like spreadsheets and more like a 3D chessboard. Trade finance sits underneath a lot of this activity, shaping how physical infrastructure gets built and how manufacturers grow.

We also hear about Chris' experience touring in a band, and how this shaped the way he thinks about coordination, timing, and handoffs, ideas that show up repeatedly in how he approaches financial systems for manufacturers today.

In this episode, find out:

1. How Chris Hale moved from touring in a band to working in finance and building fintech tools for industrial companies
2. Why trade finance underpins everything from shipping containers to large-scale infrastructure projects
3. What orchestration means in a manufacturing context, and why clean handoffs matter
4. Why managing money often becomes harder as companies grow and demand increases
5. How global volatility, customer behaviour, and innovation shape financial decision-making
6. Where financial visibility tends to break down inside fast-growing manufacturers
7. Why tying money directly to physical execution changes how companies scale

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

1. “Trade finance as an asset class is fascinating because it’s how the world gets built through money. If you see a boat full of shipping containers, that boat is trade finance. If you see a data center being built, everything going into it is trade finance.”
2. “The board keeps moving. You’ve got government customers, supply chain disruptions, strikes, geopolitics, and it becomes incredibly difficult to plan with confidence.”
3. “Manufacturer are doing all this precision work, but when it comes to their money, they’re doing dead reckoning. They’re looking at the sun and guessing, and that’s where things fall apart.”

Links & mentions:

1. Klear Inc., a payment and working capital infrastructure provider that’s designed specifically for modern industrial companies. The platform helps manufacturers gain clearer visibility into cash flow, manage risk across long contracts, and better align financial operations with physical execution.
2. The Trident (Bay Area), a historic waterfront bar tied to Janis Joplin and Bay Area music history.

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Mentioned in this episode:

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

The Industrial Marketing Summit is the go-to gathering for marketers working in the manufacturing, engineering and industrial sectors. Built by Gorilla 76 and TREW Marketing, IMS delivers strategic insight, hands-on learning and true community. Whether you’re a team of one, or leading a scaled marketing department, you’ll walk away ready to market smarter, lead stronger and impact your business. Make sure to use the code "happy hour" at checkout for $100 off registration.

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

This episode comes to you from SEMICON West 2025 in Phoenix, with guests joining from HARTING Technology Group and Rockwell Automation. Jeffrey Miller and Danielle Collins kick things off with a semiconductor primer for folks who aren't living and breathing this space every day. Danielle's been in the industry since her first SEMICON in 1999, seen the shift from 200 to 300-millimeter wafers, and watched manufacturing go local while R&D went global.

Anuj Mahendru joins Chris on the show floor to dig into the challenges facing legacy and digital fabs, from worker productivity and material movement challenges to why copy exact is finally loosening its grip on this industry. This is part one of a two-part semiconductor series, so stay tuned for the bonus episode dropping right after this one.

In this episode, find out:

1. Why chips have become a national security priority on par with oil
2. What's driving the trillion-dollar march toward 2032
3. How legacy fabs are solving material movement problems they didn’t planned for
4. Why the semiconductor industry was doing AI long before it was a buzzword
5. What equipment manufacturers mean by "do more with less"
6. Why copy exact is starting to crack post-COVID
7. How sustainability shifted from compliance checkbox to business imperative
8. What it takes to become a trusted partner in an industry that's famously risk-averse

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

1. “Manufacturing is being localized, while R&D is being globalized. R&D has moved from being concentrated in Northern California and the Boston area to regions like India, Asia and Japan.” - Danielle Collins
2. “The semiconductor industry is defined by data economics, and it’s the currency of conversations. Successful partners that will lead the way will be companies who can speak the language of operational data.” - Jeffrey Miller
3. “Before semiconductor and chips, it was oil. Now chips have become the new oil. After and during COVID, the world came to the realization that there needs to be resiliency of the supply chain. From a geopolitical standpoint people see semiconductors at the front end of national security and self-sufficiency.” - Anuj Mahendru

Links & mentions:

1. HARTING Technology Group, a leading global provider of industrial connectivity solutions enabling the transmission of data, signal, and power across sectors including transportation, electromobility, renewable energy, automation, and mechanical engineering.
2. Rockwell Automation, a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation, delivering innovative hardware and software solutions through its recognized Allen-Bradley® and Rockwell Software® brands.
3. SEMICON West, North America’s premier microelectronics exhibition, brought industry leaders, startups, and researchers together in Phoenix on October 7-9 2025, to drive collaboration, knowledge exchange, workforce development, and long-term investment, with future events planned for 2027 and 2029.
4. Industrial Marketing Summit, the go-to gathering for manufacturing and industrial marketers to share practical insights, explore emerging strategies, and build community. Join the event in Austin from March 3-5, 2026, and use code HAPPYHOUR at checkout for $100 off registration.
5. Huss Brewing, a proudly local and independent Arizona craft brewery, offering beers brewed and distributed statewide, with immersive taproom experiences in Downtown Phoenix and South Tempe featuring the Huss family of beers and scratch-made food.

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Mentioned in this episode:

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

The Industrial Marketing Summit is the go-to gathering for marketers working in the manufacturing, engineering and industrial sectors. Built by Gorilla 76 and TREW Marketing, IMS delivers strategic insight, hands-on learning and true community. Whether you’re a team of one, or leading a scaled marketing department, you’ll walk away ready to market smarter, lead stronger and impact your business. Make sure to use the code "happy hour" at checkout for $100 off registration.

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

A big theme here is end-user experience. Troy makes the case that operators have been ignored for too long, and that designing systems around spreadsheets instead of humans is why so many projects struggle.

We also get into scaling a manufacturing business, what it’s really like growing from a handful of people to well over a hundred, and the highs and lows of being in business with your family.

If you’re building something meant to last, whether that’s equipment, a team, or a company, there’s a lot in here worth sitting with.

In this episode, find out:

• What an MBR (membrane bioreactor) is, and why it’s become Cloacina’s core focus.
• Why Troy compares wastewater systems to race cars, and what happens when operators are handed something poorly designed.
• How prioritizing the operator changes everything from layout to long-term performance.
• What scaling a manufacturing business looks like when you’re buying equipment, hiring people, and fixing problems nonstop.
• Why Cloacina stopped listening to voices that slowed progress and focused on building the right team.
• How taking on single-point responsibility removes friction instead of adding risk.
• Where Troy sees the future of MBRs heading.

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “The Cloacina difference is the end user experience. We're hyper focused on that. It's all we care about at the end of the day.”
• “We were essentially building the airplane as it was on fire and falling out of the sky for many, many years.”
• “We are on a relentless pursuit for the perfect MBR. But the reason it's relentless is we will never get there; we will never achieve perfection. Perfection is the process, it's not a destination.”

Links & mentions:

• Cloacina - Troy Ellison’s company, focused on membrane bioreactor (MBR) wastewater treatment systems
• Cloacina Rentals - Rental MBRs for immediate wastewater treatment solutions
• Membrane Bioreactors (MBRs) - The core wastewater technology discussed throughout the episode
• Extreme Ownership - Leadership principle referenced (popularized by Jocko Willink)
• Jocko’s - The local bar that Troy references

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Mentioned in this episode:

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

The Industrial Marketing Summit is the go-to gathering for marketers working in the manufacturing, engineering and industrial sectors. Built by Gorilla 76 and TREW Marketing, IMS delivers strategic insight, hands-on learning and true community. Whether you’re a team of one, or leading a scaled marketing department, you’ll walk away ready to market smarter, lead stronger and impact your business. Make sure to use the code "happy hour" at checkout for $100 off registration.

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

In this episode, we talk with Andy Flesser - computer animator turned “robot animator,” whose work has helped bring robotics into live entertainment and film - about what that kind of pressure does to how you think about automation. Why preparation starts way earlier than most teams realize. And why some of the best lessons for manufacturing come from places that don’t look like factories at all.

We also get into where Andy thinks robotics actually makes sense, where it probably doesn’t, and why the future of robots might be less about machines walking around and more about environments doing work around us.

If you’ve ever operated an automated system and felt that knot in your stomach when something didn’t behave the way you expected, you’ll recognize a lot of what he’s talking about here.

In this episode, find out:

1. How Andy went from animation into robotics, and why early robot programming felt more like deciphering a code than writing software
2. What it was like putting robots on tour with Bon Jovi, and why live entertainment turned out to be one of the toughest automation environments imaginable
3. Why a robot failing on a concert stage creates a very different kind of pressure than a robot failing behind factory walls
4. What really happens on a movie set when robotics are involved (including Black Adam), and why even “small” changes still need serious testing
5. Why Andy sees huge potential for robotics in medical applications, especially in areas most people don’t talk about
6. A take on the future of robotics that skips the humanoids and focuses on buildings, rooms, and systems doing the work instead
7. How entertainment can be a surprisingly effective way to pull people into robotics and automation careers

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

1. “Every single show, every inch, every second of time is so expensive. When something goes wrong, it’s happening right in front of everybody.”
2. “All the research and development in the world doesn’t exist unless you actually have sales.”
3. “I think the future isn’t robots walking around your house. I think the house will be the robot and you’ll be inside of it.”

Links & mentions:

1. andyRobot / Robotic Arts – Andy’s website and studio, where industrial robots get repurposed for live shows, touring, and film
2. Robot Animator – The software Andy built to let animators control robots the way they animate characters
3. Black Adam – One of the film projects discussed, where robotics had to work under tight safety and timing constraints
4. The Industrial Marketing Summit is the go-to gathering for marketers working in the manufacturing, engineering and industrial sectors. Register today for the Industrial Marketing Summit in Austin, TX on March 3-5, 2026 and make sure to use the code “happy hour” at checkout for $100 off your registration fee.

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Mentioned in this episode:

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

The Industrial Marketing Summit is the go-to gathering for marketers working in the manufacturing, engineering and industrial sectors. Built by Gorilla 76 and TREW Marketing, IMS delivers strategic insight, hands-on learning and true community. Whether you’re a team of one, or leading a scaled marketing department, you’ll walk away ready to market smarter, lead stronger and impact your business. Make sure to use the code "happy hour" at checkout for $100 off registration.

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

Mentioned in this episode:

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

The Industrial Marketing Summit is the go-to gathering for marketers working in the manufacturing, engineering and industrial sectors. Built by Gorilla 76 and TREW Marketing, IMS delivers strategic insight, hands-on learning and true community. Whether you’re a team of one, or leading a scaled marketing department, you’ll walk away ready to market smarter, lead stronger and impact your business. Make sure to use the code "happy hour" at checkout for $100 off registration.

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

This episode was recorded live at +Venture North in Milwaukee, bringing together investors, founders, and operators to talk candidly about what it really takes to scale manufacturing in the heartland. The conversations cut through the buzzwords and focus on fundamentals: affordable power, experienced talent, corporate customers, and ecosystems that actually support manufacturers beyond the pitch deck.

You’ll hear why innovation may start anywhere, but scale almost always moves to regions with space, infrastructure, and people who know how to run plants. We also dig into how legacy industries adopt new technology without putting uptime at risk, and why reindustrialization won’t happen if workforce strategies stop at new graduates instead of upskilling the people already on the floor.

In this episode, find out:

1. Why reindustrialization scale-up is likely to happen “between the coasts” (and what regions need to compete)
2. How places like Tulsa and Milwaukee can win by leaning into their industrial DNA instead of trying to copy Silicon Valley
3. Why the cost of power is quietly becoming one of the biggest deciding factors in where manufacturing expands
4. How Carmen Industries is electrifying thermal processes (and why process engineers hate watching usable heat go “out the roof”)
5. What it really takes to get legacy plants comfortable adopting new technology without risking uptime or performance metrics
6. Why reindustrialization requires upskilling today’s workforce, not just training new entrants
7. What healthy ecosystems measure (and what they don’t): founders getting funded, exits, corporate engagement, and a community that’s genuinely welcoming

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

1. “Once you start needing manufacturing facilities for making hundreds, thousands of products, that’s when companies really start looking elsewhere.” - Rosa Hathaway
2. “If we only look at giving new manufacturing skills to 18- to 22-year-olds, we will never meet the workforce needs fast enough to reindustrialize the country.” - Bill Berrien
3. “Fifty percent of all end energy use is for thermal management, heating things up or cooling things down, and we do it in very inefficient ways.” - David Tse

Links & mentions:

1. NVNG Investment Advisors, a venture capital fund-of-funds backed by local corporations, focused on strengthening industrial innovation ecosystems.
2. Starframe Capital, a Tulsa-based firm supporting hard tech scale-up across the middle of the U.S., connecting founders with capital, industry, and municipalities.
3. Karman Industries, developing breakthrough thermal technologies that transform industrial energy use, reduce cost, and eliminate emissions.
4. Pindell Global Precision, a precision manufacturing company based near Milwaukee, with a focus on workforce development and upskilling.
5. Moxa, delivering the reliable and secure connectivity foundation that advanced analytics and AI depend on, with solutions in edge connectivity, industrial computing, and network infrastructure.
6. Hexagon, the global leader in precision technologies. Their digital twins, robotics, and AI solutions are transforming industries through automation, simulation, and real-time quality control.

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

In this episode, keynote speaker, certified leadership coach and business transformation advisor, Kathy Miller returns to the show to share some ideas from her latest book, MORE is Better, a framework built from years of leading operations and studying what drives excellence in manufacturing.

Rather than starting with strategy or systems, Kathy begins with the human elements: helping people find meaning in the work they do, creating a culture where problems feel solvable, and building the relationships that make teams stronger and more resilient. Her stories come straight from plant floors navigating Lean initiatives, new technology, talent turnover, and the day-to-day realities of production.

For leaders trying to build long-term capability in their teams, Kathy reminds us that the factories that thrive are the ones that invest in both performance and people.

In this episode, find out:

• Why meaningful work matters more than ever, and how to help people see their impact
• The difference between autonomy and agency and why agency is what drives pride, ownership, and problem-solving on the plant floor
• How optimism becomes a cultural engine, not a personality trait
• Where Lean manufacturing and positive psychology intersect
• How leaders at every level shape culture through micro-moments of connection that build trust, resilience, and collaboration
• What digital transformation and AI mean for manufacturing workers
• How to “do a little more today” with small, practical leadership actions that build stronger workplaces one conversation, one moment, one choice at a time

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “A key aspect of lean manufacturing is eliminating waste. We don’t want people creating scrap. Who wants to work on something that’s going to end up being waste? Don’t you want to work on the product itself?”
• “Small choices really build our culture, our performance, and our leadership legacy, and that happens one little shift at a time.”
• “Optimism is really about that ability to look at when things go wrong and know that you can solve the problem. It's temporary, it's specific, and it's not going to be the end of the world.”

Links & mentions:

• MORE is Better: Leading Operations with Meaning, Optimism, and Relationships for Excellence, by Kathy Miller, a practical handbook for manufacturing leaders, grounded in psychology and real plant experience, focused on building strong cultures that drive performance.
• More 4 Leaders, Kathy’s website and the home of More Mentor, her AI-powered coaching tool designed to help leaders work through real-world challenges using the principles from MORE is Better.
• Episode 97 featuring Kathy Miller, our first conversation with Kathy, aired June 28, 2022, where she shares her journey from running global manufacturing operations to coaching leaders through culture, leadership, and transformation.
• Moxa, delivering the reliable and secure connectivity foundation that advanced analytics and AI depend on, with solutions in edge connectivity, industrial computing, and network infrastructure.   

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Mentioned in this episode:

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

The Industrial Marketing Summit is the go-to gathering for marketers working in the manufacturing, engineering and industrial sectors. Built by Gorilla 76 and TREW Marketing, IMS delivers strategic insight, hands-on learning and true community. Whether you’re a team of one, or leading a scaled marketing department, you’ll walk away ready to market smarter, lead stronger and impact your business. Make sure to use the code "happy hour" at checkout for $100 off registration.

Industrial Marketing Summit 2026

David Duecker, President of SynergyOps, joins the show from the factory floor in West Bend to discuss the company's evolution, their approach to automation, and what reshoring can look like for manufacturers. He explains how West Bend evolved with consumer demand over the decades, expanding into appliances like coffee makers and popcorn poppers, but when appliances started moving overseas in the 80s, they made a critical decision: divest and double down on their core strength, high-quality cookware.

David's vision for the factory of the future isn't lights-out automation, it's highly automated with the people they have today, just doing different jobs. He also shares why manufacturing sustainability isn't just about solar panels and water recycling; it's about corrugated boxes coming from five miles down the road instead of across an ocean.

In this episode, find out:

• How SynergyOps retains institutional knowledge across four generations of employees
• Why David looks for problem solvers who are intuitive and curious during hiring
• David's vision for the factory of the future: highly automated, but still powered by people
• How his background as a customer in the bike industry shapes his approach to contract manufacturing
• The chemistry problem the cookware industry is trying to solve around PFAS-free non-stick coatings
• Why tariffs and COVID got manufacturers seriously rethinking single-source supply chains
• How partnering with Moraine Park Technical College helps build the next generation of skilled craftspeople
• Why Synergy Ops brings retirees back to lead tours and train new hires

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “As organizations, we’re always looking to expand or go to our adjacencies to try and grow our market. Sometimes it’s important to focus on your core and what you’re really good at. Go all in on that and penetrate the market that way.”
• “The factory of the future for us is highly automated with the people we have today, who are able to solve problems and make an impact every day, but they may just be doing a different job.” 
• “We never talk about the sustainability of manufacturing in the US. People often think about it in terms of water, air and gas, but sustainability can also mean cutting down on air, freight or ocean travel time too.”

Links & mentions:

• SynergyOps, a contract manufacturer and private label partner with over a century of manufacturing history in West Bend, Wisconsin, specializing in cladded stainless steel and cast aluminum cookware for established and emerging brands.
• Moxa, delivering the reliable and secure connectivity foundation that advanced analytics and AI depend on, with solutions in edge connectivity, industrial computing, and network infrastructure.  

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

This episode was recorded live at WCTC's Applied AI Lab, featuring a roundtable with Dr Barnhouse, Amanda Payne from the Waukesha County Business Alliance, Guido Mazza from ITER IDEA, and Caleb Bryant, a student pivoting into AI after 20 years in lending. The panel explores how small manufacturers are practically applying AI today, from eliminating scheduling headaches to streamlining quoting and contracts.

Guido shares how one plastic manufacturer eliminated internal conflict by letting an algorithm handle shift scheduling across dozens of constraints, while Amanda reveals that 50% of Waukesha County businesses are already adopting or strategizing around AI; and over 90% of them have 50 or fewer employees. Caleb delivers one of the episode’s sharpest lines: AI doesn’t steal jobs, it steals tasks.

In this episode, find out:

• Why even free ice cream for life won't get buy-in, but removing a universal pain point will
• How a plastic manufacturer used AI to manage dozens of scheduling constraints and avoid internal conflict
• The three common reactions people have to AI and why two of them stem from the same root cause
• What Dr. Barnhouse warns about AI early-adopters when vetting consultants and programs
• Why the real ROI on some AI projects isn't money saved, but conflict avoided
• Why manufacturers are mostly implementing AI on the office side (quoting, contracts, and legal documents) for now
• The intersection of robotics, humanoids, and quantum computing that's coming faster than most realize

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “Start with the basics. Think about your company’s most repetitive or boring tasks and see if there’s an AI solution that could be applicable. Then, you have to differentiate and decide what the benefits are between automation or an AI agent for those tasks.” - Guido Mazza
• “The easiest way to get started is identify a single pain point that everyone in the company can’t stand, something so far down that not even the boss understands how it contributes to the bottom line. If you can mitigate that pain point, your team will understand how AI can help them focus on more important tasks.” - Dr Richard Barnhouse
• “There are usually three reactions to AI. People either embrace it, underestimate it or are intimidated by it. What AI does is breed creativity. And once you understand it a little bit more, you start to see all the different things it can be used for both in industry and your personal life.” - Caleb Bryant

Links & mentions:

• Waukesha County Technical College, one of the region’s leaders in workforce development, offering 170+ programs and customized employer training, including Wisconsin’s first comprehensive AI training and a world-class Applied AI Lab.
• Waukesha County Business Alliance, a long-standing, member-driven organization advancing economic growth and strengthening the business environment in Waukesha County through advocacy, development, engagement, and growth.
• ITER IDEA, delivering affordable and powerful cloud services that help businesses innovate and enhance workflow efficiency through seamless integration with existing technologies.
• Moxa, delivering the reliable and secure connectivity foundation that advanced analytics and AI depend on, with solutions in edge connectivity, industrial computing, and network infrastructure.  
• Industrial Marketing Summit 2026, an annual three-day gathering where manufacturing and industrial marketers connect to share practical insights, learn emerging strategies, and build community with peers facing similar challenges. 

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Brian Heater, Managing Editor at A3 and host of the Automated podcast, joins the show to share what he's learned from candid conversations with industry pioneers like Rodney Brooks and Brad Porter. We discuss why robots don't need to be fully general purpose to be useful, why timing matters when adopting new technology, and why stepping away to return with fresh eyes applies as much to workflows as it does to building anything.

The conversation also explores the human side of automation: exoskeletons helping people become mobile again, prosthetics inspired by a childhood encounter in Pakistan, and wearables being developed for Parkinson's patients. These applications (along with aging in place and caregiver shortages) are what give Brian optimism about where robotics is headed.

In this episode, find out:

• Why most robotics journalism misses the mark and what Brian advises new reporters to avoid
• What Amazon-level scale actually looks like compared to everyone else
• What industry pioneers think about humanoid robots and timing adoption
• How exoskeletons, prosthetics, and Parkinson's solutions are driving real impact
• Why knowing when to step away and return with fresh eyes applies to building anything
• The human stories from Automated that show why this technology matters
• Brian’s optimism about the future of automation

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “I’m hoping that as robotics and automation become a little bit more mainstream, the coverage itself will start to mature. As more journalists enter the field, they’ll hopefully be a little more familiar with the technology.”
• “I’ve written about what success means in scaling a few times. The jump from pilots and assembly onsite takes a lot, not to mention being able to do so reliably and safely. I’ve spoken to a lot of smart people, and it seems as though we may underestimate what it’s going to take to get there.”
• “It comes back to the human element. The end goal of a lot of manufacturing is to make people’s lives easier. People who are actively looking for solutions to problems, whether its climate change or aging in place, there are big problems we’re facing that have potentially good technological solutions.”

Links & mentions:

• Automated with Brian Heater, robotics, AI, and automation are rapidly reshaping the world around us; veteran tech journalist Brian Heater digs into stories behind the technologies with the people who built them.
• Nardwuar, the Human Serviette, a Canadian journalist and musician, well-known for his candid approach to shows and interviews with celebrities and politicians. 

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Jason Gryszkowiec from St. Onge Company and Ben Perlson from ABB Robotics join us to discuss why successful automation deployments focus on making robotics more digestible for everyday workers.

Jason emphasizes that the biggest challenge isn't the technology, it's ensuring supervisors understand both the capabilities and limitations of the systems they're managing, while Ben explores how future developments like AI and voice control could bridge the gap from fixed path programming to more dynamic, adaptive systems.

The conversation covers why skipping change management creates bigger problems than the technology solves. Both Jason and Ben share practical approaches to starting with automation, from modular pilots that validate technology and training needs, to understanding how enterprise operations differ from Mom-and-Pop shops who need more hands-on partner support along their automation journey.

In this episode, find out:

• Why shortcuts during implementation create bigger issues for end users
• How operators and supervisors are being upskilled and reskilled to manage new types of automation
• The importance of getting high-potential employees involved early as super users
• Why you need a champion at the site who enables automation projects to succeed
• How modular implementations helps validate technology and training needs before roll-out
• The risk management approach to introducing automation without killing operations with downtime
• How ABB Robotics’ four-level project segmentation helps meet customers where they are

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “The biggest hiccup or problem we typically see is a lack of successful change management. What very frequently happens is that shortcuts are taken during the implementation process which makes it less digestible for the people that end up using the system day in day out.” - Jason Gryszkowiec
• “When we talk about upskilling and reskilling, it’s about making people more comfortable to work alongside automation and to handle basic troubleshooting and fault correction. There’s still going to be different roles for different skillsets, but it’s about bringing people along the automation journey, rather than throwing them in the deep end.” - Ben Perlson
• “With experimental or new technology, do a pilot. Go out, confirm the concept, bring it in, test it out, and confirm it. This not only gives you a chance to confirm the economic feasibility and validate the technology, but as an organization, you can understand what training and SOPs need to look like before roll-out.” - Jason Gryszkowiec

Links & mentions: 

• The Robotics Group (TRG) are leading manufacturers, integrators, consultants, and component suppliers of robotic solutions designed specifically for warehousing and distribution applications. 
• ABB Robotics, one of the world's leading robotics suppliers offering industrial and collaborative robots, autonomous mobile robots, and intelligent software solutions for industries including automotive, electronics, and logistics.
• St. Onge Company, a world-recognized supply chain strategy and logistics consulting firm.
• Listen to episode 78, “Overcoming Technology Hesitancy with Plus One Robotics CEO Erik Nieves”.

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

In this interview, Aaron Lober - VP of Marketing at CADDi - is going to share what AI can realistically do for a manufacturing company and how to properly prepare for an AI implementation.

We sit down with Charly to explore how first principles thinking (questioning assumptions and getting back to root causes) drives real innovation in manufacturing.

He walks us through Tesla’s early days when they were asking questions nobody in the automotive industry had thought to ask, like whether robots could be programmed to work faster or if there was a better way to design for manufacturing.

The conversation covers what Eclipse looks for in the founders they support, why being scrappy can lead to better manufacturing decisions, and why old manufacturing principles need rethinking as the industry flows in the opposite direction.

In this episode, find out:

• How first principles thinking challenges manufacturing assumptions and unlocks innovation
• Why asking “why not?” opens possibilities that “that’s how it’s always been done” closes off
• The critical relationship between product design and manufacturability that many companies overlook
• What Charly learned about manufacturing during his time at Toyota and Nissan
• Why being capital-constrained can force creativity and focus in manufacturing
• The questions Tesla asked that nobody in automotive had thought to ask before
• What Eclipse Ventures looks for in the founders they back and why that matters for hard tech companies

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “I was ten years into my career when Elon was asking questions that had never been asked in automotive before. By forcing us to think about things from a first principle, we started identifying levers like part consolidation that are now commonplace in manufacturing today.”
• “Most folks design a factory as just what’s inside the shell, but then you end up with over-built systems that don’t speak to each other. If you design it as one product, like how a vehicle would be designed, there are more synergistic opportunities to simplify the utilities and make them complimentary.”
• “Manufacturing until recently has always flowed towards low labor costs and consolidation in pursuit of economies of scale. But now it’s flowing in the other direction, so that means you can’t depend on previous principles and how manufacturing has always been designed.”

Links & mentions:

• Eclipse Ventures, partnering with entrepreneurs boldly transforming the essential industries that define and propel economies. 
• Nexiforge, reindustrializing America with AI-Powered factories for contract manufacturing.

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Eric Spink and Shiva Subramanya from Veregy join the show to talk about energy transition and what it looks like in practice. Energy used to be just another line item and the cost of doing business, now it's tied to resilience, sustainability, and a company's long-term strategy.

One key insight from the conversation was how the equipment on the perimeter of your manufacturing floor (think compressed air systems, boilers, refrigeration, and HVAC) consumes 60-80% of your plant's total energy.

But manufacturers typically don't have expertise in these support utilities, which is why they get overlooked for efficiency opportunities.

We dive into real projects, including a five-plant dairy operation where AI can predict steam demand based on production data. Plus, how performance contracting allows manufacturers to fund these projects using energy savings rather than tying up capital.

In this episode, find out:

• Why energy has evolved from an expense to a strategic priority
• How perimeter equipment consumes 60-80% of plant energy but often receives the least attention
• Why sustainability projects typically compete with production priorities for budget
• How performance contracting uses energy savings to fund improvements without capital investment
• The low-hanging fruit in most plants, such as compressed air leaks, lighting upgrades, and controls optimization
• What happens when you connect production data with utility systems using AI and advanced controls
• Real examples from dairy processing that delivered significant energy savings

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “Traditionally, manufacturing companies have relied on their own capital to implement sustainability projects. But they always compete with productivity goals. With performance contractors, companies can now use the savings from energy reductions and put their capital elsewhere but still implement energy efficiency projects.” - Eric Spink
• “Upgrading control systems by putting in PLC-based controls, and adding instrumentation and metering really allows all these systems to consume a lot less energy. Historically these have yielded very high paybacks, between one and a half and two years in many cases.” - Eric Spink
• “Having a sustainability goal is important, but having a sustainability plan is key. The sustainability plan needs to include how the organization is going to implement it and how it’s going to be funded year-on-year.” - Shiva Subramanya

Links & mentions:

• Veregy, an award-winning decarbonization company providing turnkey engineering and construction services to reduce energy costs through efficiency upgrades, smart building technology, EV infrastructure, and clean energy solutions.
• Skillwork, a premier staffing agency providing skilled industrial technicians on a contract basis to augment facility teams across 30+ states for elevated impact and decreased downtime.
• Fortinet, securing the world's largest enterprises, service providers, and government organizations with broad, integrated, and automated protections across the entire digital attack surface from production floor to cloud.

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

This episode was recorded Oktoberfest-style at RAM Solutions, featuring eight industry leaders discussing what's transforming automotive manufacturing. Mitch Yencha and Scott Hunter share timeless lessons from surviving 2008, while Tanner Boyko and Jim Marlowe highlight the insane amount of innovation happening right now, from the safest cars in history to new EV players entering the space.

Paul Otto and Andy Johnson reveal how AI is finally unlocking value from terabytes of welding data generated daily, while John Macdonald and Markus Weckbach from STÄUBLI explain why you need proactive planning with Plans B and C ready. They also cover why technologies like AMRs, AGVs, and gigacasting have finally crossed the adoption threshold.

In this episode, find out:

• How team culture and customer empathy helped manufacturers survive 2008
• Why automotive has been having the supply chain conversation since Henry Ford's assembly line days
• How AI is analyzing terabytes of welding data daily to optimize quality
• Why cobots, camera programming, and automated forklifts are creating new job opportunities
• What gigacasting is and how it's eliminating spot welding by casting car bodies in 3-5 components
• Why trade roles like maintenance and electricians are seeing a resurgence
• The proactive vs. reactive approach needed when running hundreds of jobs per hour
• How RAM Solutions trains hands-on with STÄUBLI equipment to fully support customers

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “You have unbelievable technology coming into the automotive industry. It might be perceived as stagnant but that’s just not true. There’s a wide range of opportunities for anybody with any type of background to participate in this space.” – Scott Hunter
• “We talk about AI, but you still have to know the basics and know how to work with your hands. You need to know how to weld or operate a robot. You need to know the core foundation principles before you can take the next step.” – Paul Otto
• “We’ve always had a ton of automative data but the next step has been how to get it into a format so data scientists can use it and draw conclusions from it. Now the number crunchers can use AI tools to drive decision making on the manufacturing’s floor.” – Andy Johnson

Links & mentions:

• RAM Solutions, LLC, providing specialized automation solutions and 24/7 technical support across North America, with expertise in robotic tool changers, collision sensors, pneumatic systems, and overhead lifting equipment.
• STÄUBLI, a global mechatronic solution provider delivering robotics, electrical connectors, fluid connectors, and textile solutions across nearly every industry with long-term support in 28 countries.
• G.E Schmidt, a global leader in resistance welding solutions providing complete spot, seam, and projection welding systems with proprietary technologies for automotive and industrial manufacturers across the U.S., U.K., and Mexico.
• Moxa, delivering the reliable and secure connectivity foundation that advanced analytics and AI depend on, with solutions in edge connectivity, industrial computing, and network infrastructure 

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Keith Hutchens from Barry-Wehmiller Design Group joins us to discuss how data centers are driving manufacturing activity across the entire supply chain. He compares this moment to building railroads in the 1800s or the oil boom of the 1970s and how we're witnessing transformative infrastructure that's reshaping American industry.

The conversation covers why "mission critical" means something different in data centers, with downtime costing millions per hour. Keith explains how modularity is revolutionizing construction timelines, why industrial controls are replacing commercial systems, and how different data center builders each have varying priorities when it comes to speed, cost, and density.

Keith also shares BW Design Group's approach to managing massive site teams and their philosophy of "truly human leadership” which has informed how they develop leaders, prevent burnout, and foster collaboration, even with former competitors.

In this episode, find out:

• Why data center growth is creating supply chain strain across all manufacturing sectors
• How modularity enables building before location selection and faster deployment
• The differences between colocation, startup, and hyperscaler data center priorities
• Why industrial PLCs are replacing commercial DDC controls in mission-critical applications
• How the Barry-Wehmiller Design Group manages 70-person teams on single sites
• The shift from competition to collaboration in tackling massive projects
• Why leadership development needs the same rigor as engineering training

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going! 

Tweetable Quotes:

• “I consider it almost like building railroads in the 1800s or the oil boom in the 1970s. This is the next transformative infrastructure that's coming to America.”
• “Mission critical definition is [how] downtime is not an option. Losses can be millions of dollars per hour or just result in, major safety concerns.”
• “Don’t fear collaboration, even with people you thought were traditional competitors. It’s such a different market that there really is room for everyone and you should be ready to open your mindset to that.”

Links & mentions:

• Connect with Keith Hutchens, Partner at Barry-Wehmiller Design Group: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kthutchens/
• BW Design Group, partners with manufacturing and technology companies in the food and beverage, life-sciences, advanced-technology, and industrial sectors, delivering fully-integrated strategy, architecture, engineering, construction and system-integration services: https://www.bwdesigngroup.com/

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Patti started her career in accounting but quickly found her passion in IT and software, where she discovered a talent for turning complex technology into real business results. That blend of business acumen and tech know-how eventually led her to launch multiple successful companies - all at the age of 50.  

Through it all, Patti’s built her career on empathy, mentorship, and level-headed leadership. Whether she’s guiding a client through digital transformation or helping the next generation of women find their voice in manufacturing, Patti shares her advice on how to handle any situation with equal parts confidence, compassion, and common sense.

In this episode, find out:

• How the path to entrepreneurship is not a destination but a journey that, in Patti’s case, started a decade before she opened the door to her first business 
• Why starting a business later in life is an advantage
• Why Patti sees ERP as one of the most powerful tools manufacturers can adopt today
• Why mentoring women in the industry matters more now than ever, and why young women need to see other women in leadership positions
• The leadership lessons behind how Patti handles tough conversations
• How the smallest process change can sometimes make the biggest difference on the shop floor

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “You start your business ten years before you open it.”
• “Technology is just a tool no different than a hammer for a carpenter. Used right, it can build your business. Used wrong, it can cost you a lot of anxiety and money.”
• “You can never really give anything away. That anything you give to the community, it will give back to you.”
• “Younger women really need to see older women in a successful position so they know that route exists.”
• “Great leadership is about trust. If you hired someone for their expertise, let them use it.”

Links & mentions: 

• Connect with Patti on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-nowak-mba-pmp-45311511/
• Control+M Solutions, project management, configuration, testing and data conversation assistance for Plex users: https://www.controlm.solutions/
• Plex by Rockwell Automation, the smart manufacturing platform that connects your people, systems, machines, and supply chains: https://plex.rockwellautomation.com/?utm_source=show+notes&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=manufacturing+happy+hour 

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

We talk about why profitability is a decision, how to tell your story through your financials, and what manufacturers can do to attract capital and fuel real growth.

We also discuss opportunities like bonus depreciation and the Made in America initiative, giving manufacturers timely insights they can act on right now.

In this episode, find out:

• Why most manufacturers focus on price and cost but overlook capacity, and how filling unused capacity can unlock new profit.
• How profitability is a decision, not just an outcome, and how daily choices around people, machines, and space shape your results.
• Why you don’t manage financial statements; you manage the shop floor activities that create strong financials.
• How staying financially organized builds lender confidence through accurate books and clear storytelling.
• Why looking inside your business before seeking outside funding can uncover hidden capital in cash flow and working capital.
• How telling a clear, confident financial story helps your company stand out to banks and investors.
• And why when you get the fundamentals right, opportunity finds you. Capital naturally flows to disciplined, efficient manufacturers.

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “It’s not just about having the numbers, it’s about understanding the story behind them.” - Jon Hughes
• “Capital may come just because somebody loves what you’re doing and wants to help you do it for that next expansion.” - Aaron Traut
• “We don’t manage financial statements. We manage activities on the floor that create good financial results.” – Erik Skie 

Links & mentions:

• Connect with Erik Skie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-skie-9599814/
• Connect with Aaron Traut: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-traut-manufacturing-distribution/
• Connect with Jon Hughes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonhughescpa/
• CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen), a professional services firm delivering integrated wealth advisory, digital, audit, tax, outsourcing, and consulting services.
• Made in America (madeinamerica.gov), a U.S. government initiative led by the Office of Management and Budget that supports American manufacturing by promoting domestic production, strengthening supply chains, and ensuring federal investments prioritize U.S.-made goods. 

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty. 

We sit down with them to explore which marketing fundamentals still deliver results and what new tactics manufacturers can't afford to ignore. The core truth hasn't changed: your best content still comes from extracting knowledge from industry experts. But where that content needs to live? That's completely different.

PR is making a comeback, or as Wendy calls it, “the second coming of PR” while Joe shares how manufacturers can build knowledge bases from existing content to feed AI tools the right way.

Both agree that becoming the best resource for your audience beats trying to game the system every time. And with showing up in ChatGPT becoming both more important and more challenging, manufacturers need to think beyond their own websites to build credibility across digital platforms.

In this episode, find out:

• Why the best content still comes from extracting knowledge from industry experts
• Which timeless marketing strategies still deliver results
• The surprising resurgence of PR and why engineers are starting to trust it more than ever
• How showing up in ChatGPT is getting harder, and what actually works
• The patience problem among industrial marketers and why ROI questions after 3 months miss the point
• How manufacturers are successfully using community-driven marketing
• What to look forward to at the Industrial Marketing Summit 2026 and why attendees keep coming back

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “With generative search, they’re placing more value in third-party placements. So it’s still the idea of being a topical authority, but you can’t just do it on your website. You need to be a topical authority in industry publications, Reddit, YouTube, and all these other sources.” - Wendy Covey
• “Whether it’s Google or ChatGPT, they’re trying to display the best information and the most helpful possible information. It’s just getting packaged up differently. And how do you make sure you’re part of what shows up? You build credibility for yourself.” - Joe Sullivan
• “A lot of digital strategies have evolved but are still tried and true. So that’s educating your audience, and publishing content on a regular cadence. Knowing your audience and building a strong value proposition that speaks to their pain points.” - Wendy Covey

Links & mentions:

• Industrial Marketing Summit 2026, an annual three-day gathering where manufacturing and industrial marketers connect to share practical insights, learn emerging strategies, and build community with peers facing similar challenges
• TREW Marketing, partners with B2B technical companies to establish strong marketing foundations, create engaging content strategies, and accelerate growth through research-backed campaigns tailored for engineering audiences
• Gorilla 76, an industrial marketing agency that helps B2B companies in the manufacturing ecosystem grow through outcome-focused marketing programs built specifically for industrial markets 

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Robotics has moved beyond pilots. it’s scaling for real. In this bonus episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, host Chris Luecke sits down with Sanjay Aggarwal, Partner at F-Prime Capital, to explore the State of Robotics from an investor’s perspective.

Sanjay shares where venture capital is flowing in robotics and automation, which technologies are market-ready today, and what’s still on the horizon. He also breaks down what manufacturers can learn from early adopters and what investors look for in robotics founders.

If you want to understand where robotics and manufacturing innovation are headed in 2025 - and why now is the time to act - this conversation is for you.

Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Felipe Sabino Costa, Senior Product Manager for Networking and Cybersecurity at Moxa, joins the show to break down why Operational Technology (OT) security matters more than ever.

Manufacturers need to transmit massive amounts of data for AI and predictive analytics, but they’re working with 15–20-year-old infrastructure that wasn’t built for this.

The good news is, Felipe shares practical frameworks like NIST and IEC 62443 (which he compares to nutrition labels) that help manufacturers build security into their operations.

The key takeaway? There's no silver bullet; it's about building layers of defense and finding the right partners.

In this episode, find out:

• Why OT data has shifted from historical logging to real-time predictive power
• The bandwidth issue hitting intelligent transportation systems and semiconductor manufacturing
• How AI enables attackers to adapt their attacks in real-time
• Why 80-85% of global industry lacks protection
• Felipe's nutrition label analogy for understanding security certifications
• The difference between thinking your air-gapped and actually being air-gapped
• Why defense requires multiple layers of security
• Felipe's outlook on the future of OT networks

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “We used to be air-gapped or isolated. And many of the companies, they still think that they are, but they are not anymore. To be really air-gapped, I shouldn't have any way to send data.”
• “Give and take, 80% of the global industry, including the US, does not have these specific layers of defense. They have some defense, but they have nearly zero protection close to the process itself.”
• “There is no silver bullet. We are seeing this shift right from how we used to do security. A strategy should be way more sophisticated.”

Links & mentions:

• OT Network Security: Investment & Segmentation Strategies, a webinar that addresses the financial and operational risks posed by cyber threats while offering hands-on guidance for OT network security 
• Futureproof Industrial Networks, a website shares how to design and implement a robust, secure, and efficient network infrastructure that can meet the demands of modern industrial environments and optimize operational processes
• Moxa, delivering the reliable and secure connectivity foundation that advanced analytics and AI depend on, with solutions in edge connectivity, industrial computing, and network infrastructure  

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

But today, something incredible is happening in the Steel City again. The same superstructures tower overhead, but below, you’ll find robots solving automation challenges that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago. 

We sit down with Jay Douglass, COO of the ARM Institute, inside the historic Mill 19 facility. The epic building sits beneath a 1,400-foot steel framework that once stored World War II ammunition. Only now, it houses one of our country’s most advanced robotics labs, and it’s all powered by the largest slope solar array in North America. 

This story is personal to Jay, too. We learn that his great uncle was the first head of workforce at the steel company that operated on this exact site back in 1883. Four generations later, Jay's tackling a problem as old as time: how do you help American manufacturers scale and stay competitive? 

In this episode, find out: 

• How 450+ Pittsburgh companies are working together instead of against each other 
• The truth behind America's manufacturing dependence (and why we'd be lost buying only US-made products) 
• Why robotics seems like building the "Starship Enterprise" to small manufacturers, and the practical solutions that overcome this 
• A compelling family story spanning 140 years at the same industrial site, from steel workforce supervisor to robotics leader 
• How proper robotics risk assessments save expensive automation mistakes later down the line 
• His formula for the future of domestic manufacturing: Robots + people = Scalability + skillset 
• The history of the Mill 19 building from 1940, when it was constructed, to now 

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going! 

Tweetable Quotes:  

• “We created the industrial world 130 years ago, and now we're really pushing the robotics industry.” - Jay Douglass 
• “We're not going to buy you a robot. We're gonna help you make a better decision.” - Jay Douglass 
• “Another thing about small businesses; if they're not focused on cost, quality, and time to market, by definition they're going out of business.” - Jay Douglass 

Links & mentions:  

• Connect with Jay Douglass, Chief Operating Officer, ARM Institute on LinkedIn. 
• ARM Institute operates as America's manufacturing robotics consortium, where 450+ companies from start-ups to Fortune 500 giants collaborate on automation projects. 

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty. 

In this episode, we sit down with Cassy Gardner and Chris Schleich from E Tech Group over virtual Pellegrinos to unpack a real-world case study. They were called in to revive a mothballed solar facility where the owners had accidentally destroyed critical automation infrastructure during demolition. Cut wiring, severed connections, damaged systems... all the stuff they didn't realize was essential until it was gone. 

The two walk us through everything from why Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) studies matter (even when you're racing against the clock) to how “humble confidence” became their project philosophy. You'll hear about oversized electrical panels, “pit bull” project managers, and why sometimes the best sales strategy is just showing up when you say you will. 

In this episode, find out: 

• Why automation often becomes an afterthought in capital projects, and the surprising impact that has 
• How automation may be a small slice of the spend, but determines how the plant runs 
• The most common pitfall manufacturers face when it comes to automation planning 
• What a FEED study is, and why it's essential in fast-paced projects 
• How "humble confidence" and "tenacious politeness" became guiding principles for E Tech 
• What happens when demolition destroys critical wiring and IO connections and how a hazardous monitoring partner failed mid-project 
• Lessons any manufacturer can apply whether that's running a project with 45 people or just five 

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going! 

Tweetable Quotes: 

• “Typically, in a large capital project, the automation budget is around 10%. But it's a really critical 10% that you need to invest to have the manufacturing work the way you want to work.” – Cassy Gardner  
• “Automation relative to mechanical, electrical process, etc. has an outsized impact.”– Chris Schleich  
• “Always start earlier than you think you need to start. If you can engage a partner who is an expert in automation, you will set yourself up for a foundation of success.” – Cassy Gardner  

Links & mentions: 

• E Tech Group, one of the largest engineering and systems integration companies in the US, providing automation, control and information systems 

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty. 

In this episode, we hear from Chris Stevens, the SVP & GM of US Automation Business at Siemens Digital Industries. We grab a virtual drink and kick the episode off with an interesting paradox – twenty years ago, the push was to automate humans out of processes. But today, we’re figuring out how to bring them back.

Chris talks about where we’re heading now with AI – from reactive tools to proactive partners with the rise of agentic AI. He talks about how the new and improved era of AI can make adaptive manufacturing a reality – imagine having one line but with multiple configurations.

Digital transformation is a big theme in this episode, but it’s not just about tools and technology. Chris highlights the role of people in the new age of manufacturing too.

In this episode, find out:

• Chris explains the biggest changes since he’s been in the industry and why the focus has moved on from just ‘lean manufacturing’
• A breakdown of what adaptive manufacturing is and how it ties into automation and AI
• How the lines are blurring between IT and manufacturing roles
• How AI could help to bring humans back into the loop – internal and external use cases
• Agentic AI vs. reactive tools like Copilot and how manufacturers can use AI agents in real examples
• The top lightbulb moments around AI and why data contextualization is how we move one step forward as an industry
• Different ways adaptive production methods are changing manufacturing processes
• How adaptive production ties into the trends around reshoring
• Why more manufacturers need to use digital twin technology
• Current digital transformation trends and why it’s not just about the technology

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “The contextualization of data is extremely important. That's where the work's got to happen.”
• “Two decades ago, it was 'how can I take humans out of the loop?' Today it's 'how do I bring humans back in the loop?'”
• “There's a lot of digital transformation projects that fail, and it has nothing to do with the technology. It has everything to do with usability. Making sure that people like it and then how we implement it.”

Links & mentions:

• Siemens Digital Industries, business platform that helps organizations digitally transform using software and hardware like digital twin technology

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

President Joel Reed joins the episode to give real examples and explanations about how a corporate venture studio works. In short, Premier Labs starts with real problems and works backward to create solutions that actually fit.

Finding product-market fit is usually the biggest hump for new product companies to get over. But that’s only an issue if you start with the product first. Premier Labs’ approach starts with the problem first and then builds a solution and a company around that. Joel explains how this pretty much guarantees product-market fit, plus how businesses are already succeeding through Premier Labs. 

In this episode, find out:

• Why Pittsburgh is the capital of robotics in the US
• How Premier Labs is solving startup problems with its corporate venture studio model
• The product-market fit challenge and why the studio model basically eliminates it
• Differences between service vs product-based companies and why Premier Labs decided to stay separate from the robotics company
• Real examples of companies the studio has helped to support and grow
• Why Premier Labs is looking out for operational leaders rather than just tech founders to head up the new companies
• How Pittsburgh has been crucial to Premier’s success
• Joel tells us why he chose Premier Labs for the next stage of his career

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “There's this mentality called break-fix, which is when things break, we'll fix them. But we really can get ahead of that."
• “You get to learn a customer's problem before you actually start designing the solution.”
• “We validate that product-market fit, and then we look for people with credibility with the customers who might have some execution or operational experience to be able to build those companies.” 

Links & mentions:

• Premier Automation, an industry leading engineered solutions company focused on providing best-in-class automation, drive, robotics, electrical control, and more
• Premier Labs, a corporate venture studio that creates purpose-built companies to solve business problems using automation, robotics and artificial intelligence
• The Abbey on Butler Street, a trendy, spacious cafe serving espresso, craft beer and cocktails, plus new American cuisine in Pittsburgh, PA’s Lawrenceville neighborhood

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

To celebrate episode 250, Chris Luecke returns home to St. Louis to meet with some of his early career mentors from Rockwell Automation – now heading up Tri Tech Automation.

Ryan Williams, Director of Innovation and Solution Sales, Adam Ruebsam, President, and Luke Manier, Managing Director, sit down at Urban Chestnut Brewing Company for a trip down memory lane and a look forward to the future of manufacturing.

The hidden factory concept is simple – how do we uncover the untapped potential in our existing resources? We talk about what that looks like for Tri Tech Automation and how they help customers find those new opportunities. Mentorship is a big theme in this conversation, so we discuss the importance of reaching out to the right people, whether you’re new in your career or want to try something different.

Plus, we look at what we can learn from the Savannah Bananas baseball team (believe it or not, we could learn a thing or two from their customer-first approach).

Cheers to 250 episodes and counting!

In this episode, find out:

• We start with the most important question – what beer did everyone pick?
• Ryan, Adam, and Luke introduce themselves and Tri Tech Automation, and Chris reminisces with his mentors from his Rockwell Automation days
• How Tri Tech Automation focuses on helping customers right-size their tech and find new solutions from their existing resources
• What is a hidden factory and how do you unlock more potential from what you already have?
• The most common issues that manufacturers struggle with
• Real stories about what unlocking a hidden factory really looks like
• How Tri Tech Automation is focused on a three-year plan to unlock its own hidden factories within the workforce, tech, and processes 
• How they’ve unlocked potential across two different locations
• What manufacturers can learn from the Savannah Bananas
• Advice for young people getting into the industry and for those already in manufacturing
• Why mentors are the biggest bonus to your manufacturing career

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• "The “hidden factory” represents the untapped potential to do more in their operations with the resources that they have. It represents the invisible inefficiencies and unutilized capacity." - Luke
• "It's business value first and technology second. We have to right-size the technology... but we really need to start with the business outcomes." - Adam
• “Customers know they've got inefficiencies, but they can't quantify it without the data. So it starts with gathering on the front end and then analyzing the low-hanging fruit, where the biggest improvements are.” - Ryan

Links & mentions:

• Tri Tech Automation, a full-service control systems integrator providing R&D, controls design, programming, fabrication, start-up, and commissioning based in St. Louis and Tulsa
• EOS - Entrepreneurial Operating System, a complete set of real-world tools that help entrepreneurs get what they want from their business
• Urban Chestnut Brewing Company, a St. Louis brew pub specializing in German beer and lagers with a variety of beer styles from IPAs to weissbiers

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Recorded live from Hexagon’s 2025 event, we welcomed four friends of Manufacturing Happy Hour, returning to the show to talk about the innovations we were most excited to see at the event. But for the main part of our conversation, we do a mid-year check-in on the industry to hear their thoughts of what we have in store in the future.

Say hello to our panel:

Jim Mayer – Founder of The Manufacturing Connector and Host of the Manufacturing Culture Podcast

Nikki Gonzalez – Director of Business Development at Weintek USA plus Co-Founder and Host of the Automation Ladies podcast

Mike Payne - President & Owner of Hill Manufacturing & Fabrication and Co-Host of MakingChips

Nick Goellner - VP of Sales & Marketing at Hennig, and Co-Host of MakingChips

Tune in to hear about 3D printed body parts, how scientists are turning ocean trash into surfboards, and how new mentor programs are revolutionizing how we train the next generation.

We each take stock of what we’ve been seeing in the industry lately and why uncertainty isn’t dampening our optimism. While investing in new tech is naturally a big part of our conversation, we also widen the topic to investing in ourselves and our teams, highlighting the importance of relationships and staying true to company values.

In this episode, find out:

• The tech that stood out the most to us at Hexagon’s 2025 event
• A mid-year check-in: Jim, Nikki, Mike and Nick share their thoughts on manufacturing in 2025
• Why Jim’s optimistic about the industry and how technology adoption is fueling that
• How Mike’s balancing his optimism with concern over the access to capital challenge
• How manufacturers can weather the storm in uncertain times (some lessons from COVID)
• What it means to invest in yourself as a manufacturer and company leader and why it’s about more than just adopting new tech
• Why you should overlook working on relationships and partnerships in the industry
• Jim explains why we all need to reassess company values and make sure we’re staying true to what we believe in

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “Make sure everybody's looking at the same scoreboard. Train and coach your team to think like a business owner.” - Nick
• “Build the foundation on values and relationships. When one of those numbers changes, you work it out together.” – Nikki
• “The shops that adopt the new technologies will be the ones who really start to expand their capacity and workforce.”- Jim
• “All these solutions that are coming to market, whether it's hardware or software, help to fill that productivity gap. The concern that I have relates back to the current funding crisis with the MEP networks because if those grant dollars are going away, how do we adopt this stuff?” - Mike 

Links & mentions:

• Manufacturing Culture Podcast, hosted by Jim Mayer, this podcast explores the culture of manufacturing with different manufacturing leaders 
• The Manufacturing Connector, connecting manufacturers through training and storytelling, founded by Jim
• Automation Ladies, Nikki’s podcast for women in industrial automation
• Hill Manufacturing & Fabrication, high-precision CNC machining and advanced fabrication services 
• MakingChips, a podcast hosted by Mike and Nick that aims to bridge the gap between the shop floor and the online world
• Hexagon Live, an event bringing visionaries, industry disruptors and technical pros to explore the latest in AI, robotics, and digital twins

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

The Pittsburgh Robotics Network has been a key player in that success, giving individuals, companies, and universities the opportunity to collaborate on projects and business opportunities. Executive Director, Jennifer Apicella, joins us on the podcast to give us a background on Pittsburgh’s industry and to share her take on the commercialization of robotics and automation.

A key theme in this episode is how you don’t have to replicate the success of the big cities. Every place is different, and part of Pittsburgh’s success has been to lean into its unique strengths and industry challenges. In other words, you don’t need your city to become the next Silicon Valley to be successful. 

In this episode, find out:

• A recap of the great bars, restaurants and bowling alleys we explored around Pittsburgh
• Jennifer explains what the Pittsburgh Robotics Network does and how it’s helping to support new technology and industry growth
• Some background on why the Pittsburgh Robotics Network was started and built by the community it now represents
• How the group measures success and why commercialization is key to developing technologies that solve real problems
• How other cities and regions can learn from what Pittsburgh has done without needing to copy the same formula
• The challenges of working in a non-profit in a for-profit industry and how Jennifer balances different priorities
• Jennifer’s advice for becoming a better part of the local technology community
• Why the key to commercialization is about looking beyond the tech and focusing instead on problems
• Plans and predictions for Pittsburgh’s industry in the next five years 

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• "I think it's just really important that you stop being obsessed with the technology... rather than being inspired by the technology, be inspired by the problem that it's solving."
• “Like any kind of industrial revolution, this is going to be largely highly disruptive to all humans. Society is going to change. People are going to change, businesses are going to change. Are you on the right side of that change?”
• “Commercialization is key. The world is sitting by waiting to see what robotics and autonomy look like at scale. How do you take something and not need it to be custom-built?”

Links & mentions:

• Pittsburgh Robotics Network, a community that connects more than 125 advanced technology companies across multiple industries
• Industrial Solutions Network, an interconnected group of manufacturing technology companies working on a common mission
• Grapperia Pittsburgh, a cocktail bar with a huge selection of speciality cocktails, grappa and amari
• Umami Izakaya, a Japanese restaurant and bar serving modern Asian cuisine in Pittsburgh
• Arsenal Bowl, originally Arsenal Lanes, this bowling alley combines unique décor with live music and bowling

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Well, it’s a little more complicated than simply getting them on a production line. If we want robots to make an appearance not just in the manufacturing space, but also in healthcare, construction, public spaces, and even at home, there’s a whole lot more work to do.

In this episode, we bring you a two-part conversation, recorded live at the Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston. First up, Aaron Prather, Director of Robotics & Autonomous Systems Program at ASTM, sits down with Jake Hall, the Manufacturing Millennial, to talk about the number one important thing shaping robotics – safety standards. We talk about how safety standards have a long way to go and will need to look a bit different in different industries.

Next, we speak to Spencer Krause, the President and CEO of SKA Robotics, about the best use cases for robots right now and where they could end up in the future. We look at healthcare and hospitals, mining and construction, and break down what will need to happen to increase robotics use and make it a buyer’s market one day.

In this episode, find out:

• Aaron explains his work at ASTM and the importance of pairing standards with new technology
• The biggest hurdles to improving standards for humanoid robots
• Why we’ll need different standards for different scenarios if we want robots in the home, in healthcare, and industry
• The most exciting use cases for humanoids and why there’s still a lot of work to do to make it feasible 
• How interest in robotics is growing, as shown by increased talk outside of technical fields in social science, law, and more
• Spencer explains his work at SKA Robotics and how robotics is evolving
• Where the biggest current use cases for robotics are now
• How robotics is branching out into industries like mining and construction
• What will it take to push robot use in areas like healthcare from the current 3% in the US
• Why safety, use, and productivity are the keys to making robotics a buyer’s market

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “More people will embrace the idea of robotics and look for those solutions, and ultimately that's what we need. We need more problem solvers at the table because not all of these are technical.” – Aaron Prather
• “In the last five years, what we've been able to see with the ability to run perception on the edge and some of these AI algorithms has been incredible.” – Spencer Krause
• ”We're going to see more and more different types of niche surgical robots coming out in the hospital logistics space. That's a market that's only penetrated 3% of hospitals so far in the US. I think we'll see more of that.” – Spencer Krause

Links & mentions:

• Robotics Summit & Expo, robotics convention that brings together over 5,000 developers focused on building robots for various industries including aerospace, defense, healthcare, and logistics
• SKA Robotics, robotics hardware, software, and systems engineering developer
• MassRobotics, the largest independent robotics hub representing entrepreneurs and innovators around the world
• Tatum Robotics, a robotic system that translates English into tactile fingerspelling for great accessibility
• LiftLabs, fast and user-friendly ropeless gear for local lobstermen
• Nexterity, faster, safer, and better flange bolting
• P!ng, a fast drive-through experience powered by automation and AI
• Haystack, cost-effective and accurate soil carbon measurement
• Redifine Surgery, surgical training with AI and immersive 3D technology
• Revolute Robotics, autonomous ground and aerial robots for challenging environments  
• ReviMo, smart devices to help people with limited mobility
• ASTM, Advancing Standards Transforming Markets – one of the world’s largest standards creating organizations

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

The key, as you’ll hear in this episode, isn’t to keep looking back at the past. It’s to use the tools and resources we have today with a healthy dose of industry collaboration.

Joining this episode is Chris Nolte, Co-Founder of Bloom, an operations-as-a-service platform created in Detroit to help companies build, ship, and service products through a vetted network of service partners. You’ll hear a bit about Chris’ unique story as an Iraq war veteran who originally started in the business of selling electric bikes. But he noticed, as we all saw during COVID, that global supply chains are more delicate than we imagined. And that’s why reshoring and reindustrialization in the US is gaining more traction.

Chris shares his thoughts on how the US can accelerate manufacturing by saying “yes” more often, taking advantage of new technology, and collaborating across industries. You’ll also hear about how Detroit’s industrial background is making a comeback and even drawing in talent from the coasts to bolster American manufacturing.

In this episode, find out:

• A little history lesson of Detroit and how reindustrialization has revitalized the area
• How COVID changed the public’s perception of global supply chains and the need for a stronger industry in the US
• Why Chris co-founded Bloom to help fill in some of the gaps needed for US manufacturers to thrive
• Chris’ take on how “custom at scale” can become more feasible in the US
• How Chris went from serving in the military to starting an e-bike company before starting Bloom
• What’s holding back the US from becoming a manufacturing powerhouse like it was in the past
• What the US can learn from China’s approach to manufacturing and why the US needs to say “yes” more
• The culture change that’s needed and why the next generation of workers is key to making that happen
• Why we need to be open-minded and stop looking back at the past if we want to accelerate reindustrialization
• The secrets behind Detroit’s resurgence in manufacturing and why the Midwest needs to shout out about its successes 

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going! 

Tweetable Quotes:

• “It's amazing that we're doing electric vehicles and solar panels and all these sorts of things, but if we're not making that stuff here, we're really missing the boat. We're missing so much of an opportunity.”
• “Don't get caught up in the past because the ingredients are very different today.”
• “Try to be open-minded because it's a very different world today and what we couldn't do yesterday, we potentially can do today and tomorrow because we have different resources.”

Links & mentions:

• Bloom, an operations-as-a-service platform for hard tech innovators
• Newlab Detroit, a hub with state-of-the-art prototyping equipment, work spaces, and specially pitted pilot sites
• Episode 237 with Dr. John Liu of MIT, Manufacturing Happy Hour episode on how higher education is shaping the future of manufacturing
• Future in the Making, Chris’ YouTube channel
• Reindustrialize, a conference produced by Designing America that took place in July 2025 

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Mark shares his entrepreneurial story – why he began it, how he stays motivated, and some of the best lessons he’s picked up over the years. One of the top points he makes in this episode is to be problem-focused, not solutions-focused. When building tech solutions, it’s easy to get lost in the tech itself and lose sight of the real problems you want it to solve. But to make anything commercially viable, especially something as “new” as robotics, it needs to solve real problems.

Mark also sings the praises of Pittsburgh, which he says is one of the best cities for robotics innovation today. He’s seen the city decline and grow over the years into what’s now a college town that’s thriving in the tech space.

In this episode, find out:

• Mark shares what he’s been up to recently, after seeing Bloomfield Robotics acquired by Kubota Corporation
• The challenge of living with uncertainty as an entrepreneur and the story that inspired him to embrace fear
• Why entrepreneurship is like climbing Mount Everest in that you should look in front of you, not at the summit
• Mark’s secret to enjoying the journey of entrepreneurship and the moment he decided he wanted to do this for the rest of his life
• Why AI and robotics are perfect for the “big and boring” problems in our lives
• Why we might need a Henry Ford-style revolution to take robotics to the next level
• How Pittsburgh is growing in the tech and robotics space
• Why asking if someone wants to buy your solution is the wrong question for an entrepreneur to ask

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “Where technology, particularly AI, can make a difference is in the big and boring problems. The places where nobody thinks to take an advanced technology."
• “Go where everyone else isn't with advanced solutions and make sure the problem's big enough where you can make a difference.  
• “If you’re frozen with fear because you're worried about the failure of the company, or your personal failure and the humiliation that that might bring, you're not going to make good decisions. You're gonna fail. It's like playing not to lose in sports. Entrepreneurship’s all offense, no defense.”

Links & mentions:

• Mark DeSantis, his bio is stacked
• Bloomfield Robotics, combining plant-level imaging and deep learning to assess the health and performance of every plant, at any scale continuously
• Kubota, manufacturing and assembling Kubota lawn tractors
• Pittsburgh Robotics Network, facilitating commercial business growth and economic development opportunities for the Greater Pittsburgh region's robotics, autonomy, and AI cluster
• Watch this episode on YouTube

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Europe’s biggest AI and automation event is a must-visit if you can get over there. But if not, this episode has you covered.

Between event talks, demos, and trips to the beer garden, we met some amazing people behind robotics and AI companies in Germany and beyond. Chris Luecke and Jake Hall (The Manufacturing Millennial) speak to company founders, innovators, and robotics pioneers, including:

• Wendy Tan White, CEO, Intrinsic
• Dayana Ramirez Gutierrez, Chief of Innovation, TUM
• Nicole Ebner, Head of Robotics/AI Startup Incubator, TUM
• Dr. Martina Kohlhuber, Scientific Director TUM Campus
• Alwin Heerklotz, CEO, Innok Robotics
• Nikolas Roessler, CCO/CFO, Innok Robotics
• Dr. Christian Liedtke, Principal Consultant, KUKA
• Patrick Schwarzkopf, Managing Director, VDMA

You’ll hear what makes Germany, specifically Bavaria, a rising star in robotics innovation, how AI is powering robotics’ evolution (and vice versa), and how European businesses approach innovation.

 In this episode, find out:

• Wendy gives us background on Intrinsic and explains what AI adds to robotics’ potential today
• Why we’re at an inflection point with AI and robotics and the top trends that are driving the demand
• Why hardware and software are both equally important and why we need to think about the physical world as much as the digital
• The importance of hybrid skills and how a “confluence of knowledge” will drive more creativity and breakthroughs in tech  
• What we can learn about the innovation ecosystem in Munich
• How we can empower startups to bring tech from academia into the working world
• Why collaboration is the key thing that the world can learn from Bavaria and German manufacturing
• A background on Innok Robotics and why the founders decided to focus on AMRs in outdoor applications
• Why a niche market focus makes Innok Robotics stand out in their field
• Why growth in new markets depends on the customers’ approach to risk too
• What Germany brings to innovation – smart engineers
• Why AI is the push that robotics needs (and vice versa) so we can start doing more with physical AI
• Why more people should come to Automatica and see the reflection of European entrepreneurship and innovation
• The challenges facing innovative startups in Europe, and why investors should be more open to risk

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “The thing AI can do for traditional robotics is add vision, touch, dexterity in a way we've never been able to provide with sensors before or at least in a cost effective way.” – Wendy Tan White
• “Our customers in Germany are forward-thinking and they take not only the risk but also the pain to start with a product that’s not finished yet. I think that’s been an important part of getting to where we are now.” – Alwin Heerklotz
• “We come from a world that we describe as a deterministic world... now we move into a different paradigm with AI...the robots become skilled, like humans have skills." – Patrick Schwarzkopf

Links & mentions:

• automatica, the world's leading trade fair for smart automation and robotics, automatica brings together all key technologies in the technology hub of Munich
• Intrinsic AI, a platform for the next generation of intelligent automation, making it easier for developers and businesses to unlock the value of robotics
• TUM – Technical University of Munich, a university that brings talent from around the world to create innovations together
• munich_i, a top-level event in AI and robotics, presented at automatica 2025
• UnternehmerTUM, Europe’s largest center for startups and innovation
• robo.innovate, Bavaria’s deep-tech incubator for start-up projects in the field of intelligent robotics & AI
• Innok Robotics, providing an autonomous platform for outdoor applications, including AMRs
• KUKA, German manufacturer of industrial robots and factory automation systems
• VDMA, German Engineering Federation, one of the largest and most important industrial associations in Europe representing 3,600 German and European mechanical and plant engineering companies

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

In this episode, we sit down with the CEO and Co-Founder of Sustainment, a software company that helps manufacturers manage supplier data, sourcing, and procurement in one centralized platform. As someone partnered with NAIA, Bret takes us through what the findings reveal about procurement and supplier challenges, technology adoption, and plans for the future.

In a previous life, Bret was an Army infantry officer and served four tours in Iraq, which taught him a surprising amount about leadership and business. He shares his unique perspective on running a mission-oriented business that aims to support the resurgence of American manufacturing.

In this episode, find out:

• Bret shares a little background on his military career and why he eventually wound up in the technology and defense manufacturing space
• The biggest lessons Bret learned in the military about business leadership, creativity, initiative, and problem-solving
• What led Bret to build Sustainment and how it solves wider problems facing American manufacturers
• Why manufacturing and supplier relationship management is a team sport between procurement, suppliers, supply chains, and manufacturers
• Bret explains why he partnered with the New American Industrial Alliance (NAIA) to help support a community of manufacturers
• Why mid-market manufacturers are the backbone of the industry – plus how the industry is facing a resurgence
• What the early findings of NAIA’s survey reveal and why the workforce may not be the number one challenge we thought it was
• How manufacturing’s success ties into the capacity and availability of materials and equipment, with a story of how COVID affected manufacturing
• What the survey tells us about manufacturing and new technology adoption
• How manufacturing leaders can tell their story and change the general public’s view on what this industry is like today
• What the survey shows about manufacturing’s procurement outlook on tariffs, supply chains, and reshoring
• What manufacturers can do to prepare for the next 20-30 years and the tools they need to succeed

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going! 

Tweetable Quotes:

• "The combat power in American manufacturing is in entrepreneurial, small businesses spread throughout middle America... 70% of manufacturing employees work in the small business segment."
• "Manufacturing in this day and age is a high-tech industry... these are super high- paying jobs, working in high tech that allow you to build a great depth of knowledge and great skills."
• "Manufacturing gets done in a community. Every single OEM relies upon a trusted network of contract manufacturers and suppliers and people that are essential to what they sell to their customers."

Links & mentions:

• Sustainment, an SRM for improving your sourcing and procurement efforts with tools built specifically for managing suppliers within manufacturing
• NAIA, New American Industrial Alliance
• Mid-Market Manufacturers Survey
• Broken Spoke, live music & boot-scootin' in Austin, TX, plus beer & chicken-fried steak since 1964

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Robotics, AMRs, humanoid robots, automation, AI – all of these things are hot topics in manufacturing. But the truth is that these solutions may not always result in the most exciting or sexiest applications. But when they’re eliminating boring, laborious tasks, it’s a huge opportunity across the industry.

For part two of our Automate 2025 special episode, we hear from five incredible people, all from different areas of manufacturing, automation and robotics.

We kick things off with Melonee Wise from Agility Robotics who you may have heard on the show before. She talks about the practical applications of using humanoid robots and where the industry is headed, while also talking through the biggest concern of adopting this new tech – safety.

We kick things off with Melonee Wise from Agility Robotics who you may have heard on the show before. She talks about the practical applications of using humanoid robots and where the industry is headed, while also talking through the biggest concern of adopting this new tech – safety.

Glen Guernsey from JR Automation talks about the biggest changes in warehouse automation today – including the ability to handle random SKU palletization. We chat with Zoie Rittling of OnLogic and Michael Maxey from ZEDEDA, about how right sizing AI at the edge is about eliminating boring work. And finally, Robert Ponsonby from Arduino talks about the interoperability and open-source solutions that drive innovation. All are slightly different takes on automation’s new capabilities but offer truly great insights for anyone working in manufacturing thinking about the future. 

In this episode, find out:

• Melonee talks through Agility Robotics’ humanoid demo and the practical applications of this tech
• Why Agility Robotics focused on bulk material handling at the beginning and takes a tiered approach to complexity  
• Why robots performing individual tasks isn’t what’s important – it’s how this connects to other systems and solves overall problems
• Where the humanoid market is likely headed compared to AMRs
• What the new safety standard means for humanoid implementation and how we could realistically see cooperatively safe humanoids working alongside humans
• Glen talks about the biggest changes we’re seeing in warehouse automation, including the ability to handle random SKU palletization
• Why the labor shortage will need to be supplemented with automation
• Practical applications of AGVs and AMRs in warehouse operations
• What the warehouse of the future will look like
• Zoie and Michael describe edge architecture and how it applies to managing applications
• How the industry can right-size AI at the edge and how this will look different from using cloud applications
• Why you need to prioritize integration when looking for the best AI partners
• Robert defines interoperability and Arduino’s approach to open-source software
• How interoperability in open source allows for innovation, empowering teams, and rapid deployment

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• "The most innovative thing that's out there has to do with random SKU palletization... up until recently with the advances in AI and advances in vision systems, this was not something that was easily done." – Glen Guernsey
• "We've seen on average for rollouts on projects, a 70% reduction in timeline. Instead of a six-month project, all of a sudden, you guys are done in a month and a half.” Robert Ponsonby
• "The hard part is not actually doing robotics. It's providing a solution that solves a customer problem." Melonee Wise 

Links & mentions:

• Arduino, a leader in open-source hardware and software
• Agility Robotics, a leading manufacturer of humanoid robots and automation solutions
• JR Automation, intelligent automated manufacturing and distribution technology solutions
• OnLogic, industrial computers engineered for IoT edge
• Automate, the biggest automation trade show, this year held in Detroit, Michigan 

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

• Jerry Perez, FANUC America Corporation
• Bernd Raithel, Director Product Management & Marketing, Siemens Factory Automation
• Shawn Donahue and Brian Darling, Raymond Corp
• Ken Crawford, Sr. Director of Automation, Weidmueller

Stay tuned for Part 2 covering the latest trends in warehouse automation, AI at the edge, and more coming out later this week.

We’re in an era of transformation right now, but it’s definitely not the first time the US has gone through this. In fact, we get a little history lesson in this episode from Ted Fertik, VP of Manufacturing & Industrial Policy at BlueGreen Alliance. With a PhD in Economic History, we hear how today's manufacturing challenges mirror our history and what we can learn from it.

As we look to the future, Ted talks about today’s greater demands on the electrical grid but also why a low carbon economy and electrification are the future. Ted gives us a breakdown on the work that BlueGreen Alliance is doing to make manufacturing more sustainable and attractive to fresh talent and investors.

In this episode, find out:

• Ted shares his background as a PhD grad in Economic History with a focus on industry
• Some stories from industrial history that inspired Ted to build a career, including the history of Brazil and the UK’s industries
• How industrial strategy has been successfully rolled out in other countries in the past
• What the BlueGreen Alliance does to help build a low carbon economy and a stronger industry
• Why focusing on investment into transformation benefits everyone, not just the economy
• The connection between sustainability and productivity and why they benefit each other and workers
• Why manufacturing is such a critical part of a healthy modern economy, especially in the US
• What a low carbon future could look like and why we can’t overlook the effect on the demand for electricity
• How manufacturing and industry can attract talent and the role of trade unions
• How to attract investment to a capital-intensive industry and the role of the public sector in making it economically viable
• Why we need to make sure that the benefits of careers and investment in manufacturing are widely felt across the population

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• "We need the benefits of the manufacturing economy to be really widely felt. And we need them to be real.”
• “There's a powerful link between making things with less carbon and the prospect of huge gains in productivity and in material wellbeing for people.”
• “As we're thinking about building out manufacturing, an affordable, stable, and reliable clean grid is an essential ingredient to a thriving, future-facing manufacturing sector in the US.” 

Links & mentions:

• BlueGreen Alliance, an organization that shapes US industrial policy with a focus on good-paying union jobs and environmental progress 
• St. Arnold’s Mussel Bar, serving an extensive variety of mussels, Belgian beers, waffles, and more in a ground-level, brick-lined space near Dupond Circle in Washington, DC  

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Chris and Jake discuss:

• What makes German manufacturing a global powerhouse in automation and vocational training
• What to expect from Automatica: major exhibitors, international tech showcases, and epic trade show booths
• Why this event is a must-attend for anyone in robotics, smart manufacturing, and industrial automation

Plus, they crack open a special "Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty" IPA, brewed just for the occasion, and share some of their favorite Munich spots to check out between sessions. Whether you're attending the event or watching from afar, this episode sets the stage for one of the year’s most important industrial showcases.

🎥 Don’t forget: Daily video recaps and a full post-show episode will follow!

Recorded live from Automate 2025, we sat down with Alvin Clark, Senior AI Engineer at NVIDIA, to discuss AI agents in manufacturing and how they’re reshaping industrial inspections. We hear about all the different use cases of AI agents, including error detection and understanding the root cause of errors, saving costs, and even supplying training data to patch the gaps in “tribal knowledge” of manufacturing processes.  

You’ll hear real examples of how AI agents have saved costs and reduced errors drastically when monitoring SOPs and how they can provide multimodal maintenance assistance. Alvin also takes us through how NVIDIA’s Metropolis works at helping developers create visual AI agents and why the next few years will see visual AI inspections take off in manufacturing.  

In this episode, find out: 

• Alvin shares his background in the AI space and why he saw potential in AI earlier than most  
• Why 2012 was the real AI boom and how we saw a shift from the algorithm being king to data being king 
• Alvin’s explanation for what an AI agent does in four stages  
• How AI agents are evolving beyond capturing data to providing intelligence in industrial settings 
• How vision inspection can perform not only real time error detection but also real time failure analysis 
• Use cases for AI agents and examples of how Alvin has seen them most successful 
• How AI agents could also address the skills gap and replace the multimodal “tribal knowledge” we’ll lose when people start retiring 
• Alvin breaks down how Metropolis works to help developers build visual AI agents 
• How simulation, training and data transform what AI agents can accomplish 
• Alvin’s perspective on where manufacturers are in their industrial AI journeys 
• The role of systems integrators in leading the AI revolution 
• What the next phase of AI agents will look like   

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going! 

Tweetable Quotes: 

• “Metropolis is a combination of models and tools that are used to build what we call vision analytics. So anytime you're looking at video images and you want to extract information from that, these are the tools that can help you do that.” - Alvin Clark 
• “It's not really the ability to catch the error, it's the ability to, as quickly as possible understand the genesis that caused the error.” - Alvin Clark 
•  ”If I had to kind of describe an AI agent, it is a collection of one or more models that can perceive, reason, and potentially plan and then execute.” - Alvin Clark 

Links & mentions: 

• NVIDIA Metropolis, automating physical spaces and infrastructure with interactive visual AI agents and services 
• AlexNet, a convolutional neural network architecture developed for image classification tasks, like identifying a cat 

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Spot AI uses cameras and AI agents to spot safety issues, send alerts, and collect data that can improve safety training in the future. Yes, a human could do all that. But who wants to spend 8 hours a day reviewing footage? In this episode, Dunchadhn Lyons, Director of Engineering, shares a real-world example of a safety manager freeing up time and reducing safety incidents by 40%.   

He joins us at Batch Brewing for our Automate afterparty, along with this episode’s co-host, Jake Hall, aka The Manufacturing Millennial.  

We explore how AI agents are transforming ordinary security cameras into intelligent safety monitors that can spot forklift near-misses, missing PPE, and operational bottlenecks before they become costly problems. Plus, we chat about how these "AI teammates" can capture and preserve the invaluable knowledge of experienced workers before they retire – addressing one of manufacturing's biggest challenges. Tune in for the full story and don’t forget to subscribe! 

In this episode, find out: 

• Dunchadhn breaks down the basics of what an AI agent in manufacturing is and how they’re designed to make our lives easier 
• How Spot AI uses cameras as “AI teammates” to monitor for potential safety issues and use data for training   
• How an AI agent could be used to fill in the gaps in knowledge after people start retiring in manufacturing  
• Where Dunchadhn sees the future of AI agents headed and how Spot AI could expand beyond using cameras  
• The best use cases for AI agents and Spot AI’s solution in manufacturing  
• Dunchadhn shares an example of one workplace where they achieved a 40% reduction in safety issues  
• How manufacturers can get started with improving safety with AI and why adopting Spot AI’s solution is simpler than you might think 
• How to get buy-in from a team to use cameras for safety monitoring  
• How Spot AI can also help businesses make operational improvements, with one example of a company avoiding millions in lost revenue 
• Where can AI agents go in the future? Dunchadhn shares his predictions for the future of AI agents in manufacturing 
• The best way to get more people onboard with AI agents  

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going! 

Tweetable Quotes: 

• "A 40% reduction in safety incidents means that people are safer. It means you can go to work, get your job done, and you can go to your family without having a fear of ending up in the hospital for a couple of weeks."
•  "AI agents can serve as training mechanisms for other new human employees so that tribal knowledge is not lost."
• "These AI teammates are really about supporting humans, making humans safer, making humans more efficient, and augmenting human abilities. There's definitely no notion of replacement or monitoring." 

Links & mentions: 

• Spot AI, video AI agents for the physical world 
• Batch Brewing, brewery and restaurant located in Corktown, Detroit, MI
• The Manufacturing Millennial, Jake Hall’s website 

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Joining this episode is Anthony Leo, President of IPR Robotics, a robotics automation company, to explain how a customer advisory board became invaluable for uncovering exactly what customers need – before they even built the product. You’ll also hear Mandy Dwight, Founder of Dwight & Company, a marketing and sales company that works with automation companies to tell and sell their story to customers. 

While they come from different areas of the sales cycle, both Mandy and Anthony share great insights into how products are transformed from ideas to implemented solutions. We hear about how to avoid customer prevention and friction in the sales cycle, how larger companies can act like startups, and the secrets to selling based on value, not just technical specs.  

In this episode, find out: 

• We talk about all the important food places and bars in the Boston and Detroit areas our guests come from   
• How Anthony and Mandy first met and decided to start working together 
• Why companies need to fully support those in R&D to drive product innovation  
• How IPR’s Sawyer robot brought something new to the market at the time as a two-armed humanoid robot  
• The different strengths that Mandy and Anthony bring to the manufacturing and product innovation space   
• The top lessons they’ve learned from their previous experiences in the industry that they still use in their roles today  
• Why the most important lesson Mandy learned as a marketing business founder is to listen to customers  
• The importance of telling a company’s value story and selling beyond the tech spec sheets  
• Why all stakeholders in the sales cycle need to understand the value story and how that can look different for each one  
• Why Anthony built an advisory board of customers to get feedback and insights before starting development 
• How large companies can use startup style tactics to fast-track product innovation 
• What a “customer prevention team” does to remove friction from the buying process  
• Why you sometimes need to build an ecosystem of partners to reduce friction  
• The secrets to a great product innovation team and why silos in a company should be avoided 
• Mandy explains more about what IPR Robotics does from her perspective as a marketer 

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going! 

Tweetable Quotes: 

• "Instead of burning a bunch of cash trying to go through development, let's go find three to five customers that we think fit in the wheelhouse of the problem we think we found and ask them if they wouldn't mind being involved in the development of the product." – Anthony 
• "A lot of founders tell the technical story... But a customer wants to hear value. How is this automation going to show up in my facility and really be a game changer." – Mandy 
• "People buy from people at the end of the day. Some people are willing to spend more money with people they trust and solve problems... compared to saving 10, 20% and dealing with headaches the whole way through." – Anthony

Links & mentions: 

• IPR Robotics, robotics solutions provider of peripheries, robot grippers, RTUs and more 
• Dwight & Company, sales and marketing company for automation innovators and industry 
• Detroit “Coney Wars,” decide whether you prefer Lafayette Coney Island or American Coney Island, and don’t miss Mudgie’s Deli while you’re in The D. 
• Beantown Pub, classic American pub based on the famous Freedom Trail in downtown Boston 

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Recorded at Trillium Brewing in Boston, we sit down with Adi Dalvi, the VP of Sales at OSARO, a company that specializes in robot piece-picking and machine learning solutions to automate warehouse tasks. With minimal marketing in the early days, OSARO managed to grow and scale operations to deliver holistic systems to solve real warehouse challenges. 

The secret? Rather than rushing technology and products to market and hoping someone bites, OSARO spent years perfecting products before deploying. We hear about how its founders, with backgrounds in industry, achieved calculated growth and targeted the right customers from the beginning.

Adi shares his view on the four types of people you need on your startup team, how OSARO set 3-step criteria for finding the right customers, and Adi’s approach to getting great case studies from customers.

In this episode, find out:

• Adi gives a breakdown of what OSARO does – developing vision software and machine learning to integrate with articulating arm robots in the warehouse
• What “calculated growth” means at OSARO and the importance of taking the time to develop products before deploying
• Why Adi wouldn’t describe OSARO as a startup anymore and instead a company in early-stage growth
• Why companies shouldn’t rush to get products out when they’re still in the research project stage
• The benefits of having founders come from industry
• The three-step criteria OSARO used to pick the right customers in the beginning
• How startups can extend their runway and keep investors updated with the progress
• Adi’s method for getting customer case studies in the early negotiation stages with customers
• What four types of founder backgrounds bring to a startup and why you benefit from having them all
• How OSARO managed to achieve growth without marketing in the early days by focusing on perfecting the product
• Adi’s advice for startups just trying to get early customers so they can grow and scale successfully
• The best part about running this podcast and how things have changed since going down the entrepreneur route

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• "Really testing your product, making sure it's robust with actual products that you're going to pick is very important as you move from very early company to somebody that can scale."
• "They wanted to have a deployable product before they actually deployed to a customer site... You don't want to deploy a research project into your customers’ warehouses where they're actually fulfilling orders for their customers."
• "What [someone with a VC background] brings is they’ve seen a lot of competing technologies and understand what those technologies are doing well and what they're not doing well."

Links & mentions:

• OSARO, manufacturer of robot piece-picking and machine learning solutions to automate warehouse tasks
• Adi’s Pittsburgh brewery crawl, including Grist House, Dancing Gnome, Pittsburgh Brewing Co., and Cinderlands
• Row 34, seafood restaurant found in Boston’s historic Fort Point neighborhood in the renovated Boston Wharf Company’s old warehouse
• Trillium Brewing, brewing company operating across multiple locations around New England
• Joe Fenti, Boston-based standup comedian

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

We’re joined by the Principal Investigator of MIT’s LEAP Group (Learning Engineering and Practice), Dr. John Liu. As someone deeply involved in building much-needed programs, including the MicroMasters and TechAMP, we asked for his take on manufacturing today, what we can learn from history, and higher ed’s role in revitalizing the industry.

We also talk about the hot topic of globalization and offshoring and what research says about the impact on the U.S. as an innovator economy.

In this episode, find out:

• An introduction to LEAP Group and Dr. John’s role in researching and leading programs to help the future of manufacturing leaders
• How John’s career pivoted to the manufacturing side of tech
• What people should know about MIT’s history in manufacturing, including innovative practices and technologies we still use today
• What can we learn from history that applies to manufacturing in today’s AI-driven world?
• The impact of globalization and the conclusions that an MIT report came to about its impact on an innovator economy
• How manufacturing has changed since the report was published and what John would add that’s relevant today
• What is MIT doing to help educate and drive innovation across manufacturing and tech
• Dr. John explains his involvement in the MicroMasters program as its founder
• The four principles of manufacturing that remain universal and timeless
• How MIT’s programs differ from trade or regular tech schools
• How the TechAMP program differs from MicroMasters as a program for professionals already in the industry
• Dr. John gives an overview of MIT’s collaborations with the DoD and Manufacturing USA
• The important role that higher ed plays in reindustrialization

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• "If we just continue to set up walls, we'll never learn and innovate. And so how do we, instead of setting up walls, reach across walls and learn from all the innovation that's happening?"
• "We lose our ability to innovate if we produce elsewhere. Why? Because when you actually are forced to go from prototype to make a lot of these things, the design changes in all these sorts of ways... That's a whole type of innovation that is not as celebrated in our country today."
• "No matter what age, what company, you always have to be able to control four things: manufacturing processes, manufacturing systems, the supply, the people and finances. Always these four."

Links & mentions:

• The Machine That Changed the World, a book written by MIT professors about finding success in automotive manufacturing, which led to the popularity of lean manufacturing
• Making in America: From Innovation to Market, a book written by MIT scientists, engineers and social scientists about rebuilding the industrial landscape in the U.S.
• TechAMP, a 12-month program at MIT LEAP Group to bridge the gap between technicians and engineers
• MITx MicroMasters, a program to accelerate your Master’s degree at MIT
• 165: Unlocking the Full Potential of Frontline Operations, Lean Manufacturing, and Industry 4.0 with Natan Linder, a previous episode with Natan Linder of Tulip Interfaces
• Miracle of Science Bar + Grill - Cambridge, situated next to MIT is a longtime local favorite known for its laid-back vibe, standout burgers, and rotating selection of craft beers

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Jason T. Ray, Co-Founder and CEO of Paperless Parts, is a regular on Manufacturing Happy Hour, so we compare some of the insights he made when he was last on the show to what he’s seeing in the industry today.

One of the big ones was on the skills gap – or “leadership gap” as Jason calls it. The good news is that this seems to be closing, with more manufacturing leaders taking advantage of the vast amounts of information and industry insights out there in the form of articles and podcasts. We hear Jason’s approach to great leadership in manufacturing and the positive changes he’s seen in the industry lately.

We also chat about scaling effectively, complying with CMMC, and how to avoid getting lost in the AI hype cycle.

In this episode, find out:

• The four pillars that are leading Paperless Parts to greatness and successful expansion
• Why the leadership gap (which Jason said last time was responsible for the skills gap) seems to be closing
• Positive changes Jason’s seeing when it comes to preparing younger professionals for leadership positions
• How to navigate through uncertain times and the important lesson he learned in the Navy that he still uses today
• The power of decisive leadership and what happens when leaders are overly cautious
• The leading indicators in the industry that Jason watches closely to help him make great long-term decisions
• The gap between data and information and why data alone is not enough to make good decisions
• How small to medium manufacturers can win government contracts and become CMMC compliant
• The common mistake shop leaders make about AI and why leaders should start with the low-hanging fruit that we know AI is great for
• The easiest ways to scale in today’s market and how to get your team onboard with a growth mindset
• Jason’s thoughts on the opportunities of reshoring and why we need to meet the right balance between global collaboration without dependence
• Jason talks about the Cutting Through the Noise videos series and why he aims to highlight the truly important insights in the industry for busy manufacturing leaders

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “I think they're putting young people in their organizations in positions of responsibility. I think more and more they're realizing that these young professionals are ready to take on that responsibility and those folks are bringing new ideas in.”
• “I think it is such an important understanding of what the right level of global collaboration is where you have not fallen into dependence.”
• “When you're leading through a period of uncertainty that tends to lead folks to indecision. And that can waste a lot of people's time and shatter your team's confidence in your ability as a leader. The folks that are most successful at leading through a crisis lead with very decisive action.”

Links & mentions:

• Paperless Parts, quoting software for manufacturers to help part manufacturers streamline the quoting process
• Cutting Through the Noise, a new video series run by Jason that gets straight to the point on manufacturing trends
• The Tip Tap Room, Boston pub that serves a wide range of beers and inventive dishes
• NIST 853, Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations, resources for CMMC compliance

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

But that’s exactly what Brandon Fields did. When he was winding down his football career, he found his passion in brewing, starting out with a home brewing kit. He teamed up with his wife Katie and opened up Inside the Five Brewing Co., which has scaled to three locations and 120 team members as a full-service beer manufacturing empire.

Katie and Brandon wear many hats across each area of the manufacturing process – from the crafting itself to the sales side to distribution – even their kids get involved. Today, they run the business with a welcoming, inclusive, family-friendly vibe that keeps loyal beer fans sipping. Hear about their story from NFL to brewing, what it’s like running a small full-service business, their approach to managing talent, and developing their distinct branding. Also learn how beers like “Snap to the Face” and “Big Fat Boss Baby” get their names.

In this episode, find out:

• Brandon gives us the background on his time playing in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins, plus the story behind the beer ‘Snap to the Face’
• What made Brandon decide to move from the NFL world into professional brewing
• The biggest lesson learned from Brandon’s NFL days that he applies to his life now as a small business owner
• How Brandon and Katie learned how to grow and scale a brewing business to three locations and 120 team members
• The most rewarding parts of manufacturing craft beers and experimenting with new beer flavors
• How Brandon and Katie’s kids get involved in the craft brewing life and inspired the names of some of their top beers
• The benefits of being a full-service manufacturer, managing the manufacturing, distribution, and sales
• A reality check on what the transition from NFL to brewing was like for Brandon and what he learned from Katie’s people management approach
• The strategy behind developing Inside the Five’s distinct branding and why it’s about more than just the visuals
• Why it’s important not to force a brand style that doesn’t feel natural
• How Inside the Five’s branding has added to their success by being a welcoming, family-friendly ethos that gets people to stick around for another beer
• Katie’s approach to managing the competition and why it’s key to focus on your own success

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “You have to have that drive, that perfectionist in you to want to constantly do better... But it's that constant, “how can we improve?” Good is not good enough." – Brandon Fields
• “We're beginning to end in terms of product. So if you see it in a bar, our people sold it, made the sales pitch, got it there, gave it to them. So our hands are on it from beginning to end.” – Brandon Fields
• "Figuring out what does branding mean to me? Not just the logo, the slogan, the colors, the font, but what message do you want to send and how do you want people to feel when they're at your location?” – Katie Fields
• "A lot of people ask me about competitors, like when another craft brewery opens. The more the merrier, because our success is not based on what someone else is doing. If we're not successful, it means we need to change something.” – Katie Fields

Links & mentions:

• Inside the Five Brewing Co., a Northwest Ohio full-service brewpub with unique beers inspired by Brandon’s former NFL career

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

For this episode, we posed the question to three guests – Steve Ilmrud, VP of Operations for North America at Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, Jeff Van Horn, Owner & Sr. Project Manager at Industrial Technology Solutions Inc., and Randy Smith, a CNC Programmer & Machinist in the Aerospace and Defense Industries.

We explore the common threads throughout all their careers, paying particular attention to the art of metrology – how we measure things in manufacturing. Without accurate measurement, products wouldn’t make it out the door and manufacturers would be left with a bunch of scrap and route back to square one.

On-the-job training is another big focus of our talk, and we hear why we should prioritize proactive rather than just reactive training, plus how modern tools are shaping both training and production efficiency.

In this episode, find out:

• What is metrology? Jeff, Steve, and Randy give their own definitions in relation to how they’ve used it in their careers
• Why measuring things throughout a fabrication process is critical to reducing waste
• Real examples of how good metrology practice has helped manufacturers build the best products (and what happens when it’s not used)
• Why the right data and statistics are critical for improving reliability
• Leveraging metrology during on-the-job training to be more proactive than reactive to challenges
• How modern tools and technology can help manufacturers be more proactive and productive
• Working smart vs working hard and using the right technology
• The mindset shift that manufacturers need to adopt, both in training and production
• How focusing on the three Ps (people, parts, and process) has helped Steve stay focused and solve challenges
• The common themes that keep Jeff, Steve, and Randy motivated in their careers

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• "You cannot wait to inspect all your parts, especially in the fabrication shops, when they're done. If you don't catch it during the process, it's going to end up in rework." – Jeff Van Horn
• "Regardless of the parts you're making or what you're doing, real-time inspection and feedback are really critical and it can save you a lot of time and time and aggravation." – Randy Smith
• "It comes down to people, parts, and process – the three Ps. Almost any challenge I've had in my career can be addressed through the three Ps." – Steve Ilmrud

Links & mentions:

• Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, empowering makers to innovate and create without limit with solutions support optimization throughout the product lifecycle, specializing in metrology, production, and design & engineering
• Leica Absolute Tracker ATS600, the first ever direct scanning laser tracker that can digitally pinpoint and inspect large parts and surfaces that are simply out of range of traditional handheld 3D laser scanners, touch probes, or reflectors

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Our discussion with Kence is probably one of the most important you’ll hear on the podcast lately. AI has been a big topic for a while now, but we dig further into how it can be applied at an industrial level to help manufacturers and engineers make decisions and solve problems.

We start with Kence’s overview of AI agents, specifically in manufacturing, and talk about what drew him to this industry. Kence talks about how companies can find a balance between capturing data and also using expertise from your team (and why it’s crucial to do this before they start retiring!)

In this episode, find out:

• What is an AI agent and how could manufacturers implement them to take action?
• Ways AI agents can take how engineers and manufacturers already use machine learning to the next level
• Kence explains how he first entered the manufacturing world with a mechanical engineering degree and roles in startups
• Why Kence believes that high-value technology needs methodology combined with a platform to enable widespread adoption
• 3 reasons why AI in manufacturing has always fascinated Kence
• Why AI agents need to be taught specific information and why this enhances rather than restricts how they work
• The importance of collecting data but also interviewing experts in your team to gain their unique knowledge
• Kence shares an example of how an extruder making Cheetos is way harder than just programming a machine
• How Kence uses simulations to enable AI agents to practice and learn tasks before they’re implemented
• Where does the AI agent live? Kence gives a detailed explanation of how AI agents are stored and communicate with wider internal systems
• Different ways AI agents can not only be taught but also teach others
• The steps manufacturers need to take to start using AI agents and why the first one should be to identify the high-value skills in danger of extinction

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “ The thing that moves the needle is decisions. And so, if you're predicting something, analyzing something, it's only to serve the purpose of making great decisions.”
• “ You can have an AI just look at your data and discover a bunch of stuff that you know Susan and Joe over there could have told you in 15 minutes. So there's this need to capture and codify high-value subject matter expertise, frankly, before it goes extinct.”
• “There's a hundred million engineers out there in an industry that if you empower them with the right tools, they'll innovate and engineer systems the same way as they have everything else.”

Links & mentions:

• Composabl, a platform that combines the power of Composite AI with expertise to design and deploy multi-agent AI systems for industrial environments

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

To put it in more simplified terms - MEPs provide resources to small- and medium-sized manufacturers that allow them to adopt new technology, upskill and train their people, and ultimately create jobs in their area. Every state has one, they go by different names in different states, and it was recently announced that this program was being defunded.

Specifically, funding for 10 state MEP initiatives expired at the end of March, and the government’s controlling agency, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), chose not to renew them. This is a moving target, it could change (as it already has once by extending the deadline to the end of the fiscal year), and quite frankly manufacturers don't know what's going to happen. It hasn't been communicated as to why this cut is taking place, but the reality is right now is there is a concern across the manufacturing community that funding for the entire MEP initiative - across all 50 states - might get cut.

As a result of this action, a number of manufacturing podcasters got together to discuss the situation and actions that you, as manufacturers, can take to have your voices heard and say "This is ridiculous. My MEP has helped my business and community succeed for XYZ reason."

We cannot afford to lose a critical resource like this that so many small- to mid-sized manufacturers rely on. All this an more in today's episode.

For this episode, we hear from two sides of the conversation – from Andy Lonsberry, CEO of Path Robotics, and Nima Gard, the company's Director of AI, along with Nils Root from Drive Capital, a VC firm that operates in the Midwest manufacturing and tech scene.

They join us live from Columbus, Ohio to talk about what makes the region a hot spot for manufacturing innovation, why it’s not the “next Silicon Valley” (and doesn’t have to be), and what companies like Path Robotics are getting right. We also dig into the tech at Path Robotics and where AI fits into the future of new technological developments in the industry.

In this episode, find out:

• Why Columbus is seeing a wave of tech startups and VC interest
• Andy explains why Ohio was the perfect spot to build Path Robotics and how it’s using machine intelligence to specifically solve manufacturing problems
• How manufacturers can successfully decide what to focus on now and in the future
• The technology behind the scenes at Path Robotics and data is the number one biggest focus
• The secrets behind Path Robotics' 3x growth and where data fits into that
• What Andy’s most excited about building at Path Robotics and the importance of practical applications
• How Path Robotics closes the deal cycle faster, works with their CRO and isn’t afraid to disqualify leads
• What can other regions learn from Columbus and why the startup scene is increasingly seen as an exciting opportunity rather than a risk
• The skills gap in manufacturing and how AI will realistically change manufacturing jobs in the future
• How humans and robots can realistically interact, create value and solve problems together

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• ”Everyone still asks, 'when are you going to move to Silicon Valley? When are you going to move to the East Coast?' And the main reason is that the talent is here.” – Andy Lonsberry
• “More great world-class technology businesses will be built outside of Silicon Valley in the next 20 years than will be built inside of Silicon Valley. So Drive is just investing behind that thesis.” – Nils Root
• “One of the hardest things in robotics is data. Data is the bottleneck. The fact that we are not seeing a GPT moment in robotics is because we don't have enough data as we had for text and language.” – Nima Gard

Links & mentions:

• Drive Capital, a Columbus, OH-based VC that’s companies are proving that you can build a world-class technology company anywhere
• Path Robotics, providing precise robotic welding systems. No programmer required. Designed for precision, efficiency, and scalability.
• Makerspace Central is a 501(c)3 non-profit based in Columbus, Ohio, providing innovative STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) workshops for K-12 students in the Columbus greater region. Their culturally-relevant STEM experiences ignite students' curiosity to prepare them for a more tech-focused world, offering K-12 pop-up makerspace workshops and curriculum development consultation.
• Seventh Son Brewing, Columbus, OH-based brewery specializing in IPAs with a bright, rustic tasting room & visiting food trucks

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

When he was seven years old, Aadeel Akhtar met a girl in Pakistan with a missing leg. This kickstarted a fascination with helping people regain control over lost limbs and a decision that pivoted his planned career in medicine to robotics and prosthetics.

Today, he’s the CEO and Founder of PSYONIC, the company behind the world’s first touch-sensing bionic hand. He’s on a mission to make this tech as accessible as possible, and we hear about the challenges of balancing philanthropic ventures with running and scaling a business.

Host Chris Luecke gets to try out the hand remotely in this episode and talks about the different use cases of bionic tech, from helping humans to helping robots. We talk about crowdfunding, getting investment, how the hand works, and what PSYONIC is working on right now to make the Ability Hand even better.

Plus, Aadeel is our very first Shark Tank alumni, so we get to hear about the nerve-wracking behind-the-scenes story of demonstrating the Ability Hand in front of the Sharks.

In this episode, find out:

• What PSYONIC does to help people regain mobility and control with bionic limbs
• The moment that kickstarted Aadeel’s passion for helping people with lost limbs and pivoted his planned career from medicine to robotics
• The challenges of funding R&D in bionics and making the tech accessible to as many people as possible
• What the early days of making prototypes and testing them out on the first patients
• What made Aadeel realize he needed to go into business and production rather than just researching bionics
• Why San Diego is PSYONIC’s chosen HQ and how it’s partnering with medical and biotech companies
• What PSYONIC is working on now to make bionic hands feel more natural for users
• Chris gets to remotely control the Ability Hand from across the country
• How Aadeel is working on making the tech accessible through Medicare and the Ability Fund
• Different ways Aadeel and PSYONIC have approached getting funding, from crowdfunding to venture capital to government grants
• The challenge of keeping up with demand and prioritizing accessibility while running a successful business that’s focused on the mission
• How PSYONIC helps both humans and robots with its tech, including NASA
• The biggest tech advances that have made this possible today, including micro controllers and AI
•  What it’s really like being a contestant on Shark Tank and how Aadeel prepared for his pitch and eventual negotiations
• Why Aadeel is optimistic that bionics is becoming a bigger industry

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “We're bridging both the neurotech side with the robotic side, with AI being the connecting piece between the two.”
• “We would be attaching the hand directly to your bones, muscles and nerves that are in your forearm to give them the most optimal control possible.”
• “Seeing the amount of interest at the intersection of neurotech and robotics and having big investors behind it shows this is an exciting field that's up and coming.”

Links & mentions:

• PSYONIC, supercharging humans and robots with advanced capabilities, including the world’s first touch-sensing bionic hand
• Dr. Aadeel Akhtar on Shark Tank
• Robotics Summit & Expo, bringing together 5,000+ developers focused on building robots for aerospace and defense, healthcare, logistics, manufacturing and other markets

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Manufacturing makes up a huge portion of Indiana’s economy and culture, so we look behind the scenes at what the state is getting right to make it a manufacturing hub.

We welcomed Noel Hopkins, the Principal of Digital Growth at CliftonLarsonAllen and digital transformation expert, joins along with self-titled “private equity mercenary” Steve Martin, who sits on the board at Elevate Ventures. We also welcomed Kathy Miller, President and Co-Founder of YK2020 and OPSisters, plus co-author of the book Steel Toes and Stilettos.

Noel, Steve, and Kathy share their takes on local manufacturing and how it’s adapting to the rapid evolution of tech like AI. But it’s not just tech that’s shaping the industry. We also explore the human element of manufacturing and why we need leaders who are open to change and growth (even if it means making some mistakes along the way).

In this episode, find out:

• What can manufacturers learn from Indiana
• The role of digital transformation in manufacturing and the best ways to implement it
• Why leadership is key to driving transformation and the top characteristics good leaders need
• The challenges facing Indiana’s manufacturing industry from a private equity viewpoint
• Why you should always look at the problems facing your organization first, then find tech to solve it (not the other way around)
• Why fewer companies are using tech for the sake of it and are becoming more intentional
• Lessons learned from past experiences and why manufacturing is all about the people
• Areas where technology is making the most difference and how it impacts the people working with it
• How to build scale and transferability within organizations with the three Ps – people, planning, process
• The importance of having a vision and the ability to execute on it and why leaders are central to this
• Why hesitancy is the most dangerous thing manufacturers could do right now
• Innovation’s impact on psychological safety in the workplace, plus why we need to be open to making mistakes

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

•  ”If we create a culture that basically penalizes thinking, then we're never going to get any new ideas.” – Steve Martin
• “ I think the most dangerous thing manufacturers could do right now is pause or wait, or be overly cautious and risk falling way, way behind.” – Noel Hopkins
• “No matter what technology we're working with, what inventions, manufacturing is about people. And so, we can't lose sight of that.” – Kathy Miller

Links & mentions:

• CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen), an advisory, audit, tax and consulting firm
• Industry Trends: Lessons Learned from Florida Manufacturing Days
• Guggman Haus Brewing, a family-owned microbrewery and coffee Haus in the northwest side of downtown Indianapolis
• Elevate Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Indianapolis

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Recorded live from the 2025 Industrial Marketing Summit in Austin, TX, we sat down with…

• Rachel Cossette, Marketing Manager at Rogers Machinery Company
• Jenni Gritti, Senior Marketing Communications Consultant at Caterpillar Inc
• Jim Hessin, Regional Sales Manager at CADENAS PARTsolutions
• Greg Knox, CEO of Knox Manufacturing Solutions
• Steve Lamensdorf, SVP of CX at Icreon
• Kerry Nedic, Strategic Marketing Leader (Masoneilan & Consolidated Valves) at Baker Hughes
• Rich Ward, Director of Marketing at AcroMat

Rachel, Greg and Rich chat in part one about how to make marketing magic with a small team, with lots of actionable advice on sales-marketing alignment and revising strategies.

Jenni and Kerry give us the enterprise-level view of marketing with a conversation about balancing company policy with creativity, video and social media content, and getting leadership involved.

Finally, in part three, we talk to Steve and Jim about the technology we can use to power marketing and why sometimes we need to rip up the playbook and start new things from scratch.

All have slightly different experiences and insights to share from different areas of marketing, so no matter what type of manufacturing organization you’re in, there’s something in here for everyone.

In this episode, find out:

• How Rich helped to build the marketing strategy for AcroMat from the ground up
• How marketing can encourage salespeople to become amplifiers for the company and create content online
• What not to do as a B2B marketer and why good marketing is all about show, don’t tell
• How sales and marketing have become more aligned today and when marketing became a focus for Greg
• How to be effective with a small marketing team by focusing on priorities and boundaries
• Why regular communication is the most important way marketing and sales can work together
• How to get buy-in from leadership and why marketing can feel like a relay race
• Why you need to be a subject matter expert, not just a marketer, to earn respect both externally with customers and internally
• How marketers can make things happen in a large enterprise
• How to balance company guidelines with creativity in your content
• The tools and methods that enterprise marketers need to take more advantage of
• Why authentic video content is far more effective than clean and polished content
• The challenge of getting leadership willing to create content and share their stories
• Advice for marketers in manufacturing to cultivate stories and new ideas
• How new technology is empowering today's marketers
• Marketing technology that’s underrated and the challenges of adopting new tech in a disorganized system
• Tips for manufacturers to get over the hurdle of adopting new technology
• Why staying the same is the worst thing you can do in marketing

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “If you continue to do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got.” – Jim Hessin
• “I found a lot of success in giving guys an iPhone, giving them some guardrails, and saying, 'go!' And that is the stuff that people really resonate with. It's incredibly authentic. These people are the experts. They say it in a way that makes sense for the audience.” – Jenni Gritti
•  ”You have to align with your leadership. What you find important and what your boss finds important, you need to know what all those levels are because if it's something your boss cares about, then you need to care about it.” – Rachel Cossette

Links & mentions:

• Industrial Marketing Summit, the premier gathering for industrial marketers — organized for and by the industrial marketing teams at TREW Marketing and Gorilla 76
• Lustre Pearl, drinks & snacks in an old, converted home with a jukebox and huge backyard with picnic tables and games in East Austin

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

The good news is that there are some incredible people and businesses in the industry who are on a mission to bridge connections, build up local communities, and train future talent to solve those challenges.

Live from the Midwest Manufacturers Trade Show & Conference, we sit down with three manufacturing champions to talk about the different challenges facing rural and urban-based manufacturers. We chat about the great work that companies and individuals are doing to raise awareness of the opportunities in manufacturing and connect the dots between businesses and future talent.

You’ll hear from Krisi Schell, Executive VP of HR at SRC Holdings Corporation, Chris Oravec, the Director at L&R Industries, and Manufacturing Happy Hour regular Drew Crowe, Founder of the New American Manufacturing Renaissance. Krisi, Chris, and Drew all bring their experiences of different sides of manufacturing, what they’ve learned about connecting with the local community and solving the talent shortage issue.

In this episode, find out:

• How to make a company people want to work for – Krisi explains SRC Holdings’ approach to building a company culture of businesspeople
• Why more organizations don’t open up their finances to the employees despite the positive impact on SRC Holdings
• Some background on SRC Holdings Corporation as a job saver and creator
• The benefits of organizations, particularly in rural areas, investing in the local community
• Krisi’s advice for manufacturing leaders to build their culture and community
• Chris gives us a backstory on his company as a family-owned, small-town manufacturer
• How L&R Industries manages to attract and retain talent by looking after its people
• The different ways L&R Industries gets involved with and gives back to the community
• Chris’ advice for attracting and retaining talent, plus building connections with other organizations
• What Drew has learned from traveling around the country to talk to manufacturers
• The different challenges for rural-based manufacturers vs. those in the inner cities
• Drew explains the two main parts of his mission – raising awareness and building connections between organizations and potential talent
• Strategies that are working for rural and urban manufacturers and how to get the right people involved to solve challenges

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “Being conscious of what you give to the community is where you are able to build that brand and build those relationships and then attract the talent that you need.” – Krisi Schell
• “If you can get an employee to buy into, say putting a new product line in, they want to be involved in that project. And the company wants them to be involved. Your productivity is going to go through the roof.” – Chris Oravec
• “ When manufacturing left the inner cities, it almost took that middle class with it. And it took a lot of opportunity with it.” – Drew Crowe

Links & mentions:

• SRC Holdings, helping Original Equipment Manufacturers sell parts and whole goods through custom remanufacturing programs
• L&R Industries, producing large and complex heavy-duty industrial metal fabrications
• Drew ‘The MFG’ Crowe, inspiring the next generation of manufacturing leaders
• The Great Game of Business, written by Jack Stack; an open-book approach to management

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

In this episode, we hear from Russell Winter, Founder of US MFG, who’s on a mission to connect entrepreneurs in the machine shop space together, while also acquiring shops from retiring owners that would have otherwise gone out of business. With the number of machine shops steadily declining, people like Russell are breathing new life into the space with technology and innovative ideas.

Russell shares his story of how he got started, how he chooses whether to acquire a new shop, the red flags to watch out for, and the two main things he looks at when accessing a business. We hear more about his efforts to build bridges in the community and his thoughts on inspiring the next generation of manufacturing business owners.

In this episode, find out:

• Russell shares an overview of how he buys machine shops and brings them together with software
• Retiring owners of machine shops who don’t have a clear succession plan often close their doors for good unless someone like Russell steps in
• How Russell decides which machine shops to acquire by looking at finances and culture to find red flags
• Why bringing people in with more experience is a huge part of succeeding in this space
• How Russell finds mentors and collaborates in his network
• Advice for entrepreneurs looking for business opportunities
• What led Russell to realize he needed to change the mission of US MFG to a more community-focused approach
• How do we create awareness in the next generation of manufacturing business ownership?
• The skills and knowledge we need to prepare young people for a future in manufacturing and business ownership
• Why shop classes in high schools are a growing trend and what this means for the industry
• How Russell’s company teaches important skills like financial literacy through his shops
• Russell shares the first major project he remembers manufacturing

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “The cool part about these shop classes is their instructors are often very mutual and collaborative with the industry that's around the high school. They'll have a board of business owners saying, 'This is who we're looking to hire. Can you teach them more turning work or a specific software?'”
• “Something that I've worked on developing a lot more is a mindset of trust but verify as opposed to just trust. Going over things with a fine-toothed comb, actual financials, and setting clear expectations at the beginning really pays off.”
• “There's a saying: if you want investment, ask for advice. And if you want advice, ask for investment. People are always going to give you advice because there's something to improve on, and if you're willing to take it and learn and grow and actually put it into action, then they're like, 'Oh, I see an investment here.'”

Links & mentions:

• US MFG partners with entrepreneurs to acquire, operate, and grow manufacturing companies within a collaborative network
• SCORE Business Mentoring, providing free business advice for starting or growing a small business through their network of 11,000 volunteer mentors in-person and online; part of the US Small Business Administration (SBA)
• Discourse Coffee, a music-driven coffee workshop in Milwaukee, WI, located in the same building as local, community-driven radio station Radio Milwaukee

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

In the true spirit of Manufacturing Happy Hour, we talk all about beer in this episode. Recorded live from Amorphic Beer in Milwaukee, WI, we sit down with the Founder, Ron Hockersmith, to learn about what makes their beer special and the company a success even as the hype around craft beer fades.

We’re also joined by the brilliant hosts from A BROADcast for Manufacturers, Kris Harrington (CEO of GenAlpha) and Lori Highby (CEO and Founder of Keystone Click), for a 4-way entrepreneurial chat about manufacturing, engineering, leadership, and of course, beer.

In this episode, we take a look at the early days of Amorphic Beer and Ron’s career background before he stepped into the brewing world. Ron has taken all the great parts of leading a team from his engineering days and applied them to his business today, and it’s safe to say that’s been a great move for Amorphic. We hear about the team, the operations, the scientific approach to margins and recipes, and some surprising beer facts along the way.

In this episode, find out:

• A little background on Ron’s career and how he came from healthcare manufacturing and defense contracting to start his own brewery
• Introduction to the hosts of A BROADcast for Manufacturers podcast
• Why Ron opted for lean manufacturing principles without the formality to run his brewery
• What a background in engineering taught Ron about leadership and why he runs Amorphic Beer like an international engineering organization
• What makes the leadership and management of Amorphic Beer different and successful even as the hype around craft beer dies down
• Why trust in your employees is key to success
• Ron shares the main differences he’s experienced since working for himself vs. as an employee in a major organization
• Facts on beer, music, plants, and sports for the “I just learned that…” segment
• How recent tariffs on Canadian aluminum may have a huge impact on Amorphic Beer in the future

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• "We run this like it's an international engineering organization."
• "Don't try and hire for the perfect team because you'll never find the perfect people to fit into the perfect cogs... Find what your people are very good at and then build your organization around that.”
• "No-one's ever worked for me that I don't trust. Doesn't matter if I'm working in defense contracting for GE or at the brewery,  trust them, empower them to do the right things.”

Links & mentions:

• Amorphic Beer, Milwaukee WI brewery where beer is “engineered through scientific experimentation”
• A BROADcast for Manufacturers, a podcast run by Lori, Kris and Erin exploring stories and manufacturing insights that challenge the status quo

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

We round off our Nebraska tour with Mike Johnson COO of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who shares a wider perspective on how manufacturing is impacting local communities, the economy, and the individuals who make it all happen. 

We talk about why manufacturing opportunities are great for people from all walks of life, with some inspiring stories about women in the space becoming role models for future manufacturers. Mike also explains the role of a Chamber of Commerce and why we should celebrate and showcases manufacturing careers for the benefit of all. We hear a great example of Nebraska doing this with its annual competition for the coolest innovations in Nebraska – featuring a fire-breathing drone and an all-terrain wheelchair. 

In this episode, find out:

• A summary of what we’ve heard and learned as we round off the Nebraska tour of our Made Here series
• We recap on the last time Mike was on the show and how perceptions of the industry have changed since
• Old perceptions of the dirty and dangerous stereotype of manufacturing are changing, leading more young people to consider it as a career 
• Why rural Nebraska is writing a playbook for reinvigorating manufacturing and the impact this has on the economy and community
• The role of education institutions in training and encouraging more to consider manufacturing careers
• The best ways to connect with the local community and involve everyone in the manufacturing scene
• Why we’re seeing more women in manufacturing plus some inspiring stories from Mike
• How a Chamber of Commerce can act as a conduit for manufacturers to share their voice on what the industry needs  
• The coolest things made in Nebraska, including a fire-breathing drone

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• ”The chamber of commerce is the conduit for manufacturers of any shape and size across the state to convene and partner on what the voice of this industry in this state needs right now.”
• “State departments are starting to see that when manufacturers automate, they make more stuff, more stuff made means higher wages are paid to people, higher multipliers than hitting the local communities. And so the state can see higher tax revenues and then in the future, lower tax rates.”
• “I think it's really important for young women to see that “I can do this” and I don't have to be a big dude to be able to do this type of work.”

Links & mentions:

• NE Chamber, delivering economic and workforce growth, a competitive business climate, and a network of leaders with the connections and know-how to help Nebraska businesses succeed
• Nebraska Manufacturing Competitiveness Study, January 2024
• Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Now, we sit squarely in the middle of a decade that has pushed automation and AI front and center of so many industries now. So how close were our pre-pandemic predictions on automation? And more importantly, where is automation headed next?

This episode was recorded live at the 2025 A3 Business Forum, co-hosted by Jake Hall aka the Manufacturing Millennial, and features five conversations with industry leaders helping to shape automation’s future. We look at robotics, AI, machine vision, motion control, and the broader tech and manufacturing industries, plus we swap predictions on the second half of the 2020s.

This week’s guests include:

• Peter Zafiro, General Manager at LinMot USA
• Christelle Keefer - Global Business Development Manager, Education at ABB
• Juan Aparicio - Founder & CEO at Reshape Automation
• David Dechow - Machine Vision & Automation Solutions Architect at Motion Automation Intelligence
• Alex Shikany - Executive Vice President at A3

Jake Hall will be joining us for Automate 2025 in May, so don’t miss the chance to grab tickets and learn more here.

In this episode, find out:

• Why 2025 A3 Business Forum is the perfect spot for a conversation about automation
• What the convergence of technologies has meant for automation’s applications in manufacturing and beyond
• Peter explains the biggest pain point that LinMot was experiencing and how automation became key
• The role of motion vision today and how it’s evolved with the help of automation
• Why now is the best time in history to be involved with automation
• How STEM education paves the way for the growth of robotics
• The biggest hurdles to getting education institutions on board with STEM
• Some of the top non-profit organizations to keep an eye out for
• How AI has developed over the first half of the decade
•  Two ingredients that every successful application should have in the world of AI
• Examples of AI deployed successfully and where this is likely to change in the future
• How elements of vision tech have accelerated in the past 10 years
• Alex’s perspective on automation’s evolution throughout the first half of this decade
• The biggest things we’re looking forward to in 2025 and beyond
• What to expect at Automate 2025, which this episode’s co-hosts Chris and Jake will be attending in May

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• "This is the best time there is in this industry. It's the convergence of all these technologies, whether it's robots, cobots, linear motion... the difference-maker will be how you introduce automation to your employees and make it easier to do more fun jobs." - Peter Zafiro
• "Schools are starting to realize that the students need to be exposed to STEM way earlier than just high school. High school is too late. College is too late. Let's get those kids exposed at an earlier age to the amazing field of manufacturing." - Christelle Keefer
• "Behind every robot, there are a lot of people. There are people selling the robots. There are people installing the robots. There are people maintaining the robots." - Juan Aparicio
• "No one I talk to thinks that automation is going to become less relevant or less important to their future plans in the next 10 years, 20 years. Almost every single CEO or leader of these companies has automation at the top of their list." - Alex Shikany

Links & mentions:

• A3 – The Association for Advancing Automation, North America’s largest automation trade association representing more than 1,200 organizations involved in robotics, artificial intelligence, machine vision & imaging, motion control & motors and related automation technologies
• Automate Show, experience the largest event in Automation #Automate2025
• Jake Hall - The Manufacturing Millennial, where this week’s co-host Jake Hall discusses the latest technology in the automation and manufacturing space in an engaging style for all audiences
• Project Lead The Way, where STEM curriculum meets career readiness; created by teachers and led by educators, PLTW motivates, prepares, and supports teachers as they strive to make every child in every grade STEM-successful
• FIRST Robotics, a global robotics community preparing young people for the future and the world's leading youth-serving nonprofit advancing STEM education
• REC Foundation, home of the VEX family of robotics programs for elementary school through college students includes 1.1 million students in 70 countries
• Detroit Lions War Room 2019 vs. 2021

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Jim shares a down-to-earth take on succeeding as a manufacturing business with a mix of VC and bootstrapping. Rather than aiming for the dot-com boom level of success and all the private yachts that come with it, a slow and steady approach is ideal for manufacturing businesses, says Jim.

We hear a little background on SendCutSend’s start and laser-focused approach to customer service, plus why Jim is such a big fan of the bootstrapping route. We hear his opinion on why manufacturing might be making a comeback, how to raise the visibility of the industry to plug skill gaps, and why we may need to “chill out” a bit when it comes to AI.

In this episode, find out:

• Why bootstrapping is a great alternative path to industrialization and why Jim believes VC doesn’t belong in manufacturing
• How the future of entrepreneurship is changing back to traditional family-led routes
• Jim shares his background in manufacturing as a sign shop artist and what he learned about the effects of new tech on industry
• Why we’re due for a re-boom in the manufacturing world and how new technology plays a central role
• Outsourcing abroad – the next phase – why we’re due for a re-boom because the tech is even better
• How manufacturing can become more visible and enter the digital era with help from younger generations
• Why it’s not enough to only be a good manufacturer today, you also need to be a good marketer too
• How manufacturers can make simple changes to their digital presence to move in line with what customers want
• Why teaming up with local competitors can be mutually beneficial
• Jim explains why investing in and paying your staff well is the number one important thing to do in this industry
• Why you shouldn’t compete on price but instead on the quality of the service and the value your customer receives

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “The way to success in manufacturing is you can't just be a good manufacturer. You actually have to be a good marketer too.”
• “A lot of people look at their competitors and want to burn them down. That usually just ends up with both of you catching on fire. So instead, try and be friendly.”
• “We’re poised for a manufacturing re-boom because the technology is even better now. This newest generation of machines is set up so well with alarms and error control, communication, and reliability, you're not just upgrading your speed or the reliability of the machine, you're upgrading your entire workforce.”

Links & mentions:

• SendCutSend, online sheet metal fabrication service; get custom parts delivered in just a few days (upload STEP or DXF files for instant pricing)
• A Bootstrapper’s Guide to Re-Industrializing America, Jim’s article that inspired this episode

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Nucor Vulcraft is a company that’s not just supporting the construction of warehouses, schools and hospitals but also helping to build up the local community and the legacy of American manufacturing. We explore how it’s helping to shape the lives of the people who work there and beyond thanks to community investment and a people-first approach.

Jayden and Gaby both share their stories in this episode about working for Vulcraft and how it has evolved its technology, safety practices, and quality over the years. Places like Norfolk are hubs for manufacturing and engineering, so we look at how Vulcraft and downtown revitalization projects have been key to retaining talent in the area. 

In this episode, find out:

• How the downtown Norfolk area is on the up, thanks to local community investment  
• Jayden gives us a quick overview of what Vulcraft does and how it sits in the Nucor family of companies
• A brief history on Vulcraft and how it’s closely tied to the culture and community of Norfolk – something that continues today
• How community events, investment, and connections with local schools all make Nucor employees feel like one big family
• Why Jayden and Gaby decided to stick around in Norfolk rather than head to a bigger city for their career
• How one internship at Vulcraft was enough to make Gaby swap her chosen career path and set out into manufacturing
• What other similar small, remote communities can learn from Norfolk and Vulcraft
• Vulcraft’s commitment to improvement and investing in the right things – from people to safety innovations
• Insights into the recent safety innovations and investments Nucor Vulcraft has made to prioritize frontline staff safety  
• What the day in the life of a frontline leader looks like today vs. how it looked decades ago
• How Nucor Vulcraft invests in team development and careers with training, role swapping and internal promotions

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “It's hard to go anywhere around town without seeing Vulcraft or the Nucor name sponsoring an event or donating time. It's surprising how many events you go to and know that your company is willing to sponsor that." Jayden
• "My daughter told me, 'Mom, today at school, all the Nucor kids, like the parents work for Nucor, we all sat together.' Even the excitement that the kids get just knowing that they’re the Nucor family is really big, at least for me it is." Gaby
• "I think it starts with putting the people first. I think Nucor and Vulcraft do a great job of not only saying it but really meaning it and showing it through their actions." Jayden

Links & mentions:

• Nucor Vulcraft, part of the Nucor family, Vulcraft is the largest producer of open web steel joists and joist girders in North America.
• Nucor Detailing Center, a one-of-a-kind drafting facility designed to reduce drafting and modelling times to improve productivity and quality.
• Divots Brewery, craft brewery in Nortfolk specializing in handcrafted beers with American grown barley and hops

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Huffman Engineering is an engineering services firm specializing in control system integration that serves Nebraska and beyond across the Midwest and we have four individuals from there team on the show this week: Jason Weedin, Jim Fricke, Kim Arms Shirk, and Alex Flamme.

We discuss some of the main industries across the state and take a deep dive into one that's uniquely Nebraskan. Plus, we hear what characterizes Nebraska's manufacturing community as a whole, and some of the things that make their collective, state-wide manufacturing ecosystem so strong.

Recorded live from Dusters Brew Pub in Columbus, NE.

Make sure to visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

At the heart of their approach is a unique model inspired by the travel nursing industry. Skillwork’s model combines education, upskilling, direct hire, and travel staffing to connect skilled tradespeople with companies in need. Brett and Tim share how this innovative approach, along with their unique “four-legged stool” strategy, and their rigorous eight-gate vetting process, ensures the right match every time.

Throughout the conversation, we unpack how contracting skilled workers offers flexibility and long-term value, how Skillwork is empowering tradespeople to embrace new opportunities, and why shifting perceptions about manufacturing jobs is key to shaping the industry’s future.

Listen to find out:

• How the travel nurse model inspired Skillwork’s innovative staffing solution for skilled trades
• Skillwork’s “four-legged stool” approach to solving the skills gap in manufacturing
• Why manufacturing roles need a rebrand to move beyond the “3 Ds” (dark, dangerous, and dirty)
• How Skillwork processes 1,000 resumes a week using their eight-gate vetting process
• Why nationwide recruitment is essential for addressing the growing demand for skilled trades
• The critical role of upskilling and education in bridging workforce gaps
• The value of building partnerships with schools and trade programs to develop skills pipelines
• Examples of how short-term training programs can quickly close critical skills gaps
• Underrated ways manufacturers can address the skills shortage right now
• The freedom and flexibility that Skillwork offers to skilled tradespeople through travel staffing 

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “The idea that talent will stay with you for thirty years is not a reality anymore.” Brett Elliott
• “I believe if you have a skilled trade, you have tons of opportunity out there.” Tim Raglin
• “Do you have a people problem or do you have a talent problem?” Brett Elliott

Links & mentions:

• Skillwork, supplemental labor company built to create a new solution to the growing shortage of skilled labor
• Copa Cabana, upscale cocktail lounge with a selection of cigars and a humidor, plus live music and a year-round patio
• Boy Scouts of America, one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

In this episode, we welcome Clint Bundy, Managing Director at Bundy Group, who shares his experience, advice, and stories on helping people sell their businesses. We kick things off with Clint’s most memorable M&A experiences and why the reality of selling can be an emotional rollercoaster.

Clint shares his expertise on how to understand the true value of your business, what buyers are looking for, and how to win the numbers game when coming to a final price agreement. He also talks about what businesses can do to prepare for a sale and why utilizing tech and great systems is the most important step to take. Whether you’re planning your exit soon or far in the future, there are some great take-home points from Clint in this episode. After all, his advice is to plan way ahead of time, so give this episode a listen before you even think about getting that For Sale sign!

In this episode, find out:

• Clint shares his wildest M&A stories from his career, including one poor guy who fainted from the stress of selling his business
• How his background as a financial analyst prepared him for a career in investment banking
• The one thing Clint wishes he’d done a better job of when starting his career in his 20s
• Why selling a business is “a war of numbers” with buyers and sellers both wanting the best price (which means different things to each)
• How companies are using automation and new tech to build better systems and the impact this has on a business’ sale
• A breakdown of the top steps in selling a business and what goals sellers should strive for
• Why a lack of preparation is the number one mistake sellers make
• Surprising facts about preparing a business for sale that will really appeal to investors
• Why selling a business is mostly about psychology, not just numbers
• The four signs of a good company that investors look for
• The current state of M&A in the automation space, including who’s buying and selling
• What it’s like helping a business sell when the market conditions aren’t ideal

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “Motivation is the foundation of transactions – a motivated buyer + a motivated seller.”
• “We want to show the strongest possible financials and the strongest possible story, past, present, and future, to get the seller an above market price.”
• “We have to remember when a buyer is buying a company, they are buying the future.”

Links & mentions:

• Bundy Group, a boutique advisory firm with an industry-focused senior team and over 200 successful transactions
• The Old Fields, formerly The Old Garage, this Southfields London pub is situated on Southfield High Street just a minutes walk from the Underground station, and close to the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Club

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

With all the hype and a renewed focus on onshoring and supply chain, what should manufacturers be focused on in 2025?

While there are more trends than can be fit into a 30-minute podcast episode, today’s episode dives into 3 stats and stories from some of 2024’s best episodes of Manufacturing Happy Hour that explore proven automation technologies that are helping manufacturers succeed today, novel ways companies are attracting and retaining talent, and one of the most down-to-earth applications for artificial intelligence on the factory floor.

Plus, you’ll get a preview of what’s coming from Manufacturing Happy Hour – including tours, merch, and more – throughout the new year.

In this episode, we’re joined by FTI’s Kevin Senn to discuss trends in manufacturing and automation, the growth of data centers, AI, and more. Kevin highlights how FTI differentiates from their competitors by offering comprehensive end-to-end solutions, from high-concept development and engineering consultation to full design services, in-house manufacturing, and automation packages.

We also cover FTI’s unique approach to industrialized construction, including their approach to offsite prefabrication, and explore Kevin’s transition from a solutions architect to Director of Automation. Finally, we discuss how energy is the common thread that binds the seemingly diffuse sectors in which FTI operates.

In this episode, find out:

• FTI’s ‘pathway to smarter energy’ - a stepwise approach to helping customers become energy independent
• Why energy resilience is something that every company can enjoy and be customized to fit individual needs
• How FTI capitalized on emerging markets thirty years ago
• What the manufacturing industry looks like going into 2025 with regards to automation and sustainability
• The trend towards prefabricated buildings and why this is happening
• Why FTI has seen such growth in the data center space, especially with electric vehicle infrastructure
• Why automation is integral to creating efficient and scalable solutions
• Why a level of responsibility and ownership is needed when using AI, especially considering sustainability

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “A lot of the growth that the company is seeing at the moment is tied to that data center market growth.”
• “There were some really conscious decisions that the leadership team of this company made looking at these emerging markets.”
• “Resilience, I think, is something that every company can achieve.”

Links & mentions:

• Rockwell Automation, an American provider of industrial automation and digital transformation technologies
• FTI, a dynamic organization leveraging unified growth to create unparalleled possibilities and shape the future of energy
• Raised Grain Brewing, located in Waukesha, WI, this brewery has an extensive beer lineup that often pays tribute to local guitar hero Les Paul

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

In this episode, we’re joined by Rittal’s Brian Jung and EPLAN’s Kruno Kutnohorski. Join us as we discuss the difference between semi-automated and automated panel design and assembly, how to help customers overcome technology hesitancy, and why automation is nothing to be afraid of.

In this episode, find out:

• The difference between automating panels in America and the rest of the world
• The importance of having a story to tell that’s backed by data, rather than just conceptual
• How EPLAN and Rittal use “lighthouse customers”
• Best practices for effective collaboration
• How automation is helping solve the skilled labor shortage
• Why there’s no right or wrong way to start with automation
• Brian’s “Girl Scout cookie enterprise,” and Kruno’s favorite football team and animal!

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “Before, we had a story to tell conceptually, now we have a story to tell because we have actual data to back it up.” - Brian Jung
• “If we can help customers going from manual to semi-automated, they are saving a lot of time.” - Kruno Kutnohorski
• “You're not displacing a human, right? They're doing other jobs that bring value to the company.” - Brian Jung

Links & mentions:

• EPLAN, provides ECAD software and service solutions for electrical panel builders, electrical design, automation and mechatronic engineering
• Rittal, the world's leading systems provider for Enclosures, Power Distribution, Climate Control, IT infrastructure, 19" racks, and software and services
• Golden Road Brewing Company, Los Angeles' largest craft brewer

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

In this episode, we’re joined by Cody Myers, Jon Rauner, and Mick Yrkoski of Behlen Mfg. Co. Join us as we discuss Behlen’s approach to hiring, their relationship with the wider community in Columbus, Nebraska, and their “pay-it-forward” mentality.

Behlen’s approach to development, which includes tiered meetings, profit-sharing initiatives, and partnering with local colleges, has helped them continue to grow and progress since their inception almost ninety years ago.

In this episode, find out:

• Why metal-forming and manufacturing is still an art
• Behlen has a personal connection to the community and culture of Nebraska – they value their employees as names rather than numbers
• How, at Behlen, the focus is on balancing today's tasks with long-term success, valuing sustainable decisions over immediate profits
• Why Behlen values hard work and drive over great grades and talent
• Why a pay-it-forward mentality is vital for nurturing the next generation of talent, especially with apprenticeship programs and partnerships with local colleges
• The reason maintenance teams are the ‘rockstars’ of the manufacturing world
• Three-tiered meetings allow an organization to foster alignment across different levels of the company and enhance decision-making
• The overlooked importance of culture at manufacturing firms and why people are the key
• The different opportunities in manufacturing that people don't talk about or don't see – whether that’s opportunities in HR, IT, or accountancy

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “We still view metal as an art.” - Cody Myers
• “One of our global values is continuous learning.” - Cody Myers
• “I would take a technician anytime that has drive and aspires to be better over somebody that knows the answer and doesn’t have to do the research.” - Mick Yrkoski

Links & mentions:

• Behlen Manufacturing, a steel fabrication company
• Industrial Solutions Network, a network of manufacturing technology companies providing the collective information, technology, tools and services to manufacturing communities
• Central Community College, a multi-campus community college serving a 25-county area in central Nebraska

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

In this episode, we are joined by Adam Gluck, the CEO and Founder of Copia Automation. Join us as we explore the problems that AI is solving, why a customer-centric culture is so key to developing useful products, and the need for Silicon Valley to overlap with industries that have existed for over two hundred years.

The problem-first mindset is one that’s helped Copia evolve since July 2020 and navigate hype cycles in tech. What’s more, by keeping users front of mind, they can use AI as a “painkiller” rather than a “vitamin”. This means Copia create proactive, targeted solutions that deliver value where it matters most.

In this episode, find out:

• Adam shares his career path, including his work for Uber and his sociology undergraduate degree
• Why it is harder for graduates to get software engineering jobs
• How, in engineering, a self-taught approach can be less restrictive when learning new approaches or facing new problems
• Hiring smart people is often the most important step in solving hard problems
• Copia has evolved since July 2020, and the key to this has been their market understanding, adoption, activation, and backup and disaster recovery
• How DevOps AI for the software space has transformed the way software gets written
• Adam chose to move to New York from San Francisco because of the large number of seed rounds, proximity to venture capital and large amount of talent
• How the current enthusiasm for industrialization and manufacturing among venture capitalists and young companies will persist long-term

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “I want to build something people can use every single day as part of their standard workflow and that solves material problems for them.”
• “DevOps AI for the software space has transformed the way software gets written.”
• “Ultimately, you can try and solve things with processes organization, but you're going to actually solve problems with really smart people.”

Links & mentions:

• Copia Automation, bringing modern DevOps tooling to industrial automation, standardizing processes to drive quality, efficiency, and uptime at scale
• Reindustrialize, a summit exploring how technology will shape the future of the US industrial base
• American Dynamism, part of a16z, investing in founders and companies supporting the national interest: aerospace, defense, safety, education, and manufacturing
• Founders Fund, a San Francisco based venture capital firm organized by Peter Thiel and others, investing in companies building revolutionary technologies
• General Catalyst, a global investment and transformation company that partners with the world’s most ambitious entrepreneurs to drive resilience and applied AI
• Construct Capital, an early stage venture capital firm, investing in founders who are reimagining the foundational industries of our economy
• Dante NYC, legendary circa-1915 cafe serving small plates & cocktails in an updated historic setting in New York City’s West Village
• Lobby Bar at the Chelsea Hotel, high-end cocktail bar inside of NYC’s Chelsea Hotel offering seasonal cocktails, artfully prepared plates, and late-night hours

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

The availability of energy is something that affects us all, and leaders in the industry are calling for a re-envisioned future. In this episode, we sit down with Michelle Jordan from TECHMAR, Gakuo Ndonga of WD Bearings, and Meaghan Ziemba, host of Mavens of Manufacturing. Recorded live at the Empowering Pumps & Industry Conference, we dive into what it truly means to re-envision energy for the future.

Key themes from our conversation include challenging traditional ways of thinking, spreading awareness, and the importance of collaboration. The secret to innovation in energy isn’t just about new tech (although that’s important), it’s also about bringing fresh voices into the conversation. But as we see across manufacturing, it’s not always easy to sell younger generations on a future career in energy. So we look at what industry leaders can do to communicate and spark excitement to keep energy ticking.

In this episode, find out:

• What does it mean to re-envision energy? Meaghan, Michelle, and Gakuo all share their perspectives and career stories
• Why we need to avoid taking energy for granted and remember that it’s a valuable, scarce resource
• How maintenance and reliability are handled in the energy industry
• How leaders can talk to their customers about re-envisioning operations
• Changes in the workforce and how this can drive innovation for energy
• Gakuo shares a story of a tour he took in an experimental mine that had a classroom in it
• How industry leaders can communicate with others about the energy industry to drive excitement and awareness
• The trick to getting more comfortable sharing your stories to tell others about your career
• Advice for businesses on communicating with educators and young people and why a new approach is needed for a new generation
• Why it’s so important to find your passion and communicate that well
• How focusing on relatable everyday items can help you to communicate the value of working in energy
• Why continuous learning is key and the importance of approaching everything from a student perspective

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “We have to treat energy as a very valuable resource that's not always there. And the way we do that is by bringing people together. People have to be excited to be in this industry to keep energy going.” – Gakuo Ndonga
• "We all have to be advocates for this industry... If you have a really cool story, or if you know of a really cool story, share that with everyone." – Meaghan Ziemba
• "Looking forward to the future, the direction we are headed, the infrastructure that is being built, clean energy, renewable energy, carbon capture—those things are our future." – Michelle Jordan

Links & mentions:

• Mavens of Manufacturing, a live video series that celebrates women in manufacturing
• WD Bearings, manufacturers of high-quality bearings that specializes in tech, manufacturing, and research
• TECHMAR, epoxy grout manufacturers that specializes in protecting equipment from vibrations
• Empowering Pumps & Industry Conference, a conference that connects industry leaders and insights on workforce development, leadership and innovation

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

From scholarship programs to a new innovation hub and the creation of a vibrant downtown scene, Norfolk is redefining what it means to live and work in a rural community. Angie shares insights on their unique "Growing Together Scholarship," which partners with Wayne State College to offer students not just education, but also housing and a full year of internship experience with local businesses. This not only provides valuable skills to students but also allows companies to "test drive" potential employees.

But it's not all work and no play in Norfolk. The city has invested in quality-of-life improvements that rival big city amenities, including a Whitewater Park for river surfing, an amphitheater for festivals, and a thriving arts scene. The goal? To make Northeast Nebraska a magnet for young professionals and families.

In this episode, find out:

• Angie shares some backstory on the resurgence of downtown Norfolk
• The purpose of Northeast Nebraska Growing Together and how it’s helping to “repopulate Northeast Nebraska”
• How the local community is investing in facilities including attractions, art, and local facilities to attract families
• Angie explains how their partnership with Wayne State College enabled them to build a great scholarship program
• Why Northeast Nebraska is leading the way with its Growing Together initiative
• What to expect from Northeast Nebraska’s upcoming innovation hub
• How Angie’s organization works closely with local businesses and manufacturers to find out what they need from talent
• Angie explains what manufacturing and bedrock companies mean to the region and shares examples of innovative tech and companies leading the way
• Raising awareness and interest in manufacturing as a career path through the Growing Together initiative
• How Growing Together is measuring success in both the short and long-term
• Angie’s advice to other regions that might want to adopt a similar model of collaboration

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “We're in the middle of the country. This is Nebraska. And we know that if one town succeeds, all the towns around succeed. And so we want to make sure that we're raising all the tides for everyone in the state, but we're starting here in Northeast Nebraska.”
• “I think in Nebraska, we figure out how to make the things we need and then when the rest of the world sees it, we just figure out how to make it for everybody else.”
• “If we can show that, "hey, this is an okay place to live," hopefully they'll stay.”

Links & mentions:

• Growing Together Northeast Nebraska, an Aksarben workforce initiative; this plan outlines the proactive transformation of Northeast Nebraska’s regional economy and population growth. At its essence, the plan pairs entrepreneurs with investment capital and students to redesign a workforce that can compete in a knowledge-based economy.
• The Aksarben Foundation, proudly recognizing individuals and families with strong Nebraska values since 1895, and helping develop the leaders of tomorrow through education, scholarships, career training, community grants, and increasing access to opportunities in Nebraska
• Angie’s evening bar crawl across downtown Norfolk, NE includes Bar A for appetizers, Fifth Street Tavern for cocktails, and the Green Light Great Night for live music
• District Table and Tap, once the historic Elkhorn Hotel, this 100-year-old building has been restored to house a restaurant with a great beer selection in Norfolk, NE
• Divots Brewery Taproom, beer handcrafted in small batches using American-grown, Midwestern barley and northwestern hops with a taproom location in downtown Norfolk, NE

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

In this episode, we explore the impressive vertical integration model that Kwik Trip uses, a strategy that allows them to maintain almost complete control over their supply chain. Paul Blank, Director of Operations, and Scott Schiebel, Automation Manager, share insights on how this approach not only enhances quality and food safety but also helps the company navigate supply chain challenges that have become all too common in recent years.

Kwik Trip’s commitment to vertical integration means they handle everything from manufacturing to distribution in-house. With five major food production facilities and their own trucking operations, they can ensure that products like milk and baked goods are delivered fresh to stores—sometimes in less than 24 hours! The episode highlights the crucial role of automation in streamlining these processes, including ingredients prep and order fulfillment.

You’ll also hear how Kwik Trip prioritizes its workforce despite the big focus on automation. Paul and Scott emphasize that automation is not about replacing jobs but enhancing operations to meet rising demand.

In this episode, find out:

• Paul and Scott give us a quick overview of what Kwik Trip is
• Why Kwik Trip uses a vertical integration model and its impact on logistics and supply chain issues
• How using automation makes vertical integration a powerful strategy
• An overview of some of the more recent facilities set up at Kwik Trip and how they’ve improved operations
• Why Kwik Trip is a great example of a company using digital transformation to refine production and distribution
• How the team at Kwik Trip makes decisions on production types such as batch and continuous processes
• How automation has impacted the people behind the process and why it doesn’t mean that anyone loses a job
• Why predictive maintenance is essential for keeping plants running smoothly
• How operations leaders collaborate within Kwik Trip
• How Kwik Trip decides what to produce in-house vs. outsource to other manufacturers
• The process behind building the right tech for each production line and why everything starts with food safety
• How Kwik Trip’s food innovation team maintains great quality and tests out new ideas for feasibility
• How the company collaborates and seeks out vendors and OEMs to work with
• Tips for any manufacturers considering the vertical integration model
• Kwik Trip’s approach to training, hiring and retaining great talent
• Some stats on the impressive numbers of products that come off the Kwik Trip production lines

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “We make it. We ship it. We sell it. This allows us to control pricing that's best for our guest. It also allows us to manage quality and food safety.” – Paul Blank
• "Our maintenance staff has a CMMS program, and they are diligent about PMs and staying on top of the equipment in terms of the routine needs. And that pays dividends long term since there's less unexpected downtime." – Scott Schiebel
• "Automation really is part of our growth pattern. There isn't a project that we take on without evaluating whether or not automation fits or how it may fit. It doesn't mean we automate everything, but where we do, Kwik Trip grows as a whole." – Paul Blank

Links & mentions:

• Kwik Trip, a popular chain of convenience stores located throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Josh Gamer, Dean of the Integrated Technology Division at Western Technical College, and Kris Gengler, Education Foundation Manager at Ashley Furniture, to talk through the important intersection between education and manufacturing.

Ashley Furniture and Western Technical College have an amazing partnership and work closely together to find ways to educate, inspire, and prepare the next generation of manufacturers. We cover a lot in this episode – from why Western Wisconsin is such a manufacturing hub to the upcoming Wanek Center of Innovation at Western Technical College and what it will mean for manufacturing businesses and students.

Kris and Josh share their predictions on the industry, talk about apprenticeships, and the type of skills and technology that future manufacturers will get to learn at places like Western Technical College. 

In this episode, find out:

• What makes manufacturing in Western Wisconsin so special and important to the region
• The types of manufacturing that Western Wisconsin specializes in and how the area manages to attract and retain talent  
• What Western Technical College’s Wanek Center of Innovation will mean for manufacturers and why it’s been a group effort between education and industry
• What Ashley Furntiure and local education institutions learned from a group trip to Germany to visit manufacturers and trade shows
• Why you need to be willing to look outside your immediate bubble and learn from others
• Josh lists some of the different ways students and manufacturers will benefit from the new Center
• Why we need to talk to younger kids about manufacturing to plant the seed early
• How Western Technical College’s apprenticeship programs have evolved
• Josh does some podcast shoutouts to organizations he’s partnered with

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• “If you want to understand how you're truly doing, you have to open your eyes and be willing to look outside. Go to a different state. Consider another country. Visit other manufacturers, other educational institutions because if you don't do that, you do run the risk of falling behind.” – Dr. Josh Gamer
• “Manufacturing here in Western Wisconsin, you have people who are very hardworking, very smart, and they have a drive to succeed and they continue to want to learn, to expand, and to find a better way.” – Kris Gengler
• “When those businesses are successful, it's keeping the money within an area. And that's really what manufacturing does for an area. And when it does that, it, it enhances everything. It enhances healthcare, it enhances distribution, it enhances education. It just creates a whole lot of good for an area.” – Kris Gengler 

Links & mentions:

• Western Technical College, leading institution in Western Wisconsin, Western Technical College prepares students for hands-on careers with a focus on technology and manufacturing
• Ashley Furniture, one of the world’s largest furniture makers, Ashley Furniture combines innovation with craftsmanship to create products for homes everywhere
• Ronald and Joyce Wanek Foundation, this foundation, created by the Wanek family, supports STEM education and community growth through impactful initiatives
• La Crosse Bierhaus, a cozy spot in La Crosse serving authentic German beers and food in a fun, Bavarian-inspired atmosphere

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Recorded live at CBT Company's More Than MFG Expo, this episode dives into programs like AMIP, TechCred, JobsOhio, and Women in Manufacturing (WIM), spotlighting resources for funding, recruitment, training, and more.

In this episode, find out:

• Will on AMIP’s proactive support for the manufacturing community
• AMIP’s advice for collaboration-driven success
• Benefits of connecting with other companies, educators, and organizations
• Fabian on JobsOhio’s role in building manufacturing careers
• How JobsOhio has improved funding processes
• Why Fabian prefers "return on engagement" over "investment"
• Government-backed incentives for solar power investments
• Allison on Women in Manufacturing’s mission to connect women with employers
• REDI Cincinnati’s role in linking manufacturers to resources
• CBT Company’s support in leveraging resources
• Elise’s call for manufacturers to collaborate locally
• Why Cincinnati’s manufacturing community is so strong

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Links & mentions:

• CBT Company, representing hundreds of the best-known brands in the industry for automation, electrical, mechanical power transmission, and custom belting products
• AMIP, southwestern Ohio’s Advanced Manufacturing Industry Partnerships is a registered nonprofit focused on workforce
• TechCred Ohio, helping Ohioans learn new skills and helps employers build a stronger workforce with the skills needed in tech
• Good Jobs Challenge, supporting regional workforce training systems to place workers in good jobs
• JobsOhio, since its establishment in 2011, they have boosted innovation, driven job creation, and increased new capital investment in Ohio
• Women in Manufacturing, a national association dedicated to supporting, promoting and inspiring women in all manufacturing roles
• REDI Cincinnati, connecting businesses in Greater Cincinnati with the data, partners, and resources needed to make the best decision for your company
• Third Eye Brewing, a Cincinnati-based award-winning brewery that believes in lots of experimentation, also serving as the location for many of this week’s interviews; other favorite breweries in Cincinnati: Wandering Monster, Fifty West, Rhinegeist, and the massive Zinzinnati Oktoberfest celebration

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Rajat Bhageria, Founder & CEO of Chef Robotics, joins this episode to talk about how his company uses robotics and AI to fill in the gap in the labor market, while also offering high-mix manufacturing abilities to customers in food manufacturing.

Starting out in stealth mode, Chef Robotics has steadily perfected its product in collaboration with customers and real-world feedback. We hear about the strategy behind the company’s aims to scale in the assembly stage of manufacturing rather than branching out into the restaurant space.

In this episode, find out:

• What Rajat learned from his previous tech company about using AI
• An origin story to Chef Robotics and why Rajat chose to focus on the pain points in food manufacturing
• Why Rajat decided to launch Chef Robotics in stealth mode until recently
• We debate whether you need to be an expert in your niche to succeed in it
• How Rajat positioned Chef Robotics to customers and investors, focusing on pain points and larger companies
• We hear how Chef Robotics works and offers the flexibility that high-mix manufacturing
• Rajat shares his predictions on the future of AI
• What Rajat has learned from other automation businesses and competitors
• Why Rajat isn’t working on automation from restaurants and is instead happy to stick to his niche for now
• Rajat shares predictions on the future of food manufacturing and how restaurants will become a place to appreciate human artistry

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!

Tweetable Quotes:

• "The biggest pain point is labor shortage... It's actually the number one labor shortage in the US, with over 1.1 million people that companies are looking to hire."
• “If you're starting a company, you should find a problem statement which is so pressing that your customers are willing to work with you to get there.”
• “AI gets better over time. And that's what allows us to be flexible without custom. You could build custom hardware or custom software per ingredient. You could do that, but that's not really scalable.”

Links & mentions:

• Chef Robotics, robotics-as-a-service company transforming food production with flexible robots and AI
• Chef Robotics Link to Chat, how to get in touch with Chef Robotics
• Chef Robotics Case Studies, use cases showcasing their system in action

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

KC Bier Co. was founded by Steve Holle, whose love of German beer, his heritage, time spent in the country, and passion for craft brewing were the perfect recipe for starting a traditional German brewery in the heart of Kansas City. He joined this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour as part of our MADE HERE series, created in partnership with ISN, the Industrial Solutions Network, which features stories from the region’s most important industrial operations.

Steve takes us on a journey through the history of German brewing techniques and why he adopts the same traditions that have served German beer lovers for centuries. While Steve wasn’t always in the brewing business, he cultivated his passion for years before finally opening the doors to KC Bier Co. and explains why he decided to focus on the niche of German beer.

We swap beer stories, discuss the most underrated German beers, and talk about the impact breweries like KC Bier Co. are having on the bustling culinary scene in Kansas City. There are some great insights in this episode for manufacturers on the power of specializing rather than trying to be everything to everyone, plus much more.

In this episode, find out:

• Steve explains how he first fell in love with German beer due to his heritage and a semester spent in Germany
• Why KC Bier Co. follows “Reinheitsgebot” methods, the German beer purity law that meant beer could only be made with specific ingredients
• Steve explains what led up to his starting KC Bier Co. and how his plans to become a craft brewer started long ago
• The most underrated styles of German beer and how they compare to American lagers
• How Kansas City’s rich culinary scene ties perfectly into the growing brewery scene
• What the community interaction with competitor brewers and customers has been like for KC Bier Co.
• What Steve wished more people knew about KC’s food and drinks culture
• Steve shares his advice for starting a new venture later in life

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Tweetable Quotes:

• “Respect what you're doing and make sure you do it well rather than just thinking, ‘oh, that sounds like something fun I'd like to do.’”
• “I think craft brewing is not so much about being everything to everybody, but it's having a passion for something that you're doing and trying to be the best at that niche that you want to work in.”
• “Some people question why we don't make stouts and everything else. And I think by focusing on something so specific, we actually bring more variety to the beer drinkers in Kansas City because no one else really does what we do.”

Links & mentions:

• KC Bier Co., Brewer of German-style bier using only water, yeast, and all-imported German malt and hops with a Bavarian-style bierhalle and biergarten in Kansas City, MO

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

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