Manufacturing the Future Madsen's Millwork & Custom Cabinets’ Tyler Madsen on Preserving Craftsmanship with AI
Meet Tyler Madsen, Director of Madsen's Millwork & Custom Cabinets
Tyler Madsen, Director of Madsen's Millwork & Custom Cabinets, exemplifies how traditional craftsmanship can thrive through technological innovation. "If you're not updating your technology, updating your equipment, updating your processes, you're going to be left behind," Tyler explains. "The most important thing here is speed. It's not just quality, it's how rapidly we can pump out quality."
Madsen's Millwork, founded in 1962, specializes in high-end custom woodworking for educational, residential, and commercial spaces, employing 75 skilled craftsmen and producing up to 30% of the region's architectural woodwork. The company needed to maintain its reputation for excellence while adapting to post-pandemic business realities and evolving customer expectations.
Under Tyler's leadership alongside his brother Josh, the company has embraced digital transformation while honoring traditional values. They've implemented sustainable practices like their innovative biomass heating system, which converts wood waste into energy, demonstrating their commitment to both environmental responsibility and operational efficiency.
In This Episode
In this milestone 50th episode, Tyler shares how upgrading from Epicor 905 to Kinetic and implementing AI tools like Prism has revolutionized their operations. From streamlining complex estimating processes to empowering field teams with real-time data access, Madsen's proves that embracing technology enhances rather than replaces traditional craftsmanship, enabling faster delivery without compromising quality.
Topics- Taking over a family business during COVID-19 pandemic while dealing with personal loss and operational challenges.
- Upgrading from legacy Epicor 905 system directly to Kinetic cloud ERP for improved operational efficiency.
- Implementing Epicor's Prism agentic AI to streamline estimating processes and specification document review workflows.
- Using AI to filter through complex architectural drawings and door schedules to eliminate human errors.
- Balancing traditional woodworking craftsmanship standards with modern technology adoption for competitive advantage in manufacturing.
- Empowering field installers with cloud-based tablets for real-time access to project data and documentation.
- Sustainable manufacturing practices including biomass heating systems that convert wood waste into building energy.
- Team adoption strategies for AI technology and overcoming resistance to digital transformation initiatives.
- Career paths in the woodworking industry including vocational training, apprenticeships, and skill development opportunities.
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