NTMA: Supporting Small Manufacturers' Cost Reduction and Innovation with Roger Atkins

Connect with Roger Atkins: ratkins@ntma.org

In this episode, our guest, Roger Atkins, President of the National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA), shares invaluable insights into the evolving landscape of the manufacturing industry. Roger's lifelong involvement in manufacturing, shaped by his family's influence and experience in the field, has fueled his dedication to sustaining and enhancing the industry. Throughout the episode, he delves into many critical topics, ranging from the impact of government regulations on small and medium-sized manufacturers to the essential role of automation and modernization in staying competitive globally. He underscores the significance of reshoring operations and the pressing need to attract and train a skilled workforce, particularly drawing younger individuals into the manufacturing sector. By the end of this episode, you will gain a deeper understanding of the driving forces shaping the industry's future and the crucial initiatives led by NTMA.

Throughout the episode, Roger Atkins, the guest, discusses key points:

- How younger individuals are entering careers in manufacturing without college debt due to financing from those who need it.

- The harmful impact of government regulations on small to medium-sized manufacturers, such as taxes and regulatory restrictions.

- The uncertainty of elections affecting the manufacturing industry and reshoring becoming a trend due to the challenges faced during the pandemic.

- Manufacturers must reduce costs and adopt automation and robotics to stay competitive globally.

- The introduction of an exclusive tooling program by the National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA) to help members reduce costs without affecting prices, protect their profits, and help them stay in business.

Throughout the discussion, Roger Atkins shares his insights and expertise based on his extensive experience as the president of NTMA. By highlighting the hardships and opportunities within the manufacturing sector, he underscores the importance of sustaining and enhancing the industry's vitality.

The Importance of Mentorship in Business: "My dad went to his grave telling would tell anybody that it was his intimate friends and colleagues that taught him how to run a business."

— Roger Atkins [00:04:22 → 00:04:29]

The Power of Unity in Manufacturing: "When those little shops bind together, all of a sudden, we find out we're not the little guy in the game, that we play a huge role of of US manufacturing."

— Roger Atkins [00:09:11 → 00:10:01]

The Importance of Manufacturing in Space Exploration: "Nothing you touch, anything you touch, there was a manufacturer involved at some point in the process. Regardless of what it is."

— Roger Atkins [00:12:22 → 00:12:30]

The Importance of Manufacturing Careers: "But that one of the big challenges is that the other thing that really we fight against all the time are government regulations that really harms small to medium-sized factors."

— Roger Atkins [00:16:27 → 00:16:36]

The Impact of Regulations on Small Businesses: "And it stopped a couple of years ago, and they've used this as a political football where both sides agree it's great and small business needs it, But we're gonna use it as a political football to get something else we need."

— Roger Atkins [00:17:04 → 00:17:16]

The impact of presidential election years on small to medium-sized manufacturers: "Being our customers, they maybe we're going to have administration change. We don't. All that so everybody's in limbo in an election year, and I think that does affect small, medium, Small to medium-sized manufacturers until a decision's made as to what direction we're going to go as a nation politically."

— Roger Atkins [00:18:06 → 00:18:22]

Reshoring Opportunities in Manufacturing: "I think you're going to see a continued reshowing opportunity that comes our way. I think you, manufacturing at large, the demand will continue, and it will be up to us if we can handle it or not."

— Roger Atkins [00:21:21 → 00:21:34]

The Future of Manufacturing: "You're either gonna change or die."

— Roger Atkins [00:22:43 → 00:23:50]

"Benefits of NTMA's Exclusive Tooling Program": "It's about reducing the cost of your company, which allows you then to reduce your price, and it does, and it protects your profits Because you can't be in business without profits, and to lower your price only takes out of your profit. So our goal at NTMA is to help people reduce their costs."

— Roger Atkins [00:23:50 → 00:24:47]

NTMA and Manufacturing Community: "After Google, NTM is your answer."

— Roger Atkins [00:30:24 → 00:30:26]