The Manufacturing Executive

With the reshoring of American manufacturing all over the headlines during this first half of 2025, the question from inside the industrial sector seems to be, "How are we supposed to make that happen on such an fast timeline?" In today's conversation, Founder and President of Cleveland Automation, Rylan Pyciak, will talk about some of the obstacles in our manufacturing infrastructure that will inevitably slow us down – from production of raw materials to a complex, internationally dependent supply chain to availability of labor. As the leader of an automation business, he'll also talk about where automation fits into the picture and what else we can do to prepare accordingly.

When you've got five projects on your plate and a sixth one gets added, but it's not due for another year, how worried are you about getting it done? Rhetorical question of course. But my guest today will tell you why we need to change that mindset. In today's episode, Clint Padgett, CEO and President of Project Success, Inc, will talk about how to plan for and manage successful projects that finish on time and without that dreaded sense of panic as the deadline approaches – or worse yet, passes.

Last week I was approached by some of my manufacturing leader friends about a panel they just recorded on the MakingChips podcast about a critical issue that's likely familiar to many of you by now. And that is: Defunding of the MEPs or Manufacturing Extension Partnerships. In case you're not familiar, the MEPSs are public-private partnerships that exist in every state throughout the US. These organizations exist to help small manufacturers with everything from securing grants for training and upskilling to lean manufacturing to ERP implementation to cyber security and more. Now – despite all the talk from our current administration about bolstering the American manufacturing sector, 10 MEPs had already been defunded at the time of this recording. And plans for this to continue are looming in the weeks and months ahead. Here's the problem: For the US manufacturing to grow, we NEED our small manufacturers who represent such an overwhelmingly large percentage of our manufacturing economy to thrive. And we need to support them more right now than ever before. I've been asked to syndicate this conversation to bring attention to the issue with THIS audience of The Manufacturing Executive, in hopes of activating YOU to speak up and to take action. So in this panel, you'll hear from five manufacturing leaders – most of which you'll likely recognize. They'll get you up to speed and most importantly, they'll tell you what YOU can do to help: – Paul Van Metre of ProShop ERP – Nick Goellner of Advanced Machine & Engineering and MakingChips – Meaghan Ziemba of Mavens of Manufacturing – Mike Payne of Hill Manufacturing and MakingChips – Jim Mayer of The Manufacturing Connector

Whether you're packing up shop and moving to a new location or you're expanding your manufacturing operation, opening up a new facility is no small deal. From planning the timeline of events to scouting a new geographic location to assuring the on-site requirements meet your needs to mitigating downtime during a move, there's a lot to account for. Pat Reilly, Executive Vice President and industrial real estate broker at JLL, has spent his career helping industrial sector organizations navigate these waters. And today, he'll be sharing his knowledge with you.

From COVID (and the labor and supply chain obstacles that came along with it) to the recent challenges we're now facing with tariffs, the current generation of manufacturing leaders has fought through quite a bit in just a short period of time. My guest today, Melanie White, will talk about the current manufacturing landscape specifically, but in the context of her 79-year old family-owned business, Hellwig Products, where she serves as the fourth-generation CEO.

Naresh Ram, Chief Science Officer at AAXIS, leads explorations of transformative technologies in manufacturing. In this discussion, he reveals the evolution of AI agents, evolving from basic chatbots to advanced systems that mimic human decision-making. Topics include the application of AI for inventory management, order placements, and production scheduling. Naresh also addresses generative AI's impact on efficiency, the need for workforce upskilling, and how AI helps navigate tariff complexities, ultimately reshaping operational processes in manufacturing.

For 250 consecutive Tuesdays, I've published a new episode of this podcast. In this short-and-sweet retrospective – episode #251 – I'll talk about six ways this show has helped change the trajectory of our business at Gorilla 76 over roughly the past five years in hopes that you might find some inspiration. They are: 1. Direct and indirect impact on new customer acquisition 2. Direct financial impact through sponsorships 3. Elevation of brand perception – both for my company and for me personally 4. Doors opened in the manufacturing sector 5. The content machine 6. Market research

Jim Mayer, Founder of The Manufacturing Connector, has coined a term that he calls "The Industrial Brand Death Cycle", which he describes as follows: Weak leadership leads to weak culture, which leads to employee disengagement, which leads to fake branding, which leads to failed marketing, which leads to customer distrust, which leads to the company's struggles. Then, leaders get replaced and more often than not, the cycle repeats. In today conversation, Jim will talk about how authentic culture, as well as authentic marketing begins with the leader. More specifically, he'll explain why leadership in manufacturing today means being visible – not only out there on the shop floor – but also publicly, as the face of the organization.

I've often compared building a website to building a house. You can tear it down and rebuild from the ground up. You can gut it to the studs, putting in all new plumbing, electric and HVAC. You can renovate a few rooms. Or you can simply put on a fresh coat of paint. But how you do which approach makes sense for your website? What are the signals that tell you it's time to at least do something? And how do you plan for a website that's not just a digital brochure, but instead a tool that drives meaningful, measurable impact for your business? My two guests today, Gorilla 76 Digital Creative Director Randall Zaitz and Gorilla 76 Head of Performance Marketing Kevin McClary, have collectively been a part of countless website projects for B2B manufacturers. And they're here to break all of this down.

Garrett Partridge, CEO of ARC Technology Solutions, and Dan Wyatt, an innovation consultant, delve into the vital role of manufacturing testing in achieving product excellence. They argue that testing should not just be a compliance step but a strategic advantage. Topics include the complexities of electronics testing and the benefits of modular approaches. They also discuss how data analytics and AI can enhance testing methodologies, along with the evolving landscape of manufacturing relationships and the urgency of addressing testing bottlenecks.