The Manufacturing Executive

Our guest today thinks of himself as a treasure hunter not for gold and silver but for used machinery parts, and in this episode discusses how one man’s trash can be another’s treasure.  Listen in as Noah Graff, Vice President of Graff-Pinkert & Co. talks about: New trends and insights coming from the precision machining spaceWhat is treasure huntingHow supply chain challenges have affected large equipment manufacturing What's going on in the world of machine parts

Our guest in this episode knows both sides of the US/Mexico border very well and provides insights into a term he calls “ally shoring” – the opportunity for US manufacturers to expand manufacturing operations across the southern border.Listen in as Founder and Managing Director of Nepanoa, Alberto Villarreal, talks about:What ally shoring means and how it compares to offshoring across seasThe benefits for American manufacturers when they're opening facilities in Mexico or other Latin American countriesThe most significant barriers that manufacturing organizations tend to run into when they're expanding their operations into international territory

In its earliest stages, most technological innovations are reserved for those with the most capital. In manufacturing, when you add the scalability of digital products to this, you end up with what our guest calls “the great equalizer.” Raj Batra is the President of digital industries for Siemens USA, where he oversees all development, engagement, marketing, sales, r&d, vertical industry, and manufacturing activity for the automation business. With over 25 years of experience, Raj is a thought leader in smart manufacturing, digitalization, and industry 4.0. In this episode, Raj talks about digitalization in manufacturing.   Join us as we discuss:The most potent movements happening in digitalization right nowHow the scalability factor of digitalization changes the outlook for smaller and mid-sized manufacturersWhat is happening with additive manufacturing now, and how it can change things in the futureHow digitalization and automation fit into the picture for manufacturing

Sometimes it feels like technology and humans are at odds with each other, but our guest today will tell you that the future of manufacturing will involve technology that supports human beings.  Trond Undheim is a futurist, scholar, venture partner, nonresident Fellow at the Atlantic Council, co-founder of Yegii, and lead ecosystem evangelist at Tulip. Trond hosts the Augmented Podcast and is the author of Augmented Lean. In this episode, Trond talks about how the best leaders in manufacturing implement industrial technology to empower their workers and achieve efficiencies.  Join us as we discuss:Why do the topics of automation, innovation, and technology mean so much in the manufacturing sector A synopsis of Trond’s new book Augmented LeanWhat is an augmented workforce, and how does it change the way people workTrond’s futuristic approach to manufacturing and the augmented workforce Why manufacturers don’t need to put a spin on the industry to make it exciting  More information on Trond’s new book Augmented Lean: https://www.augmentedlean.com/.

Technology has brought us to a place where mobile phones have better cameras than the most advanced manufacturing lines had ten years ago. Vision inspection technology has come so far that the barriers to entry in terms of investment and technological feasibility have made vision automation accessible to all manufacturers.  Austin Appel is the Co-Founder of Overview, an AI deep-learning vision platform for manufacturing. At Overview, Austin is responsible for leading product development and operations. Previously, Austin spent four years at Tesla in battery manufacturing and research and development roles. In this episode, Austin talks about the advancements in vision inspection technology.  Join us as we discuss:The underlying problems within manufacturing facilitiesHow is technology helping to alleviate labor problemsWhat’s different now vs. 20 years ago in vision technology for manufacturingHow Overview fits into the overall picture of vision technology

For years sustainable business practices have been a plus in manufacturing organizations. But when forced to make a decision between profitability and sustainability, most leaders will choose profitability. Our guest today will tell us why the link between profitability and sustainability is closer than ever.  Lauren Dunford is the CEO and Co-Founder of Guidewheel, a company whose mission is to empower all the world's factories to reach sustainable peak performance. In 2022 Guidewheel was recognized by the World Economic Forum as one of the 100 most promising companies globally poised to significantly impact business and society. In this episode, Lauren talks about how GuideWheel's plug-and-play FactoryOps platform makes the power of the cloud accessible to any factory.  Join us as we discuss:Trends that Lauren is seeing across the industrial sector Why manufacturing leaders should care about sustainability in their operations How sustainability can affect market penetration resulting in revenue growth What does sustainability mean to private equity firms or other potential investors in manufacturers

Creating an online community can be challenging and far-fetched for many. When it’s done correctly, it can foster communication in a way that creates a feedback loop between you and your customers.  Joining today are two of Gorilla 76's own strategists, Brendon Forrest and Peyton Warren. In this episode, Brendon and Peyton explain how to apply an online community to a business setting.  Join us as we discuss:What an online community isExamples of thriving online communities in the manufacturing sectorWhy creating value must take precedence over pushing products in these settingsWhat might motivate a manufacturing leader to facilitate an online community  Additional Resources:Industrial Marketing Live, an ongoing webinar series designed specifically for marketers in the manufacturing sector

Although the physical labor Boomers can provide in the manufacturing workforce has diminished, we cannot ignore the expertise and knowledge they bring to the table with years of experience in this industry.  Will Healy III is a founding board member of the Advance Manufacturing Industry Partnership (AMIP), whose mission is to connect manufacturers, educators, and workforce partners to evangelize the positive outcomes of manufacturing careers. Will has more than 16 years of experience in various discrete production industries, including assembly, food and beverage packaging, welding and stamping. In this episode, Will talks about how to retain Boomers in the workforce.  Join us as we discuss:Why we should invest in people-centric technology How can we keep our Boomers around and empower them The importance of diversity in the manufacturing workforceWhat actions Will would like to see the manufacturing sector take to shine a light on the great things happening in the space

The narrative around robotics, automation, and industry 4.0 technology are that these technologies are out of reach and require overwhelming investments and change to company infrastructure, but with advancements in technology across the manufacturing sector, this narrative is changing quickly.   Fady Saad and Mark Martin are General Partners at Cybernetix, a venture capital firm leading the way for investment into early-stage robotics, automation, and AI startups. Fady is also the Co-Founder of MassRobotics, the world's first and largest robotics & AI startup escalator. He led the multi-million dollar fundraising for the organization and architected MassRobotics' corporate partnership program and business model.  Mark has 25+ years of executive tech leadership spanning industrial, healthcare, automotive, and consumer industries. A former VP of Analog Devices Industrial Automation, Sensors, and IoT division leading a $1B+ business, Mark led multiple acquisitions, strategic investments, and scaled new business ventures. In this episode, Fady and Mark break down all of the transformational technology changes that are affecting manufacturing right now.  Join us as we discuss:Some of the transformational technologies that are happening in manufacturing right now What it takes to get past the fear of change to make or invest in something new Mark and Fady's perspective on automation in manufacturing not being an option, but a necessity How the current economic climate will affect manufacturing in the near future

It is easy to do the same thing repeatedly, but there is no better time than now to start thinking differently as a manufacturing leader.  Nikki Gonzales is the Head of Partnerships for Quotebeam, a collaborative marketplace and workflow platform for the industrial automation industry. She helps buyers cut their sourcing time from weeks to days by building partner relationships with distributors and manufacturers in the space. Nikki is also the host of the Automation Ladies podcast, where girls talk about industrial automation. In this episode, Nikki offers her perspective on how manufacturing leaders can begin to shift their mindset.  Join us as we discuss:How the Automation Ladies Podcast came to beWhy is manufacturing such a male dominated industry and what needs to happen for that to change What is Quotebeam, why it’s important, and what are some of the unique challenges that come with working in a startupNikki’s perspective on the supply chain crisis and where it is headed