Manufacturing Happy Hour

Colin Morris, Senior Director of Solution Consulting at MaintainX and experienced maintenance pro, talks about AI-powered predictive maintenance and asset management. He explores why messy, scattered data stalls AI, which parts info teams must track, how digitization foundations get skipped, and how agentic AI could handle first-pass scheduling while humans approve plans.

Most regions have pockets of manufacturing strength. Very few have a manufacturing ecosystem. Matt Bogoshian has spent 15 years trying to change that.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:What it takes to build a regional manufacturing ecosystem of support, and why it requires more than any single organization or initiativeWhy 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 USThe five steps to creating lasting systems change: relationship building, storytelling, strategy, activation, and the critical step most initiatives never reachWhy trust is the precondition for every other element of ecosystem buildingWhat the Big Six elements of a thriving manufacturing ecosystem are, and why most regions are underperforming in at least four of themHow the Big Six framework helps diagnose where any region stands, and what coordination looks like when it’s workingWhy the gap between regions that thrive and those that don’t is rarely about resources, and what it’s really aboutHow ‘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 goEnjoying 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 American project is not going to thrive long term unless we have a strong cornerstone of manufacturing priority products.” – Matt Bogoshian“Trust is the coin of the realm. Having trusted relationships is really a precondition to everything else.” – Matt Bogoshian“There’s no ceiling on how high a kid could go in manufacturing.” – Matt BogoshianLinks & mentions:American Manufacturing Communities Collaborative (AMCC), representing a coalition of nationwide communities with the shared goal of revitalizing American manufacturingThe Buena Vista, opened in 1916, this corner spot in San Francisco serves its signature Irish coffee alongside American staplesMake sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

What happens when a multimedia entrepreneur and a concert venue owner sit down for a live podcast? 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: 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 decadesWhat 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 creativeTurning creativity into a daily habit. Why practice, not talent, is the real shortcut, and how both guests built their creative muscles over timeHow constraints drive better creative decisions, and why that’s one of the most transferable lessons to the manufacturing floorThe “done is better than perfect” mindset: balancing flexibility with process discipline when you’re building something newWhat the manufacturing industry looks like from behind a camera lens, and why storytelling is one of the industry’s most underused assetsHow Kyle Mahan (EP235) and Bill Berrien (EP160 & EP268) would apply the night’s creative lessons directly to industrial sectorEnjoying 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:"Creativity really often needs constraints to be the maximum of what it can be." - Andrew J. Coate "Networking doesn’t just happen at an event. It’s something that can happen over years and decades." - Chris Luecke "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:The Argo, concert venue, bar & kitchen, and event space located in the historic Fox Bay Theater in Whitefish Bay, WI, minutes from downtown Milwaukee Motivation Media, making videos that make a difference for nonprofits, businesses, commercials, fundraising, and so much more 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 missionEpisode 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 industryEpisode 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 industryEpisode 260: Innovations Transforming Automotive Manufacturing featuring STÄUBLI, RAM Solutions, and More, a look what’s transforming automotive manufacturing with interesting takes from eight industry expertsMake 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 TourManufacturing 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.

Marcus Sheanshang, President and CEO of JBM Packaging and creator of the Fair Chance hiring program, shares how second-chance hiring grew into a major talent pipeline. He talks about recruiting justice-impacted individuals, training inside prisons, and providing life coaching and transportation. Marcus explains how clear criteria, temp partnerships, and career progression helped scale the program and lower turnover.

AI is reshaping what it means to be a modern manufacturing professional.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:How CAM systems act as a 10x multiplier for manufacturing professionals.The evolution from manual G-code programming to AI-powered CAM systemsWhy Mastercam's AI co-pilot is bridging the knowledge gap left by retiring manufacturing expertsHow post-COVID supply chain vulnerabilities are driving companies to vertically integrateThe power shift giving mid-size manufacturers leverage in negotiations and exclusive supplier agreementsWhy manufacturing needs to be promoted as a viable white-collar careerHow technical expertise creates leadership credibility The importance of visiting customers and talking to shop floor employeesWhat Mastercam's acquisition enabled in terms of investment, innovation, and customer relationshipsEnjoying 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:“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.”“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.”“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:Mastercam, CAD/CAM solutions that are trusted to deliver superior and reliable machining performance with advanced productivity tools and AI-enabled CAM capabilities 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 TourManufacturing 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.

Stu Shepard, robotics leader who built theme park automation, shares safety and human-robot collaboration tales. Faye Goldstein, CEO building AI agents for industrial sales, explains practical AI for technical workflows. Alex Shikany, A3 exec, and Bob Little, Novanta strategist, present automation adoption trends and workforce impacts. Alex Chausovsky, industry economist, outlines 2026 CapEx timing, geopolitical risk, and data-driven investment urgency.

There’s a commonly held belief in manufacturing: big ideas need big money, fast growth, and outside control to survive. But that playbook doesn’t work for every business or every industry.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 successHow crowdfunding gives you more control over your business and direct access to future customersWhy diversifying within an industry is one of the smartest entrepreneurial moves you can makeThe importance of connecting with other entrepreneurs in the same position as youHow HeavyTech invented its hybrid and electric machines for construction, farm and ranchWhat it means to be fearless in businessWhere Andrew sees the future of U.S. manufacturing goingEnjoying 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 2026The 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

Haley Stevens, U.S. Representative from Michigan and former chief of staff on the Auto Rescue Task Force, talks manufacturing policy and supply chain resilience. She discusses critical minerals and U.S. dependence on foreign refining. Conversations cover the auto rescue's role in saving Michigan jobs, innovation in Industry 4.0, workforce development, and federal policy to bring more of the supply chain home.

Loud, dusty and far removed from innovation. We often think of mining as separate from modern manufacturing, but our visit to Imerys West Hub in this episode challenges that idea.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:Why “if you can’t grow it, you have to mine it” still applies to modern manufacturingWhat diatomaceous earth is and why it’s critical for filtration, pharma, and medical applicationsHow a mining operation runs start to finish, from raw material to finished productWhy mining in California forces higher standards for safety, automation, and environmental controlHow automation improves recovery, efficiency, and process visibility across the operationWhat mining really looks like today versus common perceptionsHow and why mining should coexist with communities instead of being pushed outside themEnjoying 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 can’t grow it, you have to mine it. It’s not magic. Everything we use has to come from somewhere.” “Mining absolutely has to be part of communities, or else everything would need to be imported. There’s no other way around it.”“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: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.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 2026The 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

Chris Hale, co-founder and CEO of Klear, builds fintech that ties payments and working capital to industrial execution. He talks about trade finance as the backbone of big projects. He explains orchestration and clean handoffs, why money gets harder as manufacturers scale, and how software plus capital can restore cash visibility and financial control.