The Manufacturing Executive

Ryan Kuhlenbeck, Co-Founder and CEO of Pico MES, discusses the impact of a digital backbone for small factories. He talks about the challenges faced by mid-size manufacturers and the benefits of using Pico, a digital solution that improves operational efficiency. The podcast also explores the importance of skilled labor and the need for a supportive work environment. Ryan emphasizes the significance of having a digital backbone for factories, considering connected elements, continuous improvement, flexibility, and future planning.

Over the past few decades, we've seen two of the five human senses digitized: With sound, we've witnessed music go from analog to digital, and technologies like Siri and Alexa infiltrate our personal and professional lives. With vision, we've watched facial recognition software emerge on our phones, video surveillance and super advanced vision inspection systems on manufacturing production lines. Youssef Benmokhtar, CEO of GelSight and the guest on this episode, is leading the company that's pioneering the digitization of a third human sense – touch. And what they're doing right now will open the door to limitless applications in manufacturing technology, and also in our daily lives.

Change. How. American. Manufacturing's. Perceived. In. Our. Nation. Put the first letters of those eight words together and you have the word "CHAMPION". Terry Iverson is the founder of the nonprofit organization CHAMPION Now. And he's on a mission to change the image of manufacturing from the stereotypical “dark and dirty” industry to one filled with advanced technology and innovation, and promising careers for the next generation. In this episode, he's here to tell you why this mission is so important, what he's doing to fulfill this mission, and hopefully, to inspire you to take action as well.

Advancing sustainability. Reducing downtime risk. Creating a more profitable future through energy efficiency. These are positive side effects of implementing a modernized energy system. And in the manufacturing sector, where incredible amounts of energy are consumed every minute from a century-old power grid, it's time to start looking toward to the future. In this episode, Gareth Evans, CEO and Founder of energy transition platform VECKTA, shares his wealth of knowledge on the subject. Veckta's Company Website: https://www.veckta.com Veckta's Company Podcast: https://www.veckta.com/renewable-rides-podcast/ Gareth's Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gareth-evans-41015726

There are a number of talent pools – from veterans to disabled to ex-felon that not only present opportunities for finding talent, but can also come along with meaningful incentives and tax credits. These incentives can also extend into investments in buildings, machinery, equipment and upskilling your employees. Leslie Boyd, CPA and Managing Principal – Manufacturing at CLA, has spent her career building deep expertise inside of the manufacturing sector. And she's here to unpack all of this for you.

Imagine an engineering design environment where AI does 60 to 70% of the work, and humans finish the rest. Tasks get automated. Things happen faster. Productivity increases. As Milan Kocic, Founder and Head of Sixth Sense at Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence will tell you, in some places, we're already there. But looking into the future, Milan doesn't see an environment void of humans. Instead, he pictures one where humans are effectively... superhuman.

How does a small mechanical contractor grow into one the top industrial oven manufacturers in the country – all while maintaining a partnership over nearly four decades and continuing to innovate all along the way? There's no simple recipe. From putting their customers at the center of every project through custom-engineered solutions.... To keeping their manufacturing operations in house to build supply chain resilience and maintain exceptional quality standards... To creating a work environment that makes people say, "I want to retire here"... Ron Speicher and David Craft of Davron Technologies, Inc are here to tell their story of building for long-term success.

Whether you're thinking about bringing a brand new product to market or your feeling the pressure to modernize your existing product line to remain competitive, this era of industry 4.0 is forcing manufacturing leaders to ask themselves lots of questions. What options do we have? What risks are we taking? What will it cost? How can we do it without excessive capital investment? How will we validate the viability of the product? How and from where will we source components? How should we think about incorporating AI? And can we start small? Or do we have to go all in? President of Design 1st, Kevin Bailey, has spent more than three decades in product design. And he's here to help you navigate all of this.

Here we are in a decade when technology is advancing at a faster rate than ever before. The pressure to innovate is all around us. But from an innovation standpoint, what's essential and what's not? Where do we make investments? How far ahead of the technology adoption curve do we need to be? And how do we innovate without overwhelming our respective teams? These are the types of questions today's manufacturing leaders are being forced to answer all the time. In this conversation, Jeff Winter, Sr. Director of Industry Strategy for Manufacturing with Hitachi Solutions, talks about why innovation matters so much right now. He'll illustrate some common misconceptions about innovation. And most importantly, he'll talk about how today's manufacturing leaders can formalize innovation to stay relevant, drive growth and mitigate the often overwhelming stressors that come along with innovating.

Jackie Green, VP of Economics at ITR, discusses the potential Great Depression of the 2030s. They analyze economic data, the current state of manufacturing industry, recession strategies, and the impact of the White House on the economy. They also provide insight into their long-term forecast and advice for preparation.