The Manufacturing Executive

We’re at the threshold of an information revolution around cloud-based hardware, and our guest today will explain why moving to the cloud can save your business.Michael Corr is the Founder and CEO of Duro Labs, a cloud SaaS PLM platform enabling the utilization of hardware development for the next generation of hardware teams. Listen in as Michael explains the need for cloud based hardware in your manufacturing business. Join us as we discuss:Some of the biggest problems caused by manual processes around transferring dataThe pushback that Michael sees around hesitancy to move things to the cloudWhy security is now a commodity for dataWhy the most prudent managers protect themselves from financial ups and downs by investing in processes and technologyThe business opportunity of using the cloud to find suppliers

Sometimes it's easier to follow the status quo than switch things up, especially when running a second or third-generation family-owned business. Listen in as Michelle Acosta, Vice President of Operations and Marketing at Acosta Sheet Metal shares her experiences as well as her vision for leading this family business into the future. Join us as we discuss: Things that commodity-driven businesses can do to make it about more than just price when talking to prospects and customersTaking a proactive approach to looking for process efficiencies in the businessThe impact that modernizing Acosta's technology stack has had on the business

What do manufacturing organizations need to consider on the marketing front as we head into the new year? In this solo episode, I’ll take you through the marketing playbook we use for our manufacturing clients at Gorilla. Join us as we discuss: Becoming the expert resource for your audienceCapturing existing demand and creating new demandThe 4 pieces of our marketing framework: the Road Map, the messaging strategy, the content and the campaignsHow do you quantify the effectiveness of your marketing efforts

During a time when finding labor is challenging, there are some things the manufacturing sector can learn from the “gig economy.” Our guest today provides his insights on sourcing and upskilling the manufacturing workforce.Jason Radisson is the Founder and CEO of Shift One, a platform that is helping solve the global shortage of skilled front-line workers, with more than 300,000 users, from nurses to solar technicians. Since becoming an entrepreneur, Jason has worked with more than a dozen first-tier VCs, and today, more than 20 venture-backed Founders are alumni of his earlier teams. In this episode, Jason talks about the unique perspectives that Shift One brings to the staffing industry.Join us as we discuss:How the staffing industry has been trying to solve the problem of worker shortagesThe essential learnings Jason has taken from the gig economy that are relevant to the labor market in manufacturing todayHow the labor market will evolve over the coming years

In the business realm, the encompassing term ‘supply chain’ is relatively new, and the roles within it, including procurement, are even more contemporary. Having only been around since the 80s, organizations are still finding ways to streamline their procurement processes and enable teams to elevate organizational success.According to our latest guest, Rob Pakalski, CEO & Co-Founder of Datum, many organizations make the mistake of treating procurement as an administrative role. In fact, when an organization empowers procurement to get involved across many processes, starting with design, the team can play a vital role in building a competitive edge.Join us as we discuss:Enabling procurement as a strategic roleReplacing tribal knowledge with data-informed practicesThe shifting paradigm of supplier relationshipsBest practices for OEM interactions as a supplier

What was once a manufacturing process reserved for low-volume prototyping has found its home in various production applications. Our guest today breaks down post-print processes and lets us in on what he refers to as the dirty little secret of additive manufacturing. Jeff Mize is the CEO of PostProcess Technologies, the international leader in automated post-printing solutions for additive manufacturing. He has a proven track record of scaling startups in new markets and driving growth. In this episode, Jeff talks about pioneering connectivity of the post-print step for industrial 3D printing. Join us as we discuss:How additive manufacturing has evolved and is being used in new waysHow to integrate additive into manufacturing processes that are already being used The barriers to using additive manufacturing at scale How automation fits into additive manufacturing Additive manufacturing’s role in helping to future-proof businesses from labor and supply chain challenges

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/.