The Manufacturing Executive

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

When someone says “made in America,” it has always been said with a sense of pride. It is a term that has traditionally been associated with quality and reliability. But what does “made in America” mean, and do the benefits of keeping things stateside outweigh offshoring operations? In 2013, Brandon Acker purchased Titan Abrasive Systems after spending five years learning the ins and outs of the business. As President of Titan Abrasive, Brandon oversees the design and manufacturing of the company's complete line of blast room and blast Machine Products for industrial applications. In this episode, Brandon talks about what being "made in America" means and the benefits of sourcing components that are made in the USA.  Join us as we discuss:The advantages of being fully made in America as a manufacturing operationWhat's happening at the US government level to help manufacturers bring manufacturing back to the USWhat happened to the manufacturing workforce after the pandemicBrandon's advice for manufacturers wanting to become a made-in-America business

Innovative organizations have figured out that employee engagement highly depends on the employer-employee experience you provide inside your organization. The changes that covid has brought to the workplace over the last two years have affected the experience businesses can provide to their employees. Julie Jeannotte is the Employee Engagement Expert & Senior Researcher at OfficeVibe. With over 15 years of experience in the HR industry, Julie is an expert at helping organizations understand the value of placing their people at the heart of their strategy. Julie's background and experience have given her the ability to know what it takes to build high-performing teams with a people-first approach.  Join us as we discuss:How Julie began her journey in the HR industryThe core functions of her company’s employee engagement software, OfficeVibeWhy employee engagement is essential in creating great work environments

Ongoing learning and professional development are necessary for anyone who wants to stay ahead of the curve. And this episode’s guest has constructed his business around this exact idea. Tim Wilborne is the owner of TW Controls with his wife, Amber. Tim began working in a machine shop at the age of 12 and eventually found his way into industrial controls. While his wife was eight months pregnant, they started TW Controls with the primary goal of helping you become a better technician. Tim brings us great insights into how he began his journey and why it’s never too late to get started. Join us as we discuss:Tim’s foray into the world of industrial controls The common misconception about automationWhy ongoing learning is so critical

MJ Peters joins us two years after her first appearance on our show to talk about the evolution of workforce collaboration among engineers in manufacturing.  Currently the VP of Marketing at CoLab Software, MJ brings a mix of industrial and SaaS experience to her role. Before CoLab, MJ worked with 50+ venture-backed b2b software companies on their demand generation strategies at Refine Labs. And prior to that, she spent six years working at FTSE 100 Halma PLC, a group of mid-sized manufacturing businesses focused on medical, environmental and safety technology.  Join us as we discuss:How the way teams communicate and collaborate (especially engineers) has started to changeHow digital transformations are impacting modern manufacturing and engineeringSteps that MJ has taken to uniquely position CoLab in its market