Innovation. It’s a word that features in almost every speech, article and business strategy – simply because leaders know it’s what keeps their customers engaged long term. It’s also one of the most important drivers for sustained growth.

Yet, for all its importance, innovation is curiously difficult to define. So, how can we identify the exceptional ideas from the everyday? And – more to the point – what does innovation actually look like in the world of engineering and manufacturing? Can an innovative company culture be built with the right team, or is it instead a natural outcome of the R&D process?  

This is the central topic we examine in the third and final episode of this series of Beyond the Blueprint. This time we’re joined by Graham Reed, Manuela Kraus and Mark Koski, three colleagues who have spearheaded innovation across different divisions of Ingersoll Rand. We get the inside track on their experiences, as well as some reflections on standout projects that capture the true meaning of innovation. 

It's a fitting end to series two. Be sure to tune in. 

Topics covered in this episode include:

• What exactly is innovation? And how does the ‘right’ idea happen?
• What comes first: changing customer requirements or entirely new concepts that need shaping according to customers’ needs?
• Challenges associated with the development of new products and services
• How to avoid overengineering a solution 

Website: www.irco.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ingersoll-rand

Its origins can be traced back to the development of the first programmable logic controller almost 60 years ago – but it’s only now that industrial engineering and manufacturing is beginning to fully reckon with the Industrial Internet of Things’ (IIoT) potential. 

As our guests highlight in the latest episode of Beyond the Blueprint, IIoT is now entering an exciting new phase with the help of next-gen technologies, such as machine learning and AI. The road to this point, however, has been filled with many other important milestones, which have ultimately given customers a much greater degree of visibility and control of their assets. 

It’s these milestones that serve as the starting point for our conversation with Corene Newbery and Aviran Yaacov. Both guests share insights into how Aircom and EcoPlant – two Ingersoll Rand businesses – are tackling complex challenges and delivering efficiency to customers worldwide with industry-changing technologies. You’ll hear about the big problems these businesses are solving, as well as the customer-centric thinking that led to the creation of these powerful solutions.

Be sure to listen to the end of this episode, where we take a glimpse into the future and question what’s next for IIoT. 

Topics covered in this episode include:

• Putting IIoT in context – why is this technology so powerful and where is it making an impact? 
• The technology’s development to date – and its position within industrial engineering and manufacturing
• Appetite for data and how this can be used to improve performance – even over large geographical areas

Website: www.irco.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ingersoll-rand

In the first episode of the second season of Beyond the Blueprint, we look at what is arguably the defining challenge for businesses today: sustainability.  

Our speaker is Mary Betsch, vice president, Sustainability at Ingersoll Rand. During the episode, Mary explains how Lead Sustainably, one of Ingersoll Rand’s strategic imperatives, has unlocked a new era of sustainable growth across the business, reducing environmental impact while maintaining efficiency and profitability. As Mary shows, the results of this process have been impressive, signposting a viable route forward for those also working in industrial engineering and manufacturing. 

Mary is joined by Kristof Suykerbuyk and Matt Vail, two leaders within product management who have delivered sustainable, industry-changing products in response to evolving customer requirements.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• What exactly ‘sustainability’ means within industrial engineering and manufacturing
• How a coherent sustainability strategy can enhance businesses and unlock accelerated growth 
• The biggest challenges and opportunities of sustainability targets while seeking improved performance and efficiencies across a large base of operations
• Landmark projects that showcase what’s possible when sustainability is central to a customer’s brief  

Website: www.irco.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ingersoll-rand

Beyond the Blueprint is a podcast from Ingersoll Rand, a global provider of mission-critical flow creation and life science and industrial solutions. Each episode shares insights from the people who are making life better through their commitment to world-class engineering and manufacturing.

Building on Ingersoll Rand’s purpose – Making Life Better – we’re looking at standout solutions those at the forefront of industrial tech are developing in response to the biggest challenges faced by both industry and the planet. 

Series one of the podcast shared insights on the industry challenges and opportunities, talent acquisition, and women in engineering. 

In series two, we will be developing this conversation further, looking at standout projects and products that showcase a best-in-class approach to sustainability, technology, and innovation. While rarely receiving the airtime they deserve, these are the stories that showcase what’s possible when the industry’s brightest minds converge.

Website: www.irco.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ingersoll-rand

In the third episode of Beyond the Blueprint – and series one finale – we examine the diverse careers of three highly successful women working at Ingersoll Rand. 

With a focus on DE&I, our guests join the dots between those early career steps and established careers while working within one of the world’s largest engineering and manufacturing businesses. 

This time we’re joined by Becki Savin, Claudine Sadoun and Izaro Urien Ojinaga. Each of our guests work across a distinct part of the business yet – as the episode highlights – all share similar experiences having forged influential roles in their chosen fields.  

Topics covered in this episode include:

• How DE&I shapes commercial success and its role for attracting more people into engineering and manufacturing
• What’s needed to drive success of these initiatives across large, international businesses like Ingersoll Rand
• The challenges of working in an industry that’s increasingly defined by speed yet also reliant on innovation
• What our guests wished they had known beginning when starting their careers
• Why the term ‘engineering and manufacturing’ is not always the best explanation for what a business like Ingersoll Rand does day-to-day

Website: www.irco.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ingersoll-rand

In the second episode of Beyond the Blueprint, we take a closer look at how companies are approaching talent acquisition within engineering and how potential candidates should prepare for those changes. 

We’re joined by Lorraine Logan and Andy Pilbeam — two of Ingersoll Rand’s most experienced talent acquisition professionals. They explain what forward-thinking businesses are now offering to attract the very best talent and how those looking to progress their career can stand out from the crowd to secure their most desired roles.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• The current recruitment landscape and the challenges for engineering businesses looking to attract the next generation of talent.
• Why the skills gap persists despite efforts to bring more skilled people into the sector.
• Traditional pathways into an engineering career vs. the road less travelled. 
• The generation gap in today’s workforce, what entry-level engineers now seek from their employer, and how organizations are responding.
• The opportunities for career development and importance of diversification within a large international business such as Ingersoll Rand. 

Website: www.irco.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ingersoll-rand

The first episode of Beyond the Blueprint sees us explore the important role the engineering world plays in making life better. Through a conversation with three engineering experts, each with different specialisms, we explore the challenges and opportunities presented to engineers in 2024 and beyond. 

Topics covered in this episode are:

• How do engineers help to make life better for people?
• The constant process of evolution and innovation for product development
• The links between smart technology, the Internet of Things (IoT) and sustainability
• How engineering-led businesses can make life better for their teams and communities
• The challenges and opportunities posed by sustainability legislation in 2024
• Perceptions of engineers and careers in engineering in 2024
• The vital role engineers play as problem-solvers
• The importance of a freedom to fail in engineering
• The type of people who thrive in the engineering world
• The importance of attracting fresh perspectives into engineering roles
• Selling engineering career opportunities to school-aged children
• What else can we do to change perceptions of careers in engineering?
• What makes a career in engineering such a great choice for the future?

Website: www.irco.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ingersoll-rand

Beyond the Blueprint is a new podcast from Ingersoll Rand. Ingersoll Rand is a global provider of mission-critical flow creation and life science and industrial solutions. Each episode will share insights from the people who make life better through their commitment to world class engineering and manufacturing.

From those developing the products at the forefront of industrial tech to the talented graduates bringing new perspectives to a business that's more than 160 years old, we speak to some of the people behind the insights and concepts making waves in industrial engineering.

Whether you’re taking your first step onto the career ladder or looking to accelerate your career in engineering to the next level, listen in and help us to inspire innovation.

Website: www.irco.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ingersoll-rand