Manufacturing Happy Hour

Thinking of breaking out of your bubble to get the most out of your career? This could be the push you need. 

On this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, we are joined by Sean Mulherrin, Product Manager at EPLAN. 

Sean discusses how globetrotting has benefitted his career, explains his passion for apprenticeships and shares his ideas on panel design. 

Plus, he explains why budding manufacturing pros shouldn’t be scared of change. 

Don’t miss this engaging conversation with a manufacturing industry expert. 

In this episode, find out: 

• How to use data effectively 
• The past, present and future of control panel building 
• Why you should break out of your bubble in manufacturing 
• The benefits of apprenticeships 
• Why you should design panels for troubleshooting 
• How to find your passion 
• What Sean has learned from working around the globe 
• How end users and integrators should view panel building 
• Why you shouldn’t be afraid of change 

Enjoying 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: 

• “Travel really opens up your eyes and makes you less afraid of change, professionally and personally.” 
• “Digitalization is the way forward.” 
• “If you design for troubleshooting, you can use data to generate the information for building the panel, as well as making it available for troubleshooting. You’re future-proofing.” 

Links & mentions: 

• Jost Van Dyke - One of the smallest of the British Virgin Islands, Jost Van Dyke encapsulates an abundance of charm and history. Its rich history has fostered some of the Caribbean’s best dining, with barbecue, Indian food and seafood dominating menus across their many beachside eateries: https://www.bvitourism.com/the-islands/jost-van-dyke  
• EPLAN, providing software and service solutions in the fields of electrical engineering, automation and Mechatronics engineering 

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. 

As generations retire and millennials take up the baton, this week’s guest knows business is in safe hands. But how can the new generations of manufacturers best leverage economics to succeed in business? 

We are delighted to be joined by Alan Beaulieu, President and Principal of ITR Economics, at the A3 Business Forum in Orlando, FL. 

In this short episode, Alan discusses how he makes economics riveting, explains why millennials are so crucial to business, and gives top tips on true leadership. 

Plus, he tells us who the unsung heroes of business are and why he sets out to make a difference in the world every day. 

Alan manages to make economics so fascinating – this is a must-listen. 

In this episode, find out: 

• Why millennials must be taken seriously 
• What Alan thinks business leaders miss 
• Why leadership is not all about taking charge 
• The most fulfilling parts of Alan’s career 
• Alan’s views on how leaders should act 
• Alan on the heroes of the economy 
• Alan’s clear mission and goals 
• Making a difference in the world every day 

Enjoying 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: 

• “It makes me feel really good about life when we can make a difference in the world.” 
• “My generation is retiring in record numbers, and you’re left with millennials. Those are the smartest people in the room.” 
• “A leader without integrity is just the CEO or boss, not a real leader.”  

Links & mentions: 

• Follow Alan on LinkedIn 
• Find out more about ITR Economics 
• Find out more about the A3 Business Forum 2023 

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. 

Ready for a masterclass in automotive manufacturing? Strap in! 

On this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, we are joined by Vicki Poponi, Vice President – Industry Advisor, Automotive at Salesforce. She discusses her route into the industry and provides a glimpse into the world of software-enabled vehicles. Plus, she explains what the connected car means for consumers, why the customer is at the center of everything and delves into Salesforce’s Trends in Automotive Report – linked below. 

In this episode, find out: 

• Vicki’s first steps in the industry 
• Why people are afraid of new technologies 
• Vicki’s transition into the automotive world 
• How her manufacturing roots help in business 
• What she’s learned in her current role at Salesforce 
• The importance of customer centricity 
• Behind the scenes of Vicki’s role 
• The progress being made around digital customer experience 
• What automotive manufacturers need to learn in the coming months/years 

Enjoying 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: 

• “It’s human nature to be afraid of something new.” 
• “There’s so much data in the auto industry, it’s crazy. But you have to think about how to connect the data. That’s where technology is so wonderful.” 
• “Future customers really want to be engaged.” 

Links & mentions: 

• Compagnon Wine Bistro – a neighborhood bistro with a French twist, serving a variety of organic, biodynamic wines and food with fresh seasonal produce and locally raised meats, fish and poultry 
• Follow Vicki on LinkedIn 
• Salesforce 
• Follow Salesforce on Twitter 
• Get $350 off registration for Supply Chain USA 2023 

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. 

Reshoring, customer success, and sustainability – just some of the topics we cover in this cornucopia of an episode with Sean Murray, VP of Customer Success at Bright Machines.

Sean joins this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour to talk about his career and his insights into the industry. We explore the concept of software-defined manufacturing, why there’s such a push toward re-shoring and the benefits of flexible manufacturing. Sean shares some all-important advice for manufacturers looking to re-shore, as well as some insights into customer success and why it’s a rising star in the manufacturing world.

Tune in to hear Sean’s perspective on the changes happening across manufacturing and to learn the secrets behind making M&Ms from his time in factory work.

In this episode, find out:

• How Sean first became interested in manufacturing
• Why software-first companies are leading the way
• How software-defined manufacturing works
• The role of customer success in manufacturing
• Why flexible manufacturing can boost your business and revenue
• Why there’s such a big push for re-shoring
• Sean’s advice for manufacturers looking at reshoring
• Repurposing hardware and sustainability in manufacturing

Enjoying 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:

• "Manufacturers don't want to be burned again by a point solution that’s hard to integrate. They need a full stack, and it has to add value. That's the shift that’s happening now, and the early adopter phase is over. We're in the real product phase, which is wonderful.”
• “To approach manufacturing now with a customer success mindset is really just to recognize that the market has changed a bit, that there's not as many manufacturing gurus around as there used to be, and that the automation is more advanced.”
• “With flexible manufacturing, you can build lots of something and switch over to the next product and then the next product, which means your higher paid workers are more effective, they're utilized in a better way, and they can build higher margin products.”

Links & mentions:

• Bright Machines, a software and robotics company focused on automation in the manufacturing industry.
• The Manufacturing Hub podcast, a podcast that explores manufacturing news, insights, and cutting-edge technologies to educate and inspire leaders and workers in manufacturing.

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.

We all know how fast-paced the world of manufacturing is…and when processes and technologies progress, so does the way we work. 

On this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, Nicole Wolter, President & CEO of HM Manufacturing, reveals all about her management style, interview processes and focus on young talent. 

Plus, she tells us about what it’s like to take over a family business, why she stays on top of robotics trends and what life is like on a board of directors. 

There are plenty of tips for manufacturing recruiters, budding manufacturers, directors and…well…just about anyone in the industry. So tune in! 

In this episode, find out: 

• What’s behind the curtain of HM Manufacturing’s interview process 
• How Nicole deals with team burnout 
• How she transformed her family business 
• Why Nicole focuses on hiring young talent 
• The benefits of staying up-to-date with robotics and tech in the workplace 
• What HM Manufacturing is involved in 
• What it’s like being on a board of directors 
• What’s mHub? 
• The biggest aerospace and food manufacturing trends 

Enjoying 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: 

• “Find something you’re passionate about and then find an organization that speaks to it.” 
• “A different vibe, a different energy to help loosen up your team is super important.” 
• “It’s OK for something to not be 100% perfect one day.” 

Links & mentions: 

• HM Manufacturing: https://www.hmmanufacturing.com/  
• HM Manufacturing on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hmmanufacturing 
• HM Manufacturing on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hmmanufacturing/  
• HM Manufacturing on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HMManufacturing  
• Nicole on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NWolterHMmfg  
• Nicole on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-wolter-29107716/  

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. 

We cover a whole lot of ground in this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour – from Industry 4.0 to innovation in industrial sectors, IIoT, connectivity, machine learning, proof of concepts, and everything in between.

Joining this episode is Igor Marinelli, Founder of TRACTIAN, who has plenty of insights, perspectives, and advice to share on condition monitoring and more. Igor details his background from being a frontline worker to where he is today and explains what prompted him to start TRACTIAN.

We hear why he has huge respect for frontline maintenance workers, why he thinks innovation for innovation’s sake isn’t the way forward, and his advice on integrating new systems into old practices.

In this episode, find out:

• What TRACTIAN does
• How Igor’s background led him to start his company
• Advice for younger and older industrial professionals
• Why you need to start with the problem, not the solution
• The problem with how Industry 4.0 is portrayed
• Why industrial sectors are ready to be disrupted
• Igor’s thoughts on machine learning
• The challenges of integrating new systems

Enjoying 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:

• “Be very technical and show real data and experiments of how you could improve what you’re doing.”
• “It's important that you consider that you might not know everything, and even though you've been doing this process for 25 years, there might be something that could be done better. So you just have to be open to that.”
• “You need to tackle the problem, understand the problem, and then think about a solution for that. Because if you start from the solution, this is not going to work, right?”

Links & mentions:

• The Nook, a popular neighborhood bar with park views in Atlanta, GA
• TRACTIAN, an end-to-end condition monitoring and asset management solution

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.

It’s time for a comprehensive history lesson in industrial automation recruiting.

We sat down in the MRG Studios in Naperville, Illinois, with Gary Miller, CEO of Miller Resource Group, an industrial recruiting firm focused on hard-to-find personnel in automation, robotics, food and beverage and more.

We’ve gotten to know a few members of the team over the years, which is why it was about time we shared a conversation with their CEO!

In the episode, Gary talks about how he was introduced to industrial automation back in the 1970s, imparts advice on hiring strategy and standing out from the crowd as a recruiter and lays out his interesting thoughts and ideas about leadership.

In this episode, find out:

• Gary’s first steps in industrial automation
• How he stepped up to own his company in the 1980s
• How to package your company story
• Behind the curtain of recruitment
• What recruiters should look for in candidates
• What candidates should look for in recruiters
• How we can take inspiration from the Grateful Dead
• Why you should adopt a learning mindset
• The books that inspire him

Enjoying 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:

• “There’s things and there’s stuff. Things you count, stuff you measure.”
• "When a candidate asks me questions that makes me stumble, I’m usually intrigued by that candidate.”
• “You have to understand what the problem is. Then demonstrate how your skills can help solve that problem.”

Links & mentions:

• Follow Gary on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bestrecruitingfirm/
• Follow Gary on Twitter: https://twitter.com/gmillermrg
• Miller Resource Group: https://millerresource.com/
• The Green Turtle Tavern, Fernandina Beach, FL – described as Amelia Island’s funkiest and friendliest bar. Offering hand-crafted cocktails and beers, plus live music on the front porch: https://www.ameliaisland.com/Eat-and-Drink/Green-Turtle-Tavern

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.

What is the current state of manufacturing? Who better to ask than Willem Sundblad, CEO and Co-Founder of Oden Technologies, who commissioned The State of Manufacturing 2022 report?

Surveying over 300 manufacturing leaders has highlighted some fascinating food for thought on topics like the labor market, inflation, demand changes, investing in sustainability, and more.

Willem joins Manufacturing Happy Hour again to talk more about the findings and his own personal take on why businesses are increasingly investing in sustainability post-pandemic. He also explores what sets the winners and losers apart in the manufacturing space and what trends he’s most excited to see more of in 2023.

In this episode, find out:

• What the State of Manufacturing report tells us
• The importance of making investments in digitization
• Why there’s a bigger gap between manufacturing “winners and losers”
• Why companies that invest in tech and sustainability are leading the way
• Why companies need to be agile and quick to make decisions in uncertain times
• What global supply chain issues mean for manufacturers
• The most interesting and surprising report findings
• How manufacturers are dealing with COVID aftereffects
• How manufacturers can approach the labor shortage problem

Enjoying 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 talked to a lot of customers last year who are beating their sustainability targets. A lot of that was because of supply chain issues. It was so hard to get raw material that they had to increase the rate of recycled material in the product.”
• “One of the biggest drivers of the digital investments in automation investments is the challenges in the labor market.”
• “If you can empower people who understand the process and the needs of the day-to-day to make decisions quickly, you become more agile and deal with uncertainty in a much healthier way.”

Links & mentions:

• Oden Technologies, an intelligent industrial automation company that empowers manufacturers to embrace industry 4.0
• The State of Manufacturing Report, insights from industry leaders on adapting to the current trends in manufacturing
• Tunnbrödsrulle, late-night Swedish street food consisting of a hot dog, mashed potatoes, and shrimp salad in a wrap (trust us, it’s amazing)

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.

It’s been about two years since Andrew Crowe, public speaker and Founder of the New American Manufacturing Renaissance, was last on the show in episode 46 – and so much has happened since then.

This time around, we sit down over a couple of beers in St. Louis to catch up on what he has been working on and how much The New American Manufacturing Renaissance has grown since.

The New American Manufacturing Renaissance is a movement intended to show how manufacturing is a great career option for anyone – no matter your background or demographics. Andrew speaks about why this is so important to the industry and America in general and the barriers we must overcome in manufacturing to make it more of an open industry that people want to get involved in.

Andrew explores what companies, and the industry as a whole, can do to make manufacturing more appealing to a wider variety of people and why that diversity is so important. We also delve into what Project MFG is all about and his plans for the future.

In this episode, find out:

• How The New American Manufacturing Renaissance has grown
• The disconnect between the old and new in manufacturing
• What Andrew learned from his tour
• The importance of having diverse voices in manufacturing
• What companies can do to improve industry awareness and encourage new talent
• External things we can do in the wider community for the industry
• What Project MFG is
• Andrew talks about his side hustles and projects
• Why collaboration is key in manufacturing

Enjoying 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:

• “How do we show people that their ideas matter? How do we take those ideas, make them, show them the process of it, and then put them into the world to help solve some of these problems?”
• “Let's have those conversations. Let's have those dialogues. And then, let's reach out and collaborate amongst our ecosystem. That's how we began to build.”
• “People are not necessarily trying to uphold these old systems. But they are recognizing that they're a part of them and reaching out trying to figure out how to improve them and make them better for everybody.”

Links & mentions:

• The MFG, Andrew Crowe’s website
• Project MFG, a catalyst that helps elevate the next generation of highly skilled trade professionals by changing mindsets, fostering community preparedness, and challenging how the critical skills needed to succeed in modern advanced manufacturing are taught.

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.

Strong values like sustainability, empathy, and wellness might seem at odds with running a successful business for some, but not Sara Irvani, CEO of Okabashi. In fact, values like these have been fundamental to Okabashi’s success since it launched in 1984.

Sara joins this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour to clue us in to what it’s like leading a family-owned and operated shoe brand. A proudly USA-based footwear company, Okabashi is inspired by the Japanese concept of wellness and uses the principles of reflexology to design shoes that promote foot health and comfort.

We hear a little about its innovative manufacturing process, the importance of running a business with sustainable choices, and why that shouldn’t be at odds with financial viability. Sara also explains how Okabashi’s closed-loop manufacturing process works to recycle old products to avoid landfill and waste.

In this episode, find out:

• The challenges of expanding as a U.S.- based manufacturer
• How Sara’s background led to her current role
• How sustainability is built into the Okabashi manufacturing process
• How Okabashi’s closed-loop manufacturing works
• Why sustainability doesn’t have to be at odds with financial viability
• Why innovation comes from empowering your team
• How Okabashi remains competitive in the U.S.
• Modular automation in the shoe manufacturing process
• Why empathy is key to building good partnerships
• Why you need to stick to your values in business

Enjoying 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:

• “We offer as well as our own closed-loop manufacturing, a post-consumer circular program. So people can send their shoes back to us to avoid landfills.”
• “I think that innovation comes from all different directions and there are so many things that can drive it. And having a culture that is not steeped in fear is a prerequisite to have innovation come from all directions.”
• “I think if you stick to your values, and if you have a long enough horizon line, good things happen.”

Links & mentions:

Okasbashi, a proudly U.S. shoe company focused on creating shoes that promote wellness and foot health

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.