In 1978, Ross Wegron Jones picked up a hot metal chip off a shop floor and burned his hand. That was his introduction to manufacturing, and he never left. Today he is Director of Sales and Marketing at Machine Tool Builders in Machesney Park, Illinois, a company that has spent 30 years rebuilding and recontrolling gear machine tools.

In this episode:

• How a 76,000 square foot shop brings old hobbing, shaping, and grinding machines back to modern spec
• Why gear machines are harder to work on than a standard lathe or mill
• How a 14 person team passes 30 years of knowledge from senior techs to new ones
• Why there is no US based control maker, and what that costs on a machine priced from $150,000 to $1 million
• The new gear demand coming from humanoid robots

Watch to the end for what he tells young people about working with their hands.

David Crow shares how Wallace Sheet Metal tripled its business in 5 years by changing its customer strategy, investing in people, and focusing on high volume manufacturing.

He explains how the company adapted during supply chain disruptions while continuing to grow across the U.S.

In this episode:

• How Wallace Sheet Metal grew from 17 to 35 employees
• Why they shifted from small custom jobs to high volume production
• How a diverse customer base helped the business stay strong
• What happened when tariffs pushed companies back to U.S. suppliers
• Why treating employees with respect helps build a stronger team

Watch or listen to hear the lessons behind growing a manufacturing business through change.

Building a great business is not just about getting more customers.

Brad Tompkins explains why he changed Automation Solutions to keep talented people, adapted when the market shifted, and ultimately sold the company while staying to help the team succeed.

In this episode:

* Why Brad shifted from a specialist to a generalist business
* How reducing travel helped improve employee retention
* Why distributor changes pushed the company toward a sale
* How he built leaders instead of relying on himself
* What young professionals should focus on to build a strong career

Watch or listen for practical lessons on leadership, growth, and building a business that lasts.

https://automationsolinc.com/

Sam Rogers, founder of Symmetry Sauna, shares how a custom sauna company grew from 4 people to 40 by focusing on quality, hiring the right people, and building in the USA.

He explains why they chose premium custom work over competing on price and how that decision shaped the business.

In this episode:

• How Symmetry Sauna grew from 4 founders to a team of 40
• Why custom, high quality products beat competing on low prices
• How hiring for character helps build a strong company culture
• What changed after demand came from across the U.S.
• Why Sam believes big goals start with small daily actions

Watch or listen to hear the lessons behind building a fast-growing manufacturing business.

If you're building a physical product, manufacturing is only part of the challenge.

Nolan Edwards of Pelican Engineering shares how his team helps companies go from an idea to a finished electronic product, handling design, firmware, software, and manufacturing under one roof while solving supply chain problems along the way.

In this episode:

• How Pelican Engineering grew from design only to full manufacturing
• Why direct access to engineers helps customers move faster
• How the team redesigns products when parts become unavailable
• Why Nolan believes more US manufacturers benefit everyone
• The process from a customer's first idea to production

Watch or listen to hear how Pelican Engineering helps bring electronic products to market.