When we talk about building a more productive and competitive manufacturing industry, talk of AI, automation, and other new tech usually crops up. But let’s not forget the basics – the way we power, staff, and build sustainable practices. That stuff’s also important. We’re in an era of transformation right now, but it’s definitely not the first time the US has gone through this. In fact, we get a little history lesson in this episode from Ted Fertik, VP of Manufacturing & Industrial Policy a...
Jun 24, 2025•51 min•Ep. 242
Get ready for a front-row seat to Europe’s biggest automation event! In this bonus episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour , host Chris Luecke and Jake Hall – The Manufacturing Millennial – share their excitement and preview what’s ahead at Automatica 2025 , taking place June 24–27 in Munich, Germany. Chris and Jake discuss: What makes German manufacturing a global powerhouse in automation and vocational training What to expect from Automatica: major exhibitors, international tech showcases, and epi...
Jun 20, 2025•15 min
We’re seeing a huge leap in potential when it comes to what AI can accomplish in industrial settings. Not only can it catch errors, it can provide intelligent insights to prevent them in the first place, reduce waste, save costs, and improve processes. Recorded live from Automate 2025, we sat down with Alvin Clark, Senior AI Engineer at NVIDIA, to discuss AI agents in manufacturing and how they’re reshaping industrial inspections. We hear about all the different use cases of AI agents, including...
Jun 17, 2025•36 min•Ep. 241
Imagine having a tireless teammate watching your back 24/7, never missing a beat when it comes to keeping you safe. That’s exactly what AI agents in manufacturing are capable of today. Spot AI uses cameras and AI agents to spot safety issues, send alerts, and collect data that can improve safety training in the future. Yes, a human could do all that. But who wants to spend 8 hours a day reviewing footage? In this episode, Dunchadhn Lyons, Director of Engineering, shares a real-world example of a...
Jun 10, 2025•24 min•Ep. 240
Without customer buy-in, even the most innovative robotics automation products can fall flat. But the approach most manufacturers take with new products is to build them first, then get feedback. In this episode, you’ll hear how one company flipped the script and did robotics product development the other way around. Joining this episode is Anthony Leo, President of IPR Robotics, a robotics automation company, to explain how a customer advisory board became invaluable for uncovering exactly what...
Jun 03, 2025•50 min•Ep. 239
How does a startup scale? It all starts with a great product that solves a real problem. And sometimes that means taking the slow and steady road to startup success. Recorded at Trillium Brewing in Boston, we sit down with Adi Dalvi, the VP of Sales at OSARO, a company that specializes in robot piece-picking and machine learning solutions to automate warehouse tasks. With minimal marketing in the early days, OSARO managed to grow and scale operations to deliver holistic systems to solve real war...
May 27, 2025•40 min•Ep. 238
What role does higher ed play in making sure manufacturing thrives? Universities and other higher ed hubs are playing a leading role in shaping the future of this industry. And MIT is a prime example of this, with specialist courses to help graduates and professionals get the skills they need to bring new innovations to life. We’re joined by the Principal Investigator of MIT’s LEAP Group (Learning Engineering and Practice), Dr. John Liu. As someone deeply involved in building much-needed program...
May 20, 2025•53 min•Ep. 237
Sometimes indecision costs more than a wrong decision. Making decisions is a leader’s bread and butter, but during times of uncertainty or crisis, they often become more cautious and hesitant. The danger here is getting left behind while more confident, proactive leaders charge ahead. Jason T. Ray, Co-Founder and CEO of Paperless Parts, is a regular on Manufacturing Happy Hour, so we compare some of the insights he made when he was last on the show to what he’s seeing in the industry today. One ...
May 13, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 236
What does it take to find the best talent in the manufacturing industry these days? When it comes to automation, you can use location (or lack of location) to your advantage. In this episode, Kyle Mahan of Ohio-based Wauseon Machine takes us through their approach to securing the best automation talent. We'll also hear some history on the organization, learn about Kyle's career, and share strategies for robotics and automation integrators.
May 09, 2025•30 min•Ep. 235
It’s not every day that a former NFL player joins the podcast. And it’s not every day you see one make such a dramatic career pivot from pro football to craft brewing and small business ownership. But that’s exactly what Brandon Fields did. When he was winding down his football career, he found his passion in brewing, starting out with a home brewing kit. He teamed up with his wife Katie and opened up Inside the Five Brewing Co., which has scaled to three locations and 120 team members as a full...
May 06, 2025•29 min•Ep. 234
Manufacturing and engineering are full of talented, passionate people. Just listen to literally any of these episodes for proof of that. But what is it that keeps people in this space motivated and fulfilled? Ask 10 different people, and you’d likely get 10 very different answers. For this episode, we posed the question to three guests – Steve Ilmrud, VP of Operations for North America at Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, Jeff Van Horn, Owner & Sr. Project Manager at Industrial Technology ...
Apr 29, 2025•47 min•Ep. 233
An AI agent can create. It can predict. It can analyze data. But for it to really drive change and enhance operations, it needs to take action. That’s the next step of machine learning and AI, says Kence Anderson, CEO of Composabl, a company that helps manufacturers create multi-agent AI systems. Our discussion with Kence is probably one of the most important you’ll hear on the podcast lately. AI has been a big topic for a while now, but we dig further into how it can be applied at an industrial...
Apr 22, 2025•53 min•Ep. 232
Today's bonus episode is all about MEPs, and actually a very urgent issue related to MEPs. For context, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is a public-private partnership that delivers comprehensive, proven solutions by helping small and medium-sized manufacturers grow, make operational improvements, and reduce risk. To put it in more simplified terms - MEPs provide resources to small- and medium-sized manufacturers that allow them to adopt new technology, upskill and train their peop...
Apr 21, 2025•41 min
What’s getting VCs to look beyond Silicon Valley in the tech startup scene? The Midwest is not just an up-and-coming place for investors to watch. It’s now a region that more investors are betting on. With companies like Path Robotics, the Midwest is taking its status as a manufacturing hub and merging it with the kind of innovative tech traditionally associated with the coastal cities. For this episode, we hear from two sides of the conversation – from Andy Lonsberry, CEO of Path Robotics, and ...
Apr 15, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 231
Robotics is a cool field, no doubt about that. But what’s cooler than using it to change people’s lives? When he was seven years old, Aadeel Akhtar met a girl in Pakistan with a missing leg. This kickstarted a fascination with helping people regain control over lost limbs and a decision that pivoted his planned career in medicine to robotics and prosthetics. Today, he’s the CEO and Founder of PSYONIC, the company behind the world’s first touch-sensing bionic hand. He’s on a mission to make this ...
Apr 08, 2025•46 min•Ep. 230
We’ve been on tour for the past couple of months, recording live episodes in some of the manufacturing hot spots around the country. Indiana is our current stop, where Guggman Haus Brewing hosted us for an episode all about innovation, technology, culture, and, of course, Indiana’s manufacturing prowess. Manufacturing makes up a huge portion of Indiana’s economy and culture, so we look behind the scenes at what the state is getting right to make it a manufacturing hub. We welcomed Noel Hopkins, ...
Apr 01, 2025•47 min•Ep. 229
Manufacturers up and down the country are doing great work and naturally, you want the world to know about it – especially your potential customers. So we turn the spotlight on marketing in this episode to take a look at the folks who get the name out there for manufacturing companies big and small. Recorded live from the 2025 Industrial Marketing Summit in Austin, TX, we sat down with… Rachel Cossette, Marketing Manager at Rogers Machinery Company Jenni Gritti, Senior Marketing Communications C...
Mar 25, 2025•58 min•Ep. 228
When you imagine a rural versus an urban manufacturing company, that picture might look a bit different. But some things are the same. Both types of manufacturers face challenges, but do they face different ones? The good news is that there are some incredible people and businesses in the industry who are on a mission to bridge connections, build up local communities, and train future talent to solve those challenges. Live from the Midwest Manufacturers Trade Show & Conference, we sit down w...
Mar 18, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 227
When like-minded entrepreneurs sit down to swap stories, advice, and connections, it’s a major win for everyone. This is one of the great things about manufacturing because this industry thrives on collaboration, not just competition. In this episode, we hear from Russell Winter, Founder of US MFG, who’s on a mission to connect entrepreneurs in the machine shop space together, while also acquiring shops from retiring owners that would have otherwise gone out of business. With the number of machi...
Mar 04, 2025•47 min•Ep. 226
What happens when a former engineering leader decides to open a brewery? In the true spirit of Manufacturing Happy Hour, we talk all about beer in this episode. Recorded live from Amorphic Beer in Milwaukee, WI, we sit down with the Founder, Ron Hockersmith, to learn about what makes their beer special and the company a success even as the hype around craft beer fades. We’re also joined by the brilliant hosts from A BROADcast for Manufacturers, Kris Harrington (CEO of GenAlpha) and Lori Highby (...
Feb 25, 2025•44 min•Ep. 225
Manufacturing is a hotbed of activity, interest, and innovation right now and states like Nebraska are leading the way. As part of our Made Here series, we toured Nebraska’s manufacturing heartland to hear stories from leaders, experts, and innovators who want to spread the word about the opportunities and community benefits of manufacturing. We round off our Nebraska tour with Mike Johnson COO of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who shares a wider perspective on how manufacturing ...
Feb 18, 2025•38 min•Ep. 224
Take your mind back to five years ago. Many of us were celebrating the start of what we thought would be an exciting decade for automation. And well… it’s certainly been different and not quite how most of us expected. Now, we sit squarely in the middle of a decade that has pushed automation and AI front and center of so many industries now. So how close were our pre-pandemic predictions on automation? And more importantly, where is automation headed next? This episode was recorded live at the 2...
Feb 11, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 223
Is venture capitalism and manufacturing the perfect match for America’s new industry boom? Or will the industry bootstrap its way to success on the slower path? The verdict’s clear in this episode with Jim Belosic, the CEO of SendCutSend. Jim shares a down-to-earth take on succeeding as a manufacturing business with a mix of VC and bootstrapping. Rather than aiming for the dot-com boom level of success and all the private yachts that come with it, a slow and steady approach is ideal for manufact...
Feb 04, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 222
We’re pulling up a chair in the up-and-coming downtown Norfolk area in Nebraska for this episode. Recorded at the Nucor Detailing Center, we chat with Mechanical Engineer Jayden Prauner and Detailing Center Lead Gaby Pena, about what it means to be part of the Nucor family. Nucor Vulcraft is a company that’s not just supporting the construction of warehouses, schools and hospitals but also helping to build up the local community and the legacy of American manufacturing. We explore how it’s helpi...
Jan 28, 2025•24 min•Ep. 221
This is a quick,” boots on the ground” episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour. It's all about what it's like being a systems integrator in a close-knit state and close-knit manufacturing community, just like the community you'll find in Nebraska. Huffman Engineering is an engineering services firm specializing in control system integration that serves Nebraska and beyond across the Midwest and we have four individuals from there team on the show this week: Jason Weedin, Jim Fricke, Kim Arms Shirk, ...
Jan 21, 2025•22 min•Ep. 220
The manufacturing industry is staring down a major challenge: by 2030, an estimated 2.1 million roles could go unfilled. But where challenges arise, so do opportunities. We’re joined by Skillwork’s Brett Elliott, President and CEO, and Tim Raglin, Founding Partner and Chief Operating Offer, to explore how they’re transforming the skills gap into a platform for growth and innovation. At the heart of their approach is a unique model inspired by the travel nursing industry. Skillwork’s model combin...
Jan 14, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 219
M&A may look like a numbers game on the surface, but there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes. According to this episode’s guest, selling a business is as much about psychology and emotions as it is about the facts and figures. In this episode, we welcome Clint Bundy, Managing Director at Bundy Group, who shares his experience, advice, and stories on helping people sell their businesses. We kick things off with Clint’s most memorable M&A experiences and why the reality of selling ca...
Jan 07, 2025•50 min•Ep. 218
As 2025 gets rolling, there’s no doubt you’re familiar with some of the “buzziest” topics in manufacturing right now…artificial intelligence, humanoid robots, the list goes on! With all the hype and a renewed focus on onshoring and supply chain, what should manufacturers be focused on in 2025? While there are more trends than can be fit into a 30-minute podcast episode, today’s episode dives into 3 stats and stories from some of 2024’s best episodes of Manufacturing Happy Hour that explore prove...
Dec 31, 2024•30 min
FTI are at the center of some of the most important macro trends taking place in manufacturing today. From building biodigesters to driving innovations in energy solutions, they are helping companies optimize production systems, use automation, and address sustainability challenges. So how do they do it? In this episode, we’re joined by FTI’s Kevin Senn to discuss trends in manufacturing and automation, the growth of data centers, AI, and more. Kevin highlights how FTI differentiates from their ...
Dec 24, 2024•49 min•Ep. 217
Manually manufacturing control panels is difficult. It demands highly skilled labor, years of reading schematics, and the ability to troubleshoot. What’s more, it’s a time-consuming process. This is where automated and semi-automated panel design and assembly comes in. Not only does this innovation drastically reduce the amount of time spent manufacturing panels, but it also frees up skilled laborers to do higher-value work. In this episode, we’re joined by Rittal’s Brian Jung and EPLAN’s Kruno ...
Dec 17, 2024•45 min•Ep. 216
