Sustainability goals are everywhere in manufacturing; net-zero by 2030, carbon neutral by 2035. While many manufacturers have set ambitious targets, the gap between goals and execution remains a challenge, especially when sustainability projects compete with production priorities for capital.

Eric Spink and Shiva Subramanya from Veregy join the show to talk about energy transition and what it looks like in practice. Energy used to be just another line item and the cost of doing business, now it's tied to resilience, sustainability, and a company's long-term strategy.

One key insight from the conversation was how the equipment on the perimeter of your manufacturing floor (think compressed air systems, boilers, refrigeration, and HVAC) consumes 60-80% of your plant's total energy.

But manufacturers typically don't have expertise in these support utilities, which is why they get overlooked for efficiency opportunities.

We dive into real projects, including a five-plant dairy operation where AI can predict steam demand based on production data. Plus, how performance contracting allows manufacturers to fund these projects using energy savings rather than tying up capital.

In this episode, find out:

• Why energy has evolved from an expense to a strategic priority
• How perimeter equipment consumes 60-80% of plant energy but often receives the least attention
• Why sustainability projects typically compete with production priorities for budget
• How performance contracting uses energy savings to fund improvements without capital investment
• The low-hanging fruit in most plants, such as compressed air leaks, lighting upgrades, and controls optimization
• What happens when you connect production data with utility systems using AI and advanced controls
• Real examples from dairy processing that delivered significant energy savings

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:

• “Traditionally, manufacturing companies have relied on their own capital to implement sustainability projects. But they always compete with productivity goals. With performance contractors, companies can now use the savings from energy reductions and put their capital elsewhere but still implement energy efficiency projects.” - Eric Spink
• “Upgrading control systems by putting in PLC-based controls, and adding instrumentation and metering really allows all these systems to consume a lot less energy. Historically these have yielded very high paybacks, between one and a half and two years in many cases.” - Eric Spink
• “Having a sustainability goal is important, but having a sustainability plan is key. The sustainability plan needs to include how the organization is going to implement it and how it’s going to be funded year-on-year.” - Shiva Subramanya

Links & mentions:

• Veregy, an award-winning decarbonization company providing turnkey engineering and construction services to reduce energy costs through efficiency upgrades, smart building technology, EV infrastructure, and clean energy solutions.
• Skillwork, a premier staffing agency providing skilled industrial technicians on a contract basis to augment facility teams across 30+ states for elevated impact and decreased downtime.
• Fortinet, securing the world's largest enterprises, service...

What's better than a live podcast? I live podcast AND a factory tour. For today's episode, we dove into Fathom Digital Manufacturing's Hartland, WI facility before a discussion with industry experts.

The automotive industry has come a long way from three-piece suits and mechanical production lines. Twenty-five years ago, manufacturers weren't thinking about EVs, tool changers, or the complexity we see today. Those who weathered 2008 will tell you: when the next downturn comes, it won't be your sales pitch that saves you, it'll be whether you were a true partner to your customers.

This episode was recorded Oktoberfest-style at RAM Solutions, featuring eight industry leaders discussing what's transforming automotive manufacturing. Mitch Yencha and Scott Hunter share timeless lessons from surviving 2008, while Tanner Boyko and Jim Marlowe highlight the insane amount of innovation happening right now, from the safest cars in history to new EV players entering the space.

Paul Otto and Andy Johnson reveal how AI is finally unlocking value from terabytes of welding data generated daily, while John Macdonald and Markus Weckbach from STÄUBLI explain why you need proactive planning with Plans B and C ready. They also cover why technologies like AMRs, AGVs, and gigacasting have finally crossed the adoption threshold.

In this episode, find out:

• How team culture and customer empathy helped manufacturers survive 2008
• Why automotive has been having the supply chain conversation since Henry Ford's assembly line days
• How AI is analyzing terabytes of welding data daily to optimize quality
• Why cobots, camera programming, and automated forklifts are creating new job opportunities
• What gigacasting is and how it's eliminating spot welding by casting car bodies in 3-5 components
• Why trade roles like maintenance and electricians are seeing a resurgence
• The proactive vs. reactive approach needed when running hundreds of jobs per hour
• How RAM Solutions trains hands-on with STÄUBLI equipment to fully support customers

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:

• “You have unbelievable technology coming into the automotive industry. It might be perceived as stagnant but that’s just not true. There’s a wide range of opportunities for anybody with any type of background to participate in this space.” – Scott Hunter
• “We talk about AI, but you still have to know the basics and know how to work with your hands. You need to know how to weld or operate a robot. You need to know the core foundation principles before you can take the next step.” – Paul Otto
• “We’ve always had a ton of automative data but the next step has been how to get it into a format so data scientists can use it and draw conclusions from it. Now the number crunchers can use AI tools to drive decision making on the manufacturing’s floor.” – Andy Johnson

Links & mentions:

• RAM Solutions, LLC, providing specialized automation solutions and 24/7 technical support across North America, with expertise in robotic tool changers, collision sensors, pneumatic systems, and overhead lifting equipment.
• STÄUBLI, a global mechatronic solution provider delivering robotics, electrical connectors, fluid connectors, and textile solutions across nearly every industry with long-term support in 28 countries.
• G.E Schmidt, a global leader in resistance welding solutions providing complete spot, seam, and projection welding systems with proprietary technologies for automotive and industrial manufacturers across the U.S., U.K., and...

Data centers are popping up all over the country, and for good reason. Capacity is doubling every three to four years, equipment is booked years out, and the race for AI computing power is creating opportunities that didn't exist five years ago.

Keith Hutchens from Barry-Wehmiller Design Group joins us to discuss how data centers are driving manufacturing activity across the entire supply chain. He compares this moment to building railroads in the 1800s or the oil boom of the 1970s and how we're witnessing transformative infrastructure that's reshaping American industry.

The conversation covers why "mission critical" means something different in data centers, with downtime costing millions per hour. Keith explains how modularity is revolutionizing construction timelines, why industrial controls are replacing commercial systems, and how different data center builders each have varying priorities when it comes to speed, cost, and density.

Keith also shares BW Design Group's approach to managing massive site teams and their philosophy of "truly human leadership” which has informed how they develop leaders, prevent burnout, and foster collaboration, even with former competitors.

In this episode, find out:

• Why data center growth is creating supply chain strain across all manufacturing sectors
• How modularity enables building before location selection and faster deployment
• The differences between colocation, startup, and hyperscaler data center priorities
• Why industrial PLCs are replacing commercial DDC controls in mission-critical applications
• How the Barry-Wehmiller Design Group manages 70-person teams on single sites
• The shift from competition to collaboration in tackling massive projects
• Why leadership development needs the same rigor as engineering training

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 consider it almost like building railroads in the 1800s or the oil boom in the 1970s. This is the next transformative infrastructure that's coming to America.”
• “Mission critical definition is [how] downtime is not an option. Losses can be millions of dollars per hour or just result in, major safety concerns.”
• “Don’t fear collaboration, even with people you thought were traditional competitors. It’s such a different market that there really is room for everyone and you should be ready to open your mindset to that.”

Links & mentions:

• Connect with Keith Hutchens, Partner at Barry-Wehmiller Design Group: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kthutchens/
• BW Design Group, partners with manufacturing and technology companies in the food and beverage, life-sciences, advanced-technology, and industrial sectors, delivering fully-integrated strategy, architecture, engineering, construction and system-integration services: https://www.bwdesigngroup.com/

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 does it really take to help manufacturers grow? It’s not just about cutting costs or chasing margins. It’s about understanding how capital really moves through your business. In this episode, we’re sitting down with Erik Skie, Jon Hughes, and Aaron Traut from CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) for a roundtable chat over beers (in spirit, if not literally).

We talk about why profitability is a decision, how to tell your story through your financials, and what manufacturers can do to attract capital and fuel real growth.

We also discuss opportunities like bonus depreciation and the Made in America initiative, giving manufacturers timely insights they can act on right now.

In this episode, find out:

• Why most manufacturers focus on price and cost but overlook capacity, and how filling unused capacity can unlock new profit.
• How profitability is a decision, not just an outcome, and how daily choices around people, machines, and space shape your results.
• Why you don’t manage financial statements; you manage the shop floor activities that create strong financials.
• How staying financially organized builds lender confidence through accurate books and clear storytelling.
• Why looking inside your business before seeking outside funding can uncover hidden capital in cash flow and working capital.
• How telling a clear, confident financial story helps your company stand out to banks and investors.
• And why when you get the fundamentals right, opportunity finds you. Capital naturally flows to disciplined, efficient manufacturers.

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 not just about having the numbers, it’s about understanding the story behind them.” - Jon Hughes
• “Capital may come just because somebody loves what you’re doing and wants to help you do it for that next expansion.” - Aaron Traut
• “We don’t manage financial statements. We manage activities on the floor that create good financial results.” – Erik Skie

Links & mentions:

• Connect with Erik Skie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-skie-9599814/
• Connect with Aaron Traut: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-traut-manufacturing-distribution/
• Connect with Jon Hughes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonhughescpa/
• CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen), a professional services firm delivering integrated wealth advisory, digital, audit, tax, outsourcing, and consulting services.
• Made in America (madeinamerica.gov), a U.S. government initiative led by the Office of Management and Budget that supports American manufacturing by promoting domestic production, strengthening supply chains, and ensuring federal investments prioritize U.S.-made goods.

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 five years since Wendy Covey, CEO and Co-Founder of TREW Marketing, and Joe Sullivan, Founder of Gorilla 76, first joined Manufacturing Happy Hour, back when everyone was scrambling to figure out digital marketing during the pandemic.

We sit down with them to explore which marketing fundamentals still deliver results and what new tactics manufacturers can't afford to ignore. The core truth hasn't changed: your best content still comes from extracting knowledge from industry experts. But where that content needs to live? That's completely different.

PR is making a comeback, or as Wendy calls it, “the second coming of PR” while Joe shares how manufacturers can build knowledge bases from existing content to feed AI tools the right way.

Both agree that becoming the best resource for your audience beats trying to game the system every time. And with showing up in ChatGPT becoming both more important and more challenging, manufacturers need to think beyond their own websites to build credibility across digital platforms.

In this episode, find out:

• Why the best content still comes from extracting knowledge from industry experts
• Which timeless marketing strategies still deliver results
• The surprising resurgence of PR and why engineers are starting to trust it more than ever
• How showing up in ChatGPT is getting harder, and what actually works
• The patience problem among industrial marketers and why ROI questions after 3 months miss the point
• How manufacturers are successfully using community-driven marketing
• What to look forward to at the Industrial Marketing Summit 2026 and why attendees keep coming back

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:

• “With generative search, they’re placing more value in third-party placements. So it’s still the idea of being a topical authority, but you can’t just do it on your website. You need to be a topical authority in industry publications, Reddit, YouTube, and all these other sources.” - Wendy Covey
• “Whether it’s Google or ChatGPT, they’re trying to display the best information and the most helpful possible information. It’s just getting packaged up differently. And how do you make sure you’re part of what shows up? You build credibility for yourself.” - Joe Sullivan
• “A lot of digital strategies have evolved but are still tried and true. So that’s educating your audience, and publishing content on a regular cadence. Knowing your audience and building a strong value proposition that speaks to their pain points.” - Wendy Covey

Links & mentions:

• Industrial Marketing Summit 2026, an annual three-day gathering where manufacturing and industrial marketers connect to share practical insights, learn emerging strategies, and build community with peers facing similar challenges
• TREW Marketing, partners with B2B technical companies to establish strong marketing foundations, create engaging content strategies, and accelerate growth through research-backed campaigns tailored for engineering audiences
• Gorilla 76, an industrial marketing agency that helps B2B companies in the manufacturing ecosystem grow through outcome-focused marketing programs built specifically for industrial markets

Make sure to visit

This episode is brought to you by RoboBusiness 2025, the preeminent show for learning about the business of robotics and catching up on the latest engineering advancements in the field.

Robotics has moved beyond pilots. it’s scaling for real. In this bonus episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, host Chris Luecke sits down with Sanjay Aggarwal, Partner at F-Prime Capital, to explore the State of Robotics from an investor’s perspective.

Sanjay shares where venture capital is flowing in robotics and automation, which technologies are market-ready today, and what’s still on the horizon. He also breaks down what manufacturers can learn from early adopters and what investors look for in robotics founders.

If you want to understand where robotics and manufacturing innovation are headed in 2025 - and why now is the time to act - this conversation is for you.

Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

It’s been over a year since we’ve talked about cybersecurity on Manufacturing Happy Hour, and with AI changing the game completely, we’re overdue for a refresh. Around 80-85% of the global industry doesn’t have basic defense at the edge of their networks; that’s a sobering statistic.

Felipe Sabino Costa, Senior Product Manager for Networking and Cybersecurity at Moxa, joins the show to break down why Operational Technology (OT) security matters more than ever.

Manufacturers need to transmit massive amounts of data for AI and predictive analytics, but they’re working with 15–20-year-old infrastructure that wasn’t built for this.

The good news is, Felipe shares practical frameworks like NIST and IEC 62443 (which he compares to nutrition labels) that help manufacturers build security into their operations.

The key takeaway? There's no silver bullet; it's about building layers of defense and finding the right partners.

In this episode, find out:

• Why OT data has shifted from historical logging to real-time predictive power
• The bandwidth issue hitting intelligent transportation systems and semiconductor manufacturing
• How AI enables attackers to adapt their attacks in real-time
• Why 80-85% of global industry lacks protection
• Felipe's nutrition label analogy for understanding security certifications
• The difference between thinking your air-gapped and actually being air-gapped
• Why defense requires multiple layers of security
• Felipe's outlook on the future of OT networks

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 used to be air-gapped or isolated. And many of the companies, they still think that they are, but they are not anymore. To be really air-gapped, I shouldn't have any way to send data.”
• “Give and take, 80% of the global industry, including the US, does not have these specific layers of defense. They have some defense, but they have nearly zero protection close to the process itself.”
• “There is no silver bullet. We are seeing this shift right from how we used to do security. A strategy should be way more sophisticated.”

Links & mentions:

• OT Network Security: Investment & Segmentation Strategies, a webinar that addresses the financial and operational risks posed by cyber threats while offering hands-on guidance for OT network security
• Futureproof Industrial Networks, a website shares how to design and implement a robust, secure, and efficient network infrastructure that can meet the demands of modern industrial environments and optimize operational processes
• Moxa, delivering the reliable and secure connectivity foundation that advanced analytics and AI depend on, with solutions in edge connectivity, industrial computing, and network infrastructure

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.