In this episode of The Allied Advisors Podcast, Justin sits down with Rob Tykal—former President, COO, and VP of Global Operations at organizations like Danaher, GM, Daimler, and Superior Industries—for a deep, practical conversation on supply chain, materials management, and leadership.

While the video recording unfortunately cuts out around the 29-minute mark (lesson learned on DSLR limits), the insights captured are pure gold. Rob breaks down why forecast-driven systems consistently fail manufacturers, how consumption-based replenishment actually works in practice, and why great operational leaders must live at the gemba—not just in spreadsheets.

From Kanban design levels and safety stock logic to humility in executive leadership, this episode is a masterclass for mid-market manufacturers looking to improve flow, reduce inventory risk, and build sustainable operational cultures.

🎧 Full audio is intact, and Rob will be back for a follow-up episode.

⏱️ Episode Highlights

• Why all forecasts are wrong—and why companies still rely on them
• The grocery store analogy that perfectly explains pull-based replenishment
• How Kanban design levels eliminate the “cut inventory” debate
• Why excess inventory and stockouts usually coexist
• The real cost of expiration dates, obsolete material, and long lead times
• What executives must learn to see on the shop floor
• Why humility is the most underrated leadership trait
• How smaller manufacturers can outperform large enterprises operationally
• The difference between tools, systems, and culture—and why culture wins

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Forecasts are necessary but unreliable—consumption should drive replenishment
• Properly designed pull systems self-regulate inventory levels
• Leaders must understand materials deeply; intelligence cannot be delegated
• Inventory problems are rarely downstream issues—they’re leadership issues
• Smaller companies have agility advantages if they execute correctly

👤 About the Guest

Rob Tykal is a seasoned operational executive with decades of experience leading global manufacturing organizations. He has held senior leadership roles across automotive, industrial, and life sciences sectors and is widely respected for his ability to pair rigorous lean systems with people-centered leadership. Rob is known not just for improving processes—but for building cultures that sustain them.

📌 About the Podcast

The Allied Advisors Podcast is for mid-market manufacturers focused on scaling operations, improving material flow, and driving measurable bottom-line results. Hosted by Justin Goethe, each episode features operators, executives, and investors who’ve been in the trenches—and know what actually works.

🔔 Call to Action

If this episode resonated with you:

• Follow The Allied Advisors Podcast on your favorite platform
• Share this episode with a fellow operator or supply-chain leader
• Reach out to Allied Advisors if you’re ready to rethink inventory, flow, and execution

Guests:

• Kyle Henson, Co-Founder & CEO, ARDA
• Uriel Eisen, President & Co-Founder, ARDA (Forbes 30 Under 30)

Hosted by: Justin Goethe, Allied Advisors

Episode Overview

In this episode, Justin sits down with two of manufacturing's fastest-rising innovators, Kyle Henson and Uriel Eisen, the founders of ARDA—the software platform redefining Kanban, replenishment, and material flow for modern factories.

ARDA recently won Best New Product of the Year at The Assembly Show, and after this conversation, it’s easy to understand why. Kyle and Uriel break down how broken information flow—not labor, not layout, not even equipment—is the root cause behind most operational issues. Their solution: a remarkably simple but powerful way to automate Kanban, eliminate stockouts, and boost throughput using physical cards, dynamic sizing, and AI-driven replenishment.

If you’ve ever battled material shortages, overstuffed supermarkets, lost Kanban cards, or ERP systems that promise clarity but deliver chaos—this is the episode for you.

What We Cover

1. The “Broken Information Flow” Crisis in Manufacturing

Kyle explains why traditional ERPs and MRP forecasting models consistently fail on the shop floor—and how ARDA tackles the root problem by marrying physical cards with digital intelligence.

2. How ARDA Automates the Entire Kanban Lifecycle

Uriel walks through ARDA’s full stack of capabilities:

• Automated Kanban sizing
• AI-driven minimum quantity adjustments as throughput changes
• Digital ordering and scan-triggered replenishment
• Lost-card detection
• Full historical usage tracking
• Integration with ERP systems (SAP, NetSuite… AS/400 if you dare)

Justin notes the pain of doing this manually with Excel, BarTender, Label Matrix, and disconnected scan systems—and how ARDA replaces all of it in one platform.

3. Making Kanban “So Easy, You Want to Do It”

A guiding principle in ARDA’s development:

By attaching useful actions to the scan itself (ordering, printing, triggering the next step), ARDA increases scan compliance without administrative policing. Incentives create behavior.

4. One-Way Kanbans, RFID, and Real-World Chaos

Justin shares war stories implementing RFID replenishment:

• Route runners scanning eight cards at once
• Lines waiting for RFID lights
• Infinite reprinting
• Inventory corruption

The conclusion: incentives beat instructions. ARDA’s system is built entirely around this idea.

5. AI-Driven Dynamic Resizing & Value-Stream Connectivity

Perhaps the most groundbreaking part of ARDA:

• The system learns which Kanbans relate to each other by analyzing velocity patterns
• ARDA automatically resizes supermarkets when mix or volumes change
• If upstream suppliers also use ARDA, Kanban signals can flow between companies

The result: true consumption-based pull across the entire supply chain, not just inside one plant.

6. Why Sequencing Fails (and Lean Pull Wins)

Justin and the ARDA team break down why sequencing—still widely used in automotive—is a ticking time bomb:

• Scheduling is inherently unstable
• Upstream disruptions break downstream kits
• Chaos forces rework, relabeling, and waste

Mature lean organizations attack the root causes (leveling attainment, schedule adherence), not the symptoms.

7. The Power of Starting Small

The team emphasizes that most manufacturers freez

Guest: Drew Lawlor, Managing Partner at Global Chain Consulting
Host: Justin Goethe, Founder & President of Allied Advisors
Audience: Mid-market manufacturers, supply chain leaders, PE operators, CEOs, COOs
Episode Theme: Practical, strategic ways manufacturers can navigate today’s tariff volatility, supply chain complexity, and global risk.

⭐ Episode Overview

In this episode, Justin sits down with longtime friend and supply chain expert Drew Lawlor — a manufacturing transformation leader with deep experience across Glowforge, BorgWarner, Bosch, and dozens of mid-market manufacturing clients through Global Chain Consulting.

With tariff volatility, geopolitical tension, and shifting production landscapes, U.S. manufacturers are facing unprecedented pressure. Drew breaks down what he’s seeing in the market, the common mistakes companies make, and the strategic moves strong operators are making today to stay ahead.

From dual sourcing to regional diversification, from poor-performing suppliers to the limits of overreacting to every tariff headline — this conversation brings clarity to one of the most chaotic policy environments manufacturers have seen in years.

🧭 What You’ll Learn

1. How tariff volatility is reshaping manufacturing strategy

Drew explains why reacting emotionally or tactically to every tariff announcement is a costly mistake — and why a blended, de-risked approach is emerging as best practice.

2. Why supplier strength often outweighs cost

Not all “expensive” suppliers are bad. Not all low-cost regions are stable. Expertise and consistency still matter more than ever.

3. The three types of companies reacting to tariff changes

• Wait-and-see operators
• Aggressive over-reactors
• Strategic planners
  …and which category consistently wins.

4. Why diversification and dual sourcing are returning

Not as a panic move — but as a structured way to buffer risk and build long-term stability.

5. What 50+ conversations with manufacturers reveal

Drew shares patterns emerging across cost-reduction programs, supply chain transfers, and re-shoring decisions.

🔍 Key Quotes

🏭 Who This Episode Is For

• Mid-market manufacturing CEOs & COOs
• PE operating partners
• Supply chain & procurement leaders
• Operations executives navigating production transfers
• Anyone evaluating China-plus-one or diversification strategy

💡 Justin’s Takeaway

Tariff environments may be chaotic — but your strategy doesn’t have to be. The companies winning right now are the ones who pause, assess, and build balanced, flexible supply chains rather than chasing headlines.

🔗 Call to Action

If your manufacturing operation is evaluating:

• supplier diversification
• nearshoring or reshoring
• cost-reduction programs
• production transfers
• supply chain risk strategy

…reach out to Allied Advisors. Our Fractional Continuous Improvement Manager (FCIM) program is built to help mid-market manufacturers scale, stabilize, and execute with confidence.

Connect with Drew

LInkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-lawlor-a23bbb159/

Email: drew@globalchainconsulting.com