Augury got its start using a unique way to monitor manufacturing machine health: the sound of the equipment! It's one of those ideas that, once you hear it, seems so blindingly obvious - except you didn't think of it! Now they have over 150 of the largest manufacturers as customers, and they continue to grow. The company uses AI to reduce waste and downtime and to improve processes in all kinds of industries. Their VP of Strategy, Artem Kroupenev, joined us for Episode 99 to tell us all about it. Tune in and learn about the whole story, and how they might help you! Augury website: https ..read more

Like too much of American manufacturing, our domestic production capacity for printed circuit boards - the things on which the computer chips that power so much of our world anymore reside - departed decades ago for other lands. Now we're too dependent on foreign nations for that supply, and especially worrying is how much we're dependent on a potential geopolitical adversary. David is executive director at the Printed Circuit Board Association of America, and he joined us for Episode 98 to tell us how we lost this vital industrial capability and what he thinks we need to do to get at least ..read more

Manufacturing looks like it's turning the corner here in the US, so now is a good time for our domestic producers to look at expanding their businesses. Frank Seidel, Managing Director at Wamser Batra USA, thinks India is a great market to look at, and he joined us to tell us why that is and what companies here need to do about it. He looks at demographics and income growth and says India beats China as a growth market hands down. Now, to be fair, what Wamser Batra USA does to make their money is to help companies do exactly the above. But Frank didn't join us for a no-hold-barred sales job ..read more

At one time, when he lived in the shadow of southwest Michigan's Palisades nuclear power plant, former business owner, author, and employee communications guru Shawn Connors opposed nuclear energy. But then he decided to do his own research and discovered that the horror stories in the media that had convinced him nukes were dangerous were just plain wrong. That's when he founded the Atomic Garage Movement, which uses the arts to help convince people that nuclear energy is safe, clean, and reliable. He has also written both a nonfiction educational book and a fictional novel that both help t ..read more

Modiv is a real estate investment trust (REIT). That's company uses investor money to trade in real estate. For Modiv, it's not just any real estate - the company focuses entirely on manufacturing properties, investing in industrial properties via long-term net leases. Their CEO, Aaron Halfacre, joins us for Episode 95 to tell us why that's a good business proposition for his investors and for the owners of the manufacturing companies alike. Aaron also discusses how Modiv's corporate values are rooted in the small-town strong-work-ethic background he grew up with. You can learn more about Mod ..read more

Episode 94 once more features our friends from Aprio, a CPA-led advisory firm with over 700 clients in their Manufacturing and Distribution Practice. Simeon Wallis and Michael Lange join us to discuss their latest quarterly "Manufacturing and Distribution Insights" report, which is a great look into the state of business for American industry. Simeon is Chief Investment Officer and leader of Aprio’s Wealth Management Practice, and Michael is Partner in Assurance Services at Aprio, so they bring a whole lot of expertise to the subject. The latest issue had more good news for manufacturers, in ..read more

Fluke Reliability has been a mainstay in manufacturing maintenance for a long, long time. With tools like temperature and vibration monitors and acoustic and thermal imaging, they've helped make true preventive maintenance a reality for industry. So it was extremely informative for Episode 93 to chat with their president, Ankush Malhotra, about their recent acquisition of Azima DLI, which is helping supercharge Fluke's aggressive push into the use of AI for machine failure prevention. Ankush gives us a deep dive into what Fluke has going on with its new efforts, and how they can help manufact ..read more

Doesn't it seem like every single day now brings fresh news of another monstrous dollop of tax money is being given away somewhere in the US to coerce some manufacturer to build and "create jobs?" That's great news, right? Not so much, and James Hohman, Director of Fiscal Policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy right here in Michigan, is here to tell us why it's not. Here are just a few of the points he covers: 20:00 - a better way: create a better business environment and quality of life 23:45 - job creation and loss under these schemes 26:00 - money spent versus jobs created 30:00 ..read more

Grace Stanke spent her reign last year as Miss America promoting nuclear energy. And she knows what she's talking about - in December she graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in nuclear engineering! She joined us for Episode 90 to talk about why nuclear is safer and less expensive than you might think, and why there are even bigger things on the horizon with Small Modular Reactors and, one day, nuclear fusion! Some highlights: 4:00 - how Grace chose nuclear engineering 19:00 - the nuclear power generation business is safer for its workers than grocery or fast food! 22:30 ..read more

Appearing on Broadway in Les Misérables... playing a part on General Hospital... and launching an AI-driven industry software services company? Yep, yep, and yep, if you're Michael Lynch. He joined us for Episode 89 to chat about all of it. After earning a living singing, dancing, and starring on stage and screen, Michael served as CEO of Right Hemisphere Inc., a provider of small tools for graphics professionals. The company was acquired by SAP, where Michael led the Internet of Things business. The he co-founded Praxie, a business process automation company. Michael dives into the specifi ..read more