In this enlightening episode of Inspiring Innovation, I had the pleasure of hosting Greg Brown, the seasoned Plant Manager of Polo Custom Products in Louisville, Mississippi. Greg's extensive background in manufacturing, paired with a disciplined leadership style honed in the military, has significantly contributed to the Louisville facility's success. This facility stands out for its vast square footage, comprehensive capabilities, and exceptional team spirit. During our conversation, Greg provided a fascinating overview of the facility's main manufacturing processes, including sewing, RF ope ..read more

In this engaging episode of Inspiring Innovation, we have the privilege of speaking with Command Sergeant Major Stephen Blake, a distinguished veteran of the United States Army and a champion of leadership, project management, and manufacturing in the military sector. Blake shares his invaluable journey, detailing his rise through the ranks to become a Command Sergeant Major, overseeing global networks and advising on critical personnel matters including maintenance, logistics, and training. Post-retirement, his commitment to serving has seamlessly transitioned to supporting the veteran commun ..read more

It’s time to dive into important aspects of custom manufacturing in the context of legal contracts and agreements. To cover this adequately, we are joined by Chris Proskey, a partner at BrownWinick Law Firm who specializes in patent, trademark and intellectual property. We will cover the importance of defining who owns the intellectual property during the custom manufacturing process. He also strongly emphasizes the importance of having well-structured agreements detailing clear responsibilities, aligned incentives and fair terms. Finally, we will navigate discussions on dispute resolution, ar ..read more

In this episode of Inspiring Innovation, Sean Frost talks with Carla DeShaw, a leading figure in product development and innovation. They delve into product development strategies for product engineers and technology advancements in manufacturing. Carla shares insights regarding various manufacturing processes including RF sealing, Impulse sealing, ultrasonic sealing, and thermoforming, along with the importance of material selection. They also discuss the importance of quality control and how they maintain it through various phases of production. Furthermore, Carla expresses her excitement fo ..read more

It’s a dangerous digital world out there, with many threats facing all businesses. In this episode, host Sean Frost is joined by Rob Ward, Polo's VP of IT, who shares his experiences in the company, on his past projects and the role IT plays in the manufacturing industry. He also provides insights into cybersecurity threats, discussing how bad actors manipulate systems and breach security walls, as well as practical tips and guidance on protecting oneself against these threats. 01:17 Guest Introduction: Rob Ward 03:20 Role of IT in Manufacturing 03:46 The Importance of IT in Problem Solving 0 ..read more

Exploring Manufacturing Trends in the Defense Industry: A Conversation with Ron Houle The episode of 'Inspiring Innovation' features Ron Huell, the founder and president of Pivot Step Consultants, who shares his extensive experience and insights about the defense industry, procurement process and innovative changes in the sector. Ron discusses his involvement with key players such as the Army National Guard, Philips Healthcare, and General Dynamics, also shedding light on his legislative affairs role at the Pentagon. The conversation delves into the current geopolitical landscape's impact on t ..read more

Things are changing rapidly around hiring and retention of team members in a manufacturing environment.  And so I had to get my dad, Al Frost, (he’s an HR professional) on the show to walk through ways to be effective in developing and maintaining a strong workforce. On this episode we discuss: Al’s 15 minutes of fame at the Home Depot The current hiring environment Creative referral programs Managing remote work flexibility Growing your career in a manufacturing environment Being effective when you step into a management role Developing your team Thinking strategically in your business ..read more

Polo Custom Products CEO Kent Lammers joins the show.  He shares with host Sean Frost how he views the building of culture and innovation at Polo and how critical those pieces are to success in manufacturing. On this episode we discuss: Kent’s Polo journey A balance of technology and finance The keys to a successful acquisition or divesting The secret sauce of product development Serving the customer Developing a strong culture The impact that any employee can make Implementing challenging new processes to make the business better Continuous improvement Pursuing sustainability Following ..read more

Host Sean Frost shares some of the experiences he’s seen at Polo Custom Products how the team comes together to deliver on its promises to customers. In doing so, we review some of the conversations we’ve been having with manufacturing experts who operate behind the scenes. On this episode we discuss: Seeing the team come together The criticality of products that are made How the role of supply chain has been elevated Mitigating risk with suppliers Working collaboratively with others The value of people in the manufacturing industry Measuring performance and complying with regulatory requirem ..read more

Five years ago if you started discussing supply chain to someone their eyes would instantly glaze over.  But in today’s post-COVID world, everyone is struggling to keep up and it’s one of the most challenging aspects of running a successful manufacturing business.  Host Sean Frost speaks with Jennifer Fennell, Director of Supply Chain at Polo Custom Products. On this episode we discuss: Adjusting to life in Canada Starting at Polo Custom Products as a single mom Getting support from others How disruptions have an impact on the supply chain Supply chain is a team effort Mitigating ri ..read more