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PODCAST

Manufacturing Happy Hour

Welcome to Manufacturing Happy Hour, the podcast where we get real about the latest trends and technologies impacting modern manufacturers. Hosted by industry veteran Chris Luecke, each week, we interview makers, founders, and other manufacturing leaders that are at the top of their game and give you the tools, tactics, and strategies you need to take your career and your business to the next level. We go beyond the buzzwords and dissect real-life applications and success stories so that you can

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All Episodes

57:50

228: Industrial Marketing from SMBs to the...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/03/25

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

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01:07:01

227: Are the Challenges Facing Rural vs. Urban...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/03/18

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 with

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47:13

226: Building a Community of Machine Shop...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/03/04

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 machine

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44:27

225: From Enterprise Engineering to Owning a Small...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/02/25

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 (CEO

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37:50

224: The Role of a State Chamber in a Manufacturing...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/02/18

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 is

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01:12:21

223: The State of Automation Halfway Through the...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/02/11

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 2025 A3

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01:00:52

222: A Bootstrapper's Guide to Re-Industrializing...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/02/04

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 manufacturing

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23:37

221: "Building America" from the Heartland Featuring...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/01/28

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 helping to

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22:09

220: From Irrigation to Metals to Pharma: Systems...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/01/21

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, and

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01:06:49

219: How Skillwork Is Like Travel Nursing for...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/01/14

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 combines

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49:52

218: Why Buying and Selling a Business Is a "War over...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2025/01/07

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 can be

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30:14

BONUS: 3 Automation and Workforce Trends Impacting...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2024/12/31

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 proven

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48:48

217: The Intersection of Energy, Automation, and...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2024/12/24

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

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45:26

216: Automating Control Panel Design and Fabrication...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2024/12/17

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

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46:21

215: How Manufacturers Can Connect with the Community...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2024/12/10

When selecting talent for manufacturing roles, grades don’t matter nearly as much as hard work and talent. A's and B's are all very well, but a willingness to learn and the hunger to improve daily can’t be taught. Becoming a great engineer isn’t about knowing everything right out of the gate, it’s about figuring it out. In this episode, we’re joined by Cody Myers, Jon Rauner, and Mick Yrkoski of Behlen Mfg. Co. Join us as we discuss Behlen’s approach to hiring, their relationship with the wider

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50:48

214: From DevOps to Building AI for Industrial Code...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2024/12/03

AI skepticism – much like AI itself – is here to stay, whether we like it or not. While getting buy-in can be difficult, and deploying it as a solution within a company is even harder, the key thing to remember is that AI, like any new tool, must address a pain point. The only way folks will be persuaded as to its use will be when it solves a problem that was previously thought unsolvable.In this episode, we are joined by Adam Gluck, the CEO and Founder of Copia Automation. Join us as we explore the

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33:42

213: Re-Envisioning Energy and the Future of...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2024/11/26

We’ve all been guilty of taking energy for granted at some point, from mindlessly flicking on light switches to filling up our cars on the way to work. We may grumble about the costs, but when was the last time you really thought about where it all comes from?The availability of energy is something that affects us all, and leaders in the industry are calling for a re-envisioned future. In this episode, we sit down with Michelle Jordan from TECHMAR, Gakuo Ndonga of WD Bearings, and Meaghan Ziemba,

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39:40

212: Manufacturing's Transformative Impact on Rural...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2024/11/19

Manufacturing is a key industry that can revitalize communities, but what about in more rural locations? How do smaller communities compete with the big cities for talent, innovation, investment and growth? We head to Northeast Nebraska for this episode to speak with Angie Stenger, the Executive Director of Northeast Nebraska Growing Together – an initiative to transform the regional economy and population growth. From scholarship programs to a new innovation hub and the creation of a vibrant

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45:40

211: How Vertical Integration Helps Kwik Trip Achieve...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2024/11/12

Have you ever stopped to think about what goes into getting your favorite Kwik Trip products onto your table? In this episode, we explore the impressive vertical integration model that Kwik Trip uses, a strategy that allows them to maintain almost complete control over their supply chain. Paul Blank, Director of Operations, and Scott Schiebel, Automation Manager, share insights on how this approach not only enhances quality and food safety but also helps the company navigate supply chain challenges

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59:58

210: Technical Education, Apprenticeships, and...

Manufacturing Happy Hour ·

2024/11/05

We talk a lot about the skills gap on this podcast, but this episode paints an optimistic picture of what the manufacturing world can achieve when we come together. Partnerships between industry and education are so important because without the right education and exposure to manufacturing, the skills gap could continue to grow.In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Josh Gamer, Dean of the Integrated Technology Division at Western Technical College, and Kris Gengler, Education Foundation Manager at

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335 results

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