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Making Chips Podcast for Manufacturing Leaders

Manufacturing is challenging, but if you are connected to a community of leaders, you can elevate your skills, solve your problems and grow your business! MakingChips was launched in 2014 to equip and inspire the metalworking nation. Hundreds of episodes and a million downloads later, it’s an industry-leading source of information, inspiration, and entertainment for manufacturing leaders of all types. It’s hosted by Jason Zenger and Nick Goellner, two multi-generational manufacturing leaders, and they’re joined by a rotating panel of expert guests – including Titan Gilroy (TITANS of CNC), John Saunders (NYC CNC), Mark TerryBerry (Haas Automation), and many more. Join us as we tackle the topics that keep you up at night - leadership, operations, technology, growth, workforce development and culture.
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Making Chips Podcast for Manufacturing Leaders
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Now displaying: April, 2015
Apr 27, 2015

This is a hot topic edition where Jim is asking Jason about vending systems for the machine shop. You may have the impression that vending machines are just for the huge companies that crank out bazillions of widgets every day. But is that true? You’re going to find out that and a ton more about machine shop vending systems in this episode of Making Chips.

 

There are many misconceptions about vending systems and much resistance to the idea that a small shop could actually benefit from using them, but Jason Zenger knows better. He’s been able to place systems in a variety of settings, from small to large shops and has seen the benefit in even the smallest settings.

 

The reason for that is simple: The cost for vending systems has dropped as the technology has increased, making the power of vending systems more affordable for the little guy. Vending systems also enable you to keep track of tool and supply usage, which in turn tells you which employees are using what items so that you can make more informed adjustments to your systems or procedures as needed. Just imagine the savings of ensuring that every part is being used to its fullest capacity!

The major objectives of implementing a vending system in your shop:

 

Reduction in Spending

Increased Productivity

Increased Profitability

 

If it doesn’t make sense to you how those benefits come from installing and using a vending system in your shop, you need to listen in as Jason shares his experience as a representative for some vending system companies.

What the guys have to say about vending systems in this episode...

 

  • Major objectives of having a vending system in your shop - 3 powerful reasons.

  • The history of modern vending systems for the machine shop.

  • Aren’t vending systems geared more for huge manufacturers?

  • How to use vending systems in a small machine shop.

  • The sizes of vending machines and how to fit them into your shop.

  • Partnering with someone to help you manage the vending system so it doesn’t take over your schedule.

  • What types of supplies and tools can work with a vending system?

  • The process of bringing on a vending system and the importance of your vending partner.

  • Best practice software issues relating to your machine shop vending system.

  • The increasing popularity of vending systems.

  • 3 ways small companies can benefit from vending systems.

Listener questions

 

Jim and Jason are also happy to highlight questions from listeners on this episode. You can ask your question for this section of the podcast by call 1-312-725-0245 and leave your message on the recording.

 

Here’s today’s questions:

 

How important is it for a manufacturing company to have a clean, updated, and functional website?

 

What are buyers looking for when searching for a new supplier?

Links mentioned on this episode

 

www.MakingChips.com - sign up for the Making Chips newsletter

Something to look forward to…

 

Making Chips is going on the road! Stay tuned for more details.

Tweets you can use to tell others about the benefits of vending systems

 

Machine shop vending systems for the little guys… it’s not only possible, it’s a reality.

 

You don’t have to be a huge shop to afford and benefit from vending systems. Find out more in this episode.

 

Track your supplies and tools more effectively, and keep more profit on the bottom line.

 

Vending systems can reduce spending, increase productivity, and increase profit, even in small machine shops.

 

Your machine shop can function more smoothly and profitably by using a vending system. Find out how in this episode.

Apr 20, 2015

In this episode, we interview Julie Poulos about the brand image of your manufacturing company and why strategy is most important.  Being “the best kept secret” should NOT be your goal.  Julie tells us why starting with a new website or a new logo is NOT the right first step. Marketing Steps: 1. Competitive Analysis 2. Interviews 3. Online Analytics 4. Influencer Identification (Defining Your Buyer Types) 5. Develop the Plan Jim and I want you to be equipped when you are having a discussion with a firm to help you with marketing or your e-Strategy. In our Manufacturing News segment, we discuss multiple articles that cite a slow down in business for the beginning of 2015. About MakingChips MakingChips is a weekly podcast that will equip leaders in the metalworking manufacturing industry with valuable content to utilize in their career and business. What makes MakingChips unique is the fact that we are in the trenches getting dirty, leading, managing, designing, solving problems and pushing productivity.  MakingChips is here for us to report back from the factory floor to tell you what worked and what didn’t work…we tell you the mistakes we made and what we are excited to try.  We want to understand your problems and leverage this community to find a solution. Our goal is to equip manufacturing leaders and for those leaders to influence others in the manufacturing industry. From Jim: I'm the owner of CARR Machine & Tool, Inc., a 2nd generation high precision CNC machine shop utilizing 3 and 4 axis CNC Machining Centers. I’ve been at this a long time and

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know machining like the back of my hand. Our company specialty is short to medium run jobs where we consistently hold tolerances of ± .0005 utilizing state-of-the-art tooling - which I get from Jason! From Jason: I'm the president of ZENGERS, a 3rd generation industrial supply company. I direct our team of metalworking specialists to decrease costs and increase productivity of our metalworking customers by applying the best tooling for the job and utilizing tool crib management technology. Subscribe and Follow Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MakingChipsPodcast Twitter: http://twitter.com/Making_Chips Instagram: http://instagram.com/MakingChips Website: http://MakingChips.com

Apr 13, 2015

In this episode, we interview Ray Zaganto, who created a new concept called “The Hardware Store” for reaching his customers by being innovative, thinking outside the box and finding the Alpha Engineer. Your "first place" is your home.  Your ”second place" is the workplace.  The “third place” is another location that connects you into a community and facilitates creative interaction. A lot of companies do not have the resources to outfit a standalone location and create a third place, but as Ray said: “Make Your Shop a Destination.” In our Manufacturing News segment, we discuss an episode of the TV show, “The Good Wife” in relation to an episode about 3D printing. About MakingChips MakingChips is a weekly podcast that will equip leaders in the metalworking manufacturing industry with valuable content to utilize in their career and business. What makes MakingChips unique is the fact that we are in the trenches getting dirty, leading, managing, designing, solving problems and pushing productivity.  MakingChips is here for us to report back from the factory floor to tell you what worked and what didn’t work…we tell you the mistakes we made and what we are excited to try.  We want to understand your problems and leverage this community to find a solution. Our goal is to equip manufacturing leaders and for those leaders to influence others in the manufacturing industry. From Jim: I'm the owner of CARR Machine & Tool, Inc., a 2nd generation high precision CNC machine shop utilizing 3 and 4 axis CNC Machining Centers. I’ve been at this a long time and know machining like the back of my hand. Our company specialty is short to medium run jobs where we consistently hold tolerances of ± .0005 utilizing state-of-the-art tooling - which I get from Jason! From Jason: I'm the president of ZENGERS, a 3rd generation industrial supply company. I direct our team of metalworking specialists to decrease costs and increase productivity of our metalworking customers by applying the best tooling for the job and utilizing tool crib management technology.

Apr 6, 2015

In this episode, we interview Michael Magliano, an industrial real estate broker from Cushman & Wakefield, about strategies for buying, selling and leasing industrial real estate. In our Manufacturing News segment, we discuss an article that asks the question: “What Do Manufacturing Workers Want From Their Employer.”

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