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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: June, 2018
Jun 25, 2018

Can you see a return on investment in company culture in your business? It’s a question that every manufacturing owner or operator should consider. Much of the focus in manufacturing is on production. However, one of the biggest investments you can make in your company and brand is in the area of culture. Investing in culture not only ensures that you are aligned internally but also helps you align better with the customers you serve. During this episode of MakingChips, hear about the return on investment in company culture, how it has impacted Carr Machine and Tool and how it can benefit your company.

Connect with us: www.MakingChips.com/contact

Manufacturers Should Begin Creating a Compelling Culture

What started out as a discussion about search engine optimization quickly turned into a conversation about the importance of culture. That’s because one of the contributing factors to Carr Machine and Tool’s success in SEO is the compelling culture Jim is developing in his business. The return on investment in company culture that Jim has seen is in several areas of his business. In this episode, Jim shares about how he began investing in culture, the steps he implemented and the results that he continues to evaluate.

Great Change Can Come From One Small Step

Lao Tzu famously said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” This is true when it comes to the process of developing culture. You won’t see a return on investment in company culture overnight. Small, incremental steps can have a cumulative impact that will eventually pay large dividends. Jim explains the small steps he took to start investing in his company’s culture during this conversation. He also gives helpful tips for small steps you can take to start implementing culture discussions in your company.

The Return on Investment in Company Culture Is Measured in Multiple Ways

Investing in culture has both internal and external benefits. Internally, culture helps guide the hiring process. It ensures that you hire the right employees who align well with your core values. It also helps employees grow and develop their skills, instilling greater accountability and pushing them to a higher level. Externally, your company’s culture also ensures that you partner with the right customer. Solidifying your mission and vision clarifies your brand to potential customers. Culture ensures a greater sense of alignment across all facets of your company.

How Culture Sets Your Company Apart

Because of the competitive nature of manufacturing, it is important to be able to differentiate yourself from other companies. Rather than relying on shallow gimmicks, you should focus on being authentic. Determining your core values and communicating them consistently helps your business better convey your unique ability to serve customers. Julie and Jim talk about the return on investment in culture and how it sets you apart from the competition during this episode of MakingChips.

Here’s The Good Stuff!

  • Jason and Jim discuss the importance of maintaining a positive work culture
  • Manufacturing News: The challenge of meeting increasingly complex customer expectations
  • Jason shares how Zenger’s exciting new partnership
  • Jim introduces Julie Poulos, Vice President at Red Caffeine Marketing + Technology
  • Julie takes over the interview to talk with Jim about the ROI of company culture at Carr Machine and Tool
  • The first step to developing culture for Carr Machine and Tool
  • How Jim implemented core values into his company
  • Identifying the skill set of your employees and pushing them to use those skills at a higher level
  • Communications role in helping to maintain the type of culture you want
  • The differentiating factor that core values and culture can add to your brand

Tools & Takeaways

VIPs From The Metal Working Nation

This Week’s Superstar Guest

  • Julie Poulos - Vice President at Red Caffeine Marketing + Technology

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Subscribe to Making Chips on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify

Jun 14, 2018

On this episode of MakingChips, Jason and Jim sit down with Doug Woods, President of AMT to discuss the digital transformation in the manufacturing industry. Doug has had a lifetime of experience in manufacturing and now shares that experience with manufacturing leaders around the globe. He has a passion for innovation and for helping others integrate new technologies into their companies. Listen as Doug Woods shares his perspective on the future of manufacturing and gives tips for how your company can benefit from the digital transformation.

Connect with us: www.MakingChips.com/contact

Is there a manufacturing industry image problem?

Prior to 2008, it seemed like the entire manufacturing industry was suffering from an image problem. However, following the recession, there was a shift in focus on the importance and opportunity of manufacturing jobs in America. With the rising cost of college and the plethora of irrelevant degree fields, manufacturing is starting to recover its image. The excitement of the digital transformation is also helping to change the perception of manufacturing, especially among younger men and women.

The innovation and technologies at the forefront of the digital transformation

Every generation since Ford introduced the assembly line has considered itself to be in the era of advanced technology. However, Doug Woods explains that what makes manufacturing different now from previous generations is the speed at which technology is advancing. This rapid introduction of technology and innovation is enabling the manufacturing industry to grow and change in new and exciting ways. Doug talks about some of these specific technologies and how they are contributing to the digital transformation during this interview.

Being a part of the digital transformation of manufacturing requires a strategy

New technologies are being introduced at such a fast pace that it is easy to become overwhelmed. However, there is a way to assess the opportunities that the digital transformation of manufacturing can provide for your company. The best way to prepare your company for these opportunities is by developing a strategy. Doug Woods says that you don’t have to dive into new technology all at once. He encourages leaders to assess their areas of expertise. By finding a digital solution that can enhance your position in the market, you can begin the process of transformation in your company. Listen as Doug gives more tips for introducing new technologies during this interview.

Tips for Cultivating a Positive Culture in Your Company

You spend a lot of time at work. The people you work with can become family. If you have to spend so much time with your co-workers, you should do everything you can to enjoy it. The digital transformation can help you work better and more efficiently, but it can’t create a new work culture. It is important to invest in the type of culture you want to have in your company. Doug Woods shares the four cornerstones that he has implemented into the culture of AMT. Applying these tips could motivate your employees to be better while enjoying their work more.

Here’s The Good Stuff!

  • Introduction of Doug Woods, President of The Association of Manufacturing Technology
  • Doug Woods background working on the tool and die shop floor
  • How AMT serves manufacturers through industry intelligence and market access
  • Does the manufacturing industry have an image problem?
  • The innovation and technologies contributing to the digital transformation of manufacturing
  • Developing a digital strategy that will help you integrate new technologies
  • Doug Woods explains what blockchain technology is and how it is useful
  • How to implement a digital strategy by leveraging your area of expertise
  • Learning about future technology at IMTS
  • Four cornerstones of business that Doug Woods has instilled at AMT

Tools & Takeaways

This Week’s Superstar Guest

Connect With MakingChips

Subscribe to Making Chips on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify

Jun 9, 2018

Few people are champions of manufacturing education like Jim's guest on this episode of MakingChips, Aneesa Muthana. Aneesa began working in her father's manufacturing shop when she was a very young girl, answering phones and making chips of her own. She has grown up with a deep understanding of what makes the manufacturing industry special and now, as President of Pioneer Service she is a true champion of educating the public about the inspirational meaning behind being a manufacturer. This is an inspiring conversation that you won't want to miss.

Connect with us: www.MakingChips.com/contact

As Manufacturers We Have A Responsibility to Educate The Public

The belief that many parents have - that their children need to go to college in order to get a good job - is fine for as far as that goes, but as Aneesa points out in this conversation, it leaves out the very real and profitable possibilities that the manufacturing industry provides. Aneesa believes that the average person doesn't understand the true purpose and contributions that are made by the manufacturing industry and that every person who works within the industry has a responsibility to educate those around them in order to raise the level of understanding about the vital nature of what manufacturers do. Don't miss this challenging conversation.

Every Day Is Manufacturing Day At Pioneer Service

Manufacturing Day℠ is a celebration of modern manufacturing that is organized to educate and inspire the next generation of manufacturers. The first Friday in October is when the official celebration occurs, but because she is so passionate about manufacturing and equipping the next generation of manufacturers, Aneesa says that every day is manufacturing day at her shop. The doors of Pioneer Service are always open to community leaders, newspapers, school groups, and anyone else who desires to learn about manufacturing. Aneesa’s enthusiasm is contagious, so listen to this episode to be inspired by her story and her efforts at raising the awareness of the importance of manufacturing.

The Challenge of Equipping A Trained Workforce Is Real

During this conversation, Jim asks Aneesa about her biggest concerns regarding the future of the manufacturing industry. Like many of us, she believes that the challenge to equip and raise up the next generation as a trained manufacturing workforce is a formidable challenge that we must take seriously. She is doing her part in her own community and on a national stage and shares how she is encouraging education and mobilization on behalf of the manufacturing industry.

Children Today Need To Be Taught The Inspiration In Being A Maker

It’s interesting to note that when you ask a young child what they want to be when they grow up, they typically mention policemen, doctors, firemen, etc. Why don’t they mention being a manufacturer? Aneesa believes it is because the education that should be happening about manufacturing's vital role in our culture is lacking. She encourages every opportunity for children to be taught about the inspirational role that makers are able to play in the creation of instrumentation that launches people into outer space, or the development of inventions that help to cure cancer. Being a part of those world-changing things is a worthwhile endeavor that children need to know about. Hear Aneesa’s story and how she became so passionate about the manufacturing industry, on this episode of MakingChips.

Here’s The Good Stuff!

  • [0:45] The excitement about the future of the manufacturing industry
  • [3:31] Aneesa Muthana - Stereotype destroyer extraordinaire: her story
  • [7:30] From working in her father’s business to President of her Uncle’s company
  • [10:55] Raising prices to become profitable, cold calling to gain new business
  • [12:43] The impact of the great recession on Pioneer: Aneesa’s willingness to change
  • [16:02] Manufacturing has a purpose greater than just the business
  • [20:22] The purpose that fills Aneesa’s days and fuels her vision
  • [21:50] Why Anessa is breaking boundaries and why she does it
  • [24:20] The key things Aneesa has learned as a shop owner
  • [27:01] The vision and goals for Pioneer at this point in its history
  • [30:34] Aneesa’s efforts to build a skilled workforce
  • [35:30] What Pioneer is doing to spearhead outreach in its community
  • [37:40] Aneesa’s top 3 lessons-learned
  • [40:39] Digging deeper into Aneesa’s insights

Tools & Takeaways

This Week’s Superstar Guest

Connect With MakingChips

Subscribe to Making Chips on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify

 

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