Jim and Jason are live from IMTS2018 Day 5 with guests Jim King, Andrew Benson, and Meghan West to discuss industry 4.0 and its impact on the metal-working nation. How does a machine tool manufacturer, tooling manufacturer and a CAD/CAM company work together to elevate a manufacturing business? What is industry 4.0? Listen to this episode to hear the panelists discuss their perspective on Industry 4.0 and how collaboration is driving innovation.
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One of the benefits of Industry 4.0 for manufacturers is the ability to collect data and increase both speed and efficiency in their shop. Jim King says that Industry 4.0 means collecting data and then analyzing it to improve the quality of manufacturing. Ultimately, data collection can help business owners make good decisions. Jim also shares the benefit of interfacing with the end user to understand their needs so that his company can build better tools.
For Meghan West, President at CNC Software, Industry 4.0 is about connectivity and integration. Without a machine tool, the software that her company creates is useless. However, pairing the software with the tool allows users to optimize their experience. Throughout the panel discussion, the theme of collaboration emerges as everyone discusses the benefit of integration and shared information.
Andrew Benson says that Industry 4.0 is allowing Iscar Metals to eliminate variability through digitization. Using indexable tools has increased the precision and predictability so that the quality of the work coming from a manufacturing floor is better. He shares the value of repeatability and how reconditioned tools might become obsolete because of the unwanted variability they introduce. Just like the other panelists, Andrew Benson sees collaboration as an important component of manufacturing. He says, “to support the factory of the future, a company can’t be an island unto itself.”
In the past, companies were very secretive about the machines they were building. Rather than working together, they considered competitors to be threats to their success. However, there has been a shift in the manufacturing world that now encourages collaboration. Companies are working together, sharing data and solving problems together to push innovation forward. Industry 4.0 is leading to more collaboration that is propelling the manufacturing industry.
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Live from IMTS 2018 day four in Chicago, Jason and Jim are joined by Barry Walter, Dietmar Goellner, Craig Zoberis, and Teresa Beach-Shelow to give their insight and advice that will help manufacturers sleep better at night. There are so many decisions and challenges that manufacturing leaders face that it is sometimes hard to get a good night’s sleep. The four panelists draw from their extensive wisdom and experience to share how you can handle some of those challenges so that you can sleep better tonight.
One issue that keeps manufacturing leaders up at night is succession planning. Manufacturers want to see their business last beyond them. How can you structure your company so that it will run well even if you are no longer the top leader? Barry Walter is a third-generation manufacturer who, despite swearing he’d never work for his father, is now in business with all four of his brothers in his father’s business. Dietmar Goellner is a second-generation manufacturer who has the third-generation working in his business. Listen as all four panelists discuss their succession plan experience and how they are planning to pass along their businesses to the next generation.
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Teresa Beach-Shelow says, “Core values pour out the front door.” It’s true, culture is everything. It guides how you make decisions, how you serve your customers and how you treat employees. Craig Zoberis says, “If we take good care of our people, they will take good care of our customers.” Especially with the generation of millennial workers who want to be a part of something bigger than themselves, you have to clearly define the why in your company. Creating a great company culture takes massive amounts of time and energy. But will it translate to more profit? Hear what the panelists have to say about that topic and much more during this episode.
Technology can be a double-edged sword. New machinery and tools can keep your business relevant and give you the competitive edge over the competition. It can also be daunting, hard to understand, and a challenge that keeps manufacturing leaders up at night. During this panel discussion, each guest talks about how they approach technology and how it is defining their businesses. Find out from them how to sleep better at night by using technology to your advantage.
Companies used to have teams of salesmen that went business to business trying to sell products or services. It was a simple strategy, but one that wasn’t always effective. Marketing and sales has changed dramatically over the past few years. It is critical for manufacturing leaders and business owners to think about how they are developing their brand. While it can be overwhelming to understand the different marketing avenues, there are tools and resources available today that can help. Listen as the four panelists discuss their marketing and sales experience and give tips for how you can have a better marketing strategy for your company.
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During this episode of MakingChips, Jim and Jason talk with Tim Thiessen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Okuma America Corporation about the core values and culture of OKUMA. This conversation happened at IMTS2018 where that unique culture was on full display. OKUMA has been around for 120 years. During this conversation, Tim shares how their values influence how they serve customers. He also gives his vision for the future of manufacturing. You don’t want to miss this episode of MakingChips.
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Long-term successful companies with strong core values are the ones that last over time. This is certainly true of OKUMA. OKUMA has a saying, “The criticism of one is more valuable than the praise of millions.” OKUMA takes customer engagement seriously. Their tagline is “Passionately pursuing customers for life.” Tim Thiessen shares how that impacts sales and customer interaction. He says, “In sales, you want to be as close to your customer as possible.” Hear Tim share how they apply that in their sales approach and strategy during this interview.
Trust is the foundation on which strong relationships are built. This is true in marriage and in business. In order to be effective in sales, you have to build trust with your customers. Tim Thiessen believes that the best way to earn trust is by showing genuine empathy. Rather than just selling a product, Tim stresses that you want to understand your customer. You need to know not only their machining needs but also the challenges of the customers business. Creating that kind of transparent relationship isn’t easy. It takes time, but it is worth it for a long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationship. When you have a culture so obviously dedicated to the customer, you earn business not just for one purchase, but for a lifetime.
What sets OKUMA apart is their dedication to the core values and culture. The people who work for OKUMA love the manufacturing industry. They want to see the industry continue to thrive and are actively investing in it. They are dedicated to quality, making reliable machinery that will last. They are also on the cutting edge of technology, creating new machines with open platforms that provides flexibility and connectedness for machine shops. For Tim, he is most excited about the additive and subtractive opportunities. Listen as he shares his excitement for the manufacturing industry and the future during this conversation on MakingChips.
There is so much potential for the future of manufacturing. As the market continues to grow, so will the opportunities for employment and technological advancement. Already, technology is outpacing the workforce in manufacturing. Tim Thiessen shares his vision for the future of manufacturing and how AI will play a significant role in the way machinery works. If you haven’t already begun to consider how to position yourself to adapt to AI technology, then now is the time. Hear more about the advantages of AI and other exciting innovation on this episode.
Live from IMTS 2018, Jim and Jason talk with Steve Kline, Director of Market Intelligence at Gardner Media Business, Inc. to answer the question “does manufacturing data matter?” Steve has generated forecasts for his family owned business and for the metalworking and plastic industries. Gardner Media Business produces media for the durable goods manufacturing industries.
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During the interview, Steve Kline gives his assessment of the manufacturing industry. There has been a renaissance in manufacturing over the last few years. Steve says that he is surprised at the current trajectory of the industry. In the best way possible, the market isn’t following a typical pattern, with the machine market seeing growth for nearly eight years in a row.
Steve will be at MTForecast to talk to manufacturers about data related to machine tool spending, types of machinery and the buying market specific to location and company size. He explains that data matters because it helps you budget for machine tool pricing. Knowing the supply and demand of a particular tool will help you know whether prices are negotiable or if it is a seller’s market As a buyer of machine tools, data can help you plan, budget and manage expectations.
In his company’s research, Steve Kline says that they look at six specific areas of tooling data including turning, machining centers, grinding, screw machines, and EDM. Every category is expected to experience growth in the next year. Horizontal machining centers are in particularly high demand. Even though they are a more expensive option, they better meet the needs of manufacturing customers. Listen as Steve explains the other areas of machine tool growth during this interview.
While it is widely accepted that data is important for business leaders, how to use that data is not always as clear. How accurate are the numbers? How are leaders to interpret the data in a way that helps guide their decision making? Steve Kline offers some advice on how to leverage the information that their research delivers. His main message is to focus on trends and not on individual numbers. Looking for patterns can help owners make educated decisions that will positively impact their future stability and growth.
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