Today on The Industrial Movement podcast, we are joined by Chad Harmon. Chad is the director of manufacturing at Second Nature. Tune in to hear how Chad became involved in the company, what they do, and what their plans are for the future. You will also learn about what Chad has learned from his experience in manufacturing, resources and people that have helped him along the way, the challenges he faces, the manufacturing process at the company, and the safety protocols they adhere to. We also discuss how the company maintains efficiency and stays on schedule before looking at how they focus on energy efficiency. Chad also goes into myths we can debunk about manufacturing, where he sees the future of the industry in the next 10 years, and advice he would give to manufacturing leaders listening today. Thank you for listening!

Our guest today is someone who has seamlessly transitioned from engineering to operations in one of the most successful companies in the world right now! Todd Hammel is the Operations Manager at Amazon in Nashville, Tennessee, and today, he joins us to share his insights into the workings of the well-oiled machine that is Amazon. Todd fills us in on how he prepared himself for his leadership position, who inspired him along the way, and the greatest lessons he’s learned thus far as a leader. We get an inside peek into the day-to-day operations over at Amazon, their mind-blowingly thorough KPI monitoring system, and the creative freedom the company’s “two-way door” approach allows its employees. Tune in to hear Todd’s golden nuggets of wisdom about all things operations and leadership!

In today’s show, we speak to Paul Banks, Plant Manager at Logan Aluminum. In this episode, we learn about Paul’s professional background, his unconventional journey to Plant Manager, and about Logan Aluminum. We also talk about the role of continuous improvement, the biggest challenges facing the industry, who the people are that influenced Paul’s career, insights into what makes a good leader, and advice that Paul has for listeners. For this and much more, tune in for another informative and inspiring episode with guest Paul Banks!

Tony Gilleland is the plant manager at Packaging Specialties and today he shares his 22-year progression with the company and what he has learned along the way. In this episode of The Industrial Movement, you will hear a brief history of the company, what Packaging Specialties does, and the biggest challenge their industry is facing today. Tony also gives some advice to manufacturing leaders, tells us about the resources that have helped him, and discusses some of the most influential people in his life. Next, Tony describes the biggest lesson he learned and what he took away from it before giving us some insight into the methods Packaging Specialties uses to maintain efficiency and productivity. Finally, Tony looks into his crystal ball and tells us where he sees US manufacturing in 10 years. To hear all this, and more, tune in now!

Today on the show we are joined by Scott Martin, a manufacturing project engineer, most recently with XOS Trucks, an electric vehicle manufacturer based out of Los Angeles, California. In our conversation, we discuss Scott’s somewhat unconventional career path, what he’s learned from the different companies he’s worked at, and some of the most exciting innovations he’s seen in his field. We hear from Scott about how attending a technical college while working part-time benefited both his studies and his career, and why he believes he wouldn’t be where he is today if he’d taken a more traditional career path. Scott also shares what he’s learned from the companies he’s worked at and gives a breakdown of the range of electric vehicles that XOS Trucks have produced and how they are providing a last-mile solution. To learn more about leadership, electric vehicles, industrial engineering, and much more, make sure you tune in today!

In today’s show, we speak to special guest Robert Lillquist, the F-Series Manufacturing Engineer at Ford Motor Company, who has worked his way up in the company after starting there seven years ago. Robert is known by his peers as a motivated and disciplined individual who has a passion for engineering, sustainability, and renewable energy. His broad range of expertise allows him to be involved in almost all manufacturing processes and is able to provide a unique perspective on solving problems. We learn about Roberts's professional background, his current role at Ford, some of the biggest challenges that Robert has experienced, what is essential to becoming successful, the importance of thinking out of the box, the management style at Ford, what the best selling vehicle of all time was, and much more. Tune in today to get advice and tips from a respected figure and leader in manufacturing, Robert Lillquist!

Welcome back to another episode of The Industrial Movement, a show focused on the processes and the equipment that drives American manufacturing. We usually have conversations with other professionals in the industry, but today is a special solo-cast, held by hosts Morty Hodge and Greg Smith. In this episode, listeners will hear about our recent 2022 Best Workplaces in America award and advice for how to help your company win it in the future. We delve into some details about the award, what it takes to become eligible, and the benefits of winning. We explain the importance of creating a company culture and vision, cost-effective ways of maintaining company culture, core values and goals which should form part of any company, how to recruit and work with top talent, the benefits of paying your employees well, and more! Don't miss out on this special episode of The Industrial Movement where you can learn tips and tricks to help your company win the 2023 Best Workplaces in America award.

Our guest today has been in manufacturing for 30 years, predominantly in the food industry, and has a passion for stepping in and turning businesses around by improving their efficiency and productivity. Mark Potter joins us today to talk about his impressively dense career and his new consulting company, Patronus. In this episode, we cover everything from overcoming supply chain issues and setting expectations and incremental targets, to what Mark views at the first port of call when evaluating a company’s efficiency. He fills us in on why he thinks manufacturing is simple and the basic principles he employs to ensure success. Tune in to hear some tips on attracting and retaining talent, what to keep in mind when considering automation, and why COVID can no longer be used as an excuse for poor productivity!