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Across the industrial world, everybody is TALKING about autonomy and AI-enabled production.

What most people are actually DOING, meanwhile, is scratching their heads over how the heck to use all the data they already gather.

That's where Oleksandr Khimiak from Advisource AB and their Factory Cortex service come in.

What a treat to chat with Oleksandr and talk honestly about what the real needs in our factories are versus the pie-in-the-sky flying car dreams.

Oleksandr dove into what Factory Cortex can do for your operation. It's a cognitive layer for manufacturing processes. He highlighted the structural crisis in Western manufacturing due to globalization, talent drain, and generational knowledge gaps.

Factory Cortex helps by combining Lean Six Sigma with data science to identify and address root causes of issues like unplanned stops and quality defects. Oleksandr emphasized the importance of understanding problems before implementing solutions and shared a five-phase implementation process. He noted that Factory Cortex makes your existing data streams actionable by integrating with existing systems, like your ERP and MES. The approach aims to transform manufacturing culture from firefighting to continuous improvement.

Highlights:
00:00 - Introduction
04:47 - Challenges in Modern Manufacturing
10:56 - Impact of Micro Stops and Firefighting in Manufacturing
20:33 - Introduction to Factory Cortex
24:24 - Integration with Existing Systems and Custom Solutions
30:00 - Assessment and Implementation Process
33:28 - Final Thoughts and Contact Information

This one is chock-full of good, useful information if you're right there in the trenches in manufacturing. Check out the whole thing.

Oleksandr's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oleksandr-khimiak/
Advisource AB: https://www.theadvisource.com/

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What great fun this episode was!

Jay Dekmar, founder of Lok Grips, had us out to his Wyoming, Michigan, shop to record right on the factory floor and hear all about how he founded his business and what he's got going on.

Jay shared his journey from a tool and die apprentice to owning a successful pistol grip manufacturing business. Initially, he faced challenges in the job shop market but found success with pistol grips, starting in 2014. By 2018, he focused solely on grips. Today, Lok Grips employs 32 people and uses 15 CNC machines, with 40% automated. Jay emphasized the importance of automation, which has increased efficiency and job satisfaction. He also discussed future plans to expand into base pads and magazine extensions, targeting a $500 million market.

Check out the whole show, and do swing over and have a look at our companion "Welcome to the Machine" piece on just what Jay and his team do to make their superb grips: https://youtu.be/kCyTZJ9kTqQ

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When aren't you in cost-cutting mode in manufacturing? "Never" is indeed the right answer.

But is all cost-cutting effective? "No" is the right answer.

But Chuck Deise is here to help with that.

Chuck, from EFESO Management Consultants, joined us to discuss strategies for sustainable cost-cutting in your industrial business. He highlighted a survey EFESO did with Industry Week, revealing 85% of companies face severe cost pressure, with 91% having more aggressive targets for 2025 and expecting the same aggressiveness for next year.

Chuck emphasized the need for standardized, digitized processes and organizational models to achieve 10-15% cost savings. He stressed the importance of reliability, using advanced sensors and predictive maintenance to improve uptime. He also underscored the significance of a robust performance management system and cultural change to ensure long-term cost reductions and operational efficiency.

Highlights:
00:00 - Introduction
05:30 - Survey Findings on Cost Pressure and Cost Takeout Targets
10:45 - Challenges and Opportunities in Cost Takeout Programs
16:33 - Cultural Change and Operational Improvement
29:17 - Digital Strategy and Advanced Manufacturing Technologies

EFESO Management Consultants: https://www.efeso.com/
The EFESO/Industry Week survey: https://www.argoconsulting.com/resource-insights/2026-manufacturing-industry-report/
Chuck's email: charles.deise@efeso.com