Manufacturing Happy Hour

A century ago, two cookware companies were born 12 miles apart in Wisconsin. One was bought right after World War II by a door-to-door salesman who converted it back to cookware after it had been repurposed for munitions. Today, those two companies have merged into SynergyOps, a 115-year-old legacy manufacturer with first through fourth generation employees still walking the factory floor.David Duecker, President of SynergyOps, joins the show from the factory floor in West Bend to discuss the company's evolution, their approach to automation, and what reshoring can look like for manufacturers. He explains how West Bend evolved with consumer demand over the decades, expanding into appliances like coffee makers and popcorn poppers, but when appliances started moving overseas in the 80s, they made a critical decision: divest and double down on their core strength, high-quality cookware.David's vision for the factory of the future isn't lights-out automation, it's highly automated with the people they have today, just doing different jobs. He also shares why manufacturing sustainability isn't just about solar panels and water recycling; it's about corrugated boxes coming from five miles down the road instead of across an ocean.In this episode, find out:How SynergyOps retains institutional knowledge across four generations of employeesWhy David looks for problem solvers who are intuitive and curious during hiringDavid's vision for the factory of the future: highly automated, but still powered by peopleHow his background as a customer in the bike industry shapes his approach to contract manufacturingThe chemistry problem the cookware industry is trying to solve around PFAS-free non-stick coatingsWhy tariffs and COVID got manufacturers seriously rethinking single-source supply chainsHow partnering with Moraine Park Technical College helps build the next generation of skilled craftspeopleWhy Synergy Ops brings retirees back to lead tours and train new hiresEnjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!Tweetable Quotes:“As organizations, we’re always looking to expand or go to our adjacencies to try and grow our market. Sometimes it’s important to focus on your core and what you’re really good at. Go all in on that and penetrate the market that way.”“The factory of the future for us is highly automated with the people we have today, who are able to solve problems and make an impact every day, but they may just be doing a different job.” “We never talk about the sustainability of manufacturing in the US. People often think about it in terms of water, air and gas, but sustainability can also mean cutting down on air, freight or ocean travel time too.”Links & mentions:SynergyOps, a contract manufacturer and private label partner with over a century of manufacturing history in West Bend, Wisconsin, specializing in cladded stainless steel and cast aluminum cookware for established and emerging brands.Moxa, delivering the reliable and secure connectivity foundation that advanced analytics and AI depend on, with solutions in edge connectivity, industrial computing, and network infrastructure. Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and

Forget the hyperscalers replacing tens of thousands of jobs. For manufacturers with 20 or 50 employees, AI isn’t about cutting headcount, it’s about finding ways to get ahead when you can’t necessarily afford to scale your team. As Dr Richard Barnhouse, President and CEO of Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) puts it: figure out the things you hate to do and apply AI to that. This episode was recorded live at WCTC's Applied AI Lab, featuring a roundtable with Dr Barnhouse, Amanda Payne from the Waukesha County Business Alliance, Guido Mazza from ITER IDEA, and Caleb Bryant, a student pivoting into AI after 20 years in lending. The panel explores how small manufacturers are practically applying AI today, from eliminating scheduling headaches to streamlining quoting and contracts.Guido shares how one plastic manufacturer eliminated internal conflict by letting an algorithm handle shift scheduling across dozens of constraints, while Amanda reveals that 50% of Waukesha County businesses are already adopting or strategizing around AI; and over 90% of them have 50 or fewer employees. Caleb delivers one of the episode’s sharpest lines: AI doesn’t steal jobs, it steals tasks.In this episode, find out:Why even free ice cream for life won't get buy-in, but removing a universal pain point willHow a plastic manufacturer used AI to manage dozens of scheduling constraints and avoid internal conflictThe three common reactions people have to AI and why two of them stem from the same root causeWhat Dr. Barnhouse warns about AI early-adopters when vetting consultants and programsWhy the real ROI on some AI projects isn't money saved, but conflict avoidedWhy manufacturers are mostly implementing AI on the office side (quoting, contracts, and legal documents) for nowThe intersection of robotics, humanoids, and quantum computing that's coming faster than most realizeEnjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!Tweetable Quotes:“Start with the basics. Think about your company’s most repetitive or boring tasks and see if there’s an AI solution that could be applicable. Then, you have to differentiate and decide what the benefits are between automation or an AI agent for those tasks.” - Guido Mazza“The easiest way to get started is identify a single pain point that everyone in the company can’t stand, something so far down that not even the boss understands how it contributes to the bottom line. If you can mitigate that pain point, your team will understand how AI can help them focus on more important tasks.” - Dr Richard Barnhouse“There are usually three reactions to AI. People either embrace it, underestimate it or are intimidated by it. What AI does is breed creativity. And once you understand it a little bit more, you start to see all the different things it can be used for both in industry and your personal life.” - Caleb BryantLinks & mentions:Waukesha County Technical College, one of the region’s leaders in workforce development, offering 170+ programs and customized employer training, including Wisconsin’s first comprehensive AI training and a world-class Applied AI Lab.Waukesha County Business Alliance, a long-standing, member-driven organization advancing economic growth and strengthening the business environment in Waukesha County through advocacy, development, engagement, and growth.

Two podcast hosts walk into a recording studio and explore what it actually takes to get real stories out of robotics pioneers, why humanoids might not need to do everything to be useful, and where the real optimism in automation lies.Brian Heater, Managing Editor at A3 and host of the Automated podcast, joins the show to share what he's learned from candid conversations with industry pioneers like Rodney Brooks and Brad Porter. We discuss why robots don't need to be fully general purpose to be useful, why timing matters when adopting new technology, and why stepping away to return with fresh eyes applies as much to workflows as it does to building anything.The conversation also explores the human side of automation: exoskeletons helping people become mobile again, prosthetics inspired by a childhood encounter in Pakistan, and wearables being developed for Parkinson's patients. These applications (along with aging in place and caregiver shortages) are what give Brian optimism about where robotics is headed.In this episode, find out:Why most robotics journalism misses the mark and what Brian advises new reporters to avoidWhat Amazon-level scale actually looks like compared to everyone elseWhat industry pioneers think about humanoid robots and timing adoptionHow exoskeletons, prosthetics, and Parkinson's solutions are driving real impactWhy knowing when to step away and return with fresh eyes applies to building anythingThe human stories from Automated that show why this technology mattersBrian’s optimism about the future of automationEnjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!Tweetable Quotes:“I’m hoping that as robotics and automation become a little bit more mainstream, the coverage itself will start to mature. As more journalists enter the field, they’ll hopefully be a little more familiar with the technology.”“I’ve written about what success means in scaling a few times. The jump from pilots and assembly onsite takes a lot, not to mention being able to do so reliably and safely. I’ve spoken to a lot of smart people, and it seems as though we may underestimate what it’s going to take to get there.”“It comes back to the human element. The end goal of a lot of manufacturing is to make people’s lives easier. People who are actively looking for solutions to problems, whether its climate change or aging in place, there are big problems we’re facing that have potentially good technological solutions.”Links & mentions:Automated with Brian Heater, robotics, AI, and automation are rapidly reshaping the world around us; veteran tech journalist Brian Heater digs into stories behind the technologies with the people who built them.Nardwuar, the Human Serviette, a Canadian journalist and musician, well-known for his candid approach to shows and interviews with celebrities and politicians. Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

Robots are becoming more and more mainstream in manufacturing, but most organizations still think of them with sci-fi imagery rather than everyday tools. The gap isn't in the technology, it's in how we prepare people to work alongside it.Jason Gryszkowiec from St. Onge Company and Ben Perlson from ABB Robotics join us to discuss why successful automation deployments focus on making robotics more digestible for everyday workers.Jason emphasizes that the biggest challenge isn't the technology, it's ensuring supervisors understand both the capabilities and limitations of the systems they're managing, while Ben explores how future developments like AI and voice control could bridge the gap from fixed path programming to more dynamic, adaptive systems.The conversation covers why skipping change management creates bigger problems than the technology solves. Both Jason and Ben share practical approaches to starting with automation, from modular pilots that validate technology and training needs, to understanding how enterprise operations differ from Mom-and-Pop shops who need more hands-on partner support along their automation journey.In this episode, find out:Why shortcuts during implementation create bigger issues for end usersHow operators and supervisors are being upskilled and reskilled to manage new types of automationThe importance of getting high-potential employees involved early as super usersWhy you need a champion at the site who enables automation projects to succeedHow modular implementations helps validate technology and training needs before roll-outThe risk management approach to introducing automation without killing operations with downtimeHow ABB Robotics’ four-level project segmentation helps meet customers where they areEnjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!Tweetable Quotes:“The biggest hiccup or problem we typically see is a lack of successful change management. What very frequently happens is that shortcuts are taken during the implementation process which makes it less digestible for the people that end up using the system day in day out.” - Jason Gryszkowiec“When we talk about upskilling and reskilling, it’s about making people more comfortable to work alongside automation and to handle basic troubleshooting and fault correction. There’s still going to be different roles for different skillsets, but it’s about bringing people along the automation journey, rather than throwing them in the deep end.” - Ben Perlson“With experimental or new technology, do a pilot. Go out, confirm the concept, bring it in, test it out, and confirm it. This not only gives you a chance to confirm the economic feasibility and validate the technology, but as an organization, you can understand what training and SOPs need to look like before roll-out.” - Jason GryszkowiecLinks & mentions: The Robotics Group (TRG) are leading manufacturers, integrators, consultants, and component suppliers of robotic solutions designed specifically for warehousing and distribution applications. ABB Robotics, one of the world's leading robotics suppliers offering industrial and collaborative robots, autonomous mobile robots, and intelligent software solutions for industries including automotive, electronics, and logistics.

Many manufacturers are taking the wrong approach to artificial intelligence, picking the wrong implementation partners, and in general, not preparing their data effectively.In this interview, Aaron Lober - VP of Marketing at CADDi - is going to share what AI can realistically do for a manufacturing company and how to properly prepare for an AI implementation.