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Vinoski

Meet the well-heeled manufacturing executive who never left the shop floor!

Manufacturing Talks

Browse Jim Vinoski’s more than 200 columns – with nearly 1 million pageviews – he wrote for Forbes magazine about the producers who manufacture your world!

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Listen to “Manufacturing Talks” with your host Jim Vinoski. Jim talks with influencers in the manufacturing industry who share wisdom and insights into the products that improve your life.

PODCAST

Martha Njolomole talks about gratitude for the blessings of liberty and capitalism
28:51

Martha Njolomole talks about gratitude for the blessings of liberty and capitalism

Martha is an economist with the Center of the American Experiment in Minneapolis, and she did a video a few months ago for PragerU about growing up in Malawi and how very different her life was there versus since she came to America for school then work. I saw the video right as I was first starting with my now routine message about how manufacturers have to stop apologizing for what we do. Martha's even more fundamental message about how much we take for granted and how different people's circumstances are based on economic systems and basic freedoms really struck a nerve with me. So I invited her to deliver that message here on my show as well. Here are the highlights. Chapters: 00:00 - introduction 02:00 - Martha's childhood in Malawi 03:45 - her initial plan to go back home and work for the government 06:00 - why freedom and prosperity go hand in hand 08:45 - why blaming businesses for inequality is wrong 12:20 - how Malawi had less inequality - because almost everybody was poor 16:00 - the economics of plenty - Adam Smith's passage about self-interest 17:35 - the differences between starting a business in Malawi versus the US 20:50 - the differences that property rights bring 24:00 - service provision: private sector versus government 26:00 - Martha's current work in Minnesota This one is so important. Too many people in the Western world have bought into the falsehoods about the evils of capitalism and the wonders of collectivism. Martha brings not theories, but real-world distinctions between the two systems and her own experiences living under each. Her message is a powerful one. Tune in and take in the whole thing.
Dan Meyer talks about everything you need to know to start with second-chance hiring
29:53

Dan Meyer talks about everything you need to know to start with second-chance hiring

For Episode 150, we wanted something really meaningful. Dan Meyer brought it. Say you're in manufacturing and you can't find enough people to do the jobs you need done on your factory floor. (Sound familiar?) Here's a thought: there is a whole class of people who are desperate for jobs, but because of a past bad decision, they're locked out of the very things they need to turn their lives around, with gainful employment being the biggest hurdle. Want to give them a chance? Then tune in and hear just how to do it and why it's so important from one of the very first activists for second-chance hiring, Dan, who is founder and CEO of Nehemiah Manufacturing Company in Cincinnati. Dan covers just how he was inspired to hire the formerly incarcerated, his early challenges and how he overcame them, and what second chance hiring does for people, businesses, and the community. Here are the highlights. Chapters: 00:00 - introduction 01:45 - Dan's corporate background with P&G, Pepsico, and Bristol-Myers Squibb, and his founding of his first company, Changing Paradigms 03:00 - selling that company and founding Nehemiah Manufacturing 06:30 - challenged to hire a felon: did it, but after the first few, started losing them 07:30 - hiring a social worker to solve that problem 09:30 - Nehemiah's pillars, including building community, affordable housing, and legal support 13:45 - now have 170 second-chance employees, with turnover of 15% 18:20 - getting other companies to buy in, including Kroger 21:00 - "people don't change" - why that's a myth 23:30 - educational help and Nehemiah U 25:00 - addressing fears of liability or violence - not a problem 28:00 - if you need more info, reach out to Dan There is much, much more, and every bit of it is critical. Tune in and check it all out!
Ed McGinnis with CURIO on how to make our nuclear waste into new fuel - and more!
41:18

Ed McGinnis with CURIO on how to make our nuclear waste into new fuel - and more!

Episode 149 features longtime leader from the Department of Energy and now CEO of CURIO Ed McGinnis talking about safely and profitably reprocessing all the "waste" nuclear fuel we have collecting at our many nuclear reactor sites across the country. It turns out most of it can be made into new fuel, and what remains - 3-4% - can be safely disposed of in boreholes. Ed tells us all that and how the reprocessed fuel not only makes new fuel, but also much-needed isotopes and rare metals as well, and as a result the CURIO process can be very profitable. Here are the highlights. Chapters: 00:00 - introduction 01:15 - Ed's thirty years with the DOE 05:15 - the public's understanding of nuclear energy 11:00 - President Carter's ban on nuclear waste reprocessing 14:30 - the CURIO opportunities 15:45 - the problem with PUREX, the old method of reprocessing: it makes weapons-grade plutonium 17:30 - oh, and it uses nitric acid 19:15 - one person's waste is another person's treasure 20:45 - CURIO's way to reduce waste to a 3-4% remnant 22:15 - storage requirements for the remnant 23:30 - isotopes and metals extraction 27:00 - CURIO provides two types of fuel: uranium and proliferation-safe plutonium 33:00 - using the uranium in existing reactors 35:30 - 2-3 scale-ups for CURIO, and full commercialization by 2035 37:00 - using the SpaceX model There is a whole whale of a lot of detail to all this, so please do tune in for the whole discussion. This is a vital topic for our skyrocketing energy needs and protecting the environment. Subscribe, please - and like and comment too! Share it with your friends.
Tony Demakis talks machine sales, family-owned business, and building the team
40:09

Tony Demakis talks machine sales, family-owned business, and building the team

Tony Demakis is one of those sons of a manufacturing-related business owner who didn't want to take over from his dad. Until he did. Now he runs Alliance Specialties/Alliance Laser Sales, and has great insights on how to succeed in our corner of the business world and how to build a great team. He's also a fellow manufacturing show host, with his Manufacturing Alliance Podcast. So it was great fun hearing his takes on everything from how he landed back in the family trade to his faith to his vision for leadership both inside and outside of work. Here are the highlights. Chapters: 00:00 - introduction 02:45 - did not like his dad's shop 04:00 - how he came back to work for his father 06:15 - how he started his podcast 07:15 - an early partnership with Bales Metal Surface Solutions 10:00 - what Alliance does 12:00 - how to build great people 15:00 - talking faith 20:15 - American-made 27:45 - looking to the past for what's needed now 31:45 - business is back! 32:45 - the strong survive 34:45 - tell your story! And there's plenty more where that came from! Tune in and check out the whole thing. Share it with your friends! Follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe and sign up for alerts for future shows! A couple of helpful links: Alliance Specialties/Alliance Laser Sales: https://alliancelasersales.com/ The Manufacturing Alliance podcast: https://alliancelasersales.com/tmfgalliance/ The book I mentioned in our discussion, *Freedom's Forge:* https://tinyurl.com/sr7sp3k7
Chris Kuntz on Augie, the AI-enabled digital production floor work assistant
31:33

Chris Kuntz on Augie, the AI-enabled digital production floor work assistant

If you're looking for a great example of real-world results that using AI in the manufacturing realm can bring, you definitely want to hear this discussion with Chris Kuntz. He's the VP of Strategic Operations at Augmentir, provider of AI-based connected worker software. He covered how Augie, the company's generative AI assistant for industrial work, can make things better in a number of ways for your frontline employees, their supervisors and managers, and your whole operation. Here are some highlights. Chapters: 00:00 - intro 02:30 - the founding of Augmentir by guys who brought us Wonderware and Thingworks, and who discovered their next tech task to tackle was workforce challenges 05:00 - work process automation 08:15 - the launch of Augie, the work assistant 11:45 - how Augie presents solutions in a way to make work safer and more efficient 16:30 - skill level versus experience level 20:00 - an example of how Augie works with operators: autonomous maintenance 23:30 - worker pushback about spying or monitoring? Not a problem 27:30 - integrating workers' tacit knowledge 29:40 - how we're still just in the beginning of what's possible This was a really rich discussion, so there's a whole lot more in there. Tune in for the whole thing, and please add your questions or comments so we can get you any additional information you're looking for. Also, if you like this, please subscribe here and follow us on LinkedIn, and shar this with your friends too!
John Broadbent on Future-Proofing Manufacturing with Industry 4.0 and Leadership Transformation
36:08

John Broadbent on Future-Proofing Manufacturing with Industry 4.0 and Leadership Transformation

Are you curious about how manufacturers can keep up with the rapid advancements of the digital age? Join us as we chat from afar with Australian John Broadbent, the visionary behind Realise Potential. John shares many insights into the evolution of Industry 4.0, from the early days of PLCs and automation to today's AI-driven innovations, but you may be surprised as his recommendations for the best path forward for manufacturing leaders seeking to future-proof their operations. Through our conversation, you'll uncover the essential steps in implementing Industry 4.0, starting with the foundational task of connecting equipment and gathering data. We tackle the challenges organizations face when diving headfirst into AI without a robust data foundation, and explore how incremental improvements can drastically enhance operational efficiency. John shares real-world examples, like reducing packaging errors, to illustrate the tangible benefits of integrating data-driven insights into everyday processes. We also confront the hurdles operational leaders encounter in championing innovation, particularly when met with resistance from higher management. Shifting gears, we delve into the leadership dynamics within the manufacturing sector, emphasizing the transition from proof of concept to proof of value. John discusses the pressing need for strategic leadership and long-term planning, contrasting it with the short-term mindset often driven by the corporate or private equity mindsets. Finally, we explore John's personal advocacy work, especially his commitment to supporting men, whether in dealing with midlife struggles or needing to foster deeper connections. His journey of personal growth and dedication to service is both inspiring and a call to action for others in the industry. Don't miss this insightful episode with a leading figure in manufacturing transformation. Chapters: 00:00 - introduction 13:45 - unlocking the advantages of Industry 4.0 with digital transformation, whether through factory digitalization or work process automation 19:41 - challenges in manufacturing leadership and strategy 29:08 - empowering men through advocacy, service, and connection John's book site: https://manunplugged.com.au/ Realise Potential website: https://realisepotential.com.au/
Mush Khan talks about the state of manufacturing and how to win in today's marketplace
36:34

Mush Khan talks about the state of manufacturing and how to win in today's marketplace

Episode 138 features longtime manufacturing hand Mush Khan. He co-founded an industrial consultantancy called Alchemy Industrial, and he's got an encyclopedic knowledge of the world of manufacturing, the state of industrial affairs these days, and what it takes for producers to succeed. And he's here to share it with all of you! Here are some highlights. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 01:45 - Talking about his parents, a pipefitter and a seamstress 4:00 - Why he launched Alchemy Industrial 8:00 - The South Park episode about skilled trades 10:00 - Re- and near-shoring 11:30 - The pandemic supply chain wake-up 12:00 - US industrial advantages 13:30 - How we can rebuild our industrial base 18:00 - The need for automation 19:00 - Capturing tribal knowledge 21:30 - International trade and the supply chain implications 23:30 - The regulations situation 26:30 - The warning Germany represents 28:30 - Entrepreneurship 32:30 - Mush's first job as a reliability engineer and the importance of your network There is so freakin' much here of huge value to everyone in industry! Tune in for the whole thing. Tell us your thoughts on the state of American manufacturing in the comments section. Please be sure to like and share this episode, and if you're not subscribed already, please do that too! And follow us on LinkedIn and X: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/manufacturing-talks-webshow-and-podcast/ X: @MfgTalks
Want your paint to stick? Your bearing to roll? Mark Malburg on why surface metrology is important
33:44
About Me
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Jim Vinoski is the industry executive who entrenched himself in the front lines of manufacturing over his 30-year career. He helped companies such as Ralston-Purina and General Mills make products ranging from food to plastics and paints to bourbon. Jim tells you the stories of successful enterprises built from blood, sweat and tears through his column in Forbes magazine.

“I got off the phone with Jim, and all I could do was smile. Jim is a genuine, charismatic individual who is making the most of his opportunities, and sharing them with other people for a bigger purpose. His writing is top-notch, it's specific, and I am excited to continue following his journey!”

–Jordan Gross, Author

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