Making Chips Podcast for Manufacturing Leaders

An important part of what makes a manufacturing leader successful is their ability to think outside of the box. This line of thinking should also extend to the hiring process. Successful companies are good at bringing the right people into their team, but it isn't always so easy. What if you had the ability to see candidates in action before you made a decision about who to hire? “Manufacturing ha...

Finding the right person for your company is crucial for building a thriving business. When recruiting for open positions, employers look for candidates with the skills, experience, and demeanor they believe will benefit their company. That said, it isn’t always easy to identify candidates who understand the needs and expectations of the job. What can an employer do to capture and relay their comp...

For many manufacturing leaders, the idea of delegating tasks can cause a feeling of uneasiness. Maybe you think you’ve got everything under control, or that things always have to be done your way. In reality, doing everything yourself is simply impossible, and can cause you unnecessary stress. To be an effective leader you must be able to rely on your team by learning how to delegate strategically...

It’s the beginning of a new year, which for many is a time to start following through with resolutions and goals. Unfortunately, many people come to find that many of those resolutions don’t always pan out the way we would like them to. If you’re serious about making a change, it’s important that you put specific, time-bound goals in place to help you achieve success. "You've got to work on the bi...

Some people think additive manufacturing will radically change the face of manufacturing. Although it is still a relatively new technology, additive manufacturing (also referred to as 3D Printing) has caused quite the buzz in the manufacturing community. Will additive manufacturing eventually become the way of the future, or has it's usefulness been overhyped? “Additive can not do its adding anywh...

This is MakingChips Episode 50! In this episode of MakingChips, Jim and Jason recap some of their favorite episodes and interviews from the last year. This episode highlights the story behind MakingChips, as Jim and Jason share their experiences from the beginning to where they are today. “Jason and I really want to thank each and every one of you for tuning in every week, listening to us, being w...

What makes a good leader? Leadership is the single most important factor in the success or failure of any business. Great leaders use their leadership traits to motivate, inspire, and build high performance teams around them. The role of an innovative leader greatly differs from the conventional image that many people hold of good leadership. What kind of qualities do these innovative leaders shar...

The thought of leaving your machine shop for even a few hours can be enough to cause anxiety for many manufacturing leaders, so it may seem impossible to imagine running your business from halfway across the country. “To make manufacturing work, to make money, you feel like you have to grab it so hard it slips through your fingers.” – Eric Schmid In this extended episode of MakingChips , we sit do...

Last week on MakingChips, we sat down with  Craig Zoberis  of  Fusion OEM  for the first half of a two part interview. This week, we cover a range of topics relating to a company’s  Core Values . In part two of this episode, Craig shares with us his set of Core Values that define his company while guiding his team member’s actions. Later on, Craig presents us with his insight about the difference...

In the modern business era, we consistently hear the terms “ core values ” and “ company culture ”. Among many other business terms, we have integrated these words into our everyday language. But what are company core values and why are they so important? In this two part episode of MakingChips, Jim and Jason sit down with Craig Zoberis , founder and current president of Fusion OEM . Fusion is an...

In this episode of MakingChips, hosts Jim and Jason talk about millennials , the future of manufacturing, and 7 millennial traits that baby boomers need to learn. The Millennial Generation is made up of people born around the early 1980s to the early 2000s. Currently they make up nearly 1 in 3 American workers. With 3.5 million manufacturing jobs expected to be created in the future it is importan...

Episode 44 of MakingChips is inspired by Matthew Feight of Miller Welding.  He writes: I should start by saying that I am a Plant Manager for contract manufacturer in central Pennsylvania. We have approximately 400 employees within our 3 locations and are a contract manufacturer of fabricated metal products with capabilities in cutting, bending, welding, machining & painting. I was just referred t...

Get out your scuba gear, we’re taking a deep dive today! In this episode of Making Chips Jason and Jim are with a guest, John Berard who has a ton of experience in the research and implementation of ERP (Enterprise Resource Management) systems in manufacturing businesses. John’s got a lot of actionable advice for both the small and larger size manufacturing operations about how to determine your E...

Chambers of commerce have been around for a very long time. The very first recorded mention of a chamber of commerce was in Marseille, .France in 1599. Trade associations have an equally long history with Associations finding their roots in organizations such as the church, medieval craft guilds, and merchant trading groups. Both groups still exist today and could be an important avenue through wh...

Word of mouth advertising still works. It’s wonderful when a satisfied customer tells someone else about their experience with your company. But there are more options today than just relying on word of mouth. Technology and social media have created the opportunity to put your advertisements in front of the people who are most likely to buy your products or use your services. How is it possible?...

The world has changed since the days of your grandfather’s old, dusty, dingy manufacturing shop. Technology and a global economy are forcing these changes and the American manufacturing industry is changing along with it. Small manufacturers now have to compete on a global level and it’s to the advantage of all manufacturers within the United States to come together and collaborate so the U.S. man...

MC039: A Young Woman with Manufacturing Dreams: A conversation with Michelle Mabry   Traditionally the manufacturing industry has been dominated by the presence of men. That’s not a bad thing. But it’s not necessarily a good thing either. Today’s episode of Making Chips is a conversation with one of the many young women who are stepping into the once-male-dominated manufacturing industry and makin...

Business growth what we all want to see. More customers, more jobs, and more revenue. But there are other ways to grow your company, including the purchase or acquisition of another company in your niche. In this episode of Making Chips Jason and Jim chat with Tom Hilaris who has recently become CEO of Ergoseal , a company that manufactures seals for OEMs in the industrial and aerospace rotating e...

In this great part-two episode, Jason and Jim continue their conversation with Sarah Caldicott. Besides being an extremely intelligent student of business and innovation, Sarah is an author and the great grandniece of Thomas Edison. Her study and writing is largely based on her own interest in her famous relative who was not only an amazing inventor, but also a manufacturer in his own right. Liste...

  Thomas Edison was an undeniable genius. His processes and inventions still influence the way we live our lives today. Today’s conversation is one that will turn the lights on (no pun intended) for you and your manufacturing team if you’ll open yourself up to some ways of thinking about how you run your business. Today’s guest is Sarah Caldicott, author and great grandniece of Thomas Edison. Her...

The last episode of Making Chips featured a conversation with Hernán Luis y Prado, U.S. veteran and founder of Workshops for Warriors. This episode is a continuation of that important conversation. Hernán is passionate to see two things: the manufacturing industry rebuilt in a sustainable, truly effective way, and the reintegration of veterans into the American society and workforce. Hear how Work...

There is a problem in the United States among Veterans of the U.S. Military   After sacrificing a great deal to protect their homeland, U.S. Veterans often struggle to find their place in civilian society. It’s especially difficult for those who are injured or disabled and come home to industries and jobs that are not suited to their newfound disability. Many fall into drug use, crime, and other n...

The nature of things in the manufacturing industry has changed. Gone are the days when a physical filing system will adequately contain all the documents and resources you need to help your company thrive. The technology era is here and the manufacturing leaders of the future will be the ones who are able to stay on top of the ever changing technical world and use it to the advantage of their comp...

Why are employee annual reviews a bad idea?   It’s not the idea of having a meeting with employees that’s a bad idea, it’s the verbiage we use to describe what is happening. An “annual review” or “evaluation” has a top-down implication that puts the employee in a helpless and often defensive posture. They are going to be evaluated, rather than a much more positive approach that could enlist the em...

Outsourcing jobs to China and other countries used to be the most affordable option for many manufacturing companies. But changes to the global economy have caused changes that make it not only affordable, but even advantageous for U.S. Manufacturers to bring jobs home. Harry Moser is a veteran of the manufacturing industry and upon retirement he took the initiative to being an organization focuse...