Manufacturing Talks

Send us Fan Mail Regulations have gotten so bad we mostly don't even talk about them anymore. That's a huge problem, because red tape is the number 1 thing that can derail our reindustrialization efforts, our nuclear resurgence, and our energy independence. Your host Jim Vinoski tackles the problem head-on, discussing the extensive impact of red tape regulations on American manufacturing...

Send us Fan Mail Here's a superb example of a public-private partnership to help with our desperate need for more skilled trades gurus. Jim Vinoski interviews Jason Wells from the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program, which trains the U.S. defense industrial base workforce. The program, based in Danville, Virginia, focuses on skilled trades like machining, welding, and...

Send us Fan Mail It was a pleasure to be joined once again by Samuel Gregg, who is President of the American Institute for Economic Research, and joined us to discuss a recent article of his that's right up our alley. Sam and our host Jim Vinoski did a deep dive into his article, "Dear Conservatives: Industrial Policy is a Dead End," which critiques the British and American approach...

Send us Fan Mail It was illuminating to hear from Mike Musheinish, CEO of Detroit Axle, about the effects of tariffs on his aftermarket auto parts-making business. Mike discussed the severe impact of the new tariffs on his business. Initially, tariffs cost his company $25,000 per $1 million in parts, but this rose to $725,000. This forced Detroit Axle to raise prices, affecting profitability and c...

Send us Fan Mail It was great to return the favor of podcast guesting with Melinda Tse, Louis Leung, and Jared Plumb from inFlow Inventory. They had our host Jim Vinoski on their show, "The Secret Life of Inventory," a few months ago. For their visit with us, we dove into their strategy of making their show an integral part of marketing their industrial inventory management software. Hig...

Send us Fan Mail Your host Jim Vinoski discusses the latest newsletter from the National Center for Energy Analytics (NCEA), highlighting key articles. He praises Jonathan Lesser and Portia Roberts' critique of wind power, noting its low capacity factor (25%) compared to nuclear (90%). Vinoski also summarized Ike Keifer's op-ed criticizing corn ethanol, citing a 28% increase in greenhous...

Send us Fan Mail Your host, Jim Vinoski, goes solo and discusses the impact of regulations on American manufacturing, emphasizing that hyper-regulation has driven jobs offshore and hinders reindustrialization efforts. He highlights the Trump administration's deregulation initiatives, such as repealing the Obama-era endangerment finding and implementing a 10:1 regulation rollback policy. Jim n...

Send us Fan Mail Software for manufacturing feels like a minefield sometimes. These guys get it. Benny Buehler from Uptool, a startup focused on improving American machine shops, joined us this week. Benny, with a background in metal additive manufacturing, co-founded Uptool with Alex Huckstepp to address the inefficiencies in traditional manufacturing software. Uptool's AI-driven software au...

Send us Fan Mail We've got a shorter episode for you this week. Your host Jim Vinoski flies solo for deep dive into the event he attended last week, the Energy Futures Forum by the National Center for Energy Analytics. It was a pow-wow with some very smart folks and a few big names talking the latest and greatest on energy in America and beyond. The highlights: 00:00 - Introduction 02:46 - Se...

Send us Fan Mail What an amazing episode! Our guests this week are Seth Kanor and Vinny Livoti from Enabling Devices, a company that creates assistive technology for people with disabilities. Seth's father, a medical engineer, founded the company in the 1970s after witnessing the transformative impact of a simple switch on a child with cerebral palsy. The company has since grown, focusing on...

Send us Fan Mail What a treat it was to have John Suh as our guest to talk broadly about how advanced tech will help reindustrialize America! John is a seasoned engineer with experience at Hyundai, Xerox, and General Motors, and he discussed his innovative work on combining robotics with car design, particularly an off-road vehicle with robotic suspension. Despite the project's end at Hyundai...

Send us Fan Mail The wide range of opinions on the right path forward to revitalize American shipbuilding gave us an idea: how about having a couple previous guests with differing opinions on to debate them? Many thanks to Colin Grabow of the Cato Institute and Lance Lemcool, a career shipbuilding executive, for taking on the challenge! For background on each, tune in to their previous individual...

Send us Fan Mail David Rashid, an expert on trade cheating, discussed his experiences and the challenges of combating trade fraud. He detailed how his competitor shifted production from China to Thailand to avoid tariffs, leading to a significant loss of business. Despite efforts, including hiring investigators and engaging the DOJ's Trade Fraud Task Force, the case remained unresolved. David...

Send us Fan Mail For our 200th episode, we have a guy who has one whale of a life story! Denny LaVé, a US Senate candidate from Idaho, talks about his background in the trades, entrepreneurship, and faith. Denny discusses his company, Precision Precast Erectors, which specializes in precast concrete installations. He shares his journey from an iron worker to business owner, emphasizing the dignity...

Send us Fan Mail For Episode 199, we dive into a whole host of important topics with our longtime pal Gail Robertson. She's the "recovering journalist," entrepreneur, and fellow manufacturer and podcaster who has been on several times before and helped with our most important episodes. Gail discussed her diverse background in journalism, fundraising, and marketing, which led to her...

Send us Fan Mail Note: this episode was recorded on Wednesday, March 11. That's important to know given the incredibly dynamic situation in the Middle East. We have a confluence of potential crises to analyze here, and who better to help us with it than the walking encyclopedia AND world atlas, G. Allen Brooks, publisher of the newsletter "Energy Musings?" Allen and I discuss the en...

Send us Fan Mail Prepare to be challenged in how you think about the effects of AI on manufacturing! Radu Spineanu and Mike Carroll have done the deep thinking and exhaustive research on what AI means for the industrial world so you don't have to. Radu and Mike from Humble Manufacturing talk all about the integration of AI in manufacturing. Radu, a third-time founder, and Michael, with extens...

Send us Fan Mail Yep, we're back to shipbuilding again! Because it's vital. This time, industry insider Lance Lemcool, an executive who has spent his whole career in the shipbuilding world, discusses the current state of American shipbuilding, highlighting its decline and the need for government support. He emphasizes the industry's volatility, the importance of a stable workforce,...

Send us Fan Mail You guys know I'm all about reliable and affordable energy, a strong military, and rebuilding America's industrial might. That's what makes Tom Holm such a great fit as a guest! As he put it, it's "preaching to the preacher." Tom, who is Executive Director of the Energy Defense Council, discussed the potential of nuclear energy to enhance military dom...

Send us Fan Mail This show is a solo promo for my upcoming book, which went to the publisher last week. In it, I discuss the book, tentatively titled, "Inspiring American Makers," which profiles 22 American manufacturers to counter the misconception that the U.S. no longer manufactures. I highlight the country's second-place ranking in global manufacturing and advocate for a resurge...

Send us Fan Mail Yep, we're right back to discussing the American shipbuilding crisis! During our January focus on shipbuilding, one of the best articles we used as a resource was one on the Jones Act co-authored by Colin Grabow at the Cato Institute. Colin joined us to share his broader perspectives on the U.S. shipbuilding situation. Colin discussed the complexities of shipbuilding, emphasi...

Send us Fan Mail Too many manufacturers still struggle with effective maintenance management, and still scratch their heads over what they should be doing with AI. MaintainX has answers for them on both counts. They're  leading the digital revolution in maintenance and operations, enhancing the way teams work and collaborate worldwide. Hugo Dozios-Caouette, CTO and co-founder of MaintainX, jo...

Send us Fan Mail It's the fourth and final week of the monthlong solo efforts by our host Jim Vinoski and his deep dive into the crisis in American shipbuilding. This week's episode focuses on identifying solutions to the tremendous problems we face. Jim discusses a number of the solutions his research has identified for the crisis, emphasizing the need for a stronger Navy presence and c...

Send us Fan Mail It's the third week of solo efforts by our host Jim Vinoski to do a deep dive into the crisis in American shipbuilding. This week's episode is focused on identifying the causes of the problems. Jim discusses the crisis in American shipbuilding, citing historical inefficiencies and current challenges. He references articles by Brian Potter, Colin Grabow, Inu Manak, Daniel...

Send us Fan Mail It's a second week in a row with a solo show by our host Jim Vinoski! Jim discusses the reluctance he has encountered repeatedly in his efforts to address the crisis in American shipbuilding. Despite significant declines—from 60% to 0.3% of global ocean-going shipbuilding capacity—and critical national security implications, many experts and high-ranking officials avoid the t...