Manufacturing Mavericks aren’t afraid to shake things up and stand out from the crowd. They are embracing the best tools and technology to showcase world-class American manufacturing and grow their business. Join Greg McHale, founder of Datanomix, as he sits down with these exceptional people to hear their stories and explore the important lessons they learned along the way. Listeners can gain valuable insights they can use in their own facilities to improve their bottom line.
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The Reshore America weekly radio show
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Making it in Ontario is your window into what's next in manufacturing. Ontario’s economy depends on manufacturing, but the latest research reveals concerning trends that could undermine the sector’s strength—if we don’t address them. Join us as we talk to CEOs and other leaders at the forefront of the sector about productivity, strategy, talent markets and career opportunities, and the role of manufacturing in a prosperous and sustainable future. This podcast is an initiative of the Trillium ...
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Interviews, analysis and research into the role, implementation, integration and usage of technology in retail. Covering Online including e-commerce, mobile and social commerce as well as Offline, local commerce and the merger of all Commerce. Interviewing CEOs and founders of retail startups and helping inform retailers on what is happening in #retailtech and how to navigate the waters.
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Tapping the Full Extent of Manufacturing Talent
36:37
36:37
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36:37Statistically, half of the smartest people in Ontario are men and the other half are women. So why aren’t manufacturers taking full advantage of the pool of talented women? This episode features Nikki Morshedi, the Executive Director of Women in Aerospace Canada, who shares insights into the challenges women face in STEM fields, why gender diversit…
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A Champion for Change with Christina Collette
42:02
42:02
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42:02In this episode, we talk with Christina Collette, GM of Final Frontier Manufacturing (Formerly Action Industries) in Arvada, CO. She shares her path from managing teams in banking to rolling up her sleeves on the shop floor. What pushed the shift? A love of math and a frustration with repetition that evolved into a desire for work that challenged h…
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Hydrocool: Boosting a Hydrogen-Powered Future in Ontario
50:07
50:07
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50:07This episode features Will Harney, the CEO of Hydrocool and a former Magna executive. After a career in automotive operations and R&D at Magna—playing a role in its 1987 Vehma Torrero concept car—he co-founded Hydrocool, a startup that’s building hydrogen-powered refrigeration units for transport trailers. Will shares his perspective on automotive …
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In this episode, hosts Brendan Sweeney and Michelle Samson dive into a new Trillium Data Bulletin about Ontario’s dairy product manufacturing industry and what it teaches us about the benefits and drawbacks of local supply chains. They also discuss the local cheese that makes Windsor-style pizza famous. 00:20 Hot Off the Press: Dairy Product Manufa…
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Frontier Lithium: A Critical Link in the EV Supply Chain
27:23
27:23
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27:23In this episode, we chat with Trevor Walker, CEO of Frontier Lithium, about the company's efforts to build an integrated supply chain for lithium in Canada, from mining it in far Northwestern Ontario to refining it in Thunder Bay to shipping it to EV battery manufacturing plants in Southern Ontario. Trevor tells us about discovering the lithium dep…
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How 3D Printing Is Reshoring Supply Chains
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35:56
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35:56This episode features Mitch Debora, Co-Founder and CEO of Mosaic Manufacturing, a digital manufacturing company capable of mass-scale additive manufacturing. Mitch tells us what 3D printing can do in 2025 (you might be surprised), how Mosaic is helping manufacturers reshore their supply chains, and how NGen-supported projects with partners like Ath…
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In this episode, we find out how biomanufacturing is similar to and distinct from other kinds of manufacturing with Mitchel Sivilotti, CEO of OmniaBio. Mitchel takes us through OmniaBio’s journey from its germination in the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) in Toronto to opening a 100,000 square foot facility in Hamilton.…
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Cracking the CMMC 2.0 Code with Darren Gallop
58:10
58:10
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58:10What does it mean to be CMMC 2.0 Compliant? Why does it matter, and how do manufacturers tackle it without getting lost in the weeds? Greg interviews Darren Gallop, CEO and founder of Carbide Secure, to cut through the noise on CMMC 2.0 and why starting with a self-assessment is step one. He digs into the certification process, budgeting, and tools…
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A Small Manufacturer’s View on Tariffs and Diversification
23:09
23:09
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23:09In this episode, we hear how a small Ontario manufacturer is navigating Canada’s turbulent new trade relationship with the United States. Dennis Dussin is the President of Vaughan-based Alps Welding—a contract manufacturer that does about half of its business in the United States—and a Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) board member. Wearin…
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Hannover Wrapped: Where Does Manufacturing Go From Here?
18:21
18:21
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18:21In this episode, hosts Brendan Sweeney and Michelle Samson debrief after Hannover Messe, the world’s largest industrial trade fair. With Canada as the host country and 1,800 Canadian delegates converging on this major networking and learning opportunity, Hannover has the potential to become a rallying point for redefining Canada’s manufacturing sec…
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OCI’s DiscoveryX Conference: The Pitch for Manufacturers
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7:37
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7:37In this brief episode of 'Making it in Ontario,' Mandeep Rehal, the Director of Business Development at the Ontario Center of Innovation (OCI), makes a case for why manufacturers shouldn’t miss their DiscoveryX Conference on April 16th and 17th at the Enercare Center in Toronto. With keynote speakers like Jeffrey Hinton, Aaron Erickson, and Amy Web…
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Innovative Group: Advice From a Hannover Veteran
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36:06
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36:06In the final episode of our Hannover Messe countdown series—featuring Ontario manufacturers and technology companies showcasing at the world's largest industrial technology trade fair—we speak with Hannover veteran Michael Lalonde, President and CEO of the Innovative Group of Companies. In this episode, Michael tells us about the Innovative Group, …
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From Homemade Furniture to Operational Excellence with Rebekah Collogan
37:17
37:17
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37:17In this episode of Manufacturing Mavericks, we’re excited to welcome Rebekah Collogan, a seasoned operations leader with years of experience in optimizing production, scaling teams, and driving continuous improvement on the shop floor. Rebekah shares her journey into manufacturing, her challenges in streamlining operations, and her strategies for b…
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Acerta Analytics: Improving Manufacturing Quality With AI
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34:38
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34:38Our Hannover Messe countdown series—featuring Ontario manufacturers and technology companies that will be showcasing at the world's largest industrial technology trade fair—continues with Greta Cutulenco, the Forbes 30 Under 30 CEO of Kitchener-based Acerta Analytics Solutions. In this episode, Greta tells us about Acerta's innovative work using AI…
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Avidbots: Scaling Up and Doubling Down on Robotics
37:25
37:25
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37:25Our Hannover Messe countdown series—featuring Ontario manufacturers and technology companies that will be showcasing at the world's largest industrial technology trade fair—continues with Pablo Molina, Co-Founder & CTO of Kitchener-based Avidbots. In this episode, Pablo shares Avidbots' journey from a small office in Waterloo to a multinational com…
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NordSpace: Unlocking Canada’s Access to Space
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25:43Our Hannover Messe countdown series—featuring Ontario manufacturers and technology companies that will be showcasing at the world's largest industrial technology trade fair—continues with Rahul Goel, CEO of Markham-based NordSpace. In this episode, Rahul discusses NordSpace's ambitious plan to develop an end-to-end responsive space launch system, g…
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Virtualware: 3D Tech Across the Manufacturing Value Chain
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37:06Hannover Messe is a month away, and we’re counting down with a special series featuring Ontario manufacturers and technology companies that will be showcasing at the world's largest industrial technology trade fair. We kick off the series with Michael Rosas, VP General Manager of Virtualware. The conversation explores the challenges of 3D technolog…
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Showing Up & Second Chances with Kody Guidry
26:54
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26:54From a part-time job in college to becoming an equity partner in a thriving machine shop, Kody Guidry's journey is anything but conventional. In this episode, we explore how Coastal Machine is scaling operations into defense, aerospace, oil & gas, why Kody supports hiring and training inexperienced talent instead of pursuing seasoned machinists, an…
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Why PowerCo Invested $7 Billion in St. Thomas, ON
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35:29
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35:29In this episode, we learn how Ontario’s economic developers help attract, support, and retain major manufacturing investments in their communities. Our guest is Sean Dyke, the CEO of the St. Thomas Economic Development Corporation. St. Thomas is where PowerCo, a subsidiary of Volkswagen, decided to locate its $7 billion battery manufacturing plant—…
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Mythbusting Automotive Trade Stats (Encore)
20:22
20:22
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20:22 Given the ongoing potential for tariffs and trade negotiations with the United States, we’re bringing back an episode that’s increasingly relevant and that you might have missed when it premiered during the holiday rush. This episode features numbers from Trillium’s newly released Automotive Trade Data Bulletin. Hosts Brendan Sweeney and Michelle …
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Are You Up for the Fight? with Bob McGregor
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45:08In this episode of Manufacturing Mavericks, Bob McGregor, President of Neo Industries, shares his journey of turning around a micro-machining company in Colleyville, TX. When Bob purchased the struggling business, he had to navigate financial setbacks and make strategic decisions, including firing unprofitable customers and even sending apology fru…
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Interview with Martin LeBlanc Head of Experience at Freepik on how AI is Changing Graphic Asset Creation
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34:02Interview with Martin Leblanc Head of Experience at Freepik on how AI is Changing Graphic Asset CreationBy DV
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Interview with Mohamed Amer Veteran of Retail and US Navy on AI in retail in 2025
35:28
35:28
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35:28What are the expectations on AI impact to retail in 2025? In this interview I go over multiple area where AI will play a role in online and offline commerce and how we see the implementation and growth in 2025.By DV
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Canada’s Most Trade-Exposed Manufacturing Industries
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9:27As we come to the end of Trump’s first week in office, with the tariff question live but (as yet) unresolved, we’re exploring the varying degrees of trade dependence of Canada’s manufacturing industries. Drawing from a Trillium Network Data Bulletin, the data shows that some are highly reliant on international trade, while others are far less so. F…
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Martinrea’s Rob Wildeboer on Geopolitics, EVs, and Crises
45:01
45:01
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45:01Season 11 is kicking off with one of the most important people in Canadian manufacturing today. Rob Wildeboer is the Executive Chair of Vaughan-based Martinrea International, one of the few Canadian companies that consistently make the Auto News ‘Top 100’ Global suppliers list. As we enter what’s sure to be a dynamic year for politics and industry,…
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In this special year-end episode of Manufacturing Mavericks, we reflect on the fantastic guests we’ve had on the show in 2024 and recap some of their best moments. This episode recaps insightful discussions with shop leaders and industry pioneers who have shared their experiences, challenges, and wisdom with Greg McHale. Join Greg as he revisits co…
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A Real-Life Manufacturer Reacts to Season 10’s Takeaways
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42:06For the season finale of Making it in Ontario, we’re getting feedback on the season’s top takeaways from a real-life advanced manufacturer who’s on the floor daily dealing with productivity, strategy, workforce, and trade challenges. What does he think of the ideas shared by our previous guests? Are they practical for someone running an SME? Our gu…
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As we approach the end of 2024 and the end of this season of Making it in Ontario, we’re taking inspiration from Spotify and presenting a special “Wrapped” episode. Season 10 featured titans from across the advanced manufacturing ecosystem, and this episode compiles their most cutting-edge, insightful, and necessary takeaways. 01:52 NGen’s Jayson M…
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This episode of Making it in Ontario features hot off the press numbers from Trillium’s newly released Auto Trade Data Bulletin. Hosts Brendan Sweeney and Michelle Samson discuss where Canadian-made cars are sold, the sources of cars bought in Canada, and the cross-border movement of automotive parts. With hard facts, they directly address a persis…
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Maximizing Manufacturing Productivity in Toronto and Beyond
48:53
48:53
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48:53In this episode, hosts Brendan Sweeney and Michelle Samson discuss productivity, advanced technology adoption, skills development, and red tape with Toronto Region Board of Trade CEO Giles Gherson. Giles highlights the need for better planning, streamlined regulations, initiatives to support small and medium-sized manufacturers (including a new man…
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It Always Starts with a Broom and a Bridgeport with Randal Leach
36:47
36:47
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36:47In this episode of Manufacturing Mavericks, Greg welcomes Randal Leach, Operations Manager at Ricaurte Precision, to discuss his journey into manufacturing, which didn’t start with love, but his frustrations turned into opportunity when he realized how much better manufacturing processes and work experiences could be with the right culture and tech…
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Eclipse Automation’s Incredible Growth With Accenture
44:44
44:44
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44:44In this episode, we welcome back Michelle Sangster, CHRO of Eclipse Automation and a Managing Director at Accenture, to explore the evolution of the company since its acquisition by Accenture. Topics include manufacturing innovation, workforce development, industry partnerships, and the growing importance of nuclear power. When it comes to HR, Mich…
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Honda Canada on Canada’s Biggest Manufacturing Investment (Yet)
41:28
41:28
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41:28In this episode, Jean Marc Leclerc, President and CEO of Honda Canada, discusses Honda's recent announcement of the largest manufacturing investment in Canada's history, focusing on electrification, sustainability, and innovation. Additionally, Jean Marc shares insights on workforce development, leadership during crises, and the importance of partn…
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Getting Strategic About Trade, Investment, and Productivity
46:40
46:40
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46:40This episode features Dennis Darby, the CEO of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME). Our wide-ranging conversation covers CME’s role in making the most out of Canada’s trade relationships with the United States and Mexico, CME's work on the Ontario Advanced Manufacturing Strategy Council, the ROI associated with manufacturing, and why robots wo…
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Advanced Manufacturing and the Future of Work
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45:37
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45:37This episode of 'Making it in Ontario' features Jim Stanford, an economist and Director of the Centre for Future Work. We discuss the resilience of Canada's automotive industry through economic highs and lows and the existential implications of China's rise in the electric vehicle market. All this before getting into a substantial discussion of wha…
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Evolving With Your Customers Across Multiple Generations with Adam Gordon
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34:19Adam Gordon is a second-generation leader at Tendon Manufacturing. The sheet metal and fabrication shop, Based in the Cleveland suburb of Warrensville Heights, was co-founded in 1988 by Michael Gordon Sr. and Greg Tench. Both are still very much involved; today, it’s a family affair. Greg’s son heads up programming/engineering, and Adam heads up Op…
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A Modernized Strategy to Transform Manufacturing in Ontario
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25:13
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25:13A new report on the current state of manufacturing in Ontario reveals that, compared to ten years ago, the sector is doing better in some ways, and worse in others. The conclusion is that now more than ever, we need a strategy to guide the industry to new heights. In this episode of 'Making it in Ontario,' hosts Michelle Samson and Brendan Sweeney …
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Productivity in Ontario's manufacturing sector is the subject of Part 2 of our chat with NGen CEO Jason Myers. The conversation revolves around a new joint report by NGen and the Trillium Network for Advanced Manufacturing addressing Canada's “productivity problem”. The episode highlights the importance of understanding productivity to solve it, di…
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Toyota Canada on Electrification, Labour Markets, and Strategy
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47:04This episode features an in-depth discussion with Scott MacKenzie, Director of Corporate and External Affairs at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada. We cover a lot of ground, including his take on how the automotive industry in Ontario has changed over the past 25 years, Toyota's approach to electrification, a glimpse inside Toyota's battery plant J…
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Hot Off the Press: New Data on Diversity in Manufacturing
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11:05In this episode of 'Making it in Ontario,' co-hosts Michelle Samson and Brendan Sweeney share highlights from Trillium’s latest data bulletin focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in Ontario's manufacturing sector. A key finding is the inverse relationship between pay and the proportion of women and visible minorities in various industr…
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Twisted Roads Make Better Stories with Tony Gunn
50:11
50:11
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50:11We’ve all heard of him, and you’ve seen him everywhere with his red microphone as he visits manufacturers and suppliers worldwide, but now you’ll get to REALLY know him on this podcast episode! America’s Manufacturing MC, Tony Gunn, shares how his internal optimism comes from many failures in life. Tony started from very humble beginnings and almos…
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NGen: Canada’s Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster
38:34
38:34
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38:34In this episode, we have a big picture discussion with Jayson Myers, the CEO of NGen (Next Generation Manufacturing Canada) and an award-winning economist, about the evolution of manufacturing in Ontario and Canada, how smaller manufacturers are finding huge opportunities as they refine their value proposition, why Ontario's unique asset mix is so …
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Making it in Ontario: Recharged and Ready
32:58
32:58
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32:58'Making it in Ontario' has gotten a makeover! New hosts Brendan Sweeney and Michelle Samson introduce themselves and re-introduce the organization behind the show: the Trillium Network for Advanced Manufacturing. The episode explores favorite past episodes, Trillium’s evolution over the last ten years, diversity in manufacturing, and the state of m…
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Making it in Ontario is your window into what's next in manufacturing. Ontario’s economy depends on manufacturing, but the latest research reveals concerning trends that could undermine the sector’s strength—if we don’t address them. Join us as we talk to CEOs and other leaders at the forefront of the sector about productivity, strategy, talent mar…
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What It Takes to Build a Business with Your Name on the Door with Rob Caron
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41:31On this episode of Manufacturing Mavericks, Greg McHale interviews Rob Caron of Caron Engineering, a true pioneer and the recipient of the 2024 M. Eugene Merchant Manufacturing Medal from ASME/SME. Rob shares his journey from unexpectedly finding himself jobless to building a company known for its groundbreaking innovations in advanced sensor and m…
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Humility, Curiosity, and Impatience - The Key Ingredients of Entrepreneurship with Gus Guttierez
51:44
51:44
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51:44In this episode, Gustavo (Gus) Gutierrez, owner of GC Machining Solutions, takes us through his incredible journey from a 15-year-old who traded coffee for training at his first manufacturing job, to buying his own shop. Gus doesn't shy away from doing the "hard stuff", including moving a shop, implementing an ERP, and is currently managing a shift…
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In this episode, Gustavo (Gus) Gutierrez, owner of GC Machining Solutions, takes us through his incredible journey from a 15-year-old who traded coffee for training at his first manufacturing job, to buying his own shop. Gus doesn't shy away from doing the "hard stuff", including moving a shop, implementing an ERP, and is currently managing a shift…
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If It Wasn’t For A Car Magazine…with Paul Van Metre
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54:55
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54:55Paul Van Metre is the co-founder of ProShop ERP and a true Manufacturing Maverick. Listen in as he talks with Greg McHale about some of the serendipitous moments that completely changed the course of his life and fueled his passion for manufacturing. Some examples include how his Mom saving a car magazine got him into machining, how a random lab pa…
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Don’t Tell Me No - Tell Me How with Mike Payne
1:00:26
1:00:26
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1:00:26Greg McHale sits down to talk with Mike Payne, Owner of Hill Manufacturing about his unconventional path to becoming a shop owner. Mike was actually helping the previous owner look for a buyer when he decided to make an offer himself. After 25 years in software and private equity, Mike realized that he really liked the can-do attitude and willingne…
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From Hog Shed to Top Shop—The Evolution of a Family Business with Kylan Hastreiter
43:36
43:36
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43:36Greg McHale interviews Kylan Hastreiter, Vice President of Hastreiter Industries, located in Marshfield, WI. Kylan’s parents started the shop in the late 1980s in a hog shed with one Makino LeBlond lathe. Today, they specialize in complex parts for the aerospace industry and are a driving force in introducing young people in Wisconsin to manufactur…
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