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The word is out - the economy is changing, and you should probably start planning for a recession. MakingChips hosts Jason Zenger and Jim Carr help take the intimidation out of a looming recessional period by offering some practical advice based on

Jim and Jason are back in the studio to start their new series on process by talking about the Entrepreneurial Operating System. This podcast series on process is designed to help you evaluate your current processes and determine where in your

On this special Thanksgiving episode of MakingChips, the Metalworking Nation shares what they are thankful for. While Jason and Jim usually address the challenging issues that manufacturers deal with, on this episode they step back and make some

  It’s time for you to start dialing in manufacturing processes that can revolutionize your business. Manufacturing is challenging. But MakingChips is here to help through every aspect of running and growing your business. One of the best ways to

Welcome to the MakingChips IMTS2018 wrap up podcast, recorded live from the final day of the show with guests Larry Turner, President and CEO of Hannover Fairs USA and Peter Eelman, Vice President of Exhibitions & Business Development at AMT. After

Jim and Jason are live from IMTS2018 Day 5 with guests Jim King, Andrew Benson, and Meghan West to discuss industry 4.0 and its impact on the metal-working nation. How does a machine tool manufacturer, tooling manufacturer and a CAD/CAM company work

Live from IMTS 2018 day four in Chicago, Jason and Jim are joined by Barry Walter, Dietmar Goellner, Craig Zoberis, and Teresa Beach-Shelow to give their insight and advice that will help manufacturers sleep better at night. There are so many

During this episode of MakingChips, Jim and Jason talk with Tim Thiessen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Okuma America Corporation about the core values and culture of OKUMA. This conversation happened at IMTS2018 where that unique culture

Live from IMTS 2018, Jim and Jason talk with Steve Kline, Director of Market Intelligence at Gardner Media Business, Inc. to answer the question “does manufacturing data matter?” Steve has generated forecasts for his family owned business and for

MakingChips is back with another live podcast from IMTS 2018. On this episode, Jim and Jason discuss what’s on the manufacturing horizon with guests Lonnie Love, Jay Rogers, and Adrian Allen. During times of rapid growth, long-term thinking can

On Wednesday at IMTS 2018, Jason and Jim hosted a panel including Aisha Rasul of Socistory, Corey Koepnick of Badassmachinists and Tom Fetcho, Vice President of Operations at MariTool to discuss social media management for manufacturers. Should

Guests: Jess Giudici, Titan Gilroy, Federico Sciammarella, Toni Neary On this episode of MakingChips, Jim and Jason broadcast live from IMTS with their guest panel including Jess Giudici, Titan Gilroy, Federico Sciammarella and Toni Neary to discuss

On this episode of MakingChips, Rob Sattler talks about how his family business took manufacturing from the farm to the shop floor. Rob is the Vice President of Sales, Estimating and Engineering at Sattler Inc in Ira, Michigan. He comes from a

On this episode of MakingChips, Peter Eelman returns to talk about the last minute preparations for IMTS 2018. Peter is the Vice President of Exhibitions & Business Development at AMT. He is also the Senior Executive in charge of the International

On this episode of MakingChips, Jim interviews his son Ryan Carr, Operations Manager at CARR Machine and Tool, Inc. along with Paul Van Metre, Co-Founder of ProShop ERP, about the risk and reward of implementing a new ERP system. During the

This week on MakingChips, guest Michelle Edmonson, Senior Director of Exhibitions Operations and Marketing at AMT, explains the value of IMTS for job shops. Job shops are typically smaller manufacturing companies that often handle custom orders for

On this episode of MakingChips, Jim talks with Jason Lesniewicz, Director of Cultural Tourism at Choose Chicago, about the best way to experience Chicago. Jason leads Choose Chicago’s cultural tourism strategy positioning as a global, cultural

This week on MakingChips, Peter Claus talks about the whirlwind of leadership he experiences in his manufacturing job. Peter is the CNC supervisor at HFW Industries in Buffalo, New York where he has worked for over 20 years. He is also one of this

This week on MakingChips, Jason asks Jim whether or not you really need a 5-axis machine. Every manufacturing company owner has to determine the right time to add a new piece of machinery to his or her shop. That decision isn’t always easy. More

The growth and impact of manufacturing tomorrow depends on the next-generation leaders you are investing in today. During this episode of MakingChips, Greg Jones, Vice President of Smartforce Development at AMT, discusses how he is trying to help

If you are a manufacturing leader, then it is imperative that you learn all you can about MTConnect and the digitization of the manufacturing industry. As the internet of things continues to grow, companies should be prepared to integrate technology

Can you see a return on investment in company culture in your business? It’s a question that every manufacturing owner or operator should consider. Much of the focus in manufacturing is on production. However, one of the biggest investments you can

On this episode of MakingChips, Jason and Jim sit down with Doug Woods, President of AMT to discuss the digital transformation in the manufacturing industry. Doug has had a lifetime of experience in manufacturing and now shares that experience with

Few people are champions of manufacturing education like Jim's guest on this episode of MakingChips, Aneesa Muthana. Aneesa began working in her father's manufacturing shop when she was a very young girl, answering phones and making chips of her

In order to generate measurable growth in your manufacturing company, you need to develop a sales playbook. While marketing can help you get noticed among prospective clients, a sales division converts them into revenue producing clients. In order

Developing a positive culture within your manufacturing business could be the key to reaching the next level of success with your company. On this week’s episode of MakingChips, you’ll hear from Matt Guse, President of MRS Machining in Augusta,

Buying used equipment might sound like a bad idea. Purchasing brand new brings about a sense of excitement and confidence. However, in the manufacturing world, buying new equipment can be incredibly expensive. This week on MakingChips, find out how

Whether you are a veteran attendee of IMTS, or you are planning your first experience, this week’s episode of Making Chips is for you. For 90 years, the International Manufacturing Technology Show has been the premiere manufacturing show in North

In order to have a successful cutting tool manufacturing business, you must have a plan. As Benjamin Franklin once said, failing to plan is planning to fail. Manufacturers shutter their doors every day, not because they aren’t providing a valuable

Building an outbound marketing strategy for your marketing business is crucial. The reality is that, in order to stay in business, you have to have customers. You need someone willing to buy what you are manufacturing. While it would be great to

This episode, recorded live at a recent conference, consists of a conversation between Jim and Jason and their guest, Mike Ramsey, Global Vice President of The Industrial Diversified Market Unit at Kennametal. Kennametal is a global manufacturer of

Every now and then a technology comes along that everyone is talking about, and high pressure coolant systems are the big topic of conversation in the manufacturing world right now. Jim and Jason discuss these amazing systems on this episode of

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are thrilled at what’s to come in the near future for the MakingChips Podcast. While Jim and Jason are busy implementing the final changes to the new MakingChips, we wanted to share with you one of our favorite episodes

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are thrilled at what’s to come in the near future for the MakingChips Podcast. While Jim and Jason are busy implementing the final changes to the new MakingChips, we wanted to share with you one of our favorite episodes

Startup" ]Hello Metalworking Nation! We are thrilled at what’s to come in the near future for the MakingChips Podcast. While Jim and Jason are busy implementing the final changes to the new MakingChips, we wanted to share with you one of our

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are thrilled at what’s to come in the near future for the MakingChips Podcast. While Jim and Jason are busy implementing the final changes to the new MakingChips, we wanted to share with you one of our favorite episodes

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are excited to bring back Phil and David from Orbitform as we conclude our interview with a detailed discussion on Orbitform's continuous process improvements. We'll talk about the steps that your manufacturing business

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are excited to bring you part two of our interview with David Shirkey and Phil Sponsler of Orbitform. David and Phil walk us through their process of grading potential acquisitions. We'll also hear about their active

Hello Metalworking Nation! On today’s episode, we welcome two very special guests from Orbitform to the MakingChips Podcast. We are pleased to welcome Phil Sponsler (President of Orbitform) and David Shirkey (Manager of Strategic Initiatives).

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are coming to you from our studio at the DMDII in Goose Island, Illinois. On today’s episode, we continue to have a dialogue about what you can do to prepare your manufacturing business for the future. Jim and Jason

Hello Metalworking Nation and Happy Holidays from all of us at MakingChips! We are happy to be back in our DMDII studio where today we will be expanding upon some similar processes from our last episode.

Hello Metalworking Nation and Happy Thanksgiving from MakingChips!

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are thrilled to be back in the MakingChips studio! On today's episode we answer a listener's questions about the social media platform, LinkedIn. Jim and Jason both share their individual strategies for using the

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are pleased to bring you another episode in our #MarketingForMakers series with Red Caffeine Marketing + Technology. On today's episode we welcome back Red Caffeine's Julie Poulos along with Dan Mantilla and Natalie

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are pleased to welcome back by popular demand, Bill Strauss – Senior Economist and Economic Advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are excited to welcome back Patricia Miller – CEO of Matrix 4, to the MakingChips Podcast. On today's episode we hear about Patricia's visit to the White House on behalf of the National Association of

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are coming to you LIVE from the Valley Industrial Association's Manufacturer’s Collaboration Conference in Sugar Grove, Illinois. On today's episode of MakingChips, we answer the question: What is a chaplet? – Hint,

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are broadcasting remotely from a Xometry Vendor Partner, GT Automation Group in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Today we welcome Steve Gildea, President at GT Automation and Michael Dickson, VP of Customer and Partner Success

Hello Metalworking Nation! Today on MakingChips we welcome back Stacia Hobson for the second half of our two part interview. On this episode we'll hear about how her father reacted to their confrontation. Stacia also shares with us how she was able

Hello Metalworking Nation! On this two part episode of MakingChips, we welcome Stacia Hobson, Co-Owner of Image Industries, Inc to our remote studio at the TMA in Schaumburg, IL. Image Industries offers stud welding solutions for compact

Hello Metalworking Nation! Two weeks ago we were joined by Patricia Miller and Will Scott of Matrix 4 as they introduced us to the roles of Visionary and Integrator. Today, we take a deeper dive into those roles as we learn how they have been

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are excited to bring you another episode in our #MarketingForMakers series with Red Caffeine Marketing + Technology.  Today we welcome back Julie Poulos (Vice President) and Kacey Keegan (Content Writer & Strategist) as

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are excited to bring back a former guest who’s incredible journey over the last few years has seen her go from an industry “newbie” to a manufacturing “rockstar". Two years ago we introduced you to Patricia Miller of

Hello Metalworking Nation! On today’s episode, we bring you part two of our interview with Nicole Wolter, President of HM Manufacturing. Last week we heard about a dire situation within HM Manufacturing that rocked the family business to it's core.

11Hello Metalworking Nation and greetings from our studio at the DMDII in Goose Island, Chicago.  On this two part episode of MakingChips, we welcome back Nicole Wolter, President of HM Manufacturing Company. Nicole shares the captivating story of

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are happy to bring you another episode of our #MarketingForMakers Series with Red Caffeine Marketing + Technology. Today we welcome back back Julie Poulos as she introduces Red Caffeine's Founder & CEO — Kathy Steele.

Success is one of those concepts that we all understand, and yet, in reality it means something different to each individual. For some, it is financial, for others it is freedom to be able to lead a certain lifestyle.

In business, we all know things don’t always go the way they’re supposed to. Shipments become delayed, orders aren’t finished on time, and plans can change in an instant. Sometimes you can’t keep up with your end of the transaction. So what is the

Hello Metalworking Nation! Today, we are bringing you another episode in our #MarketingForMakers Series with Red Caffeine. We are pleased to welcome back Julie Poulos as she introduces Red Caffeine's Tech Lead /Lead Developer / Front End Designer

"The more comfortable you get with trying new things, the more you're going to say yes to new challenges."

There are 12 Master Brand Archetypes. Which one are you? Hello Metalworking Nation! We are thrilled to bring you another episode in our MakingChips #MarketingForMakers Series with Red Caffeine. On today’s episode we welcome two special guests from

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are excited to be coming to you from our brand new studio at the DMDII in Goose Island, Chicago. On this episode of MakingChips, Jim and Jason talk about overtime in the manufacturing industry. Should workers count on

Hello Metalworking Nation! Today we are coming to you from DMG MORI’s Innovation Days in Hoffman Estates, IL where we are pleased to welcome some very special guests to the show. On this episode we’ll be speaking with three different manufacturing

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are thrilled to bring in a very special guest this week; someone who we truly believe can help elevate your leadership to the next level. Today we welcome Andrea Olson, founder and CEO of Prag'madik. Prag'madik  works

How well do you know your customers and their needs? And, how well do you meet those needs? The only way to accurately pinpoint the most important expectations of your clients and how you are performing against them is to hear it directly from them.

Hello Metalworking Nation! Today we welcome Eric Fogg, Co-Founder and Partner of MachineMetrics, to the MakingChips Podcast. Eric started as a CNC machinist and identified an area in the throughput process that he believes can significantly help

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are back in Burr Ridge, IL -- headquarters of the Tuthill Corporation for Part 2 of our interview with CEO Tom Carmazzi.

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are coming to you from Burr Ridge, IL -- headquarters of the Tuthill Corporation where we welcome CEO Tom Carmazzi to the MakingChips Podcast. Tuthill Corporation, established in 1892, has been manufacturing pumps,

Hello, Metalworking Nation! We are excited to team up with Julie Poulos and Red Caffeine Marketing to bring you an exclusive MakingChips Marketing episode.

Hello, Metalworking Nation! Today is an exciting day in the history of MakingChips as we release the highly anticipated Episode 100! We are coming to you live from the Technology & Manufacturing Association in Chicago, IL where we have assembled a

Hello Metalworking Nation! After a short break, we are so excited to be back in the MakingChips studio. On today's episode we'll discuss the importance of creating routine processes in order to take you and your business to the next level.

Hello Metalworking Nation! Today we are excited to bring you another story that we hope will equip and inspire the younger generation of manufacturing leaders. Flying all the way in from Washington State, we are joined by Paul Van Metre, Co-Founder

"The way we run a business today is completely different than how my dad would run his business.” - Jim Carr

"My first clue that we need to do something different is when I'm told that we’ve done it that way for 20 years.” - Jeff Rizzie Hello Metalworking Nation! We are glad to have you back for another episode of MakingChips. We have an exciting episode

Hello Metalworking Nation! On today's episode of MakingChips, we reunite with two time guest and longtime fan of the show, Julie Poulos, Vice President of Red Caffeine Marketing. Julie, better known as Vice Princess, Mistress of Marketing and/or

Hello Metalworking Nation! We are thrilled and excited to be back on this brand new year as we get right back into the swing of it. On this episode of MakingChips, we’ll equip and inspire you with the skills that can bring your OEM partnerships

Hello Metalworking Nation! We welcome you to another episode of MakingChips. On today's episode, we share some tips that will help you stay productive and battle distractions. From resisting the temptation of checking email first thing in the

Hello Metalworking Nation, we are excited to be back in our MakingChips Studio! On this episode of MakingChips, we dive into the 5S Methodology and how it’s implementation can help your business improve it’s productivity. The five key steps, just

Hello Metalworking Nation! On this episode of MakingChips, we sit down with Paul Ricard, Co-Founder, Co-Owner and President of DP Technology Corp. Paul has nearly 35 years of experience in the CAM industry in managing sales and marketing,

On this episode of MakingChips, we are very pleased to welcome Doug Woods, President of AMT–the organization behind IMTS 2016. AMT (The Association For Manufacturing Technology) supports and promotes the U.S. manufacturing technology industry. The

On this episode of MakingChips, we welcome Nicole Wolter, Vice-President of H.M. Manufacturing to the show. H.M. Manufacturing is a family-owned, gear and pulley manufacturing facility in Chicago that specializes in Custom/Standard Pulleys, Gears,

On today’s episode of MakingChips, we welcome back our good friend Ray Ziganto, President of Bi-Link, to the show. Bi-Link is a global mechanical component supplier that specializes in Stamping, Injection Molding, Die Cut, EMI/RFI Shielding, and

On this episode of MakingChips, we welcome special guest Jeremy Bout, the Producer and Host of Edge Factor to our show.  Edge Factor produces inspiring, high impact media that tell the stories of innovative teams who design and build incredible

Welcome to another episode of MakingChips. On this episode, we welcome Julie Poulos of Red Caffeine back to our show. Julie talks with us about the importance of telling your company's story while building relationships. We also discuss takeaways

On this episode of MakingChips, we welcome two very special guests to the show. Meghan West and Ben Mund of CNC Software Inc., the developers of Mastercam CAM software. Meghan serves as President of the company, and Ben is the Senior Marketing

Welcome to the first mini episode of MakingChips. In this special MakingChips mini episode, we welcome back Elena Valentine of Skill Scout to the show. Elena talks about what brought her to IMTS, what's new at Skill Scout, the Smartforce Student

Welcome to another special edition of MakingChips! On this episode, we meet with Nick Goellner and his brother Noah at the IMTS 2016 TV studio. Nick works as the Marketing Director at Hennig and AME. Hennig designs and produces custom machine

This week: We are coming to you live from IMTS 2016! On this special episode of MakingChips, we welcome Jason Harrelson, founder of Harrelson Trumpets to our IMTS TV studio. Harrelson Trumpets is a leading manufacturer of world class trumpets and

Today on MakingChips, we answer a question from a listener and aspiring manufacturing leader named Doug. Doug asks the question: "Not being a manager yet, what can I do to promote a positive culture/work environment at work?" Jim and Jason

Today on MakingChips we give you an inside look at what you can expect to see at IMTS 2016. We tell you what you need to be prepared, where you can find us at the event, a brief rundown on what's happening in the four different buildings, as well as

On this episode of MakingChips, we welcome back Karla Dobbeck to the show. Karla is a certified professional in Human Resource Management with over 20 years experience in many aspects of human resource management and employment law compliance

Where are you going?

On this episode of MakingChips, we welcome to the show Bill Angsten, co-founder of Compass Automation. Compass Automation designs and builds custom equipment to automate manufacturing processes. Bill talks with us about how he started the company,

It is not unusual for multiple members of a family to work at the same business.  However, such situations can be troublesome if the relationships give rise to suspicions of favoritism or unfair treatment. We see this a lot in family business,

How is digital manufacturing going to affect the modern machine shop? On this episode of MakingChips, we are joined by Jeff Rizzie, Senior Manager of Business Development at Sandvik Coromant. Jeff talks with us about the next phase of digital

We are happy to announce that this is the first episode of MakingChips shot entirely with video. We want to thank Chuck Shroeder and IMTS for coming to our studio and making all of us look good. Video segments of this episode are soon to come.

On part 2 of this episode of MakingChips, we continue our discussion with Bill Strauss, Senior Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Topics discussed in this episode include the world economy, energy prices and their impact on

On part 1 of this 2 part episode, we have a conversation with Bill Strauss. Bill is a senior economist and economic advisor in the economic research department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. His research papers include analysis of the

Today on MakingChips: We welcome a very special VIP guest to our show,  Sean Holt - President for the Americas at Sandvik Coromant. Sean has more than twenty years of engineering, business development and management experience. He is currently

We're all familiar with Murphy's Law; "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong". We've talked about this extensively in a previous MakingChips episode on crisis management, but what can you do to make sure that your manufacturing company is

Today on MakingChips: We are coming to you from the Sandvik Coromant Headquarters located in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. On this episode, we have a conversation with special guest Troy Stashi, Industry & Application Specialist in Automotive/Milling at

There is an old adage that has been floating around the business world for ages; “you should never do business with friends". If you’ve never worked together with your friend, it can be difficult to translate their skills from a social context into

When it comes to starting up your own business, it isn’t always easy finding the the right space for exploring, creating, and developing your new ideas. What if you could assemble a community of like-minded people in a place where you can share

There are several options when it comes to selling one of your old machines. Some are more convenient than others, but might offer you less money than what you expected. With a little bit of added effort, you can get the most money out of your old

The Manufacturing Industry of today looks a lot different than it did 20 or 30 years ago. Modern machine shops are safe, clean working environments; equipped with high-tech machinery. Unfortunately, there is still a stigma associated with

There is an old saying: “Expect the best, prepare for the worst.” It’s not something we want to think about, and it can be a difficult topic to discuss. Crises don’t happen very often, but when they do occur, they tend to have significant

Throughout history, successful individuals such as Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, and Thomas Edison all met with groups of like-minded people on a regular basis, to help one another achieve common goals and grow. Today, this concept is called a

We come to you from two separate locations (Dallas & Chicago) on this remote episode of MakingChips. Today we talk about establishing and exploring your manufacturing company’s niche. Jim and Jason share their idea of what niche means to them in

On this special episode of MakingChips, we recap the 2016 Crain's Manufacturers Summit with interviews from several VIP guests. First, we speak with John Sapiente of Elgin Die Mold and Trident Manufacturing about the challenges of running two

Women are the future of manufacturing industry leaders and essential to the success of the industry. However, many women in manufacturing have experienced a gender bias which has excluded them from core managerial roles such as production

A few months ago, we met with Craig Zoberis of Fusion OEM to talk about his company's Core Values. In that episode, we covered the importance of figuring out who you are as a company and what you stand for.  More than anything, being a leader is

Last week, we talked with Frank Holthouse about East Leyden High School’s Metals Program, and how they are providing an environment for students to learn modern manufacturing practices. This week, we continue that discussion. What can we do to spark

Just a few years ago there were stories of mass layoffs in the manufacturing industry. However, that is no longer the case. In 2015, Forbes listed Machining as one of the top 10 hardest jobs to fill in the United States. Today, Manufacturers are

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

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

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

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

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

This is MakingChips Episode 50!

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

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.

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 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

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.

Episode 44 of MakingChips is inspired by Matthew Feight of Miller Welding.  He writes:

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, Jon Berard who has a ton of experience in the research and implementation of ERP (Enterprise Resource Management) systems in

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

The Mazak event is almost here. Act now to be a part of this amazing event! Mazak is a company that leads the way in the manufacture of advanced technology solutions including Multi-Tasking, hybrid Multi-Tasking, 5-axis, milling, turning, CNC

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

Welcome to Episode 38 of the MakingChips podcast.  In this episode Jason Zenger and Jim Carr discuss growth through acquisitions in the manufacturing industry with Tom Hilaris of Ergoseal.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Every employer has to deal with the complex issues that are a part of employment law in the modern age. But they also have to run a shop that is well-tuned and efficient. Too often those two responsibilities conflict in ways that they don’t expect.

Today’s episode of Making Chips features a listener question. You can leave your question for Jim and Jason to answer by going to www.MakingChips.com to leave your question. They just might answer it on an upcoming podcast episode. Today’s question

We introduced you to Patricia Miller of Matrix IV back in episode 26 and in today’s episode we’re going to do a deeper dive into the challenges and victories Patricia has faced as she’s taken over the reigns of her family’s ailing manufacturing

Marketing is an important part of any business. It’s got to be because it’s how you let people know who you are and what you do. That’s something that can never change. But the WAY you are marketing has GOT to change. Why? Because the world we live

They still said, “You’re crazy… but there were positive things.”

Where do you typically find the best employees for your manufacturing company? How do you go about finding them? As you’ll hear from Jim and Jason’s stories in this podcast episode, everyone gets into the business through a different path. But the

That’s how strongly Jim feels about the power of having a presence on LinkedIn. It’s not just for job-seekers, it’s for anyone who wants to engage in dialogue and exchange of information in a business niche. Manufacturing is one of those and you

Every now and then we like to go to square one to discuss some fundamental issues surrounding the work done in the average machine shop. This episode is one of those episodes. Jim and Jason are talking SFPM - Surface Feet Per Minute in this episode.

Manufacturing leaders know what they do because they do it every day. But how do you communicate your areas of specialty and expertise in a concise, powerful way so that your prospective clients are able to get it right off? That’s what a corporate

In this episode, Jason and Jim are chatting with Jon Baklund, a veteran tool and die maker who started in the manufacturing industry when he was 19. His father still works in the shop daily, and his wife works in the business as well - so it’s a

Does your machining company need a vending system? This is a hot topic edition where Jim is asking Jason about vending systems.  You may have the impression that vending machines are just for large manufacturing companies, but is that true? You’re

In this episode, we interview Julie Poulos about the brand image of your manufacturing company and why strategy is most important.

In this episode, we interview Ray Ziganto, who created a new concept called “The Hardware Store” for reaching his customers by being innovative, thinking outside the box and finding the Alpha Engineer.

In this episode, we interview Michael Magliano, an industrial real estate broker from Cushman & Wakefield, about strategies for buying, selling and leasing industrial real estate.

In this episode we pack 5 VIP guests into one MakingChips episode.  We start with Ray Ziganto, President of Bi-Link, a global manufacturing company with 1,500 employees, sharing his take-aways from the Crain’s Manufacturing Summit.  We want you to

What are the 3 most important actions that manufacturers can take now to improve their utilization of Computer-Aided Manufacturing?  In this episode, we interview Matt Sump with ShopWare to discuss CAM Software and Dynamic Machining.  Jim answers

In this episode, Jim and I discuss how grant money can help to expand your manufacturing business.  We specifically discuss the Federal TAAF (Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms) Grant that Jim was awarded and the process that he went through to

In this episode, we interview Fernando Ortiz about his inspiring rise from driver to managing Roberts Swiss, a 60 year old manufacturer of Precision Swiss Machined Parts.  Fernando gives actionable advise to others who are not born into privilege

When should the owners of a business start succession planning?  NOW!

Should you implement robotics into your company?  In this episode we interview Brian Panek from Panek Precision about robots at his manufacturing company.  We discuss the basics of robotics, how it has changed his manufacturing and the culture of

Who is in your network?  In this episode, we discuss the power of networking and how to properly cultivate relationships within the Metalworking Nation.

What is the right method for getting paid for your work?

Do you have to grow in order to sustain a healthy manufacturing company?

Manufacturing conjures up an image of a dirty, physical, labor intensive job, but the reality is that the machining industry is one of the most technological forward and innovative industries.  In this seventh episode, Jim and I discuss how the

Are international standards important for your company or your partners?  In this sixth episode, Jim and I discuss ISO and the impact of ISO on his company.  We discuss the specific standards of ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 14001

How Is there a plan in place at your company if a top employee, such as the president or owner dies? Episode five is the first in a new interview format on MakingChips. In this fifth episode, we talk to Stacey Bales about her story of taking over as

We are in a recession…now what? Do you go to the bar or do you take action? Welcome to Episode 4 of the MakingChips podcast. In this fourth episode, Jim and I will step you through 11 points to consider WHEN the recession hits the Metalworking

Welcome to Episode 3 of the MakingChips podcast. In this third episode, we will give you 7 points to consider BEFORE a recession hits the manufacturing industry.

Welcome to Episode 2 of the MakingChips podcast. In this second episode, we discuss our experience at IMTS. Is IMTS and similar conventions still relevant?

Welcome to Episode 1 of the MakingChips podcast. In this first episode, Jim Carr and I discuss how he has used social media in his business.  We explore how you can plan a social media strategy for your manufacturing business.