Where’s Willie?

Today on the show we are in San Jose for day two of the BIOMED show to meet Kevin Mullen, a sales engineer at RTP Company. After graduating from CalPoly Pomona and working in engineering for 20 years, Kevin found RTP and branched out into the world of sales. RTP Company is committed to providing solutions, customization, and service for all thermoplastic needs. They offer a wide range of technologies available in pellet, sheet, and film that are designed to meet even the most challenging application requirements. In our conversation with Kevin today, we get to hear his story as well as that of RTP, getting into what they do, who their ideal customers are, and why to work with them. You’ll hear about the wide range of engineers at RTP who consult clients from all industries with a need for hybridized plastic formulas. Kevin also talks more about the partners that RTP works with to take their formulas into the molding phase, as well as the applications for plastic in the medical world. Additionally, he gives us a great idea of the process and timeframes that one could expect working with RTP from handshake to touchdown. A big thank you to Kevin for teaching us so much about plastic today in what has been a great conversation that you should not miss.

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For today’s show, we are joined by a wonderful friend, colleague and manufacturing industry expert! Scott Bailey, the Director of Sales at TECO Technology is here to tell us all about his work at the company, the particulars of their successful model for manufacturing and how they built out from a strong footing in pneumatics. TECO is based in Pleasanton, California and is well established in a huge number of industries, locally and further afield. In our conversation, we cover Scott’s own journey in manufacturing and his position now at TECO, something he values greatly. Scott also gives us some of the company backstory and reasons that they have experienced success over such a sustained period. We get into who they serve, the range of services they offer and the value adds that keep customers coming back. The conversation also covers the divisions at TECO and how these have been established over the years to meet the growing demand. TECO technologies have continued to grow and improve their service, with certifications such as the ISO 9000 and Scott shares with us why this sort of constant improvement is vital at the company. For all this and then some, listen in!

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In today’s episode, Willie travels to Minneapolis, Minnesota where he has a conversation with Sunny Han, founder and CEO of Fulcrum. Sunny started learning how to code from the age of seven when he taught himself to write his own games as a child. After studying engineering, he used his business acumen to help struggling manufacturers through the recession. For the last 15 years, he has helped countless mid-size manufacturers around the globe to grow and expand their capacity. Sunny explains to listeners how Fulcrum introduces and implements the latest technology in the manufacturing industry and what their mission and vision for the future looks like. Tuning in to this episode, listeners will learn the many ways manufacturers can benefit from Fulcrum’s software capabilities, why partnerships and connectivity among manufacturers are inevitable, and how the Fulcrum team collaborates with companies to enhance their strong points while also helping them to push toward innovating for the future. 

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This week’s show brings us to Pleasant Grove, Utah, to have a conversation with John Keller, Co-Founder and President of REDLIST. For as long as manufacturing has existed, different divisions have been managed independently or regulated by separate entities. This means that within companies, there are vacuums and powerful operational silos. Not only is this an inefficient way to manage a manufacturing business, but it also means that one when one area is optimized, the other ones suffer. John Keller looks to tackle this last-standing problem through his company, REDLIST, based in Pleasant Grove, Utah. As a SaaS company, REDLIST is a cloud-based, mobile-ready app that works to close the data gaps between managers, teams, and machines. In this episode, John dives into the groundbreaking work that REDLIST is doing. There is a growing realization from companies that there is a better way to share information but they know they cannot do it alone. REDLIST is leading the charge, helping break down these entrenched silos to allow businesses to focus on what they’re supposed to – capturing the market share or finding and securing the best talent. We also discuss details of how the product works across platforms, the possibilities that implementing this system offers, and what the future of manufacturing looks like now that these tools are available. You won’t want to miss this fascinating conversation,… tune in today!

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In this episode, Willie shares his excitement about the upcoming MD&M West show. Now in its 35th year, this is the event where engineers and executives from across the world come together to change and improve the lives of patients. In addition to the three-day conference covering MedTech, 3D printing, and smart manufacturing, the show offers visitors the opportunity to meet the suppliers and experts who are disrupting the medical space.Willie talks about the projected growth of the medical device manufacturing industry, the innovation process from concept to finished product, the new technologies emerging in the market, and the changes that are happening in the materials used. Listeners will also hear about cloud-based devices and the implications for the privacy of patients, what the future of sensor fusion might look like, and why Willie reckons miniaturization will soon become the new buzzword. Tune in today!

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The destination of today’s episode is Westborough, Massachusetts where we are talking to Ryan Mannion from Coghlin Companies. Ryan and Willie met in Boston recently and immediately hit it off, so it only makes sense that he would make an appearance on the podcast! Ryan holds a degree in business management and now works at Coghlin, a fourth-generation family company that does $400 million in annual revenue! On top of that they are servicing some of the coolest technology that America has produced and if you don’t believe us, just wait till you hear what Ryan has to say! In this conversation, we cover the sexy side of manufacturing, the one that is often forgotten and gets left out of the conversation. We also get into the role of America as a leader in the hardware technology space and the centrality of the people involved in manufacturing and how they make all the difference! Ryan also shares what is special to him about building equipment and what excites him most about his current position in the industry. Coghlin Companies relies almost solely on refer-ability and Ryan explains their decision to not pursue trade shows and similar events. To hear from a great young and enthusiastic contributor to the exciting field of manufacturing, make sure to tune in!

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Today we touch down in Florida to explore Madico Inc., a manufacturing and distribution company specializing in a broad range of protective, functional and decorative material-based solutions. Their CEO, Shawn Kitchell, joins us on the Where’s Willie podcast today to talk about how they have transformed the company in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and how they are aiming to aid those whose lives have been impacted by the crisis. Shawn and his team quickly pivoted their production line of coatings and laminates to suit the shortage of protective materials used in the relief of the coronavirus. Shawn has worked in the industry for more than 25 years and his experience has been essential to the huge operation of responding to these unprecedented circumstances. Shawn recently purchased a large new facility for the company with an eye on the future and the growth of Madico and he tells us about his ideas of having the company serve more market segments. Having graduated with degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Management, Shawn has gone on to apply both Six Sigma and lean manufacturing principles in his impressive career. We finish off our conversation with Shawn sharing his thoughts on what this pandemic has taught him and Madico, and the effect it will have on their future. Join us to hear it all!

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As we are in the COVID-19 jungle and are unable to meet face-to-face, finding new technologies that can get your product to customers may be just what you’re looking for. Today’s guest on the Where’s Willie Podcast is Larry White. As CEO of Interlynx Systems, he might be able to help with the new challenges brought to the manufacturing industry by COVID-19. Interlynx is a sales lead management system that provides beautifully crafted sales leads every month. Their primary goal is to foster a better relationship between the manufacturer and distributor when it comes to lead management and they do this by optimizing and automating communications between the two that usually cause tension. Specifically, Interlynx offers lead management systems that provide data to each party that helps them more effectively pursue sales leads. We kick things off today hearing about how Larry got into the business of sales lead systems and then hear about some context regarding the logistics behind manufacturing a product and then distributing it to clients. Larry talks about the roles of each party and he lists some of the reasons they might not synchronize and how this affects the service they provide to customers. He gets into the ways that his product intervenes at each step to resolve these issues and the benefits this provides. Finally, we look at the current crisis and consider how manufacturers using a distribution model could solve the problem of growing using Larry’s services in the coming months. This leads to the subject of charitable work and Larry touches on some of the awesome community work he has already been doing as well as how he plans to extend it at present. Tune in and hear all about the benefits of lead management software to manufacturers, distributors, and customers from somebody that knows the business inside out!

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In this episode, Willie’s travels take him to Benton Harbour, Michigan, to talk with Jennifer Deamud – the executive director of the Manufacturing Growth Alliance (MGA). Jennifer has over twenty years’ experience leading teams, establishing strategic direction, and achieving operational excellence. Respected for helping organizations innovate, thrive, and grow, and known for optimizing resources to achieve core mission while satisfying stakeholders, Jennifer has a successful track record as a forward-thinking leader who has a passion to serve others. Jennifer earned a master’s degree in Public Administration and a second master’s degree in Communications from Grand Valley State University (GSVU). She participates on a number of national, state and community boards and, in her spare time, Jennifer is also a Girl Scout troop leader and mentor to women exiting jail through the New Beginnings program at the Women’s Resource Center. A very impressive portfolio! Today’s episode covers how Jennifer Deamud’s organization, the Manufacturing Growth Alliance (MGA), seeks to nurture and support second stage manufacturers in the state of Michigan – helping them get ‘future-ready’ by attracting both women and young people to the industry, even partnering with the education sector to ensure that training is provided for future talent! Jennifer also defines ‘opportunity zones’ in the state of Michigan and how attractive they are to manufacturing businesses. Finally, Willie and Jennifer discuss how the MGA helps small and second stage manufacturers, particularly those with 100 employees or less, through the various phases of their development, as well as six key areas that small manufacturers should consider in order to remain competitive. Tune in to this great episode today!

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Today Willie’s travels take him to Wilmington, North Carolina where he talks to John Panaccione, the CEO of LogicBay. John has over 18 years of experience, leading teams that focus on using technology to improve corporate performance. They help companies develop and implement strategies for scaling indirect sales channels using a combination of services and technologies offered by LogicBay. Before founding the company in 2003, John has led sales and marketing at Cognitive Arts, an innovative leader in high-end workplace simulation software. In this episode, John discusses the what, why, and how of their software solution, describing their product as a complete toolbox for manufacturers to sell to their distribution channels. But far from focusing only on the technological prowess of the LogicBay solution, he stresses the importance of correct implementation and integration with all other systems. Over the last few decades, the sales landscape has transitioned from a push to a pull strategy, and manufacturers need to gear themselves toward these changes and start thinking differently about their engagement with end customers—all of which take precedence in the LogicBay solution. In the sea of confusing software options, LogicBay sets itself apart through its transparency and clear communication around what manufacturing customers can and cannot expect from their offering. Be sure to tune in to learn more!

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