Manufacturing Happy Hour

Running out of warehouse space doesn’t always mean you need more of it. For Sumitomo Drive Technologies, it meant rethinking the whole operation from the ground up.
In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, Chris sits down remotely with Tony Barlett and Shawn Lambert from Sumitomo Drive Technologies for an inside look at a live warehouse automation project underway at their Chesapeake, Virginia headquarters.
The project combines AutoStore, an automated storage and retrieval system, with automated guided vehicles to compress 30,000 square feet of high-bay racking into a 7,500 square foot footprint, with robots handling the picking and every transaction flowing through a single digital interface.
The conversation runs from the 2021 decision all the way through to where the project stands today. The business case, the technology choices, and what it takes to bring automation into a facility that has run on pen and paper for years.
They get into the workforce question too. What this means for the people on the floor, how Sumitomo plans to grow 50 percent over the next five years without scaling headcount at the same rate, and why the digital foundation they're building now is what makes AI integration possible later.
In this episode, find out:
How a customer demo in 2021 sparked the decision to stop expanding Sumitomo Drive Technologies' warehouse footprint and automate instead, and what it took to get from that first look to a live project
What the AutoStore system does at a practical level, and how a simple analogy made the technology immediately understandable for anyone who hasn’t seen it
How condensing 30,000 square feet of high-bay racking into a 7,500 square foot cube changes what growth looks like for the business
How moving from pen-and-paper operations to a single digital interface changes day-to-day work for every person on the warehouse floor
The company’s plan for its existing workforce, and how it expects to grow 50 percent over the next five years with roughly the same headcount it has today
Why the AI boom has not changed the scope of this project, and why building connected digital infrastructure now is the precondition for AI integration down the road
The three pieces of advice Tony and Shawn would pass on to any manufacturer considering an automation project of this scale

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!
Tweetable Quotes:
"If you're not doing this from an automation standpoint, you're missing the boat. It is the wave of the future, the labor force shortages are not going away, and they're only going to get more difficult." - Tony Barlett
"You can't start looking into this soon enough. The more prepared you are for a project of this scale, the better off you're going to be, not just plugging in the automation, but how it connects to your ERP, your processes, your AGVs." - Shawn Lambert
"AI doesn't do anything for you when you're dealing with pen and paper. Get into a more technological age first, get your software systems in place, and then you can integrate AI to turn static decisions into dynamic ones." - Shawn Lambert

Links & mentions:
Sumitomo Drive Technologies, dedicated to providing the highest quality power transmission products, gearboxes, gearmotors, and services to industrial companies
AutoStore, automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) that uses the power of warehouse robots for 24/7 order fulfillment within a cubic layout
Swisslog, logistics automation; they design, manufacture, and optimize automated logistics solutions across the supply chain
Nansemond Brewing, craft brewery in downtown Suffolk, VA
Allgood Lounge, premiere bar and party spot in Athens, GA

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.
Mentioned in this episode:
Party with Manufacturing Happy Hour!
Join Manufacturing Happy Hour on tour, or at one of our famous EXTRA INNINGS conference afterparties (co-hosted with Jake Hall, The Manufacturing Millennial).
Join The Party

AI-powered predictive maintenance has been on the radar for years, but for most facilities, it still hasn’t fully landed.
Chris sits down remotely with Colin Morris, Senior Director of Solution Consulting at MaintainX, the AI-powered maintenance and asset management platform built for the industrial frontline. Colin has spent eight years working in this space, long enough to have watched maintenance shift from an afterthought to a strategic asset across North American manufacturing.
They cover the real barriers to AI adoption in maintenance: unstructured data sitting across disconnected systems, outdated assumptions about what predictive tools should deliver, and the foundational steps most facilities skip before they’re ready.
Colin walks through what parts data to collect and why, how maintenance has evolved from cost center to cost saver, and where agentic AI is taking the industry next, including what scheduling looks like when an agent does the first pass and a human approves the plan.
In this episode, find out:
Whether today’s manufacturers have the data infrastructure AI actually needs, and why having data and having usable data are two very different things
The gap between what AI-driven predictive maintenance promises and what tends to happen when facilities try to put it into practice
Why a predictive system that shows no faults can mean things are working exactly as they should, and how confirmation bias leads teams to misread that signal
The foundations most facilities skip when digitizing, and why jumping ahead without them creates problems that are hard to undo
What parts information every facility should have on record, why it matters more than most teams realize, and what happens when a critical component is not catalogued
How maintenance’s status has changed over eight years, from a cost center most facilities avoided spending on, to a core part of a facility’s digital strategy
What AI looks like across maintenance operations today and where it genuinely adds value versus where human judgment still needs to lead

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!
Tweetable Quotes:
“A lot of customers do have the data. The biggest challenge is it’s super unstructured and in different systems, so getting it into a format AI can actually use is still a huge challenge.”
“People expect predictive maintenance to surface issues, but if an asset is running well, nothing’s going to happen. No insights are sometimes good insights. That means things are operating the way they should.”
“Historically, about 60% of a technician’s time is admin work. If you can give even 10–20% of that time back, that’s a huge gain in actual wrench time.”

Links & mentions:
MaintainX, helping industrial teams manage work orders, asset performance, parts, and labor with AI-driven insights that reduce downtime and boost operational excellence
Nick Haase on Manufacturing Happy Hour, episode 206 featuring MaintainX’s Co-Founder and the company’s first appearance on the podcast
Left Field Brewery, established in Toronto in 2013 and brews a series of baseball-inspired, distinct and full-flavoured beers

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.
Mentioned in this episode:
Party with Manufacturing Happy Hour!
Join Manufacturing Happy Hour on tour, or at one of our famous EXTRA INNINGS conference afterparties (co-hosted with Jake Hall, The Manufacturing Millennial).
Join The Party

Most regions have pockets of manufacturing strength. Very few have a manufacturing ecosystem. Matt Bogoshian has spent 15 years trying to change that.
In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, host Chris Luecke sits down remotely with Matt Bogoshian, Executive Director of the American Manufacturing Communities Collaborative (AMCC) – the nation’s only designated National Manufacturing Community of Practice.
Matt brings the on-the-ground experience of someone who has spent years helping communities across the US turn good intentions into real, durable systems change.
Together they dig into the Big Six elements that every thriving regional manufacturing ecosystem needs, the five steps to creating lasting systems change, and why trust is the one precondition that has to come before everything else.
Matt also shares the story of ‘What’s So Cool About Manufacturing’, a program getting middle school students inside real factories and changing how the next generation sees manufacturing careers.
In this episode, find out:
What it takes to build a regional manufacturing ecosystem of support, and why it requires more than any single organization or initiative
Why the ‘American project’ can’t succeed long-term without a strong base of manufacturing priority products, and what that means for every community in the US
The five steps to creating lasting systems change: relationship building, storytelling, strategy, activation, and the critical step most initiatives never reach
Why trust is the precondition for every other element of ecosystem building
What the Big Six elements of a thriving manufacturing ecosystem are, and why most regions are underperforming in at least four of them
How the Big Six framework helps diagnose where any region stands, and what coordination looks like when it’s working
Why the gap between regions that thrive and those that don’t is rarely about resources, and what it’s really about
How ‘What’s So Cool About Manufacturing’ is changing how young people see manufacturing careers, and why there’s no ceiling on where those careers can go

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!
Tweetable Quotes:
“The American project is not going to thrive long term unless we have a strong cornerstone of manufacturing priority products.” – Matt Bogoshian
“Trust is the coin of the realm. Having trusted relationships is really a precondition to everything else.” – Matt Bogoshian
“There’s no ceiling on how high a kid could go in manufacturing.” – Matt Bogoshian

Links & mentions:
American Manufacturing Communities Collaborative (AMCC), representing a coalition of nationwide communities with the shared goal of revitalizing American manufacturing
The Buena Vista, opened in 1916, this corner spot in San Francisco serves its signature Irish coffee alongside American staples

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.

What happens when a multimedia entrepreneur and a concert venue owner sit down for a live podcast?
A good conversation – with a couple beers – about creativity, grit, and what it really takes to build something that lasts.
In the first live episode of the year, recorded at The Argo in Milwaukee as part of Manufacturing Happy Hour’s 10-year anniversary, host Chris Luecke sits down with two longtime friends: Andrew J. Coate, co-founder of The Argo (a 700-capacity venue his team transformed from a historic 1950s cinema in under seven months), and Michael O’Sullivan, Creative Director at Motivation Media.
Together they dig into the creative process, building businesses from the ground up, co-founder dynamics, and the long-term friendships that shape your best work.
Later in the episode, manufacturing veterans and friends of the show, Kyle Mahan (Former Vice President and General Manager of the Automation Division at Wauseon Machine) and Bill Berrien (CEO at Pela Global Precision) join the stage to bring it all back to the shop floor.
In this episode, find out:
How Michael O’Sullivan and Andrew J. Coate have known each other since high school on the south side of Chicago, and how their paths kept crossing through business and creativity over more than two decades
What it means to build a creative business in industries you wouldn’t expect, and why B2B and manufacturing are some of the most exciting places to be creative
Turning creativity into a daily habit. Why practice, not talent, is the real shortcut, and how both guests built their creative muscles over time
How constraints drive better creative decisions, and why that’s one of the most transferable lessons to the manufacturing floor
The “done is better than perfect” mindset: balancing flexibility with process discipline when you’re building something new
What the manufacturing industry looks like from behind a camera lens, and why storytelling is one of the industry’s most underused assets
How Kyle Mahan (EP235) and Bill Berrien (EP160 & EP268) would apply the night’s creative lessons directly to industrial sector

Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!
Tweetable Quotes:
"Creativity really often needs constraints to be the maximum of what it can be." - Andrew J. Coate
"Networking doesn’t just happen at an event. It’s something that can happen over years and decades." - Chris Luecke
"I did not start out to form a video production company. Having those people who believed in me along the way gave me that space to keep practicing, to keep pushing it." - Michael O'Sullivan

Links & mentions:
The Argo, concert venue, bar & kitchen, and event space located in the historic Fox Bay Theater in Whitefish Bay, WI, minutes from downtown Milwaukee
Motivation Media, making videos that make a difference for nonprofits, businesses, commercials, fundraising, and so much more
Women in Manufacturing (WiM), a global trade association committed to supporting, promoting, and inspiring women across all the manufacturing industry. We’ve portion of the ticket sales from this show to WiM to support its mission
Episode 160: Buying a Manufacturing Company and Reimagining Upskilling with Bill Berrien, CEO of Pindel Global Precision, where Bill shares his thoughts on upskilling your team and continuous learning in the manufacturing industry
Episode 235: How to Find Automation Talent Anywhere with Kyle Mahan, VP & GM of Wauseon Machine, where Kyle discusses what it takes to find the best automation talent in the manufacturing industry in today’s industry
Episode 260: Innovations Transforming Automotive Manufacturing featuring STÄUBLI, RAM Solutions, and More, a look what’s transforming automotive manufacturing with interesting takes from eight industry experts

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.
Mentioned in this episode:
Mfg Happy Hour's Rust Belt Renaissance Tour
Manufacturing Happy Hour is hitting the road this spring, hosting live shows Cleveland on 3/24, Rochester on 3/25, and Pittsburgh on 3/26. Get your tickets today.

Most of the time, applications from candidates with a felony record end up in the garbage can. The problem is, by overlooking people from what are seen as ‘problematic’ talent pools, you could be denying yourself access to untapped talent.
Second-chance hiring means giving people the chance to showcase their talent, hone their skills, and start again. When you do that, great things can happen for them, you, and your local region.
Here, Chris catches up with Marcus Sheanshang, President of JBM Packaging, to discuss the thriving manufacturer’s Fair Chance Hiring Program.
JBM Packaging is a family-oriented business that specializes in eco-friendly paper packing products and solutions. Since Marcus bought the business in 2008, it has gone from strength to strength. Its Fair Chance Program has played a part in JBM’s ongoing success.
The conversation dives into the mission behind this game-changing program and how it’s grown from an ambitious idea to an initiative now responsible for 43% of JBM’s dedicated team members.
Marcus also discusses how second-chance hiring can transform lives for the better and play a key role in the future of the manufacturing industry.
In this episode, find out:
The perks of looking for manufacturing talent where other people aren’t
How to improve or reinvent your manufacturing business by attracting and retaining the right talent
The essential aspects of a successful and sustainable second-chance hiring program
How to support and develop new program members and give them a genuine second chance
Why setting clear candidate criteria and considering a person’s potential are key to making strong hiring choices
How giving candidates a fair chance can change the trajectory of someone’s life and make your business even stronger
The driving forces behind JBM’s Fair Chance Program’s continual growth and notable 13% turnover rates

Tweetable Quotes:
"Can they live our core values, and can they help make this place better? Those are some of the criteria that we need."
"They need to lead it. This is on them, but we can certainly walk with them as they're walking down their path."
"It would frighten me right now if we didn't have the Fair Chance Program, 'cause I think we have 67 Fair Chance team members. If we didn't have that, I don't know where we would be."

Links & mentions:
Fair Chance Program, JBM Packaging's second chance hiring program provides formerly incarcerated workers with the resources they need to thrive at work and in life
JBM Packaging, a purpose-driven packaging company, JBM provides full-service solutions for brands seeking alternatives to plastic packaging
Second Chance Month, a concerted effort to raise awareness about the nearly 44,000 legal barriers faced by men and women with a criminal record taking place every April
Criminal Records and Reentry Toolkit, people with a record (justice-involved or justice-impacted people) includes approximately 77 million people in the United States
Second-chance hiring continues to gain traction among major manufacturers. In 2024, staffing firm Kelly filled more than 2k jobs with justice-involved people. Monthly turnover was just 9%, lower than the industry average. (source: Manufacturing Dive)

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, stay Thirsty.
Mentioned in this episode:
Industrial Marketing Summit 2026
The Industrial Marketing Summit is the go-to gathering for marketers working in the manufacturing, engineering and industrial sectors. Built by Gorilla 76 and TREW Marketing, IMS delivers strategic insight, hands-on learning and true community.

Whether you’re a team of one, or leading a scaled marketing department, you’ll walk away ready to market smarter, lead stronger and impact your business. Make sure to use the code "happy hour" at checkout for $100 off registration.
Industrial Marketing Summit 2026