Manufacturing Happy Hour

Recent Episodes

1. 302: Philly's Answer to the Talent Shortage (LIVE in King of Prussia, PA)

   Sep 15, 2026

   This live episode from King of Prussia, PA features a panel discussion on Philadelphia's manufacturing ecosystem and workforce development solutions. The first segment explores the regional manufacturing landscape with Brett Lister (Open Tolerance), Ashley Watkins (JBM Technologies), and Matt Bruner (American Precision Works), highlighting collaboration as a competitive advantage. The second segment shifts focus to workforce development with Hannah McGarry (Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center) and Gregory Thompson (Philadelphia Youth Basketball), discussing innovative approaches to the skilled trades talent shortage and the changing perception of manufacturing careers.

2. IMTS After Hours: Your Unofficial Guide to IMTS 2026 featuring Jim Mayer and Emily Wilkins

   Sep 11, 2026

   Chris Lukey hosts returning guests Jim Mayer (Manufacturing Connector) and Emily Wilkins (Marketing Metal) in a bonus episode focused on the after-hours experience at IMTS 2026. The three discuss memorable stories from past IMTS events, highlight the value of networking and relationship-building that happens outside the trade show floor, and preview upcoming after-hours events including Extra Innings (Tuesday, Sept 15 at Kaiser Tiger), Manufacturing Mic Drop karaoke (Wednesday, Sept 16 at Brando's Speakeasy, sold out), and other partner events throughout the week.

3. 301: NYC's Role in Reindustrialization and American Manufacturing (LIVE from Brooklyn)

   Sep 8, 2026

   Michelle Feinberg, founder of NY Embroidery Studio, shares nearly 30 years of manufacturing experience in New York City's garment district. The episode features her evolution from high-end fashion production (Met Gala gowns, Tori Burch, Tom Brown) to PPE manufacturing during COVID, where she now produces nearly 3 million isolation gowns monthly using automation and robotics. She discusses how staying flexible, embracing automation, and maintaining proximity to customers and problems enabled her to keep manufacturing in NYC while solving a critical 20-year-old medical design flaw in PPE.

4. 300: Chris Luecke’s Friends from High School Interview Him on His Own Podcast, LIVE in St. Louis

   Sep 1, 2026

   Episode 300 of Manufacturing Happy Hour is a special live recording from Urban Chestnut Brewing in St. Louis, featuring a reverse-interview format. Chris Luecke, the podcast host, is interviewed by three of his high school friends—Pat Morris, Rob Garwitz, and John Petcher—who ask about his journey building the show, his upcoming fatherhood, and his philosophy on sustained creative work. The episode opens with a panel discussion on Missouri manufacturing featuring Joe Mazzola, Michael Eaton, and Maria Berra, highlighting products made in the region including Apollo 13 battery cells, pepper spray, whiskey barrels, and railroad ties.

5. BONUS: Predictive Maintenance: The Key to Replacing Unplanned Downtime with Personal Downtime (Sponsored by AssetWatch)

   Aug 25, 2026

   Chris Lukey hosts Patrick Carmitchel, VP of Product Management, and Dustin Moore, Condition Monitoring Engineer Manager, from AssetWatch to discuss condition monitoring and predictive maintenance in manufacturing. The episode covers the distinction between preventative and reactive maintenance, the importance of starting with one critical asset and doing it well, and AssetWatch's origin story pivoting from wireless power research into industrial condition monitoring. A core theme is replacing unplanned downtime with personal downtime—giving maintenance teams time to plan repairs rather than emergency responses.

6. 299: Inside Connecticut's Manufacturing Ecosystem: Innovation, Workforce Development, and Industrial Leadership, Live from Hartford, CT

   Aug 18, 2026

   Live from Trinity College's Innovation Hub in Hartford, Connecticut, this panel discussion explores Connecticut's manufacturing ecosystem with three industry leaders: Cici Bevin, sixth-generation president of Bevin Brothers Manufacturing (the last remaining bell maker in the U.S.); Dustin Nord, Foundation Director at CBIA, tracking manufacturing trends and workforce development; and Andrew Gibson, CEO of AlphaQ, who came out of retirement to lead a precision aerospace supplier serving Sikorsky and Rolls-Royce. The episode covers how Connecticut maintains a competitive edge despite high operating costs, the role of the state's Chief Manufacturing Officer, surprising products manufactured in Connecticut (from Wiffle Balls to Black Hawk helicopters), and strategies for workforce development in a tight labor market.

7. BONUS: What Is Servitization? How OEMs Can Turn Their Installed Base Into Long-Term Revenue with PTC's Sam Neva

   Aug 14, 2026

   Sam Neva, Vice President of Sales for Service Lifecycle Management at PTC, discusses servitization—the business model shift where OEMs move from selling equipment alone to selling outcomes and long-term customer support. The episode explores how equipment builders can transform reactive service into proactive, profitable aftermarket revenue streams, the organizational and data challenges that impede implementation, and real-world examples of companies like Schneider Electric that have successfully executed servitization strategies.

8. BONUS: The Future of Intralogistics featuring Siemens' Joel Thomas and Markus Thiel

   Aug 4, 2026

   Joel Thomas, OEM Sales leader for Data Center and Life Sciences at Siemens with over a decade in intralogistics, and Markus Thiel, newly appointed Head of Intralogistics at Siemens with a manufacturing operations and supply chain background, discuss the evolution of warehouse automation and material handling. Recorded live at MODEX in Atlanta, they cover the shift from manual pallet jacks to robotics and AMRs, the critical role of orchestration software, standardization trends, edge computing, digital twins, and the industry's acute engineer shortage. The conversation emphasizes how e-commerce has driven explosive growth and how digital-first design is reshaping warehouse operations.

9. 297: Defense Spending, Contract Manufacturing, and Navigating Regulated Industries with Fathom CEO Rush LaSelle

   Jul 28, 2026

   Rush LaSelle, CEO of Fathom, discusses precision contract manufacturing and the complexities of supporting the defense industrial base. Fathom specializes in advanced manufacturing technologies including 3D printing, injection molding, sheet metal fabrication, and CNC machining. The episode explores why increased defense spending does not automatically translate to increased manufacturing capacity, covering topics like supply chain visibility, workforce challenges, CMMC compliance, and the intersection of AI and physical manufacturing.

10. BONUS: Software-Defined Automation: The Future of Industrial Control (sponsored by Siemens)

    Jul 21, 2026

    This bonus episode, recorded live at Automate 2026 in Chicago, explores software-defined automation (SDA) with David Nichols (CEO and co-founder of Loop), Jan Bayavat (Senior Director of Software-Defined Automation at Siemens), and Kristen Quasi (Architecture and Portfolio Sales Manager at Siemens). The discussion covers how SDA combines software engineering principles with operational technology to enable manufacturers to adapt faster, reduce time-to-market, handle increased complexity, and scale industrial AI. The conversation emphasizes SDA as a decoupling of hardware and software that allows concurrent engineering, faster commissioning, and distributed team collaboration—not as replacement of OT reliability but as an expansion of capabilities.