Manufacturers Make Strides

A record month on the dashboard doesn’t always mean a stable factory. So what is it really taking to hit the numbers?In this episode, Martin sits down with John Dean, founder of Process Pathway Strategies and author of Built to Carry, to explore what manufacturing KPIs leave out and why stability needs to come before growth. Drawing on a career that began sweeping a factory floor at 16 and led to running his own pallet company, John shares why good numbers can hide the workarounds and heroics holding a factory together, how recording exceptions alongside KPIs shows where capacity is really going, and why most factories need restoration before transformation.In this episode:What a stable factory looks likeStepping back as a leaderWorking at the right altitudeBorrowing from tomorrowWhat KPIs don’t showRecording exceptionsRestoration before transformationCoaching over taking overConnect with John DeanWebsite: https://processpathwaystrategies.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johndean197/Built to Carry: https://amzn.eu/d/07NV5bGE

Growth doesn't have to be complicated. So why do so many manufacturing businesses find it hard to sustain?In this episode, Martin sits down with Gareth Jones, CEO of Glass Technology Services, to explore how manufacturers can turn ideas into commercial products and build growth that lasts. Drawing on a career that began as a marketing apprentice and included running his own business through the 2008 recession, Gareth shares why technical and commercial thinking need to work together, how glass is finding its way into oil wells, wound dressings and nuclear waste, and why the best place to look for growth is often your existing customers.In this episode:Sustainable growthLearning from mistakesDeciding which ideas to backUnexpected uses for glassBringing in expertiseUnderstanding what customers needDeveloping peopleConsistency over timeConnect with Gareth JonesWebsite: https://www.glass-ts.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garethatgsalesandmarketing/

Doing great work doesn’t guarantee your next customer will find you. So how do you make sure your manufacturing business gets noticed?In this episode, Martin sits down with Jennifer Kelly, CEO of New Initiatives Marketing, to explore how manufacturers can become more visible and create a more consistent approach to winning business. Drawing on her career in B2B marketing and more than a decade working with established businesses, Jen shares why referrals can only take you so far, how marketing can support sales and why understanding what matters to different buyers can make a real difference.In this episode:Building visibilityMoving beyond referralsB2B buying decisionsSupporting salesLead nurturingCustomer case studiesConsistent marketingConnect with Jennifer KellyWebsite: https://www.newinitiativesmarketing.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferkelly/

Most manufacturers think profitability starts with margins. Jay David believes it starts somewhere completely different.In this episode, Martin sits down with Jay David, who has spent more than 30 years helping manufacturers improve performance. Starting his career in cost accounting before moving into operations leadership, Jay realised many of the assumptions he'd been taught didn't match what he was seeing on the shop floor. That journey changed the way he thinks about pricing, capacity and what really makes manufacturers profitable.In this episode:- Capacity utilisation- The death spiral- Smarter pricing- Shop floor leadership- Better decisions- Automation- Mentoring teamsConnect with Jay DavidWebsite: https://dobusinessbetter.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayadavid/Turnaround Revelations: https://www.amazon.com/TURNAROUND-REVELATIONS-Alternative-Approaches-Transforming-ebook/dp/B0GHQN4YWQ

Manufacturing businesses often invest heavily in machinery and systems, but what happens when they overlook the people running them?In this episode, we sit down with Angela Hodgson, Founder of Ignite Improvement. After more than 20 years working across automotive, luxury manufacturing and engineering SMEs, Angela now helps manufacturing businesses strengthen leadership, develop their people and build healthier ways of working.Together we explore why growth doesn't have to lead to more pressure, what healthy manufacturing teams have in common, and why investing in people is just as important as investing in technology.This conversation covers:What a healthy manufacturing culture really looks likeWhy growth exposes weaknesses that already existHow leadership behaviour shapes the wider businessThe risks of knowledge sitting with one personWhy adding more people doesn't always reduce pressureThe importance of investing in people alongside machineryHow to reduce firefighting and empower teamsConnect with Angela📋 Free Team Diagnostic Quiz Discover what's really limiting your team's performance. https://ignitediagnostic.scoreapp.com/📖 Free eBook: Team Success System™ Discover what's blocking your business from scaling and how to build stronger teams. https://igniteimprovement.co.uk/ebook🌐 Website https://igniteimprovement.co.uk/💼 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelahodgson/

Micro manufacturing businesses operate in a constant balance between flexibility, quality, cash, and people.In this episode, we sit down with Mike Adkins, President of Performance Results Plus, to explore what it really takes to run a small, highly specialised manufacturing business.Mike shares his journey from mechanical engineering and the military through to leading roles in large organisations, before stepping into ownership and reshaping a micro manufacturing company in his own way.He explains why resilience matters in smaller operations, how a focused team can operate with high standards, and what changes when you move from improving businesses to owning one.This conversation covers:What a well-run micro manufacturing business looks likeWhy flexibility matters across both people and productionHow fewer, highly skilled people can change the way a shop runsThe reality of cash flow in small manufacturing businessesWhy customers often misunderstand manufacturing costsHow to build process without losing skill and experienceThe role of culture when reshaping a businessOne practical way to get more from your teamConnect with MikeLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelleeadkins/PRP Manufacturing: http://www.prph2o.com/

Manufacturing design collaboration is at its most powerful long before a drawing hits the shop floor. Yet many teams only discover misalignment when designs arrive in production and the problems start stacking up.In this episode, we sit down with Dianna Deeney, quality and reliability engineer and founder of Deeney Enterprises, to explore how early conversations, simple tools and shared context can erase the friction between design and manufacturing.Dianna explains how process thinking brings clarity to concept development, why manufacturing input matters sooner than most teams realise, and how cross functional habits can prevent costly rework later on.This conversation covers:Why early design decisions shape manufacturing successHow manufacturing input accelerates concept developmentShop floor tools that instantly improve design clarityFlowcharts and FMEAs used the right wayWhy context beats assumptions in engineering discussionsSmall conversations that avoid big problemsWhat AI still cannot replace in design collaborationOne practical step to improve communication todayIf you enjoy the episode, follow the show for more conversations from across the manufacturing world.Connect with DiannaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diannadeeneyDeeney Enterprises: https://deeneyenterprises.com/Pierce the Design Fog: https://deeneyenterprises.com/pierce-the-design-fog/

Manufacturing process improvement often focuses on what happens on the shop floor, but what if the constant firefighting in manufacturing is actually caused by issues that begin much earlier in the process? In this episode, we sit down with Samantha Benbow, founder of Benbow Consultants, whose career spans heavy steel production, IT and process design across complex organisations, and hands‑on experience inside fast‑moving manufacturing environments.We dig into how manufacturing teams stay stuck in firefighting because they only fix visible problems instead of stepping back to understand the upstream processes and cultural patterns that created them.This conversation covers:The upstream process failures that create recurring shop floor problemsWhy culture and communication reveal operational health within minutesHow process mapping exposes hidden inefficiencies and quick winsWhy SMEs often choose software before understanding what they needThe importance of listening without judgement when diagnosing problemsHow small upstream adjustments prevent major downstream issuesWhat manufacturers should fix before adding AI or new technologyIf you enjoy the episode, follow the show for more conversations from across the manufacturing world.Connect with Samantha:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthabenbowBenbow Consultants: https://www.linkedin.com/company/benbow-consulting-limited/Free ResourceIf you want to see how upstream issues may be affecting your own production, try the Factory Firefighting Check. It highlights friction points, repeat issues and early signs of instability that often sit behind day to day firefighting.Download: https://www.metisautomation.co.uk/factory-firefighting-check/

What if resistance to change in manufacturing isn’t the problem we think it is?In this episode, we sit down with Ron Crabtree, a manufacturing transformation expert whose career spans shop floor roles, major improvement programmes and large scale organisational change. Together they explore what really drives successful manufacturing change management and why most improvement efforts stall long before any tools or training are introduced.Ron brings decades of experience supporting manufacturers across sectors and sizes. He shares why pushback is often a signal rather than a barrier, how leaders can build a clear burning platform for change, and the practical steps organisations can take to make improvements stick on the shop floor.This conversation covers:Why resistance is a sign of missing clarity, not stubbornnessHow strong change charters improve alignment before work beginsThe simple formula Ron uses to predict whether change will succeedWhy “just training people” rarely shifts behavioursWhat shop floor teams need to understand before adopting new processesHow defining what good looks like unlocks more effective improvementWhere leadership behaviour must shift to support sustainable changeWhether you work on the shop floor, in operations or in a leadership role, this episode offers a practical and people‑centred view of how manufacturing change management really works in today’s factories.If you enjoy the episode, follow the show for more conversations from across the manufacturing world.Connect with Ron:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roncrabtreeMetaOps: https://www.metaops.com

Manufacturing business growth often slows when everything depends on one person.In this episode, Martin speaks with Adina Fetche, founder of Ellcado Finance, about why running your manufacturing business as if you were preparing it for sale can strengthen it long before any exit is considered.Drawing on her background in commercial banking and consultancy, Adina explains how clearer financial visibility, documented processes and stronger delegation create a business that can grow without becoming more dependent on the owner.This conversation covers:• Why sale-ready thinking improves day to day decision-making• Where cash flow gets delayed inside order to cash cycles• How small structural changes free up time and capacity• What banks look for when reviewing manufacturing financials• Why reducing owner reliance increases long term valueFollow or subscribe to hear more conversations with people taking strides in manufacturing. Connect with Adina:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adinafetche Ellcado Finance: https://www.ellcadofinance.com