How to build a KPI culture for improvement at Hill Manufacturing & Fabrication

🎧 Didn’t get to sit in on this recording… but caught it this morning, and it’s outstanding! Episode 491 of the MakingChips Machine Shop MBA series — The Lean Advantage: Building Smarter Systems and Stronger Team, dropped today. And it might be one of my favorite installments yet. Nick and Paul sat down with Noah Goellner (Advanced Machine & Engineering Co. & Hennig ) and Nick DeGeorgia (P1 Industries) for an episode that perfectly captures what real lean looks like in modern manufacturing. It’s not about buzzwords or theory…it’s about: ✅ Turning lean into a daily discipline ✅ Building trust by rewarding people who surface problems ✅ Making processes visible and measurable ✅ And how small, consistent improvements compound into massive change Hearing how one listener went from cutting chips to leading continuous improvement was powerful. Give it a listen today on your fav pod player or the MakingChips website! Thank you Modern Machine Shop and CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) for your support! #MakingChips #MachineShopMBA #LeanManufacturing #ContinuousImprovement #MFGLeader #MetalworkingNation MakingChips Machine Shop Mastery Buy the Numbers # Lights Out MakingSparks Machine Shop Growth Podcast The Manufacturing Executive Podcast Jennifer Dubose Hill Manufacturing & Fabrication Leslie Boyd Jennifer Clement Brent M. Donaldson Bryce Ellis

How does Amazon meld a better customer experience with #sustainability? 🎧 Listen to this Packaging World podcast episode to hear Paul Jenkins, managing director of U.K. packaging innovation consultancy ThePackHub, sit down with Patrick Lindner, VP of mechatronics and sustainable packaging at Amazon. They discuss how consumer needs and sustainable solutions often overlap, and the sustainability wins the company has achieved in meeting these priorities. #SustainablePackaging #PackagingDesign #ECommerce Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gx3mmHTH *This is an AI-generated promo clip. Click the link above for the live episode*

“The only thing constant in logistics is change. Today it moves by the quarter.” That line from Jonathan Briggs (SVP of Sales, ShipMonk) sums up our entire episode of The Circular Leaders Podcast. We talked about how: • Regional networks are beating national “everything” routes • Software and OMS now drive margin more than warehouse robotics • Visibility + reliability matter more than raw speed • Returns, fraud, and brand control are the new battlegrounds The episode is packed with perspective from someone who’s seen every side of parcel, fulfillment, and automation. Watch or listen: YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gggq5RJQ Spotify: https://lnkd.in/g6YDH9TT #CircularEconomy #Logistics #3PL #ReverseLogistics #Ecommerce #DELIVERAmerica2025

It's trick-or-treat time on The Downtime, WTWH Media LLC's weekly manufacturing podcast. 🎃📦 Flex-Line Automation, Inc.'s 🐆 Cathy Rinne joins the show to discuss conveying delicate Halloween candy, the company's journey from farm shop to robotic end-of-line systems, emerging material handling trends, and supporting small and rural manufacturers. Listen now ▶️ https://lnkd.in/gaxSC_Hg #packaging #manufacturing #materialhandling #happyhalloween #endofline

𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓-𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭: 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐄𝐫𝐚 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞 -The POD Podcast. Rusty Pepper and Maddy Alcala join Trevor George and deep dive into the realities of building a scalable print on demand business in 2025 , from marketplace disruption to AI-driven commerce. In this episode of The Print On Demand Playbook Podcast, they explore how to survive and thrive in an industry shaped by licensing, technology, and the race for scale. 📽️ Watch or listen free here: https://lnkd.in/enA7HpCv 💡 Key themes and insights: ➡️ Why scale is survival in the print on demand business model ➡️ The new marketplace reality, Amazon, TikTok Shop, Temu, and Shein ➡️ Licensing in the age of bootlegs and platform chaos ➡️ AI’s growing role in search, discovery, and shopping behavior ➡️ How “wartime leadership” and bold pivots separate winners from survivors ⚙️ The Big Idea: POD isn’t just about printing anymore, it’s about platforms, data, and agility. Building resilient operations and smart tech stacks is now the key to long-term growth. 📽️ Watch or listen free here: https://lnkd.in/enA7HpCv Perfect for: Print professionals, licensing experts, eCommerce founders, and anyone navigating the intersection of creativity, commerce, and automation. 🎙️ The Print On Demand Playbook Podcast brings together leaders reshaping how print connects technology, content, and people. #PrintOnDemand #Ecommerce #PODPlaybook #AI #Licensing #PrintIndustry #PrintInnovation #DigitalPrint #Automation #FutureOfPrint #NextGenPrint

🚨 New Episode Alert: Supply Chain Decoded 🚨 When you’ve spent 25+ years building supply chains, from warehouse floors to AI-driven decision hubs, you learn a thing or two about what actually works. This week, Jenni Ruiz sits down with Ryan Goodwin, Senior Director of Advanced Supply Chain at Trinity Industries, Inc. and Adjunct Professor at Texas Christian University, whose approach to automation, data, and people is changing how the rail industry operates — and how the next generation is being taught to think. Ryan joined us fresh off a big milestone — his face lighting up the NASDAQ billboard in Times Square after being featured for his work with Palantir — but that’s just where the story begins. In this episode, Jenni and Ryan dive into: 🔹 How Trinity Industries uses AI to manage thousands of supplier emails — no EDI required 🔹 The real meaning of moving from “swivel chair” workflows to integrated, intelligent systems 🔹 Why the best automation isn’t about replacing people — it’s about freeing them to solve harder problems 🔹 How today’s students (and tomorrow’s leaders) are already reshaping supply chain thinking 🔹 And why inventory might be the most misunderstood — and most powerful — part of any business From Y2K to LLMs, Ryan has seen every phase of digital transformation. His take? The next evolution of supply chain isn’t about more tech — it’s about better collaboration between humans and machines. 🎧 Tune in wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify or Apple. #SupplyChainDecoded #Transfix #SupplyChainInnovation #Automation #ArtificialIntelligence #Logistics #DigitalTransformation #AIinSupplyChain

If you’ve ever sent parts to heat treat and instantly felt your chest tighten… welcome to manufacturing. Because the moment that part leaves your building… your risk just went up. Quality…timing…accountability… suddenly riding in someone else’s hands. This week on the MakingChips Machine Shop MBA series we sat down with Charlie Hushek from Phoenix Heat Treating … a guy who understands BOTH sides of the fence. Heat treater. Machine shop owner. Veteran of parts falling off trucks. 3 takeaways every shop owner needs: #️⃣ If it leaves your shop, your risk skyrockets…plan like it #️⃣ Clarity beats “per print”…every single time #️⃣ Treat vendors like partners…not people you throw hot potatoes at Want fewer surprises and more sleep? Make your outside processes feel like they’re still inside your shop. 🎧 Listen on MakingChips or your favorite pod player today! #GrowingValue #DataDrivenDecisions #NumbersMatter #MFGLeader #MakingChips #SaveAShop MakingChips Machine Shop Mastery Buy the Numbers Machine Shop Growth Podcast Machine Shop Growth Podcast The Manufacturing Executive Podcast Nick Goellner Paul Van Metre Jennifer Dubose Hill Manufacturing & Fabrication

I recently joined the Manufacturing Insiders Podcast for a great conversation about scaling hardware the right way. We talked about what it takes to move from prototype to production, some of the early-stage mistakes we often see at Knectiv, when it makes sense to manufacture offshore (and when it doesn’t), and how to avoid some of the common pitfalls along the way. We also touched on the broader state of both local and offshore manufacturing and where things are heading for hardware founders. 🎧 If any of that sounds interesting, you can check out the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gr-sAiXt #Manufacturing #Hardware #HardTech #Innovation #ProductDevelopment

🎧 New Podcast Feature Our Founder and CEO, Nick Frank, recently joined the Manufacturing Insiders Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about what it really takes to scale hardware successfully. The discussion covered everything from early-stage product pitfalls to scaling from prototype to production, when to leverage offshore partners (and when not to), and the current state of global manufacturing. If you’re building in hardtech or manufacturing, this one’s worth a listen: #Knectiv #Manufacturing #Hardware #HardTech #Innovation #ProductDevelopment

Getting access to capital is a topic that is front-of-mind for manufacturing leaders right now. If you can tell a great story that aligns with what's on your balance sheet, P&L, and statement of cash flows, you're putting yourself in a better position to get the capital you need. ...and not just from banks either. Aaron Traut, Erik Skie, and Jon L. Hughes, CPA from CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) share some great tips in last week's episode on how manufacturers can secure capital, including ways they might not have thought of before. Tune into Episode 257 today. I'll share a link to the full interview in the comments. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.