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[Reading this via email? Click here to listen to Doug Tingle!]

A pleasure to welcome Doug Tingle to Manufacturing Revival Radio! Doug is the co-founder and Vice Chairman of the Board of Managers of 1888 Mills.

1888 Mills is a leading global manufacturer of home and commercial textiles catering to the retail, hospitality and healthcare markets worldwide. They are also proud to operate the largest remaining towel mill in the United States.

Some highlights from the conversation:

1. Doug shares the story of how the company was founded, the significance of the name 1888 Mills, as well as rundown of their products and the markets they serve.

2. When everyone was off-shoring, 1888 Mills launched and manufactured here. Doug explains the advantages of why.

3. Doug describes a major new initiative from Wal-Mart, a “Made in the USA” campaign.

4. We discuss the innovation, technology, automation in their work, as well as the need for skilled labor.

5. Despite 1888 Mills commitment to local manufacturing, they are a global organization, and we discuss the impacts of their global reach.

Today’s show sponsor!

6. We discuss the critical distinction between real initiatives to invest in “buying American,” verses just waving the flag and pretending to be patriotic.

7. Doug lists all the factors that must be considered when making up the price of production and manufacturing, to help us better understand the costs of global verses locally produced.

8. We discuss the impacts of regulation, corporate tax policy, and our educational system as potential roadblocks in the further revitalization of US manufacturing. And this ties into a discussion on how to become more competitive in global trade.

9. Doug shares the value of associations such as today’s sponsor, the Georgia Association of Manufacturing.

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Last week, Todd and I were blessed to appear on ReferencePointTV, to discuss this show, what we’ve learned so far, and where manufacturing goes from here. Here is the show:

MRR friend Dave Kocharhook was the host of the show, and it was indeed a pleasure to spend some time with him to discuss the state of manufacturing.

On the show, we discussed a few of these topics:

1. Why we launched MRR in the first place.
2. The USA used to build everything. But where do we go now that we are in a global economy.
3. Offshoring vs. Reshoring; and the impacts of both.
4. The potential impacts of the Makers movement.
5. The old school manufacturing jobs are gone. You need a different education now.
6. The need to bring back the apprenticeship.
7. Making manufacturing sexy again.

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A pleasure to welcome Chris Anderson to the show! Chris is the Editor-in-Chief of Wired Magazine, best-selling author of The Long Tail and Free.

But today, he joins us to talk about his latest work, Makers: The New Industrial Revolution.

SHOW NOTES + HIGHLIGHTS:

1. “If I can run a factory…anybody can.”

2. What is the Makers movement? “The web generation meets the real world.”

3. “A new innovation model has been born…”

4. What are some of the new technologies that are going to make this happen?

5. Can the average guy on the street get access to these new tools, or more importantly, have an understanding of what is really possible?

6. “The file menu goes from saying print, to now saying make.”

7. How can a traditional, bricks-n-mortar manufacturer tap into this Makers movement?

8. Open source, open hardware, and the patent/copyright issues that may crop up…

9. The web ended the monopoly of mass media. Now, the mass manufacturing monopoly may be ending too.

10. Chris references the following during the broadcast: GeekDad, DIY Drones, and MFG.com.

11. You can purchase Chris’ book here (affiliate link):

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A pleasure to welcome Karin Lindner to the show. Karin is a speaker, author, corporate coach, and Founder of Karico Performance Solutions.

She is also the author of the new book, How Can We Make Manufacturing Sexy? And she joined us to talk about her new book…

SHOW NOTES + HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Bringing the human aspect back to manufacturing.

2. Importance of closing the communication gap.

3. How CAN we make manufacturing sexy?

4. What are we talking about here? Making a future career in manufacturing sexy? Making existing companies in the industry sexy? Or both?

5. Much work to be done in changing perceptions about manufacturing. It is, actually, very exciting to work in manufacturing today, with new technologies, cleaner factories, etc. Manufacturers themselves have to tell a better story…

6. How important is internal communications?

7. What else can we do to demonstrate to young people about the exciting future of manufacturing?

8. What kind of reaction is she getting from the old-school veterans of the manufacturing space, about a message of making manufacturing SEXY?

9. Is increasing productivity sexy?

10. “Every member of the team is responsible to making manufacturing sexy. Not just executives.”

11. Click here to learn more about Karico Performance Solutions.

12. You can purchase Karin’s book here (affiliate link):

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To be notified by email when a new show featuring a cool, hip manufacturer (like the one above) is published, join our mailing list here!

Or subscribe to our show in iTunes here. If you enjoyed the show, please leave a comment and a positive customer rating too. Much appreciated!

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A pleasure to welcome Roy Bowen, the president of the Georgia Association of Manufacturers, to today’s show!

From their website, “GAM contributes to the profitability of manufacturers in Georgia through leadership in advocacy and education on matters that affect global competitiveness.”

SHOW NOTES + HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Roy shares with us the mission and purpose of the Georgia Association of Manufacturers… most importantly, to add to the bottom line of their membership.

2. We discuss the critical advocacy work of the association, on behalf of the members…mainly before the legislative and regulatory branches of state government.

3. Roy gives a State of the Union of Georgia manufacturing.

4. The importance of the repeal of the sales tax on energy, for manufacturers here in Georgia. The cost savings is significant…

5. The educational platform of associations like this are so critical…

6. The ability to teach technical and mechanical skills in our schools is so important to the future of manufacturing in Georgia…

7. People do not appreciate the amazing career opportunities – available TODAY – in manufacturing.

8. We review profiles of the types of members that make up the association, from large to smaller organizations…as well as some of the unique associate memberships…

9. “We will fight for a more competitive playing field for Georgia manufacturers…”

10. We discuss the membership recruiting strategy of the association, as well as the many benefits to members and associates.

11. What are some future objectives of the association?

12. To learn more about the Georgia Association of Manufacturers, click here.

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To be notified by email when a new show featuring a cool, hip manufacturer (like the one above) is published, join our mailing list here!

Or subscribe to our show in iTunes here. If you enjoyed the show, please leave a comment and a positive customer rating too. Much appreciated!

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Joined on the air yesterday by Bruce Birnbach, President of American Leather!

[from the website:] The factory, based just outside of Dallas, Texas, still makes furniture – now in leather and fabric – in just three weeks or less, a delivery standard that’s three times faster than the industry average.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:

1. “Speed. Choice. Quality.”

2. The power behind just in time, lean manufacturing…

3. One of few furniture manufacturers that always has been, and always will be, Made in the USA. Bruce explains why…innovation, speed-to-market to name a few.

4. The secret to product development: “Prototype, after prototype, after prototype…”

5. Are manufacturers doing more on American soil – and less overseas – than what we’ve seen over the last several years…

6. Bruce shares some secrets as to how American Leather thrived in this economic downtown, and shares advice on how others can do the same…

7. Simplify. And focus.

8. Trends in manufacturing…what’s coming down the pike over the next three to five years…

9. Learn more at AmericanLeather.com.

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To be notified by email when a new show featuring a cool, hip manufacturer (like the one above) is published, join our mailing list here!

Or subscribe to our show in iTunes here. If you enjoyed the show, please leave a comment and a positive customer rating too. Much appreciated!

Thanks for listening!