Productivity

John Weber of Software Toolbox

December 24, 2012 By tyoungblood Leave a Comment

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A big welcome to John Weber, President of Software Toolbox. Software Toolbox is a one stop shop for industrial automation software for all project stages from conception through completion. Today John discussed how his experience as a field engineer and the Director of Marketing with an automation firm allowed him recognize that there was a need in the industry. Thus, Software Toolbox was born!

Fixing the pain

John Weber, President of Software Toolbox

While working with an automation distributor, John encountered a plethora of mid level software solutions that were needed to fully complete the picture. While all of these products existed, the infrastructure to make the purchasing easy from the customer view did not. Software toolbox provides a one stop source for customers looking for innovative software solutions in an organized and customer friendly format with world class support

What’s the return on investment?

We all love to hear success stories, and today John stunned us with one of his own. You have to take a moment to listen to the interview to hear John describe how a $2,500 software investment helped save a client over $21 million dollars! That’s right, I’ll leave it to you to work the numbers out, but needless to say what an incredible story of value and precision solutions.

We also want to take a moment thank our guest host today Mr. Bob Lowe who is the Executive Director of the Control System’s Integrator Association (CSIA). You can learn more about Mr. Lowe and CSIA by clicking here and here.

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Thanks for listening and Happy Holidays!

Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: Collaboration, Factory Automation, Manufacturing Revival, Productivity, Profitability, Software

Neil Montgomery of Davis Controls Ltd.

September 12, 2012 By tyoungblood Leave a Comment

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It started on a bicycle

We continued learning today during our discussion with Neil Montgomery, President of Davis Controls Ltd. and current president of the Association of High Technology Distributors (AHTD). Mr. Montgomery shared with us how since he was a young boy Davis Controls Ltd. has always played a role in his life. Following in his father’s footsteps, the passion that Mr. Montgomery has for Davis Controls is undeniable as you listen to our discussion about his company. From informing us to how the original founder Mr. Cecil Davis in 1933 began the company literally making sales calls on his bicycle in Toronto, Canada – to 80 years laters serving a wide variety of markets all across Canada – it’s a great story.

All across Canada

With 80 years as a national distributor of process controls and industrial instruments, Davis Controls has a well proven and and deserved reputation within all the markets they serve. For many companies, being as diverse as Davis Controls would not be recommended. Mr. Montgomery explained to us how Davis Controls is able to maintain its commitment to quality by allowing each territory to maintain its own vertical focus within the markets that it serves. We noted that this places an extraordinary amount of responsibility on the employees at Davis Controls. However, with nearly half of their employees having over 20 years of experience within the company we here at Dreamland don’t see that being an issue.

Coming away energized

That is how Mr. Montgomery feels every time he leaves an AHTD meeting. AHTD is an association composed primarily of the leaders of distributors who often double as application service providers (ASP). The rest of the membership is assembled of leading manufacturers that supply the distributors. With this composition of membership, the learning and networking that can be gained from AHTD is simply unmeasurable.

We cannot suggest enough how important it is that you listen to this entire interview. Learn of upcoming AHTD events and the topics that will be discussed. Hear about how our very own Todd Youngblood will be a speaker at an upcoming event in Quebec, Canada.

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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!

If you enjoyed this informative update about the exciting happenings in manufacturing, you should subscribe to our show in iTunes here, and if you are so inclined, leave a positive customer rating!

We appreciate your listening!

Filed Under: Innovation Tagged With: AHTD, Factory Automation, Productivity

Tom Swenton of Applied Automation and Controls

September 10, 2012 By tyoungblood Leave a Comment

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We were glad to welcome Tom Swenton, President of Applied Automation and Controls (AACI) and Program Director for the Association of High Technology Distributors (AHTD), to the Dreamland studio! AACI provides reliable and cost effective automation components, controls, and solutions helping their customers find results in all applications.

Show Highlights include:

How AACI’s role as a full line automation distributor allows them to better meet their customers total automation needs.
AACI’s role in making their customers manufacturing process more efficient.
The variety of markets that AACI services.
Why manufacturers such as Mitsubishi Automation choose AACI to represent their product lines.
Tom’s thoughts on the future of US manufacturing.
The value of being a member of AHTD.
Examples of the subject matter and variety of content presented during AHTD meetings.

To learn more about Applied Automation Controls please listen to the interview in full. You can also hear much more about the Association of High Technology Distributors and their upcoming conference by downloading the interview.

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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!

If you enjoyed this informative update about the exciting happenings in manufacturing, you should subscribe to our show in iTunes here, and if you are so inclined, leave a positive customer rating!

As always, thanks for listening!

Filed Under: Features Tagged With: AHTD, Factory Automation, Productivity

Rich Cavagnaro, President and Greg Gilles, Vice President of AdEdge Water Technologies

July 2, 2012 By tyoungblood Leave a Comment

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Water Pods and Helping Hands

If you needed to remove contaminants from water, wouldn’t it be nice to simply buy a box that made that happen? All you’d need to do is connect one pipe to bring the bad water in and another to deliver the good water to where you wanted it. Of course it would be “nice.” It would also be less expensive, easier and faster to install and substantially higher quality. Oh, and it also eliminates the need to build a building!

What’s described above is an AdEdge Water Pod. And it’s just one example Rich Cavagnaro, President and Greg Gilles, Vice President of AdEdge Water Technologies shared with us. They’re all about applying technology; creatively packaging different types of technologies to make them work effectively for their customers.

Greg Gilles

Another example is an EPA demo site. Both iron and arsenic were present. According to the EPA’s specs, the iron was to be removed first, followed by arsenic removal in the second stage. Didn’t work out that way. The AdEdge technology removed both in one step. Talk about exceeding expectations! No wonder over 170 locations have installed the same type of AdEdge system

Rich and Greg also shared their three keys to success. Constantly educate and train employees and reps, effectively communicate the AdEdge story with things like case studies, and hire talented individuals, especially engineers.

Then our conversation shifted in a whole different direction. Not only is this a pair of successful business entrepreneurs, their work with Helping Hands for Water shows that they are also successful social entrepreneurs. They decided to do some fund raising for a small Andean village in the mountains of Argentina with a water supply tainted by arsenic. The fundraising effort ran into roadblock after roadblock, so as Rich put it, they decided, “Ah the heck with it, let’s just do it ourselves.” It’s a powerful, continuing story. You might want to consider getting involved yourself.

This was one of our most compelling and inspiring interviews. Don’t miss it!

Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: Efficiency, Energy Savings, Helping Hands For Water, Productivity, Water Pod, Water Treatment

Dave and Karen Pilliod of Advanced Control Solutions

June 27, 2012 By tyoungblood Leave a Comment

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Tough times for the Industrial Sector? Not according to Dave and Karen Pilliod, respectively the President and CFO of Advanced Control Solutions in Marietta, GA. They’re just about ready to move into a new, larger, higher-tech, greater-value-to-their-customers facility. Why such success in the face of a tough, tough economy?

Success requires a combination of well-executed strategies.

Karen Pilliod

One strategy that has worked well for ACS is to absolutely nail a tightly focused project for a large company committed to using automation on a global basis. Like using a sophisticated machine vision system to match ice cream containers with ice cream lids. (Oh by the way, at a pace of 350 per minute!) The ice cream manufacturer simply cannot afford to sell a lid that says “nut-free” on a container full of Rocky Road to someone with a nut allergy. A win on that first project leads to contracts for similar projects at other customer locations.

Another strategy is intelligent leveraging of AHTD, the Association For High Technology Distribution. Karen described the networking with peers, keynote speakers, group discussions and workshops that were and continue to be vital to sustained, profitable growth at ACS.

Dave PIlliod

Both Pilliods stressed the importance of “growing within your means” and diversifying. Maybe they could have bought the new building a year or two ago, but waiting made their financial position that much stronger. Maybe component sales dipped in 2008 and 2009, but services provided by the ACS Engineering Department more than made up for it. And then there’s also all the for-fee technical training. “If you’re selling technical products, and you train your customers on your technical products, they feel more comfortable buying those products from you, ” says Dave.

Fear of losing manufacturing business to China? Not for this pair. Listen to this episode right now! You don’t want to miss the perspective on how a new plant in South Carolina is cheaper than one over there! (pssst… It’s all about efficiency…)

Filed Under: Technology Tagged With: AHTD, Controlled Growth, Efficiency, Productivity, Vision Systems

Tony Canonaco of Omron Automation & Safety

June 8, 2012 By tyoungblood Leave a Comment

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“Our automotive business in the US is absolutely booming.” How’s that for being bullish on American manufacturing?

Tony Canonaco

Tony Canonaco, Vice President of Safety Automation Sales for Omron Automation and Safety, says so – and says so emphatically. In fact, he’s bullish on manufacturing in general. “Collaboration is key,” he says. And then goes on to explain how the industrial sector has recovered by focusing on the integration of all the components of a total automation solution.

The collaboration and integration happens on multiple levels. Omron, for example, concentrates on seamlessly packaging its own products and services to fit the unique requirements of each customer. They work just as hard at extending that customer-centric attitude by working with other suppliers to integrate their products and services. The network of distributors they’ve built adds yet another dimension to the knowledge, expertise, products and services melded together to help their customers become more productive.

Simplify the automation strategy!

Sounds complex enough as it is, but there’s also the global scope of it all. “One enterprise can’t produce everything that’s needed,” says Canonaco. ” Parts are manufactured all around the world, and bringing it all together is key.” That means smooth coordination of people, enterprises, knowledge, expertise, components and natural resources. It’s the stuff of creating not only successful local companies, but also a healthy global economy.

Canonaco also provides insight into what’s coming next. He sees the level of collaboration – on a global scale – becoming far more sophisticated; driving even higher levels of productivity. To make that happen, education is absolutely vital. From kids playing (and learning!) with Lego Mindstorms to post-graduate and leading edge research and development – it’s all exciting.

Don’t miss this insight-filled discussion with a manufacturing industry thought leader!

Filed Under: Innovation, STEM Tagged With: Collaboration, Education, Integration, Productivity