Exploring the Future of Construction: Tech Innovations and the Power of Collaboration with Andy Lambert

Picture this: you're an apprentice with a knack for tools and building, and one day, you find yourself being a director at a company that's revolutionizing the construction industry. Welcome to the world of Andy Lambert, director of Product for One Key and Construction Technology at Milwaukee Tool. Lambert's remarkable journey is not just a testament to his tenacity and passion, but it's also a peek into the heart of Milwaukee Tool and its determination to reshape the construction landscape. 

Ever wondered what it would be like if your tools could communicate with each other? OneKey, Milwaukee Tool's innovative solution, has made this a reality. Its robust Bluetooth tracking network, featuring asset ID tags and geo-fencing capabilities, is turning heads in the industry. But what's even more astonishing is how the company is harnessing the power of data and AI. From utilizing machine learning algorithms that enhance safety measures to optimizing resource use, Milwaukee Tool is truly at the forefront of construction technology. 

But what does the future hold for the construction industry? According to Lambert, it's all about collaboration. Whether it's unions, trade associations, recruiters, or government agencies, everyone has a part to play in tackling workforce challenges and creating safer environments through the use of tools, drones, sensors, and wearables. And let's not forget about the profound impact of AI. With its potential to improve construction automation and predict maintenance and quality issues, AI is a force to be reckoned with. Tune in for an exhilarating exploration of technology's role in construction, seen through the lens of Lambert's experiences and Milwaukee Tool's innovations.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:10

All right, welcome to Future Construct. I'm Mark Oda and the CEO of BIM Designs Inc and guest host of Future Construct. Today I'm hosting Andy Lambert, director of Product for One Key and Construction Technology at Milwaukee Tool. Welcome, andy. Thank you for making the time to join me.

Speaker 2: 0:25

Great to be here.

Speaker 1: 0:28

I also want to thank Milwaukee Tool at large for their incredible support, sponsorship and presence at so many industry events. Andy, as a union signatory contractor, I've personally seen Milwaukee sponsor and have met many Milwaukee reps at United Association and the International Association of Sheet Metal, air Rail and Transport Workers Association, golf tournaments, the annual UA instructor training program in Ann Arbor, michigan, evolves, mep Force annual conference and industry conferences all around the country, not to mention the many tool walls I've seen donated by Milwaukee Tool at so many of the local union training halls nationwide. All of these apprentices and journeymen learn their craft and become their industry subject matter experts using Milwaukee Tools. I'm just so grateful for the tremendous support of Milwaukee Tool and I really have seen the impact on the entire construction community. So thank you, andy, and thank you to Milwaukee Tool.

Speaker 2: 1:27

Yeah, definitely, I know it goes both ways right. It's support from the industry back to us as well and it's definitely a great partnership.

Speaker 1: 1:37

With that, Andy, I'd love to learn about your background, your story and education and the path that took you to Milwaukee. Tool.

Speaker 2: 1:44

Yeah, it's been a crazy one, I will say that, and at times it didn't seem to make sense. But kind of, when you look back it's like, oh, maybe it did. I'll admit, since I was little I've always really loved tools and building stuff. Sometimes, to the annoyance of my parents, I would find just scrap pieces of wood in my dad's hammer and just go out and try to build up a fort wherever. But leaving high school, something I wanted to do was get into the trades. So I went down to the IBW 494 here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and I'll admit, I thought that I was going to go down there and be like yeah, you can be an electrician.

Speaker 2: 2:29

Come on over and, to my dismay, it's actually a process that you have to go through. You take the test, which, again to my dismay, it was like science and math and English. It says nothing to do with being an electrician, but I took it nonetheless. And then you go up in front of some NECA executives for a formal interview and I remember that was probably one of my most nervous times, mostly because I wanted to be an electrician so badly. So I remember vividly that entire interview. Thankfully I got my Eagle Scout as a young kid and some of the NECA representatives really appreciated that, but they could see my passion, although this was back in 2001. So the unfortunate news I heard was business was slow and they were maybe not putting apprentices out that year, and if they did, it'd be maybe 20. And oh yeah, by the way, the list is about 600 people long. So I kind of left my head between my legs just being like, ok, maybe this won't happen. And then a month later I got a call and I was out as an apprentice. So they in fact put 20 people out.

Speaker 2: 3:43

I was one of them and I kind of really enjoyed being a tradesperson and learning the trade as an apprentice, going to the schooling at night and had a ton of fun. The projects I was able to work on were really things that you look back on and you go past a building today and you're like, yeah, I worked on that, I put up that fixture and I pulled the wire through that building from hospitals to schools, to churches, even malls. Unfortunately, work really slowed down. There was a downturn in Milwaukee before the big downturn and we're struggling to find days to work. So that's kind of when I decided I appreciated my skills that I had attained there but I wanted to go back to school and get a degree in business Because I thought in the back of my head, maybe I could be a contractor myself someday. So I went to school, pounded through a four-year bachelor's degree in all things accounting, the reason being I thought it was the hardest business degree. I think it was. But I left being like, yeah, I'm never going to be an accountant, that's just not for me.

Speaker 2: 4:55

But being a drummer in a band, I had some friends that also had a counter-degrees but worked in construction, erp software and got me an end to a company, konto Technologies, out of Milwaukee, and I was able to take that internship and really make it into a career. So I ended up getting offered a full-time job where I was doing ERP implementations. It allowed me to travel North America, get in the field and the back office of contractors and implement enterprise solutions and I learned a ton about how contractors businesses are run and a lot of the complexities around that you know, from a finance and accounting to construction, payroll, to job costing, project management, service management, tool and equipment management you name it right, because an ERP is, you know, trying to manage the gamut of needs for a contractor. And I took about five years there, then worked in account management, did some sales engineering, built a kind of an LMS program for our end users and was the director of construction technology, or what we call an application of construction technology, which was really just sales engineering focused. But it was then that I was.

Speaker 2: 6:16

I started meeting some folks at Milwaukee Tool at, actually you know, some of the trade orgs I think it was MCAA that actually kind of got in front of some of the right people. It's been a couple years going back and forth with Milwaukee Tool about some opportunities, went in for an interview and immediately decided like hey, I think this is the next chapter of my career and that was about four years ago and I haven't looked back. It's been a. It's been a wild ride. I'm still technology focused here at Milwaukee Tool. More on the digital side, you know, like one key, our smart tool and inventory management platform, as well as just really understanding you know technology throughout the industry and with Milwaukee Tool, really you know wanting to be a solutions provider, not just the Power Tool company. It's interesting just navigating throughout the organization, working collaboratively, cross functionally, in understanding the application of technology, the latest technology you know and how we can utilize it internally as we develop more and more products. So that's where we are today.

Speaker 1: 7:21

Yeah, thank you so much for sharing, andy. I really enjoyed hearing about your background and I am excited about speaking about where we are today, digging in a little bit about the past there and being an Eagle Scout. My younger brother is actually an Eagle Scout, so I have a lot of pride and you know how much work it takes to get there. Speaking to all the other Eagle Scouts, or potentially Eagle Scouts, what do you, what recommendation would you have or type of approach would you say is advice for those individuals?

Speaker 2: 7:50

I'd say I've. Every time I've been in a job interview and it hasn't been that many times obviously, it's, you know, probably becoming an electrician, Penta or Milwaukee Tool. It was always. It has always come up and it was one of those things that just kind of differentiates you from the crowd.

Speaker 2: 8:10

I think those that are familiar with the process of becoming an Eagle Scout are aware of you know that it's not easy. My advice for anyone that's in scouting is don't wait until the last minute, because I turned in my final paperwork three days before my 18th birthday, so I was at the very last minute and there was no going back after that. Either everything was in order or it wasn't. So I had to make sure all my T's were crossed and I dotted, and thankfully they were. But I definitely look back at the skills attained in there, from leadership to working as a team, soft skills, hard skills, you name it. It was definitely a good program to be in and you know I always look back on those skills with appreciation. And it was funny even at my Milwaukee Tool interview I interviewed with three people, two of which I found out then were Eagle Scouts as well.

Speaker 1: 9:09

That's amazing. Thank you very much for sharing that, andy, and a little shout out to my younger brother, ryan, for the accomplishment as well. You also mentioned MCAA, and did I understand, or hear you correctly, that you learned about Milwaukee Tool at an MCAA event?

Speaker 2: 9:26

Yeah, it was.

Speaker 2: 9:27

I've been in the industry for over 20 years now and just out of nowhere, you know, you just started seeing Milwaukee Tool and just doing everything really, like you had mentioned, being an integral part, you know, to those trade organizations, those events and, being from, you know, born and raised in Milwaukee, wisconsin, it was just like that came out of nowhere, you know, and now I know why that was and how we did that right, because we've been in business since 1924.

Speaker 2: 10:01

We're coming up on our 100th year anniversary and you look back at the history, really, the disruptive innovation, you know, driving solutions and safety and productivity came probably, you know, the 2013,. You know kind of timeframe was when it, you know, really started and a lot of that is a true testament to our leadership team and you know, when Milwaukee Tool was bought and the leaders that came in, it was just a good, a good reset, you know, for the organization and even since I've started here, just the massive growth in the new product development engine that we've created and the partnerships you know, that we can continue to invest in. It's been an amazing experience for me and, I think, the city of Milwaukee and the company as a whole.

Speaker 1: 10:50

That's beautiful, and I'm also so grateful for the MCAA and SMACNA institutions and associations that they are, for the sponsorships and the partnerships that they create in the community, especially the community that they build. So, so, so pleased and celebrating their accomplishments throughout the many decades. Well, I'd love to dive deeper into your role and talk about one key and then getting into the future after this short break. Andy, does that sound good?

Speaker 2: 11:19

Sounds great.

Speaker 1: 11:24

Hello and thank you for your interest in our firm. I'm Mark Odin, ceo of Vim Design Zinc. Our firm is one of the largest premier single-service union signatory, with over 25 National United Association and sheet metal workers locals utilizing US-based detailers. For over six years, our union members have provided high-quality Vim detailing deliverables, coordination, schedule, construction management and project controls consulting services for over 100 projects to construction companies working in large commercial projects in the areas of education, government, hospitality, healthcare, biopharmaceutical, semiconductor, entertainment, as well as mixed-use residential and commercial buildings.

Speaker 1: 12:10

We have become subject matter experts in not only the execution of using Vim technologies but also the management of the Vim process. We have proven to be dependable consulting professionals with strong communication skills, leadership skills and technically sound backgrounds. We hold ourselves accountable to the highest ethics, where our core values are quality, performance, trust and ethics, solutions-driven innovation, teamwork, community engagement, ownership of commitments, diversity and inclusion. Vim Design Zinc can help your construction, general contracting, engineering or architecture firm by providing expert tradesmen who know how to precisely design, model and manage your systems, as well as dependable consulting professionals who can make strategic and timely decisions. We are Vim professionals, industry experts, strategic thinkers whom align people, processes, technology and metrics. Contact us at sales at Vimdesignsnet for a consultation and to discuss your project needs. We'd love to work with you. Thank you, welcome back to Future Construct. I'm here with Andy Lambert, andy, so I want to dive into your current role at Milwaukee Tool. What exactly is OneKey and how did that product come to life?

Speaker 2: 13:35

Yeah, onekey is a digital product of ours as well as IoT, but it's a smart tool and inventory management software product. It came about in late 2015, early 2016. It was really a solution in the search of a problem back then. It was industry first, from a company like ours, and it was really leveraging IoT technology and power tools through connectivity. We knew we wanted to do that where the smart tools and how we could leverage connectivity in the tool space. But from a user experience standpoint, we also knew that we needed that software user interface.

Speaker 2: 14:23

We had embedded Bluetooth technology into the electronics packages of our tools. It was when we launched. It was about seven power tools at the time. Then just an easy little app iOS, android and web that allowed you to keep a tool list of the tools that you own, which allowed you to connect up to the tool and really customize the tool settings, whether it's RPMs, torque Control or even how long the work light stays on. But we also were able to transmit through that Bluetooth advertisement some location updates on the tool. And then you had your little app that you could manage that list of tools. But since that time it's really evolved. Our user segments go from individual user that bought a OneKey tool and downloaded the app to interact with that tool, all the way up to the large enterprise which is managing a fleet of tools in multiple locations some 50,000 plus inventory items that they're managing in the app. So the product has really flourished.

Speaker 2: 15:31

I'd say it started as a solution in search of a problem. The industry is now realizing the problems that are fit quite well for our solution and we continue to invest. We have over 85 connected tools now in all three battery platforms, from M12 to M18 to our MX Fuel Light Equipment lineup, and our enterprise software continues to grow in features and functionality. And our tracking and location services engine is probably the industry's strongest crowd source Bluetooth tracking network. And a couple other products came along the way our little Bluetooth tracker that you could put on anything, our asset ID tags, which are just construction grade barcodes and then lately just understanding.

Speaker 2: 16:17

We're collecting a ton of data through either connected tools, tracking and location services or inventory management. We really wanted to extend the value proposition because we're really seeking to drive accountability, visibility and operational efficiencies around tool management that extends into these other business systems and we're not just a data silo. A lot of times we're not the source of truth for data. So, getting into more and more system integrations, whether it's on the location services and network side, or the operation side with project management, bim, you name it. So we've been leveraging our external API to really start creating more workflow efficiencies through integration partnerships.

Speaker 1: 17:02

That's absolutely incredible. I'm impressed with the technology platform that you have created and the foundation that you're building at Milwaukee Tool. It's really impressive to see these live technology platforms be applied to these tool use cases. Like you're saying, managing a fleet of over 50,000 tools, and how technology wraps up into all of that. I've heard about the geo-fencing capabilities of some of the tools. What does one key fit into the geo-fencing and theft protection?

Speaker 2: 17:36

Yeah, and it definitely helps with that protection, but just general awareness and visibility of where your assets are at any point in time. It's interesting, as we're researching with end users, A lot of times they think that they have loss when really they have lack of visibility. So the geo-fencing capability is something that we introduced a couple of years ago. But if you're managing places and that could be a tool, crib or a job site, because the tools have that embedded connectivity into them through Bluetooth by putting a digital geo-fencing around a location, so if you're on our web app, you're using Google Maps and you put in the address and you're allowed to put in that geo-fencing around that address. Or even on the Android or iOS Apple Maps, on iOS you can do that same feature. So when you transfer tools to a location and I'll say, okay, this is my home, and if I leave home, I'm going to send an alert back to the team that I've left.

Speaker 2: 18:38

We recognize that sometimes job sites are broken into at night and tools are stolen. Other times, because of this transient nature of the workforce and construction, people go from one job to the next and they'll take some tools with them. So the geo-fencing capability also automates the communication from that tool that says I'm supposed to be here, but now I crossed over into this other geo-fencing. Now I'm here so that the back office can just click a button and transfer that tool to that new location. But we do have the times where job sites are broken into, tools are stolen and you have some chance of recovery because you'll still get pings through our crowdsource network and you have the ability to mark. A tool is stolen and our network will disable that tool. So now the thief has a tool that no longer works for them and chances are that it'll be taken to one of our service centers to get fixed. But the service centers will recover that tool and take it to the rightful owner. It does happen.

Speaker 1: 19:43

It's absolutely incredible, andy. I'm so impressed with that whole supply chain interaction that you're speaking of, based on, and I love to hear, your attunement to listening to the voice of the customer. Based on your prior experience in interactions with clients and customers, what lessons have you learned in bringing new products to market and also in sustaining products that are already in the market?

Speaker 2: 20:07

Yeah, the real source of value for us as a product organization is the end user themselves. It's one thing that we do, it's in our culture, it's in our DNA. At Milwaukee Tool, we want to be solutions providers and we know whom we're making solutions for. So we spend a significant amount of time out in the field, on job sites, with GoPro cameras, having conversations with the end user, being in the back office, understanding their challenges, their pain points, asking those open-ended questions and, last but not least, just observing, Because you'll sometimes you ask someone what their problem is. They're gonna tell you what their problem is, but we want to root cause that right. We really want to understand it. So we'll spend a lot of time with our GoPro. It's just recording and observing and understanding the entire process, the workflow.

Speaker 2: 21:03

We're looking for waste. It's the Tim Woods method of lean. We're also looking at things like ergonomics, how people are working, how people are communicating, and we're trying to find things that are going to really be a value add to the end user. And then it doesn't end there. It's the ability to do prototyping and getting solutions in the hands of the users as fast as we possibly can, so that we can come back, we can learn, we can iterate. So the end user is really at the middle of all of that. I think it's easy sometimes to jump to a conclusion right, or just leverage qualitative feedback from what you've seen in pockets. But also we leverage a ton of data and it's really easy with a digital solution because data's coming in left and right. But we want a really good mix of quantitative research data as well as qualitative, really put the user at the center of that and develop real solutions that are going to make their lives better in the whole. And that's what's really fun about being on the product side.

Speaker 1: 22:16

Yeah, personally I love the product development cycle and observing the end users and building that roadmap and looking into the future. So, as we start to shift gears into talking about the future, what are some modern product development methodologies or systems that help Milwaukee tool operate efficiently and build product efficiently?

Speaker 2: 22:37

Yeah, and we've, you know, I've definitely my history at seen a bunch right. When I started it was all waterfall. I know that we've a lot of it is, you know, focused on growth and scale, and growth is something that we've gotten really good at, you know, and scale is what you always are challenged with. You know what worked yesterday may not work tomorrow because of you know the size of your organization, your department, the amount of software engineering you have and other roles within the digital org. So we just continue to evolve Like you cannot get comfortable.

Speaker 2: 23:12

We were, you know, playing around with Scrum. Then we kind of started leveraging Safe. That's the scaled agile framework and you're constantly. I think one of the things that I've realized is that there's all these methodologies out there, but it's perfectly okay to take the good from one and the good from another and make them work for your unique scenario and how your org is set up. I think it's a mistake to drink the Kool-Aid, as I'll say, and get into one because it may not meet all of your needs. And what's interesting for us is we build software that supports our NPD teams, but then also pure inventory management software.

Speaker 2: 23:53

So we are unique and we're definitely probably sitting in where we take the best or the good of scaled agile framework, but make it so that we can continue to meet our end user needs the way Milwaukee does, and that's, you know, rapid iteration, rapid innovation and getting solutions out to our end users as fast as possible.

Speaker 1: 24:16

Being a rapid innovation, milwaukee Tool recently joined the Oracle Industry Lab, which is located outside Chicago and Deerfield. Pardon me, it's located outside Chicago and Deerfield, illinois. The Oracle Industry Lab is described as a unique idea incubator designed to help businesses in a variety of industries tackle their most complex challenges. Can you tell me a little bit about how participating in the Oracle Industry Lab has impacted the vision for Milwaukee Tool moving forward?

Speaker 2: 24:42

Yeah, it was. You know I was part of that from the beginning and it was actually how we got introduced to the lab was through some end users of ours. You know that they were using Oracle products. They were in the lab's earliest, earliest days and it was just a gravel parking lot with a little steel structure. We were brought in because you know Oracle, you know like many are trying to really support and build these ecosystems and you know understanding that they're a source of truth. You know, through a lot of their AEC solutions, what are some of the you know more strategic, innovative industry partners that could join them and really create this lab where you can test and get hands on, both from the vendor and supplier standpoint, as well as the end user, and test out these newest technologies. So you know, we got on site.

Speaker 2: 25:33

Our digital, our M12 digital torque wrench was just coming on the scene. It was something that we used as just hey, here we have this torque wrench that is collecting torque data. How could we leverage that data alongside Oracle? But what I wasn't expecting was the relationships with other partners that we're going to flourish there. You have, you know, from material management to labor management, to job site security and cameras and drones and all these other partners that are getting into VIM and BDC solutions. You start to become, you know, a single unit that's looking at bringing this end user in, hearing their pain points and not solving them as one company, but a bunch of companies together that has, you know, different stakes in the game. That's when you really drive massive innovation right, when it's you go further together than you can alone sometimes. I think that was the most interesting thing that I wasn't anticipating coming out of that lab.

Speaker 2: 26:34

but gotta get hands on and you gotta get the right people in the room and that's what they're doing over there and it's been fun.

Speaker 1: 26:42

That's great. It's a consortium or a team of innovators across many different institutions. So, yeah, I'm excited to learn more about what comes out of that lab and congratulations on your partnership there. Thank you, as we look at how Milwaukee Tool is leveraging latest technology and your heavy focus on data and managing large assets sets, where do you see artificial intelligence, ai, playing into the analysis of that, or how do you see that integrating into your toolset into the future?

Speaker 2: 27:14

Yeah, I would say, you know, it's definitely something that we're paying attention to and it really starts with that capability of doing machine learning and we're starting to leverage that technology. In fact, we just released a feature we call AutoStop and it's on our Threaders, it's on our Hammer Drill Driver, it gets into some of our cutoff saws and it's you know, really, because we've been, you know, leveraging technology in our tools with sensors and controls and our electronics package and the data histograms you start to. You know, you're collecting a wealth of data about conditions when a tool is being used and one of the things that we recognize is, you know, some of the injuries that happen on job sites and a lot of that is with just poor tool management and a tool binding up and taking your risk for a ride. So it was one of the first ways that we're applying machine learning algorithms is taking all of that data and doing a ton of testing with our tools, embedding a machine learning algorithm in there that can sense that bind up situation before the user can Offer you the ability through one key, to adjust the threshold that you're willing to take, but shut that tool off before that injury happens.

Speaker 2: 28:36

And I think that's just the start. That's just the start for machine learning and AI, although I also recognize, you know, how the industry as a whole can leverage things like generative AI, and I think you know sometimes you got to look outside. You know the industry a little bit, but the challenges that our industry has going forward is really how do we optimize our resources, how do we predict maintenance and quality issues? How do we improve construction automation? How do we train up our people? And you know there's a ton of use cases right there for AI and I'm excited to see kind of where the industry goes and where we continue to go in support of meeting those challenges with that technology.

Speaker 1: 29:27

Yeah, thank you for sharing your thoughts. I share in your excitement, andy. So much so we're going to look at the past here to predict the future further. So in October 2019, you published an article titled Build Tech for predictions for the future of construction, where you made predictions about workforce safety, productivity and material cost. Four years or more later, I'm incredibly impressed that your predictions were very well aligned with reality, so much so.

Speaker 1: 29:55

In terms of workforce, you predicted that there would be a labor shortage and that unions, trade associations, recruiters and government agencies and institutions would all have to work together and collaborate. On the safety side, you talked about how tools themselves will advance and help create more safe environments, as you just spoke about now, also speaking about drones and sensors and wearables taking a much larger role in construction. And then, for productivity in 2019, you were talking about lean methodologies and prefabrication and 5D modeling and collaboration with technology and big data driving these real-time decisions. So this is all four years ago. You wrote this. This is incredible. And then you spoke about material costs how they'll continue to fluctuate as an inconvenient variable in construction management, and I think all of us know that that absolutely happened. So I'm just absolutely stunned with that article. Congratulations on those predictions and, as we look at the next four years, what do you see as the future of construction? Now, I mean, many of these predictions came true. What are you forecasting?

Speaker 2: 31:07

Yeah, I don't know if I was lucky or if I just needed to buy a lottery ticket tonight, but all of those continue to ring true and I think the one thing that we've, if you look at the challenges ahead, things that we can predict with some level of certainty, things like the infrastructure bill they're great because our infrastructure needs that boost. But just even in commercial and industrial side, our cities, our buildings are in decay and are becoming decrepit and just the demand for construction is going to continue to increase. So that workforce development I think I've just started to see in the last kind of year or so the industry really put some weight behind it. I'm extremely impressed with what I see in heavy duty or the heavy metal summer program. You know, let's start on the West Coast and it's moving on the East Coast and getting younger. The younger generation is excited about construction. I think you know we're going to need to continue to recruit in this industry because the demand is only becoming greater. But also prove to the younger generations that this isn't their grandfather's industry anymore. Right, we're continuing to evolve, we're continuing to leverage technology and use that as a recruiting tool and attracting you know people into the industry because you get to a point where it's just too late. You have to get into middle school and high school and really leverage STEM education and I see you know a lot of interest from the trade orgs in getting down to that level. So I think that we'll probably get to a place where we're talking about a much more technology advanced industry as not just a way of executing work but as recruiting those next generations in starting to see it stick. I think just things of like the material side, things that you don't have control over we'll just recognize that we don't have control over that, but we do have control over how efficient and productive we are.

Speaker 2: 33:13

Prefab is probably going to continue to grow and I think what's going to really allow Prefab to take on is been modeling and collaboration and some of the AI capabilities that we have in leveraging all of the data and the massive amounts of data. I think that's the one thing that is truly inspiring me right now is we're getting a lot more data off of our job sites in massive amounts compared to five years ago, 10 years ago, just based on, you know, the sensor technology that is being rapidly adopted, you know within our job sites and how we leverage that data will change the way that we plan and design and execute work going forward. So I think we'll start to see more on the modular construction, more on the Prefab and much more predictive execution of work versus what's historically for decades been a very reactive way of doing work. And I think the way we train and onboard you know the next field execution leaders will be vastly different, based on things like generative AI it's.

Speaker 2: 34:19

You know, I've seen in the past that every now and then you find a good form and a good project manager and you put them on your big jobs. I think we're going to be able to take all of the good from those and leverage it and training up all of the form and project managers and superintendents that are out there and really focusing on the valuable work that they could do and starting to automate that less valuable work and train them up in the process. So I think I think for the first time you know if I look forward we're going to be continuing to increase our levels of productivity throughout the industry, attracting new talent and managing what's in our control and just things like material prices Not for us to debate, right, those are other industries.

Speaker 1: 35:09

I love the predictions. Thank you so much. Just such strong alignment with what I'm seeing as well. And, you know, an acknowledgement to the, especially the trade partners and the unions that train and develop multi-generational skilled subject matter experts. And, you know, a shout out to the technology adoption that those trade unions are making to attract that new talent. And every generation is built on the shoulders of the prior generation. So, you know, just want to honor the fathers and the grandfathers and the mothers and the grandmothers that have helped us get to where we are today and I'm so excited about the future and moving in the direction of recruiting that younger generation, especially with, you know, so much creativity and technology adoption. That is that the construction industry is just geared up for and we're right at the heels of. I just want to say, andy, as a final question of the show and a tradition of future construct, if you could project yourself out 25 years and wanted to have any device or technology that would benefit you personally as Andy Lambert, what would it be and what would it do?

Speaker 2: 36:22

Yeah, 25 years. Hopefully I'm getting to that point of retirement Fingers crossed, and I think there's a lot of different toys I'd love to have, but I think by that time what I'd really appreciate in my life would be that AI advisor, someone that knew me inside and out and could recommend what does that retirement look like and how do I get the most out of those years, those cherished years of life, when you can kind of reflect back on your legacy, you know, throughout your career, but really focus on doing all the stuff that you didn't have time for before. I just fear I won't be able to get the most out of that. And if I had that AI advisor at my fingertips that knew me inside and out and could make those recommendations, I would take full advantage of that.

Speaker 1: 37:19

Yeah, I love that so much.

Speaker 1: 37:20

Andy, I'm not sure if you keep up with internet memes it's pretty hard for me to but recently there was a huge commentary on the Roman Empire and how much thought is put into the Roman Empire, and I have to admit that the element that I think about the Roman Empire is the quote that is Know Thyself, and I often wonder if just as a little musing to myself, if the quote was Know Myself, would it have stayed over the generations and over the years, whereas Know Thyself has just something you know, something just philosophical to and of itself, and I do believe that the more that technology absolutely knows us today and the more that it can help us know ourselves or Know Thyself, the more powerful and successful we will all be and, hopefully, happier.

Speaker 1: 38:15

I do believe that AI can ultimately help make each individual happier and it's something that we should look at, embracing and supporting and being a part of and very excited about how that will impact the construction industry and how Milwaukee Tool is looking at it and how you as an individual are looking at it. Andy, I just want to thank you so much for participating today and making the time to speak with me. Thank you to all of our listeners for participating and listening in future constructs and we're so grateful for everyone's participation. Look forward to future episodes, for many seasons and episodes to come. Thank you all so much.

Speaker 2: 38:56

Yeah, this is a pleasure to be here and have me back anytime.

Speaker 1: 39:00

Andy.