Factory of the Future Podcast
Welcome to Factory of the Future brought to you by AW Schultz and Alexandria Burek.
This podcast is focused on the intersection of technology and manufacturing, discussing emerging trends across multiple industries. You will find the topics covered are far reaching and are created to inspire everyone from the factory floor worker up to the executives running the organizations.
AW has spent 20+ years helping organizations transform maintenance and reliability programs, hosting workshops and training events across the globe. He is passionate about researching and helping large organizations bridge the gap between Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 over the next decade.
Alexandria has built a robust career in Supply Chain and Logistics, with a primary focus on transforming private fleet compliance and operations; she is passionate about empowering women in male industries and leveraging neuroscience to level up personally and professionally.
Together, they bring unique individual flair and practical life experiences that will challenge leaders to rethink the way they run their businesses.
Episodes
90 episodes
#90: The Leadership Playbook for Tech Rollouts
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E90, The Leadership Playbook for Tech Rollouts Join us as we discuss: - Four leadership styles: adaptive, servant, transformational, authentic - Match...
#89: Documenting the Family Recipe: Systematizing Your Operation with Adi Levit
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E89, Documenting the Family Recipe: Systematizing Your Operation with Adi LevitJoin us as we discuss: - Tribal knowledge and what actually defines a business ...
#88: Closing the Skills Gap: Apprenticeships, AI, and New Career Paths
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E88, Closing the Skills Gap: Apprenticeships, AI, and New Career PathsJoin us as we discuss: - The Department of Labor's goal of 1 million apprenticeships by 2030
#87: Bryan DeBois on Autonomous AI vs. Generative AI
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E87, Bryan DeBois on Autonomous AI vs. Generative AI Join us as we discuss: - Why generative AI stays off the plant floor - Industrial knowledge graphs as the foundation for grounded ...
#86: Securing Your Data Supply Chain: Cybersecurity Law Meets the Factory Floor with Dr. Steven A. Wright
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E86, Securing Your Data Supply Chain: Cybersecurity Law Meets the Factory Floor with Dr. Steven A. WrightJoin us as we discuss: - Preventive legal strategy as a cybersecurity...
#85: The Labor Shortage Myth: Why Manufacturers Can't Find Workers with Matt Horine
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E85, The Labor Shortage Myth: Why Manufacturers Can't Find WorkersJoin us as we discuss: - Accessing a broader labor pool of people with real-world commitments <...
#84: Mineral War: How China Weaponized the Supply Chain That Feeds Manufacturing with Tomasz Nadrowski
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E84, Mineral War: How China Weaponized the Supply Chain That Feeds Manufacturing with Tomasz NadrowskiJoin us as we discuss: - Why there is no manufacturing without critical minerals&nbs...
#83: When AI Speeds Up Everything and Causes Burnout in Humans
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E83, When AI Speeds Up Everything and Causes Burnout in HumansJoin us as we discuss: - Victoria Kunova explains how AI drives burnout when companies chase productivity gains over transformational v...
#82: Why Anonymized Feedback Beats AI Resume Screening
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E82, Why Anonymized Feedback Beats AI Resume ScreeningJoin us as we discuss: - How AI automation of technical roles is forcing a redistribution of manufacturing talent - Christian introduc...
#81: AI or Bust: Five businesses, Five Ideas
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E81, AI or Bust: Five businesses, Five IdeasJoin us as we discuss: - Rapid-fire AI ideas across industries- Same business; two different approaches: using AI fo...
#80: Kate Assaraf on Local-First Manufacturing and Conscious Consumerism
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E80, Kate Assaraf on Local-First Manufacturing and Conscious ConsumerismJoin us as we discuss: - Sustainability as a fluid concept, not rigid rules - Why D...
#79: From Solitary to Advanced Systems: Christian Torres on Decision Intelligence
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E79, From Solitary to Advanced Systems: Christian Torres on Decision IntelligenceJoin us as we discuss: - Manufacturing inside Unicor- ISO internal auditing & Lean Six Sigma - Foun...
#78: 2030s– The Decade of Dark Factories
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E78, 2030s– The Decade of Dark FactoriesJoin us as we discuss: - Dark factories & lights-out manufacturing going mainstream - Skills-based hiring vs. t...
#77: Manufacturing's Future: Why Automation Is No Longer Optional for U.S. Plants
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E77, Manufacturing's Future: Why Automation Is No Longer Optional for U.S. PlantsJoin us as we discuss: - Why AI data centers may head to orbit—SpaceX's solar-powered data ce...
#76: How COVID, Reshoring & AI Reshaped U.S. Manufacturing in the 2020s
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E76, How COVID, Reshoring & AI Reshaped U.S. Manufacturing in the 2020sJoin us as we discuss: - How COVID-19 exposed supply chain vulnerabilities and triggered a reshorin...
**Special Guests** #75: From Food Truck to Robot Barista: How P!ng's Founders Are Automating the Coffee Drive-Through
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E75, From Food Truck to Robot Barista: How P!ng's Founders Are Automating the Coffee Drive-ThroughJoin us as we discuss: - From iRobot and Amazon Robotics to a food truck rus...
**Special Guest** #74: Grid-Scale Battery Storage: Inside Inlyte Energy's Iron-Sodium Tech
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E74, Grid-Scale Battery Storage: Inside Inlyte Energy's Iron-Sodium TechJoin us as we discuss: - Antonio's path from Stanford's Chueh Group and the Activate Fellowship to lau...
#73: Reinventing the Safe: Oscar Hedaya on Building Smart Security with The Space Safe
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E73, Reinventing the Safe: Oscar Hedaya on Building Smart Security with The Space SafeJoin us as we discuss: - Oscar's "aha moment": why he set out to modernize a product cat...
**Special Guest** #72: Leading with Character Across Cultures: Björn Vikard on Global Manufacturing Spanning 12 Countries
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E72, Leading with Character Across Cultures: Björn Vikard on Global Manufacturing Spanning 12 CountriesJoin us as we discuss: - Managing unionized operations in India
#71: Unionization Crossroads: Ethical Leadership in Manufacturing
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E71, Unionization Crossroads: Ethical Leadership in ManufacturingJoin us as we discuss: - Core tension between operational efficiency and protecting workers’ safety and right...
**Special Guest** #70: Building the Future: Advanced Manufacturing, Workforce, and Tech with Bryce Carpenter
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E70, Building the Future: Advanced Manufacturing, Workforce, and Tech with Bryce CarpenterJoin us as we discuss: - Advanced Manufacturing in Indiana - Edu...
**Special Guest** #69: Beyond the Mold: How 3D Printing is Reshaping Supply Chains with Jason Rolland
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E69, Beyond the Mold: How 3D Printing is Reshaping Supply Chains with Jason RollandJoin us as we discuss: - Additive manufacturing technology and how it prints 10-100x faster...
#68: The Lost Decade: How China's Rise & the Opioid Crisis Decimated U.S. Manufacturing in the 2000s
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E68, The Lost Decade: How China's Rise & the Opioid Crisis Decimated U.S. Manufacturing in the 2000sJoin us as we discuss: - How the "China Shock" drove a 1,156% surge in...
**Special Guest** #67: Electrifying Fleets & Automating Emissions Reporting: Inside GreenIRR's Carbon Accounting Platform for Supply Chains with Celine King
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E67, Electrifying Fleets & Automating Emissions Reporting: Inside GreenIRR's Carbon Accounting Platform for Supply Chains with Celine KingJoin us as we discuss: - What tr...
#66: From Prototypes to Production: Building the Future of Bladeless Fans CEO of Exhale Fans
Welcome to Factory of the Future, E66, From Prototypes to Production: Building the Future of Bladeless Fans with CEO of Exhale FansJoin us as we discuss: - Outsourced manufacturing and finding the right partn...