Podcast
U.S. Manufacturing Today
Hosted by Veryable, Inc. · EN
The US Manufacturing Today show, brought to you by the good folks at Veryable, is a podcast to keep you up to date with what's ahead for U.S. Manufacturers and Distributors. On the podcast, we discuss all things in the industrial space, reindustrialization, how to navigate Trump 2.0, tariffs, domestic manufacturing, supply chain realignment, and much, much more.
29episodes
Episodes
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The Battery Belt Talent Crunch: Recruiting Leaders to Launch America’s EV Gigafactories
1w ago00:31:05Tap to summarizeHost Matt Horine discusses the “Battery Belt,” where eight states from Michigan to Georgia have attracted over $250B in announced EV and battery investments, and argues the key constraint isn’t permitting or supply chains but experienced people—engineers, operations leaders, and technical executives—to run new greenfield facilities. Guest Michael Chambers of the Chambers Group explains his APEX recruiting process using scientific job profiling and psychometric matching, including benchmarking hiring managers, candidate videos, a 99% one-year retention rate (96% to two years), and a two-year replacement guarantee. They describe intense regional competition for scarce roles (high-voltage, calibration, controls/automation, battery cell engineers, and greenfield plant managers), relocation resistance, and the need for internal academies and partnerships with community colleges. Chambers details how stale salary bands and delayed market data cause missed hires and plant-launch delays, urging early pipeline building and creative offers via clear career pathways and upskilling.Timestamps00:00 Podcast Welcome00:44 Battery Belt Boom01:36 Meet Michael Chambers03:47 APEX Hiring Process05:55 What Is Battery Belt08:10 Why It Matters09:17 Talent Market Reality12:12 Hardest Roles To Fill15:08 Stale Salary Bands19:33 Greenfield Leadership Gap23:12 Hiring Timeline Playbook26:13 Next 18 Months Signals28:37 How To Connect30:10 Wrap Up And SubscribeLinksMichael on LinkedInChambers GroupNavigating Trump 2.0 Revitalizing US ManufacturingSign Up on the Veryable Platform
Transcribe →Reindustrialization Beyond Announcements: Turning Investment Into Real Output with Patrick J. Wolf
2w ago00:52:03Tap to summarizeThe episode of US Manufacturing Today focuses on whether massive reindustrialization investments translate into real productive output, jobs, and supply chain resilience or become stranded, announcement-driven projects. Host Matt Horine interviews Patrick J. Wolf, executive director and chair of the Institute for American Manufacturing and Technology (IAMT), which conducts research through Aegis (AI/compute governance), Atlas (energy/power infrastructure), and Forge (manufacturing capacity, supply chains, and the defense industrial base), arguing these areas form a dependency chain. Wolf describes his path from industrial engineering and manufacturing to tech and AI, then back to manufacturing policy, emphasizing that small and medium-sized manufacturers lack a policy voice despite being the backbone of industry. Discussion covers community decline from globalization, skepticism of unsupported statistics, why short-term investment mindsets can block long-horizon industrial projects, permitting and bureaucratic barriers, workforce development and labor undercutting, and the grid challenge of meeting simultaneous energy-intensive buildouts, with IAMT positioned as an accessible outlet for practical, publishable solutions.Timestamps00:00 Reindustrialization Reality Check00:56 Meet Patrick Wolf02:12 From Factory to Tech05:49 Connecting Compute Power Industry07:49 SMBs Need a Voice10:29 Community Hollowing Out14:15 Rigor Over Talking Points16:54 Why Investment Misses Output21:20 Permitting Reform Roadblocks26:14 California Fire Bureaucracy27:29 Nonpartisan Truth Seeking28:16 Permitting Leverage Points29:37 Workforce And Labor Rules32:08 Power Grid Bottlenecks35:55 Monopolies Incentives Nuclear38:56 Integrated Industrial Energy Policy42:42 Mindset Culture And Networking43:46 Ten Year Manufacturing Future46:55 How To Engage The Institute50:25 Closing Thanks And TakeawaysInstitute for American Manufacturing & Technology Navigating Trump 2.0 Revitalizing US ManufacturingSign Up on the Veryable Platform
Transcribe →Manufacturing and American Independence: From Mercantilism to the American System
3w ago00:14:09Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Matt Horine points out that manufacturing was central to American independence and remains vital as the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary. It traces how Britain’s mercantilist policies and acts like the Iron Act (1750) and Wool Act suppressed colonial manufacturing, leaving the Continental Army dangerously dependent on foreign supplies, including gunpowder and basic clothing at Valley Forge. It highlights Ben Franklin’s maker-centered economic philosophy, then explains how the founders enacted the Tariff Act of 1789 to support government, pay debts, and protect manufacturers. Alexander Hamilton’s 1791 Report on Manufactures framed industrial policy as national security and endorsed protective tariffs for “infant industries.” Henry Clay’s 1824 American System integrated tariffs, a national bank, and internal improvements, later advanced by Lincoln; the episode contrasts this history with post-1913 shifts toward income tax and lower tariffs and links offshoring and supply-chain vulnerabilities to renewed reindustrialization debates in 2026.Timestamps00:00 America 250 Blueprint01:17 Mercantilism and Suppression01:57 Revolution Supply Crisis03:15 Franklin Maker Ethos05:02 Tariff Act 178905:43 Hamilton Infant Industry07:50 Clay American System10:10 Lincoln and Industrial Rise10:44 Income Tax Tradeoff11:45 Reindustrialization Lessons12:39 Workforce Is the Engine12:59 Closing and ResourcesLinksNavigating Trump 2.0 Revitalizing US ManufacturingSign Up on the Veryable Platform
Transcribe →Maxter Healthcare’s $500M Reshoring Bet: Building America’s First Nitrile Glove Mega-Facility in Brazoria County, Texas
Jun 200:44:37Tap to summarizeMatt Horine interviews Maxter Healthcare leaders Kevin Shutack, Nick Gilman, and Donny Chan about Master Healthcare's $500 million investment to build its first US nitrile glove manufacturing facility in Brazoria County, Texas, aimed at strengthening domestic PPE supply chain resilience after COVID-19 shortages. They explain why the pandemic accelerated a long-held vision, how site selection prioritized water, power, weather, logistics, and community after evaluating locations including Upstate New York and Florida, and why Brazoria County won. The guests describe the 215-acre, highly automated, hurricane- and flood-resilient plant using AI defect detection and producing 180–200 million gloves monthly today, with phase-one capacity rising and long-term plans for up to ~80 lines. They discuss serving healthcare, industrial, and federal government demand, policy signals, tariffs and raw-material challenges, and the push for long-term contracts to reduce import volatility and shortages.00:00 Welcome and Episode Setup01:47 Why Reshore Gloves Now03:36 Site Search Across States06:51 Choosing Brazoria County Texas09:46 Markets and Federal Demand12:25 Policy Tariffs and Supply Risks18:05 Inside the Mega Facility20:44 How Gloves Are Made at Scale26:10 Winning Buyers on Value29:52 Expansion Plans and Contracts34:24 Supply Chain Disruptions Return39:49 Advice for Onshoring Builders42:25 Where to Learn More43:12 Closing Takeaways and OutroLinksMaxter HealthcareNavigating Trump 2.0 Revitalizing US ManufacturingSign Up on the Veryable Platform
Transcribe →Reindustrialization Sensing Session: Supply Chain Cartels, New Factories, Tax Incentives, Freight Tightening, and the Tacit Knowledge Bottleneck
May 2600:16:59Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Matt Horine aggregates major manufacturing headlines and argues the U.S. industrial rebuild is already underway, with constraints shifting from politics and capital to operations. It highlights a DOJ Sherman Act indictment alleging four container makers controlling ~95% of global dry containers colluded to cap output and double prices during 2019–2021, underscoring supply-chain dependency risks and the reshoring rationale. It covers JetZero’s planned 3M-sq-ft Greensboro, NC aircraft factory ($4.7B investment, 14,500 jobs, AI/digital with Siemens) and SendCutSend’s rapid-growth on-demand manufacturing model, which raised $110M at a $1B+ valuation. The host says tariff-driven inflation fears haven’t materialized in core goods CPI, and reviews the “one big beautiful bill” restoring permanent 100% bonus depreciation, expensing for production property and domestic R&D, and EBITDA-based interest limits. Freight data shows tightening trucking capacity and rising tender rejections, and a Fortune argument that tacit operating knowledge—not equipment—is the key bottleneck, with AI positioned to capture and scale it.Timestamps00:00 Welcome and Format Shift00:56 Trucking Safety Wins01:14 Week’s Big Themes02:08 Container Cartel Exposed03:45 Why Reshoring Matters04:54 JetZero Factory Build06:08 SendCutSend Scales Up07:18 Tariffs vs Inflation Data09:14 Tax Code CapEx Boost11:23 Freight Market Tightening13:36 AI and Tacit Knowledge15:42 Wrap Up and Next StepsLinksNavigating Trump 2.0 Revitalizing US ManufacturingSign Up on the Veryable Platform
Transcribe →The Hidden Crisis in American Trucking: A Conversation with Shannon Everett of American Truckers United (Recast)
May 1900:28:40Tap to summarizeIn this episode of US Manufacturing Today, host Matt Horine welcomes Shannon Everett of American Truckers United (ATU). Shannon shares his deeply personal journey in the trucking industry and exposes systemic issues that threaten the livelihoods of American truck drivers. The discussion covers the alarming rise of non-domicile commercial driver’s licenses, wage dumping, fraud, and the overarching impact of illegal immigration on the trucking sector. Shannon outlines the survival strategies and necessary reforms to protect American truckers, emphasizing the importance of legislative action and public support. The conversation reveals the hidden challenges within the American trucking industry and underscores the broader implications for public safety and national security.Timestamps00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:10 Guest Introduction: Shannon Everett00:37 Shannon's Journey in the Trucking Industry02:55 Challenges in the Trucking Industry05:02 The Impact of Foreign Commercial Drivers10:36 Investigating CDL Anomalies18:41 Proposed Reforms and Solutions25:48 Call to Action and ConclusionLinksAmerican Truckers UnitedShannon Everett LinkedInNavigating Trump 2.0 Revitalizing US ManufacturingSign Up on the Veryable Platform
Transcribe →From Industry 4.0 to 5.0: Human-Centric Transformation, Reliability, and Leadership with A.W. Schultz
May 1200:34:35Tap to summarizeU.S. Manufacturing Today host Matt Horine interviews A.W. Schultz, Founder of AW Schultz Training and Industrial Transformation, about the shift from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0 and what it means for manufacturers. Schultz describes Industry 5.0 as a rebalancing built on resiliency, sustainability, and a human-centric approach, arguing many digital investments underperform because people aren’t involved and change management is weak. He outlines common reliability challenges such as poor integration and gaps between strategy and execution, and explains adaptive work management as a culture-aware, non–cookie-cutter approach that emphasizes relevant metrics and organizational health. Schultz discusses maintenance strategies (reactive, preventive, predictive) using asset criticality and supply constraints, and stresses that transformation success depends on leadership, humility, and continuous feedback. He advises leaders to lead with courage, data, and heart and shares where to find his Factory of the Future Podcast.TimestampsLinksAW on LinkedInA.W.Schultz Training and Industrial TransformationFactory of the Future PodcastNavigating Trump 2.0 Revitalizing US ManufacturingSign Up on the Veryable Platform
Transcribe →Can AI Give Procurement a CRM Moment? Spencer Penn on Modernizing Direct Materials Sourcing
May 500:44:51Tap to summarizeIn today's episode of U.S. Manufacturing Today, Matt Horine interviews Spencer Penn, Co-founder and CEO of LightSource, an AI-powered procurement platform for direct materials. Penn recounts leading sourcing for Tesla’s Model 3 scale-up and seeing $30B of parts managed via spreadsheets and email, inspiring him to found LightSource in 2021. The conversation argues procurement is strategically critical yet undertooled compared with sales, with incentives and visibility lagging despite large P&L impact. Penn describes how AI can improve supplier discovery, should-cost estimation, negotiation support, ongoing price monitoring, and faster deployment via automated data ingestion. LightSource customers reportedly cut RFX cycle times 25–60%, improve supplier experience, and reduce cost creep; one A/B test showed 25% faster cycles and 47% lower cost creep. They discuss dual sourcing, nearshoring/onshoring realities, China’s industrial base, and advice for leaders to experiment with tools like Claude/Claude Code.Timestamps00:00 Show Intro and Big Question00:31 Meet Spencer and LightSource02:26 Tesla Scaling Lessons05:52 Elon Leadership Anecdotes07:29 Why Direct Procurement Lags09:06 The Real Money in Parts14:01 Speed as Competitive Edge16:35 Why Procurement Is Undervalued22:51 AI Use Cases in Procurement28:41 Fast Implementation Reality30:46 LightSource Results and ROI33:48 Nearshoring and China Reality38:08 Free Advice for Leaders42:12 How to Get Started43:28 Wrap Up and Call to ActionLinksLightsource AI Spencer on LinkedInNavigating Trump 2.0 Revitalizing US ManufacturingSign Up on the Veryable Platform
Transcribe →Four Signals Point to a Historic U.S. Reindustrialization Moment in 2026
Apr 2800:13:53Tap to summarizeIn a solo episode of US Manufacturing Today, host Matt Horine argues that four converging developments signal the most significant U.S. industrial moment since World War II: manufacturing’s expansion, freight tightening, historic Defense Production Act actions, and defense demand spilling into commercial industry. March ISM manufacturing PMI rose to 52.7 (third straight month of expansion) with broad-based industry growth, stronger new orders, and higher business confidence, though price pressures are rising from steel, aluminum, and tariff pass-throughs. The trucking market is in a supply-driven tightening as carriers exit and driver availability constricts, with expectations for higher 2026 truckload rates and rising freight bills. The White House invoked DPA Section 303 across energy and grid categories to expand domestic petroleum, refining, logistics, and infrastructure capacity, positioning energy as a long-term manufacturing cost advantage. Finally, the Pentagon contacted Ford and GM about potential weapons production as defense capacity strains and budgets rise, reinforcing reindustrialization as national security policy. Timestamps00:00 Big Industrial Moment01:16 PMI Expansion Signals03:27 Freight Tightening Ahead05:01 DPA Energy Mobilization07:24 Energy Advantage Backdrop09:37 Pentagon Calls Detroit12:19 Reindustrialization Takeaways13:47 Wrap Up and ResourcesLinksNavigating Trump 2.0 Revitalizing US ManufacturingSign Up on the Veryable Platform
Transcribe →Scaling Metal 3D Printing for Reshoring: Seurat Technologies’ Next-Gen Additive Manufacturing with James DeMuth
Apr 2100:29:12Tap to summarizeThis episode of U.S. Manufacturing Today features James DeMuth, CEO and co-founder of Seurat Technologies, discussing why reshoring at scale requires new manufacturing methods beyond traditional casting and machining. DeMuth explains how his work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on fusion power revealed a need for alloys and complex geometries suited to 3D printing, but limited by slow laser powder-bed fusion; Seurat’s approach uses large-area projection with high-resolution patterning to increase throughput dramatically while maintaining quality. He contrasts major metal additive methods (laser powder-bed fusion, directed energy deposition, and binder jetting) and argues Seurat can deliver speed, quality, and lower cost while reducing waste and post-processing. The conversation also covers digital inventory, localized production, national security implications amid China’s subsidized manufacturing, the role of policy plus technology leadership, Seurat’s new production system, rapid material changeover via cartridge architecture, and where to learn more about the company.Timestamps00:00 Manufacturing Reshoring Stakes01:27 James Demuth Origins01:37 Fusion Challenge Sparks Breakthrough03:07 Printing Press For Metal05:35 Why Casting Falls Short08:25 Metal Additive Landscape11:32 Seurat Secret Sauce14:23 National Security And Policy19:35 Factories Of The Future23:10 Advice For Manufacturers26:48 What Comes Next For Seurat27:57 Wrap Up And ResourcesLinksJames on LinkedInSeurat TechnologiesNavigating Trump 2.0 Revitalizing US ManufacturingSign Up on the Veryable Platform
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