Part of my job as editor of IOM is, in a nutshell, talking to really smart people and trying to ask them questions without sounding too stupid. I just listen and write down all the smart things they say.
As I was preparing this issue’s cover story on Industry 4.0, I found myself once again surrounded by really smart people, including Mo Abuali of Wipfli and Weston Timmers of Werner Electric Supply. Both are particularly gifted with the ability to talk about high-tech subjects in a way everyone can understand.
That’s why I not only featured their expertise in this month’s cover story (starting on page 10), but I also invited them to be guests on upcoming episodes of the NEW Manufacturing Insights podcast I co-host with NEW Manufacturing Alliance Executive Director Ann Franz. They had so much insight about Industry 4.0 that I couldn’t fit into a single article, so the podcast seemed like a perfect way to bring more of their wisdom to you.
And that’s the beauty of having the podcast, really. Ann and I hope you see it as a way to take a deeper dive into the topics that fill the pages of IOM and hear the voices of some of these impressive industry experts for yourself. I hope you will take a listen to NEW Manufacturing Insights during the month of July and absorb some of Abuali’s and Timmers’ knowledgeable eloquence on this all-too-complicated topic of Industry 4.0. And while you’re there, check out some of our other episodes, too. Recent topics have included sustainability, child care and education; recently featured companies have included Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry, Enstrom Helicopter and Séura.
I can’t tell you how much I have valued the feedback we’re getting about the podcast, especially the fact that so many of you are actually listening. To quote my distinguished co-host, “yay!” Many of you have also asked how you can support the show, and my best answers are to subscribe on your platform of choice and to tell your friends and colleagues, including social media shares. Building a podcast audience is no easy task, but the loyal friends and supporters of Insight and NEWMA make it a little easier. To learn more, head to insightonbusiness.com/podcasts.
This month’s issue of IOM is packed with a wide variety of topics, including “Insight From” another recent podcast guest, Bryan Schwebke of Paramount Physical Therapy, who on page 20 shares more of his powerful message about injury prevention and training “industrial athletes.” And of course planning is heating up for the 14th annual Manufacturing First Expo & Conference, which is set for Oct. 30 at Resch Expo. Get a quick preview on page 31 and register online now at manufacturingfirst.com.
Hope your summer is off to a great start!
