U.S. Manufacturing Today

This 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 ⁠⁠⁠

U.S. Manufacturing Today host Matt Horine interviews Darragh de Stonndún, CEO of Automated Industrial Robotics (AIR), about why automation is accelerating and how manufacturers can deploy it successfully. He shares his path from a Guinness apprenticeship in Dublin to engineering and decades in industrial automation, emphasizing attention to detail and disciplined execution. AIR’s platform model unites specialized automation firms across the US and Europe to provide shared standards and global capacity while retaining deep domain expertise. Key capability shifts include data-driven operations, validation-ready systems for regulated industries (e.g., GMP and 21 CFR Part 11), and greater flexibility enabled by robotics, vision, and servo systems. De Stonndún says automation demand is driven by labor shortages, cost pressures, supply-chain resilience, and policy, representing a long-term structural shift tied to reshoring and reindustrialization. He outlines where projects fail (scope and integration), what roles are rising (automation technicians, process engineers, quality/data), how AI will enhance inspection and control layers, and cites a pandemic-era pharma turnkey filling system that improved throughput, consistency, and validation speed.Timestamps00:00 Automation Is Here Now01:21 Darragh’s Shop Floor Roots03:12 From Engineer to CEO04:32 Building the AIR Platform06:46 New Demands Data Validation Flexibility08:44 Why Automation Demand Is Surging10:13 Structural Shift and Reshoring12:47 Automation Augments Workers15:31 Skills That Matter Most18:11 Why Automation Projects Fail19:26 How to Deploy Automation Right20:55 Advice for First Automation Program23:46 Best Processes to Automate Now25:08 Full Systems Over Point Solutions26:33 Pandemic Case Study in Pharma28:35 AI Meets Robotics30:23 How Close to Lights Out Factories32:20 Automation Powers Reindustrialization33:51 What’s Next for AIR34:50 Where to Learn More and Wrap Up36:02 Final Takeaways and SubscribeLinksDarragh on LinkedIn Automated Industrial Robotics (AIR)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Navigating Trump 2.0 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Revitalizing US Manufacturing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign Up on the Veryable Platform ⁠⁠⁠

In this episode of U.S. Manufacturing Today, host Matt Horine is joined by Tony Kelbert and Dan Echternkamp, founders of Aerospace Growth Strategies, to discuss sustainable growth for machine shops. They delve into common issues in the industry, such as balancing spindle hours and morale, and why traditional growth strategies often fail. Tony and Dan share their insights on developing purpose-driven strategies that align with shop capabilities, leveraging inbound sales, and navigating the evolving aerospace and defense supply chain. They also discuss the importance of focusing on core competencies and building strong customer relationships. The conversation includes practical advice on improving business development and marketing strategies for machine shop owners.Timestamps00:00 Introduction to U.S. Manufacturing Today00:23 Meet the Founders of Aerospace Growth Strategies00:55 Challenges and Solutions in Machine Shops03:10 The Importance of Purpose-Driven Strategies04:36 Identifying and Avoiding the Wrong Work06:38 Boosting Morale with the Right Work09:57 Building an Inbound Sales Pipeline13:17 Marketing Strategies for Machine Shops17:47 Future Trends in Aerospace and Defense Manufacturing21:05 Positioning for Success in a Rebalanced Supply Chain26:29 Getting Started with Aerospace Growth Strategies28:03 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsLinks⁠Aerospace Growth Strategies⁠⁠Tony on LinkedIn⁠⁠Dan on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Navigating Trump 2.0 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Revitalizing US Manufacturing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign Up on the Veryable Platform ⁠⁠⁠⁠

U.S. Manufacturing Today features Bryce Carpenter, Chief Operating and Strategy Officer at Conexus Indiana, discussing why AI and automation efforts in manufacturing often stall at pilots and how to scale them into operational results. Carpenter explains Conexus as an industry-led nonprofit working with 130 Indiana manufacturers and public and education leaders to accelerate solutions by aligning stakeholders early. He argues adoption fails when companies lead with technology instead of clear problem statements and when cultural buy-in and workforce communication are missing, fueling fears of job loss. He notes small and midsize manufacturers can have advantages due to low AI cost barriers and fewer data-standardization challenges, but many lack connected equipment and usable data. Conexus is launching Industry Exchange Workshops and building an AI use-case inventory to improve ROI confidence. The episode also highlights flexible labor models, faster micro-trainings, and technology’s role in boosting U.S. competitiveness amid reshoring and tariffs.Timestamps00:00 AI Adoption Reality Check01:12 Meet Bryce Carpenter02:26 What Conexus Does03:34 Ecosystem Bridge Building06:54 Escaping Pilot Purgatory10:44 SMB Edge in AI13:15 Roadmap and Grants Lessons15:46 Automation Upskilling Workers19:19 Training and Talent Access22:46 Flexible Labor Partnerships24:27 Data Foundations for AI28:27 Market Maturity and ROI33:36 Reshoring and Competitiveness36:00 Resources and Wrap Up37:18 Final Takeaways and CTALinksConexus IndianaBryce on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Navigating Trump 2.0 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Revitalizing US Manufacturing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign Up on the Veryable Platform ⁠⁠

In this solo episode of US Manufacturing Today, the host argues that three underappreciated forces are converging to create a structural advantage for U.S. manufacturers: tightening freight capacity, trucking labor enforcement, and a historically wide Brent-WTI oil spread. Despite a soft freight narrative, carrier exits are shrinking long-haul capacity, spot rates have overtaken contract rates, and forecasts now call for stronger 2026 rate growth with more fragility to disruptions. Simultaneously, stricter enforcement of rules for non-domiciled CDL holders and English proficiency standards could remove 10%–15% of trucking capacity, raising wages for American drivers and tightening industrial-origin freight lanes. The host highlights an 11-year-high Brent-WTI gap (about $18/barrel) that lowers U.S. energy-linked input costs versus global competitors, reinforced by record U.S. production forecasts, alongside policy tailwinds and PMI/new-order strength supporting reshoring and expansion.Timestamps00:00 Macro Setup and Themes01:00 Freight Market Tightening03:00 Immigration Rules Hit Capacity04:50 Brent WTI Energy Gap08:05 Compounding US Advantage09:14 Signals and Call to Action10:37 Wrap Up and ResourcesLinks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Navigating Trump 2.0 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Revitalizing US Manufacturing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign Up on the Veryable Platform ⁠⁠