<p>In this episode of U.S. Manufacturing Today, host Matt Horine welcomes Alex Huckstepp, Co-founder of Uptool—a manufacturing technology startup focused on solving quoting and sourcing bottlenecks through AI-driven solutions. Alex discusses his journey into the manufacturing industry and the founding of Uptool with his co-founder. They delve into the importance of speeding up the quoting process, the role of artificial intelligence in enhancing manufacturing workflows, and the broader impact of these advancements on the U.S. supply chain. Alex also highlights the company&#39;s mission to support small and medium-sized manufacturers and shares insights into the future of the industry.</p><p><br></p><p>Timestamps</p><p>00:00 Introduction to US Manufacturing Today</p><p>00:15 Meet Alex Huck: Founder of UP Tool</p><p>01:02 The Journey to Founding UP Tool</p><p>03:55 Challenges in Quoting and Supplier Discovery</p><p>08:31 UP Tool&#39;s AI Quoting Solution</p><p>13:12 Future of Manufacturing and AI Integration</p><p>15:17 Reshoring and Supplier Visibility</p><p>17:19 The Role of Marketplaces in Manufacturing</p><p>20:03 AI&#39;s Impact on Small Manufacturers</p><p>22:34 Looking Ahead: Trends and Predictions</p><p>26:48 Conclusion and Where to Learn More</p><p><br></p><p>Links</p><p><a href="https://uptool.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Uptool</a></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-huckstepp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Alex on LinkedIn</a></p><p><a href="https://sustainment.com/">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a><a href="https://www.veryableops.com/navigating-trump-2-0">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Navigating Trump 2.0 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><a href="https://www.veryableops.com">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Revitalizing US Manufacturing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p><a href="https://company.veryableops.com/create-profile">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign Up on the Veryable Platform ⁠⁠</a></p>