Cast Polymer Radio

On this episode, I feature an interview with Pravin Luthada, CEO of Addcomposites. He'll be discussing AFP (automated fiber placement) technology and its applications for composite manufacturers.

On this episode, we feature an interview with Vanessa Bohns. She is the author of the bestselling book You Have More Influence Than You Think. In her book, Vanessa draws from her research to illustrate why we fail to recognize the influence we have, and how that lack of awareness can lead us to miss opportunities or accidentally misuse our power. Vanessa is a social psychologist and professor of organizational behavior at Cornell University. She holds a PhD in psychology from Columbia University and an AB from Brown University. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, and other outlets, and her research has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Economist.

On this episode, ACMA consultant Andrew Pokelwaldt joins me to discuss some key technologies driving Industry 4.0. Industry 4.0, often referred to as the fourth industrial revolution, represents a seismic shift in the way manufacturing and production processes are managed. With the advent of smart factories, the integration of cyber-physical systems, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and artificial intelligence, we are witnessing unprecedented levels of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies.

On this episode, Jesse Henry, CEO of Heartland joins the podcast to discuss how their company is helping the composites industry with sustainable feedstock materials. Heartland is a material science company that provides manufacturers with a sustainable source of additives like fillers, reinforcements, & mineral extenders to enhance products they already make. They work with local farmers to produce natural fiber materials, enabling manufacturers to create more sustainable products. You can learn more by visiting their website at https://www.heartland.io.

On this episode, I feature a recent interview with Stephanie Scheller Stephanie is the author of a recent book Marketing That Works for Small Business Budgets [Beyond Social Media]. She'll talk about how she grew her business on a $0/month marketing budget during the pandemic.

On this episode, John Schweitzer and Kyle Jordan of the ACMA join me to discuss a couple of topics. John will be discussing the ACMA's Composites Sustainability Conference coming up June 4-6 in Denver, CO. You can learn more about this event by visiting https://acma-org.my.site.com/csft24. Kyle Jordan will be discussing the CCT Instructor Course that took place last week in Kansas City, and explain why it's so important, and what the new instructors can do with the designation.

On this episode Blair Robbins joins me on the show to discuss the closure of the Port of Baltimore, and whether it will impact supply chains. Blair is a partner in the Transportation and Logistics Group at EisnerAmper, and has nearly 30 years of experience helping companies cope with supply chain issues, and challenges in inventory management due to disruptions from the pandemic to infrastructure damage and natural, disasters, labor shortages and terrorism/sea piracy. With the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, The Port of Baltimore is now closed with over 40 vessels stuck, and ships that were headed into port being rerouted. It is not known how long clearing the passage will take, but Blair will share his thoughts on how it will affect supply chains.

On this podcast episode, I feature an interview with Elizabeth Chabe author of a new bestselling book called The Giant’s Ladder: The Science Professional’s Blueprint for Marketing Success. Her new book is a critical resource for entrepreneurs and technology professionals seeking effective marketing strategies to launch their innovations commercially. This new book addresses the gap between innovation and commercial success, providing actionable strategies to navigate the unique challenges of marketing in the science and technology sectors. Her work has been featured in major publications like The New York Times, Popular Science, and Fast Company. Elizabeth’s expertise offers a powerful blend of tactical skill and market foresight, and her influence is instrumental in shaping scientific product marketing. You can learn more about Elizabeth, by visiting https://elizabethchabe.com.

On this episode, Chris Hurdleston of ACS International and Dorfner joins me to discuss his perspective from the KBIS 2024 show in Las Vegas last week. The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) is North America’s largest trade show dedicated to all kitchen and bath design aspects.

On this episode, Andrew Pokelwaldt joins me to discuss trends taking place in the manufacturing sectors and how technology is poised to play a significant role in handling challenges in 2024 and beyond.

On this marketing minute, I share a story of how halitosis became a medical condition with a "cure". The story is a great marketing lesson for any business that seeks to differentiate its product or service with a USP. The great businessman and advertiser Albert Lasker once said "There is no law that requires a problem to exist before a solution is created for it". There are plenty of examples of this throughout the history of advertising.

On this episode, I share an interview I did with Tyler Alvarado. Tyler is the CEO of Continuous Composites a company that's on a journey to transform manufacturing. Continuous Composites began with a realization that composite manufacturing was a problem waiting to be solved. Their vision is to break the mold of additive manufacturing and advance new platforms and processes using composite materials. They’re now developing solutions directly with industry leaders to ensure efficient and effective market entry upon CF3D® commercialization. You can learn more by visiting https://www.continuouscomposites.com.

On this episode, Dan Neumann joins me again to discuss the 2024 Composites Fly-In taking place in Washington DC Feb. 26-28th. Composites 2024 Fly-In will provide a unique setting to meet with Members of Congress and agency leadership to educate them on the valuable capabilities of composites and further open markets.

On this episode, Kyle Jordan and Peter Hedger of the ACMA join me for a discussion on workforce development. Kyle is the director of certifications with the ACMA and Peter is Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Membership. We'll be talking about a recent workforce development research survey that the ACMA completed back in October, and some of the data from it. As we share some of the feedback from companies, we'll also discuss just how CCT training & certification can help improve employee retention. For more info on the ACMA's CCT certification programs, visit https://acmanet.org.

On this marketing minute episode, we'll discuss be discussing features, advantages, benefits and ultimate benefits. Understanding and using all four of these can amp up your marketing and advertising game.

On this first episode of 2024, we'll be discussing the topic of the 85 Percent Rule. If you've never heard of the 85% rule, it runs counterintuitive to what most of us have been taught - which is to give your maximum output. Operating at 100% all of the time is not sustainable, and eventually leads to burnout. It also doesn't give you the time or energy to innovate. We'll also play an interview with Dr. Roger Firestein, author of the book Create in a Flash: A Leader’s Recipe for Breakthrough Innovation.

This week, John Melilli of Composite Automation LLC joins me on our last podcast episode of 2023. John has over 30 years of experience in the application of mechanical, electrical & industrial automation components and systems for manufacturing. He’s been working with composite part manufacturers since 2004. Composite Automation is the only manufacturer’s representative firm in North America that focuses on providing innovative composites manufacturing solutions to companies manufacturing various types of composite structures. On this episode, we’ll be discussing Fiber Patch Placement (FPP) technology by Cevotec. This system enables manufacturers to build complex fiber composites in high volume. This process has the potential to revolutionize the production of complex lightweight parts in several industries.

On this episode, Thomas Helfrich joins the podcast to discuss LinkedIn lead generation and business growth. Thomas is the founder and CEO of InstantlyRelevant.com, a company renowned for their innovative marketing services driven by AI, and social media strategy & coaching. He is the author of the book series “Never Been Promoted” and hosts a podcast of the same name. Known as the “AI Nerd,” he also hosts the AI Nerd YouTube channel, an exhibit of his profound fascination and understanding of AI systems.

On this episode, Lucas Dillingham of Brighton Science joins the podcast to highlight their company's technology - a system that manufacturers to confidently assess surface readiness for bonding, coating or sealing at the point of preparation. You can learn more about their technology by visiting https://www.brighton-science.com.

On this episode, Carlos Alvarenga joins me for a discussion on how great communicators are so effective. He is the author of a brand new book called The Rules of Persuasion: How the World’s Greatest Communicators Convince, Inspire, Lead—and, Sometimes, Deceive. His new book not only explains exactly how persuasion works in all forms of human communication but also presents a clear and effective model you can use to put the chemistry of persuasion to work for you.