Episodes

  • Ep. 61: On family and fiberglass, with Ben and Amy Bertram

    Ep. 61: On family and fiberglass, with Ben and Amy Bertram
    Jan 30 2025
    Ben and Amy Bertram had never before owned a business when they decided to buy Fiberglass Solutions in 2018. Since that time, the Bertrams have grown the company from two to 20 employees and relocated from a 9,000-square-foot facility in Green Bay to a 34,000-square-foot plant in Ashwaubenon.

    On this week's episode, sponsored by Werner Electric Supply, Ben and Amy talk about the challenges and rewards of operating a family business, why they love Green Bay and all the interesting things made from fiberglass.


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    24 mins
  • Ep. 60 (1/23/25): Electrifying the future of work with Shea Electric's Dan Shea

    Ep. 60 (1/23/25): Electrifying the future of work with Shea Electric's Dan Shea
    Jan 23 2025
    Dan Shea, chief operating officer of electrical contractor Shea Electric and Communications, joins co-hosts Kate Bruns of Insight on Manufacturing and Ann Franz of the Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance on the 60th episode of NEW Manufacturing Insights, sponsored by Werner Electric Supply.

    Dan tells the co-hosts the history of his business, which specializes in low-voltage projects and dates back to 2006. He shares how his business philosophies have led him to embrace youth apprenticeship as a talent solution that has made a transformational difference for the company, and he also talks about what's next for his industry, including insights on the future of EV charging, heat pumps and digital electricity, data centers, microgrids and more.
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    25 mins
  • Ep. 59 (1/16/25): How Green Bay's Coex 3D is bolstering additive manufacturing in the New North

    Ep. 59 (1/16/25): How Green Bay's Coex 3D is bolstering additive manufacturing in the New North
    Jan 16 2025
    Todd Louthain, owner of Coex 3D in Green Bay, joins Kate and Ann on this week's episode of the podcast, which ties in with the January 2025 IOM cover story on additive manufacturing, "Addition by Addition," that was released yesterday. Louthain bought Coex 3D and spun it off from The Village Companies in 2022, and today it is one of only 14 domestic manufacturers of 3D printing filament selling to the open market.


    Louthain is more than a manufacturer, however. Coex 3D prides itself on providing additive manufacturing services and consultations to Wisconsin companies, including manufacturers like Wisconsin Lighting Lab in our New North region, which is also featured in the January cover story.


    Read "Addition by Addition" online: addi+ion by addi+ion | Cover Story | insightonbusiness.com


    Thank you to Werner Electric Supply for sponsoring this week's episode!
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    22 mins
  • Ep. 58 (1/9/25): Marine Travelift raises the standard

    Ep. 58 (1/9/25): Marine Travelift raises the standard
    Jan 9 2025
    Happy New Year from all of us at Insight Publications, the NEW Manufacturing Alliance, and Woodward Community Media, who are proud to kick off the third season of NEW Manufacturing Insights with a feature on Sturgeon Bay-based manufacturer Marine Travelift, which was recently awarded a military contract to build the U.S. Coast Guard's largest-ever boat lift and constructs 70 to 90 lifts per year, up to 1,000 metric tons in size, with customers on six continents. Director of HR Michelle Waldinger and Director of Sales and Marketing Brock Rubens join co-hosts Ann Franz and Kate Bruns on this week's episode to share more about the company's history, reputation and future.

    Marine Travelift was profiled in Insight on Business' January "Home Made" feature. Read "A heavy lift" online: https://www.insightonbusiness.com/features/homemade/a-heavy-lift/article_7d559824-c6ea-11ef-9bbc-cfed2626ff3a.html

    Thank you to Werner Electric Supply for sponsoring this week's episode!
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    23 mins
  • Ep. 57 (12/19/24): Helping kids ditch the digital life through boatbuilding

    Ep. 57 (12/19/24): Helping kids ditch the digital life through boatbuilding
    Dec 19 2024
    Mark Hawkins, founder of the nonprofit organization Hands on Deck, joins co-hosts Ann Franz and Kate Bruns on the final episode of 2024 to talk about how Hands on Deck is helping students learn the benefits of woodworking, enjoying device-free hobbies, and the fundamentals of manufacturing.


    Mark shares the history of the youth boat-building organization and how it has grown in popularity, serving K-12 students from across Wisconsin's New North region.


    Thank you to Appleton Airport for sponsoring this week's episode!
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    29 mins
  • Ep. 56 (12/12/24): Futurist Jonathan Brill talks manufacturing

    Ep. 56 (12/12/24): Futurist Jonathan Brill talks manufacturing
    Dec 12 2024
    Jonathan Brill, a seasoned inventor, the first person to hold the position of "global futurist" at HP, and a former adviser to the U.S. Secret Service, will speak in Green Bay on Feb. 28 at Envision Greater Green Bay's annual Global Futures Day Forum. In anticipation of that visit and connecting with leaders in Northeast Wisconsin, Brill joined co-hosts Ann Franz of the NEW Manufacturing Alliance and Kate Bruns of Insight on Manufacturing magazine on this week's episode of the NEW Manufacturing Insights podcast, sponsored by Appleton Airport.

    Among the topics Brill identifies on the podcast as being important in the next five years are AI and automation, preparing for the generational leadership shift, the uncertainty surrounding the incoming U.S. presidential administration, process innovation in manufacturing, and even the very rules of sciences like physics and economics that may undergo dramatic shifts before our eyes.
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    21 mins
  • Ep. 55 (12/5/24): Advanced Tooling Inc. is one of Wisconsin's best places to work

    Ep. 55 (12/5/24): Advanced Tooling Inc. is one of Wisconsin's best places to work
    Dec 5 2024
    Greg Schrage of Mt. Calvary's Advanced Tooling, Inc. joins co-hosts Kate Bruns and Ann Franz on this week's episode of NEW Manufacturing Insights, which looks back at the first-ever Best Places to Work in Manufacturing awards that were presented by Insight in November. ATI was not only one of the top 10 manufacturers that were honored for its high scores in the Workforce Research Group employee engagement survey, but the company performed well enough that it ranked No. 2 overall.

    Schrage talks about why ATI has been successful in engaging its workforce, acknowledging that its relatively small size makes it easier to offer more social opportunities, and shares a little more about the history of the family-owned company.

    Thank you to Appleton Airport for sponsoring this week's episode!
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    16 mins
  • Ep. 54 (11/21/24): New North, Inc. CEO Barb LaMue

    Ep. 54 (11/21/24): New North, Inc. CEO Barb LaMue
    Nov 21 2024
    Barb LaMue, the president and CEO of New North, Inc., joins co-hosts Kate Bruns of Insight on Manufacturing magazine and Ann Franz of the NEW Manufacturing Alliance on this week's episode. Listen in as Barb reflects on the organization's nearly 20 years of success chartering economic development in the 18-county region, including its talent and business attraction achievements and the potential impact of the upcoming 2025 NFL draft.

    This week's episode is sponsored by Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, which is launching its new Lean Alliance Dec. 3: https://events.nwtc.edu/corporate-training/event/detail/lean-alliance-9c7e60

    We will not be releasing a new episode next week. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at NEW Manufacturing Insights!
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    33 mins