Welcome to Manufacturing Minute!

I'm glad you're here.

Let's get to it.

🚨In the News

So Trump's declaring victory on his China trade deal... 55% tariffs on some stuff, China promises to ship magnets again, and we're rolling back export controls.

Here's what bugs me about this whole thing...

We spent years talking about rare earth independence. YEARS. Every manufacturing conference, every supply chain discussion - "we gotta get off Chinese rare earths." These materials run everything we make - semiconductors, defense tech, the works.

Now we're basically saying "never mind, we'll just buy from you again" in exchange for... what exactly? Maybe we hurt Temu sales?

As someone who's watched manufacturers struggle with supply chain nightmares for the past few years, this feels like we're choosing the easy button over the hard work of actually building resilience.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not anti-trade. But when you've got critical materials that power everything from your phone to missile systems, maybe "trust the supplier who cut you off before" isn't the winning strategy?

Just feels like we're trading long-term manufacturing independence for short-term convenience. Again.

Maybe I'm missing something, but from where I sit in the manufacturing world, this doesn't feel like the kind of strategic thinking that builds lasting competitiveness.

What am I missing here? 🤔

🏭 Manufacturing Minute

Had a plant manager tell me a while back that his team needs to "be more proactive about digital transformation."

I asked him what that looks like. He couldn't answer.

Here's the thing: Your operators, engineers, and techs don't need personality coaching. They need clear actions.

Stop saying "be more innovative" or "show more ownership."

Try this instead:

START doing [specific action]
STOP doing [specific action]
KEEP doing [specific action]

Real examples from my work:

Instead of "be more data-driven," say:
START checking the energy dashboard first thing every shift and documenting any anomalies you see.

Instead of "collaborate better," say:
STOP working around equipment issues alone. 

START tagging maintenance in the system within 30 minutes of noticing a problem.

Instead of "think bigger picture," say:
KEEP sharing those informal process improvements you mention during shift change. START documenting them in our improvement log.

The magic happens when you think about the specific moment that frustrated you. That moment always involves an action (or lack of one).

Your maintenance tech isn't "uncommitted to continuous improvement."

They just stopped filling out the equipment log because nobody ever responded to their suggestions.

Your feedback: "START using the new digital work order system for every repair. I'll personally review and respond to each one within 24 hours."

Manufacturing is about precision. Your feedback should be too.

What specific action do you wish your team would start, stop, or keep doing?

P.S., Whether you're trying to make sense of Industry 4.0, struggling with legacy systems, or just need a sounding board from someone who's navigated similar waters, let's talk. Book Your 30-Minute Strategy Call →

P.P.S., if you are a nerd (like me), the next installment of my Manufacturing-themed D&D comic is out! See it here: