Nikki Smith and Niccolette Hyland at Xcelerate 2026

Industrial Talk is onsite at Xcelerate 2026 and talking to Nikki Smith with Lineage and Niccolette Hyland with Fluke about “Women in Reliability”.

The Industrial Talk podcast, sponsored by Fluke, featured a discussion on women in reliability with Nikki Smith and Niccolette Hyland. Nikki, with 18 years in reliability, shared her journey from safety to engineering after her husband's workplace accident. Niccolette , in marketing, highlighted the importance of women in engineering and reliability, citing her experience with male-dominated fields. They discussed the cultural impact at Fluke, emphasizing teamwork and psychological safety. Nikki mentioned Lineage Logistics' 500+ sites and their CMMS implementation, aiming for 100% completion in North America. The conversation underscored the need for diverse perspectives in reliability and the potential of AI to enhance maintenance.

Jeff Williams with Commercial Fleet Financing

Industrial Talk is onsite at MD&M West and talking to Jeff Williams, Vice President at Commercial Fleet Financing about “Capital for Expansion”.

The conversation, hosted by Scott Mackenzie at MD&M West, features Jeff Williams from Commercial Fleet Financing. Jeff discusses the importance of financing in the manufacturing industry, highlighting the impact of lower interest rates on business expansion. He notes that his company, a family-owned broker, offers quick funding within 24 hours and has a high repeat business rate. Jeff emphasizes the role of financial partners in helping businesses reach their potential and achieve strategic goals. He also mentions the increasing demand for working capital loans and the competitive advantage of larger companies. Contact information for Jeff will be available on Industrial Talk's website.

Dr. Paul Lynch with Penn State METAL Program

Industrial Talk is onsite at Penn State and talking to Dr. Paul Lynch, Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering with Penn State about “Educating the Future Industrial Leaders”.

Scott Mackenzie hosts the Industrial Talk podcast, celebrating industry professionals and their contributions. In this episode, he interviews Dr. Paul Lynch, who oversees the Metallurgical Engineering Trade Apprenticeship and Learning (METAL) program at Penn State Erie. Dr. Lynch discusses the importance of manufacturing in Erie, Pennsylvania, and the METAL program's role in training the next generation of skilled workers. He emphasizes the need for hands-on training and collaboration between industry and academia to address the workforce shortage. The program aims to inspire interest in manufacturing careers and provide practical skills through boot camps and apprenticeships. Dr. Lynch also highlights the upcoming new center for manufacturing competitiveness at Penn State Erie.

Daniel Aiken with ROCKWOOL

Industrial Talk is onsite at PowerGen and talking to Daniel “Dan” Aiken, Business Unit Director with ROCKWOOL Technical Insulation about “Stone Wool”.

Scott Mackenzie introduces ElevoTec, a company offering ERP, EAM, and business intelligence solutions, and promotes the Industrial Talk podcast. At PowerGen in San Antonio, Scott interviews Dan Aiken from ROCKWOOL Technical Installation. ROCKWOOL, a global company based in Denmark, manufactures stone wool insulation from basalt rock. They have four North American factories and are opening a new one in Mississippi. ROCKWOOL's products are fireproof, hydrophobic, and offer superior acoustics, making them ideal for power generation applications. They recently launched CR Tech, a corrosion-resistant pipe insulation. Dan encourages reaching out via LinkedIn for more information.

Salim Jaffer with Mobius

Industrial Talk is onsite at Xcelerate 2026 and talking to Salim Jaffer, Strategic Account Manager at Mobius Institute about “Reliability success = Culture”.

The conversation features Salim Jaffer, a strategic account manager at Mobius Institute, discussing his extensive experience in the industry, particularly in reliability and root cause analysis (RCA). He highlights his background with companies like Bentley Nevada, GE, Baker Hughes, and Emerson, and his current role in developing partnerships and training in the Gulf Coast region. Jaffer emphasizes the importance of RCA, the need for a cultural shift towards reliability, and the role of data in predictive maintenance. He also promotes Mobius Institute's professional training programs, which cover various aspects of asset management and reliability, including vibration analysis, lube oil analysis, and ultrasound training.

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