Episodes | Industrial Talk

Matthew Garcia with Kawasaki Robotics

Industrial Talk is onsite at MD&M West and talking to Matthew Garcia, Regional Sales Manager with with Kawasaki Robotics about “AI and Vision guided robots”.

Matthew Garcia, Regional Sales Manager at Kawasaki Robotics, discussed the company’s history and innovations at MD&M West. Kawasaki, a $15 billion company with roots in shipbuilding, introduced the first hydraulic robot in the late 60s. They now offer robots from 3 kg to 1500 kg, catering to various industries like food and beverage, automotive, and aerospace. Garcia emphasized Kawasaki’s focus on partner support and personalized attention. He highlighted recent advancements in AI and vision-guided robots. Despite tariffs, Kawasaki’s Japanese manufacturing and shipping line help maintain competitiveness. Garcia provided his contact information for further inquiries.

Julian Knabe with Fluke

Industrial Talk is onsite at Xcelerate 2026 and talking to Julian Knabe, Senior Director with Fluke about “Adapt and Evolve to Markets”.

The conversation features Scott Mackenzie from the Industrial Talk podcast discussing the Fluke Xcelerate event in Austin, Texas, with Julian Knabe, a finance professional at Fluke. Julian shares his experience transitioning from cost-cutting to strategic finance, focusing on growth and customer impact. He highlights Fluke’s extensive product portfolio, including over 50,000 SKUs, and identifies high-growth markets like data centers, distributed energy, renewables, and defense. The discussion emphasizes the importance of AI and technology in enhancing efficiency and customer workflows, and the need for companies to adapt and innovate to meet evolving market demands.

David Dickert and Frank Moyer with ANA, Inc.

Industrial Talk is onsite at PowerGen and talking to David Dickert and Frank Moyer with ANA, Inc. about “Traditional generation with battery technology”.

David Dickert and Frank Moyer discussed their roles and innovations at ANA, a company specializing in power solutions. David, with 38 years in the industry, leads sales, while Frank is the sector leader for North America data centers. They highlighted their E-Boss technology, a hybrid system combining diesel or natural gas generators with lithium titanate oxide (LTO) batteries, which offers 80,000 cycles compared to LFP’s 6,000-7,000 cycles. E-Boss can scale from 25 kVA to 50 MW, with a small footprint and high efficiency. They also introduced new extended battery packs for longer run times.

Tom Fletcher with Projective

Industrial Talk is talking to Tom Fletcher, Sr. Project Manager at Projective Engineering about “Utility management and optimization”.

Scott Mackenzie introduces Elevotec’s ERP, EAM, and business intelligence solutions, emphasizing their ROI and expertise. He then welcomes Tom Fletcher from Projective Engineering, discussing asset management and utilities. Tom shares his background in utilities and Projective’s focus on optimizing utility operations. They discuss the challenges of managing aging assets, the importance of proactive maintenance, and the role of AI in improving efficiency. Tom highlights Projective’s role in helping clients achieve sustainability goals and manage risks. Scott stresses the need for industry professionals to inspire the next generation and effectively communicate the industry’s value.

Chris Napier with Augury

Industrial Talk is onsite at SMRP 2025 and talking to Chris Napier, Reliability Success Manager at Augury about “Predictive maintenance with AI”.

Chris Napier, a predictive maintenance technician with Augury, discussed the evolution of maintenance and reliability practices over 25 years. Augury’s predictive maintenance platform uses advanced sensors and AI algorithms to monitor machine health, integrating with CMMS systems via APIs. Napier emphasized the importance of a solid foundation in reliability practices, such as building a comprehensive Bill of Materials (BOM) in CMMS systems, to effectively utilize new technology. He highlighted the role of human expertise in refining algorithms and ensuring effective preventative maintenance. Napier also stressed the importance of trust and collaboration in implementing and optimizing maintenance strategies.

The world is changing fast! Industrial businesses are juggling every facet of business maintenance and growth, ranging from technological/digital media adaptations to cash flow management and operational efficiency challenges. How do industrial business leaders stay current while managing growth and casting vision for the future? The answers could be found in a learning environment, but never before has there been a place for continuing education in the industrial business arena. UNTIL NOW…

The INDUSTRIAL ACADEMY IS HERE. Finally there is a clearinghouse for all things industrial to assist the business leader. Course offerings provide up-to-date applicable information in business development, technology, finance, operations and leadership presented in an engaging, movement-oriented manner by those in the know. These professionals don’t just talk the talk. They walk the walk with purpose and passion for building not just the industrial business but also the people who make things happen.

The Industrial Talk Podcast family looks forward to learning and growing with you!

When I was in elementary school, our teacher would show us films of industrial professionals making our lives better. For me, these films instilled the passion for industry.

Today, industry has come along way from when I was a boy. It is innovative and focused on solving problems. In short, it’s really cool and exciting.

We need to teach children, around the world, and bring back the “Cool” and “Exciting” and why industry is a wonderful profession. That means we need industrial professionals to re-instill this industrial passion.

This is the Purpose of Industrial Pop. It is an online learning management platform (LMP) dedicated to educating our youth in the ever expanding and innovative world of industry. We also provide this LMP for our teachers to share with their class.

These are very exciting times for industry and we must begin educating our future and it starts with you. If you are interested, please contact me at: https://industrialtalk.com/contact/ and just let me know that you are interested in positively impacting our future industry leaders.