Industrial Talk Media

Industrial Talk is onsite at MD&M West and talking to Todd Schultz, Commercial Strategy Manager at KIPP USA about "Manufacturing components to improve work".

Overview

Todd described KIPP Inc.’s precision-engineered components, customization capabilities, and positive market outlook.

Products And Production
KIPP makes handles, spring and indexing plungers, toggle clamps, and other machine components; spring plungers are among its top U.S. sellers.
The company manufactures most of its products at its facility in Germany, including die-cast zinc handles and threaded components. It also distributes products, primarily sourced in Europe.
Custom Solutions
KIPP accommodates common changes such as thread length, thread type, and color, with minimum quantities depending on the scope of customization.
For smaller needs that do not justify custom production, KIPP may suggest adapting a stocked part.

Market Outlook
Todd said tariff uncertainty has both won and cost KIPP business, while the company continues to see strong interest and is growing.
How will the unsettled tariff situation affect the market as conditions evolve?

Outline
KIPP And Its Products
Todd Schultz is KIPP Inc.’s marketing manager; the company specializes in precision-engineered components.
Products include handles, spring and indexing plungers, toggle clamps, work-holding products, and other machine components.
KIPP produces roughly 80% of its offerings and distributes the remainder, primarily from Europe.

Manufacturing And Customization
KIPP’s manufacturing facility is in Germany; it makes die-cast zinc handles and threaded components in-house.
Customizations range from different threads or lengths to colors and design changes. Minimum quantities depend on the requested changes.
For low-quantity requests, KIPP may recommend adapting a standard component rather than commissioning custom production.

Customer Needs And Market
Customers at the show often discover that a stocked component can replace a part they were planning to make themselves.
Tariffs have created uncertainty and affected business in both directions; KIPP remains optimistic and reports growth.
Todd can be found on LinkedIn, and the company website is KIPPUSA.com.

If interested in being on the Industrial Talk show, simply contact us and let's have a quick conversation.

Finally, get your exclusive free access to the Industrial Academy and a series on “Why You Need To Podcast” for Greater Success in 2026. All links designed for keeping you current in this rapidly changing Industrial Market. Learn! Grow! Enjoy!

TODD SCHULTZ'S CONTACT INFORMATION:
Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-s-schultz/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kipp-usa/
Company Website: https://www.kippusa.com/en-us/

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Industrial Talk/BCC is talking to Jonatan Perez, Delivery Lead, Offensive Security with Var Group about "Hacking Village - Developing ethical hacking skills".

Overview

The conversation explains the purpose of the Barcelona Cybersecurity Congress’s Hacking Village and highlights practical cybersecurity risks and defenses.

Hacking Village
Jonatan described a safe, hands-on environment for exploring cybersecurity through activities such as capture-the-flag challenges, lock picking, soldering, and simulated OT systems.
Ethical hackers identify vulnerabilities, help organizations fix them, and strengthen defensive teams’ ability to detect attacks.
AI Risks
AI can introduce vulnerabilities in chatbots and systems that expose information or allow unintended use.
AI can accelerate attacks and broaden access to hacking tools, but it relies on vulnerabilities that organizations must address through established security practices.
Security Practices
Current software alone does not ensure safety; configuration and proper use matter, and security must be ongoing rather than a one-time penetration test.
VAR Group describes working with clients to scope testing, communicate findings, guide remediation, collaborate with defensive teams, and retest fixes.

Outline
Congress and Hacking Village
VAR Group attends to share expertise, stay current, and connect with clients and cybersecurity professionals.
The Hacking Village offers safe, practical activities for people to explore different areas of cybersecurity.
Ethical Hacking and AI
Ethical hacking helps find vulnerabilities before malicious actors exploit them and tests defensive tools and procedures.
AI speeds up attack activity and can create new risks in organizations’ own AI tools; human expertise remains necessary to use AI effectively.
Organizational Security
Security depends on configuration and use, not only software versions, and requires recurring assessment.
VAR Group’s approach includes collaborative scoping, testing, remediation guidance, defensive-team learning, and retesting.

If interested in being on the Industrial Talk show, simply contact us and let's have a quick conversation.

Finally, get your exclusive free access to the Industrial Academy and a series on “Why You Need To Podcast” for Greater Success in 2026. All links designed for keeping you current in this rapidly changing Industrial Market. Learn! Grow! Enjoy!

JONATAN PEREZ'S CONTACT INFORMATION:
Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonatan-perez-lopez/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vargroup-spa/
Company Website: https://www.vargroup.com/

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Industrial Talk is talking to Samir Bounab Toledano, Founder/CEO at BlackOrbit about "Solving New Product Introduction Coordination Tax".

Overview

The discussion introduced Black Orbit NPI and its approach to reducing coordination delays in manufacturing new-product introductions.

Product Approach
NPI coordinates engineering, supply chain, project management, quality, operations, sales, and management from customer order through readiness for scaled production.
Black Orbit connects project plans with data from the ERP and supplier emails, surfacing mismatches such as late materials or conflicting dates. The initial integration is read-only; bidirectional updates may be considered after processes and trust mature.
Project and program managers and engineering are the primary users; supply chain remains centered on the ERP.
Challenges and Outlook
The coordination tax includes capacity lost to manual work, latency from stalled handoffs, and missed growth opportunities. AI can help structure information from emails, PDFs, and other sources without requiring a large data-cleanup project first.
When will bidirectional integration be appropriate? Samir said it could be considered after usage data and confidence in processes improve.

Outline
Black Orbit and NPI
Samir described his engineering, product, and business background and the motivation for building Black Orbit.
NPI covers the path from customer order or specification to production at scale, involving multiple teams and frequent design, bill-of-material, date, and priority changes.
Coordination Tax and Platform
The coordination tax was described as lost capacity from busywork, latency from delayed handoffs, and reduced opportunity to serve customers and grow.
Black Orbit NPI provides project visibility and coordination, connecting project plans with ERP data and supplier emails to flag conflicts and risks.
Initial ERP integration is read-only, preserving it as the system of record. A dashboard is intended to make issues visible quickly.
Data and Future Direction
AI can help extract and reconcile information from unstructured sources; usability and pragmatic data intake reduce dependence on extensive data cleanup.
Samir expects greater manufacturing digitization and sees project-centric manufacturing as the product’s starting category, with potential expansion to additional use cases.

If interested in being on the Industrial Talk show, simply contact us and let's have a quick conversation.

Finally, get your exclusive free access to the Industrial Academy and a series on “Why You Need To Podcast” for Greater Success in 2026. All links designed for keeping you current in this rapidly changing Industrial Market. Learn! Grow! Enjoy!

SAMIR BOUNAB TOLEDANO'S CONTACT INFORMATION:
Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samir-bounab/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackorbit/
Company Website: https://blackorbit.ai/

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Industrial Talk is onsite at Build Freedom Summit  and talking to Chad Duty, CEO of IACMI about "Training the manufacturing future".

Overview

The discussion focused on IACMI’s manufacturing workforce programs and their role in strengthening U.S. manufacturing capacity.

Workforce Network
Chad, CEO since 2023, described a network of more than 50 universities and community colleges across dozens of states.
Programs combine online curriculum with no-cost, weeklong hands-on boot camps; a train-the-trainer program supports consistent instruction.
Partner locations are prioritized by regional industry needs, existing manufacturing capabilities, and workforce demand.
The workforce need is national, but solutions must be tailored to regional needs; outreach should begin early and present skilled trades as an equally valuable path alongside college.
Scaling Priorities
IACMI aims to expand the network to hundreds or thousands of institutions, with growth dependent on funding and the ability to scale sustainably.
Build Freedom supports efforts to strengthen supply chains, national security, and the connection between manufacturing and innovation.
How quickly can funding and training capacity grow to meet the expanding workforce demand?

Outline
Manufacturing Workforce Programs
IACMI developed from composites research and internships into a broader workforce development effort.
Online courses lead into intensive, hands-on boot camps; the training network includes more than 50 institutions across dozens of states.
Train-the-trainer instruction and regional partner selection support program quality and relevance.
Regional Demand and Early Outreach
Partner sites are assessed against industry demand, local capabilities, and workforce needs.
Economic development groups help connect workforce planning with company expansion and reshoring.
The discussion emphasized early exposure to manufacturing careers and equal respect for college and skilled-trade pathways.
Manufacturing and National Resilience
Participants discussed supply-chain fragility and the need to connect domestic manufacturing with innovation.
Build Freedom supports workforce, innovation, and supply-chain efforts intended to bolster economic stability and national security.
Expansion is desired, but sustainable growth depends on funding and training capacity.

If interested in being on the Industrial Talk show, simply contact us and let's have a quick conversation.

Finally, get your exclusive free access to the Industrial Academy and a series on “Why You Need To Podcast” for Greater Success in 2026. All links designed for keeping you current in this rapidly changing Industrial Market. Learn! Grow! Enjoy!

CHAD DUTY'S CONTACT INFORMATION:
Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-duty-52784948/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iacmi/
Company Website: https://www.iacmi.org/

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Industrial Talk is onsite at SMRP 2026 and talking to Gary Specter and Jason Penkethman Executive Team at Limble about "Focus on Technology Usability".

Overview

The discussion focused on how Limble is shaping its maintenance software around customer needs, technician usability, and practical innovation.

Product Focus
Jason described redesigning the mobile app around technicians’ daily tasks, work environments, and access to relevant information at the equipment.
Limble is exploring AI-supported freeform-text entry and voice notes to reduce data-entry friction.
Gary emphasized usability and accurate, current data as prerequisites for software adoption and value.
Strategy And Data
Limble is choosing specific manufacturing and distribution subverticals rather than trying to serve every industry; it aims to guide customers toward a better fit when needed.
The team is exploring AI-assisted data rationalization to help migrate legacy records and reconcile differing terminology.
Gary described a customer-driven strategy and an ambition for Limble to become central to customers’ operating systems. Jason highlighted the opportunity to improve software adoption and help customers progress from reactive maintenance toward predictive and prescriptive practices.

Outline
Conference And Community
Jason said the focused event enabled more customer conversations than a larger trade show.
Gary valued the community of asset-management vendors, technology providers, and industry partners.
Technician Usability
Jason described a mobile-app redesign based on technician workflows, timely information, and conditions such as gloves, noise, lighting, and heat.
The team discussed voice notes and AI-assisted conversion of freeform text into structured fields as ways to reduce data-entry burden.
Customer Fit And Data
Gary said Limble is concentrating on selected manufacturing and distribution subverticals and recognizes it may not fit every organization.
Gary and Jason discussed cleaning and rationalizing legacy data, including aligning terminology across systems; AI may help automate categorization and expose useful historical information.
Company Direction
Gary described a customer-driven culture, ecosystem development, and a goal of making Limble central to customers’ operations.
Jason highlighted improving adoption and helping customers advance from reactive maintenance toward more proactive approaches.

If interested in being on the Industrial Talk show, simply contact us and let's have a quick conversation.

Finally, get your exclusive free access to the Industrial Academy and a series on “Why You Need To Podcast” for Greater Success in 2025. All links designed for keeping you current in this rapidly changing Industrial Market. Learn! Grow! Enjoy!

GARY SPECTER'S CONTACT INFORMATION:
Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-specter/
Company LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/limble/
Company Website: https://limble.com/

JASON PENKETHMAN'S CONTACT INFORMATION:
Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpenkethman/

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