Podcast Archives | Industrial Talk

Dr. Karl Hoffower with Failure Prevention Associates

Industrial Talk is onsite at SMRP 2025 and talking to Dr. Karl Hoffower, Executive Director at Failure Prevention Associates about “Industrial Skills Gaps”.

Scott Mackenzie and Dr. Karl Hoffower discuss the importance of asset management and reliability in industrial settings. Dr. Hoffower, former Chief of Physical Medicine and Rehab, now leads Failure Prevention Associates, which provides diagnostic tools and services for asset condition monitoring. They highlight the parallels between healthcare diagnostics and asset monitoring, emphasizing the need for human expertise to interpret AI-generated data. Dr. Hoffower also addresses the skills gap in the labor force, noting a decline in labor participation rates to 63% from 80%. They stress the importance of education and training to inspire the next generation and ensure the success of IoT and wireless sensor technologies.

Will Ocean with Maintain Reliability

Industrial Talk is onsite at Xcelerate 2026 and talking to Will Ocean, Managing Director with Maintain Reliability about “Operational success starts with reliability”.

The conversation revolves around the Fluke Xcelerate 2026 event, which focused on reliability, predictive maintenance, and AI diagnostics. Scott MacKenzie, the host of the Industrial Talk Podcast, interviews Will Ocean, a Managing Director at Maintain Reliability, about the importance of culture and technology in industrial operations. They discuss the challenges of implementing reliability strategies, the need for mentorship and training, and the difficulty of measuring the ROI of preventive measures. Will emphasizes the importance of a cultural shift towards reliability and the role of thought leaders in inspiring and educating the next generation of industry professionals.

Tyson Robinett and Alex Hawes with Central Power Systems and Services

Industrial Talk is onsite at PowerGen and talking to Tyson Robinett and Alex Hawes with Central Power Systems and Services about “A hungry energy market”.

The conversation features Scott Mackenzie hosting the Industrial Talk podcast at Power Gen in San Antonio, featuring guests Tyson Robinett and Alex Hawes from Central Power Systems and Services. Tyson has been with the company for 27 years, primarily in the generator sector, while Alex has been there for five years, previously in sales for VA Supply. They discuss the company’s role as a solutions provider rather than just a generator manufacturer, emphasizing their ability to provide multi-fuel generators and customized solutions for various industries, including data centers and oil and gas. They highlight the challenges of meeting market demand, particularly due to supply chain issues and the need for fast power solutions. The conversation also touches on the importance of human interaction in business and the role of venture capital in financing projects.

Tony Paine with HighByte

Industrial Talk is talking to Tony Paine, Co-Founder/CEO at HighByte about “Data insights solutions for your operational technology stack”.

Scott Mackenzie hosts the Industrial Talk Podcast, celebrating industry professionals and discussing innovations. In this episode, he interviews Tony Paine, co-founder and CEO of HighByte, a company that specializes in data management and intelligence. Tony shares his 30-year experience in industrial automation, highlighting Hi By’s role in standardizing and structuring data across enterprises. He emphasizes the importance of AI in preparing data for consumption and the need for a collaborative approach between IT and OT teams. Tony also discusses HighByte’s implementation strategy, focusing on small, proof-of-value projects to demonstrate value and ease subsequent implementations. The conversation underscores the critical role of data in driving efficiency and resilience in manufacturing.

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.

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.