Brian Baker with Sentry Equipment
Industrial Talk is talking to Brian Baker, President and CEO of Sentry Equipment about “Achieving manufacturing excellence with high employee satisfaction”.
Scott Mackenzie interviews Brian Baker, CEO of Sentry Equipment, highlighting the company’s 100-year history and its role in power generation and water sampling. Baker discusses Sentry’s evolution from supporting dairy boilers to power plants and other industries, emphasizing the importance of low-cost energy, a skilled workforce, advanced technology, and the U.S. being the largest market. He also explains Sentry’s transition to employee ownership in 1986, which has motivated employees and improved customer service. Baker advocates for employee ownership as a fair and effective transition strategy for business owners.
Allan Schurr with Enchanted Rock
Industrial Talk is onsite at DistribuTech 2025 and talking to Allan Schurr, Chief Commercial Officer at Enchanted Rock about “Microgrids and onsite generation”.
Scott MacKenzie interviews Allan Schurr, Chief Commercial Officer at Enchanted Rock, about their on-site generation solutions using natural gas reciprocating engines. Enchanted Rock provides backup power for data centers and other industrial customers, offering services to the grid when needed. They have 370 microgrid sites and 2,000 generators, with the largest sites having over 100 generators. Schurr discusses the benefits of natural gas over diesel, the importance of proactive maintenance using data analytics, and the potential for nuclear power in the future. Enchanted Rock is vertically integrated, handling EPC, manufacturing, O&M, and market-facing work.
Dilraj Kahai and Eric Shufelt with 21Tech
Industrial Talk is onsite at Hexagon LIVE and talking to Dilraj Kahai and Eric Shufelt with 21Tech about “Data is gold and key to success”.
Scott Mackenzie hosts an industrial podcast featuring Dilraj and Eric from 21 Tech, discussing asset management and AI solutions. They highlight the challenges of integrating AI into asset management due to incomplete and dirty data. 21 Tech’s approach involves developing AI point solutions to automate processes and clean data incrementally, making it more manageable for clients. They focus on public sector industries like transit, utilities, and public works, offering pre-built solutions to expand market reach. Eric Shufelt emphasizes the importance of understanding client needs and processes to ensure successful implementations and continuous improvement of systems.
Joe Anderson with ReliabilityX
Industrial Talk is onsite at Xcelerate 2025 and talking to Joe Anderson, Chief Operating Officer at ReliabilityX about “Reliability is all about the people”.
At the Xcelerate 2024 conference in Austin, Texas, Scott Mackenzie and Joe Anderson discussed the importance of empathy and human connection in leadership. Joe, co-founder and COO of Reliability X, emphasized the need for leaders to treat employees with respect and invest in their development. He highlighted the challenges of organizational instability and the necessity of designating a champion for sustainable success. Joe shared a case where a successful pilot line was disrupted due to lack of investment in people. They also touched on the skilled trade shortage, the need for better PR in promoting trades, and the impact of educational systems on career choices.
James Soto with Industrial Strength Marketing
Industrial Talk is talking to James Soto, CEO at Industrial Strength Marketing about “Manufacturing resources for manufacturing success”.
Scott Mackenzie hosts James Soto on the Industrial Talk Podcast to discuss the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). Soto highlights the MEP’s role in supporting small and medium-sized manufacturers through resources like Lean Six Sigma and addressing skilled labor gaps. He emphasizes the MEP’s importance in reshoring and nearshoring efforts and its collaboration with universities and advanced manufacturing institutes. Soto notes funding challenges and the need for continued support to maintain the MEP’s impact. He advocates for manufacturers to engage with the MEP for efficiency, funding, and innovation, stressing the network’s irreplaceable value.
