In this episode of Manufacturing Mavericks, Bob McGregor, President of Neo Industries, shares his journey of turning around a micro-machining company in Colleyville, TX. When Bob purchased the struggling business, he had to navigate financial setbacks and make strategic decisions, including firing unprofitable customers and even sending apology fruit baskets—ultimately leading to success in contract manufacturing.

Bob's persistence and optimism shine as he discusses learning new skills, overhauling operations, and rebuilding customer trust. The conversation offers insights into the challenges and rewards of revitalizing a manufacturing company.

SHOW NOTES

• 01:22 How the fight began (The Origins of Neo Industries).
• 06:00 Leaning on fFamily for support.
• 09:38 What comes after the fight?
• 10:45 Rebuilding begins with finding low-hanging fruit.
• 13:26 Navigating COVID and defense contracts.
• 15:48 Rebuilding trust and firing bad customers.
• 17:35 Overcoming cultural shifts and starting over.
• 24:32 What it means to be a Manufacturing Maverick.
• 26:32 The zero principal & putting your customers first.
• 28:38 When you’re ready to win, stop doing the things that cause you to lose.
• 30:38 Making the change to contract manufacturing.
• 40:32 What Bob would tell his younger self.

In this special year-end episode of Manufacturing Mavericks, we reflect on the fantastic guests we’ve had on the show in 2024 and recap some of their best moments. This episode recaps insightful discussions with shop leaders and industry pioneers who have shared their experiences, challenges, and wisdom with Greg McHale.

Join Greg as he revisits conversations featuring some of the most influential and inspiring voices in precision manufacturing. They discuss navigating manufacturing automation and technology, building a thriving workplace culture, and becoming CMMC 2.0 compliant.

And don’t forget to check out the full episodes at www.mfgmavericks.com to learn valuable lessons from those shaping the future of manufacturing!

SHOW NOTES

• (1:38) Rob Caron, Founder of Caron Engineering
• (5:05) Kylan Hastreiter, Vice President of Hastreiter Industries
• (7:00) Mike Payne, Owner, Hill Manufacturing
• (9:04) Paul Van Metre, Co-Founder, Proshop ERP
• (11:05) Eric Van Orden, Paramount Machine Swiss Leads
• (14:56) Gustavo Gutierrez, Owner of GC Machining Solutions
• (18:29) Tony Gunn, America’s Manufacturing MC
• (20:14) Adam Gordon. Vice President of Operations, Tendon Manufacturing
• (22:43) Randal Leach, Operations Manager at Ricaurte Precision

FULL EPISODES:

• It Always Starts with a Broom and a Bridgeport with Randal Leach
• Evolving With Your Customers Across Multiple Generations with Adam Gordon
• Twisted Roads Make Better Stories with Tony Gunn
• What It Takes to Build a Business with Your Name on the Door with Rob Caron
• Humility, Curiosity, and Impatience - The Key Ingredients of Entrepreneurship with Gus Guttierez
• Making Things Happen with Eric Van Orden
• If It Wasn’t For A Car Magazine…with Paul Van Metre
• Don’t Tell Me No - Tell Me How with Mike Payne
• From Hog Shed to Top Shop—The Evolution of a Family Business with Kylan Hastreiter

In this episode of Manufacturing Mavericks, Greg welcomes Randal Leach, Operations Manager at Ricaurte Precision, to discuss his journey into manufacturing, which didn’t start with love, but his frustrations turned into opportunity when he realized how much better manufacturing processes and work experiences could be with the right culture and technology! Randal and Greg discuss CMMC 2.0 compliance and what it means for companies like Ricaurte. Plus, you’ll learn why embracing modern systems can redefine what it’s like to run a "precision machining facility."

SHOW NOTES

• Randall's Journey into Manufacturing (01:14)
• The Evolution of Manufacturing Technology (02:38)
• The Importance of Accountability and Data (06:23)
• Meeting Hernan and Joining Ricarte Precision (07:19)
• Embracing Digital Transformation to Keep Up (11:23)
• Preparing for CMMC 2.0 Compliance (12:44)
• Future Investments and Automation Using the Visibility from Machine Monitoring (21:08)
• Welcome Technology Onto Your Shop Floor to Improve Productivity and Make More (27:35)
• Randal’s Final Thoughts and Advice for Future Generations (31:46)