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This show is a solo promo for my upcoming book, which went to the publisher last week.

In it, I discuss the book, tentatively titled, "Inspiring American Makers," which profiles 22 American manufacturers to counter the misconception that the U.S. no longer manufactures. I highlight the country's second-place ranking in global manufacturing and advocate for a resurgence in national industrial power. I also emphasize the positive impact of automation on manufacturing jobs, which have evolved beyond the dangerous and dirty tasks of the past. Finally, I address the decline in male workforce participation and the need for education reform to value hands-on trades.

My book aims to inspire and inform about the dynamic and essential role of American manufacturing.

To get regular email updates about it, please sign up for my newsletter here:

http://eepurl.com/i1RHCI

Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section. And definitely share this with your friends and colleagues!

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Yep, we're right back to discussing the American shipbuilding crisis!

During our January focus on shipbuilding, one of the best articles we used as a resource was one on the Jones Act co-authored by Colin Grabow at the Cato Institute.

Colin joined us to share his broader perspectives on the U.S. shipbuilding situation.

Colin discussed the complexities of shipbuilding, emphasizing the need for free market principles. He highlighted the inefficiencies of the Jones Act, which mandates U.S.-built ships for domestic water transport, noting it has failed to protect U.S. shipbuilding competitiveness. He pointed out that U.S. shipyards build fewer than three large ocean-going cargo ships annually, compared to China's 800. Colin suggested reducing tariffs on steel, attracting skilled foreign workers, and rethinking the Jones Act to allow U.S. shipyards to specialize and compete globally. He also criticized the Ships for America Act for its potential to exacerbate labor shortages in the Navy.

Highlights:
00:00 - Introduction
04:53 - Philosophy on Shipbuilding and the Jones Act
08:14 - Challenges and Failures of the Jones Act
14:47 - Historical Context and Government Involvement
18:36 - Government Regulation and Market Dynamics
22:05 - Comparative Analysis with Other Countries
25:19 - The Ships for America Act and Its Implications
31:39 - Navy Shipbuilding Challenges
33:27 - Recommendations for Improving Shipbuilding

This was an incredibly deep and detailed discussion, folks. Tune in for the whole thing and learn a bunch about not just shipbuilding but lessons that apply to American manufacturing as whole.

Colin's article about the Jones Act: https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/pubs/pdf/pa845.pdf

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Too many manufacturers still struggle with effective maintenance management, and still scratch their heads over what they should be doing with AI.

MaintainX has answers for them on both counts. They're leading the digital revolution in maintenance and operations, enhancing the way teams work and collaborate worldwide.

Hugo Dozios-Caouette, CTO and co-founder of MaintainX, joined us to discussed the company's AI-assisted industrial maintenance software. MaintainX focuses on improving maintenance efficiency by reducing paper-based processes and enhancing user experience. Hugo emphasized the importance of starting AI implementations at the field level to build trust and capture critical knowledge. The company aims to automate routine tasks, improve data accuracy, and provide just-in-time assistance to technicians. Future plans include enhancing AI capabilities, improving asset management, and facilitating machine connectivity to optimize operations and compliance.

Here are some of the highlights:
00:00 - Introduction
04:09 - Focus on Maintenance in Manufacturing
08:02 - Consumerization of Enterprise Software
08:43 - Integration of AI in Manufacturing
11:09 - Challenges of Top-Down AI Implementation
14:09 - Importance of Frontline Workers' Knowledge
18:20 - Maintain X's Solutions and Implementation
21:18 - Preparing for Maintain X Implementation
26:04 - Future Directions for Maintain X

This is a meaty episode! Tune in for the whole thing.

MaintainX website: https://www.getmaintainx.com/

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It's the fourth and final week of the monthlong solo efforts by our host Jim Vinoski and his deep dive into the crisis in American shipbuilding.

This week's episode focuses on identifying solutions to the tremendous problems we face.

Jim discusses a number of the solutions his research has identified for the crisis, emphasizing the need for a stronger Navy presence and consistent ship orders to support existing shipyards. He highlights the impact of regulatory costs and labor issues, advocating for a national consortium to review regulations and improve workforce development. Jim supports the Ships for America Act for public funding to boost shipbuilding but acknowledges potential unforeseen consequences. He calls for studying successful shipbuilding nations like China and Europe to learn best practices.

At the end, however, Jim expresses skepticism about the likelihood of implementing these solutions due to current political priorities and the utter insanity of much of our "expert" class.

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It's the third week of solo efforts by our host Jim Vinoski to do a deep dive into the crisis in American shipbuilding. This week's episode is focused on identifying the causes of the problems.

Jim discusses the crisis in American shipbuilding, citing historical inefficiencies and current challenges. He references articles by Brian Potter, Colin Grabow, Inu Manak, Daniel Ikenson, and Samuel Czwartacki to highlight issues like high labor and input costs, the impact of unions, and protectionist laws like the Jones Act. Post-WWII, America's share of global shipbuilding dropped from 60% to 2%. He notes the decline in shipyards from 50 to 14 and the shift from ocean-going vessels to barges. Vinoski criticizes current policies and regulations, advocating for deregulation and domestic mining to support the industry.

Highlights:
00:00 - Problems in the American Shipbuilding Industry
04:29 - Impact of the World Wars, and the Post-War Period
06:45 - Decline in Shipbuilding Capabilities
10:26 - The Specific Causes

Here are the links to the resource articles:

https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/why-cant-the-us-build-ships

https://www.cato.org/publications/policy-analysis/jones-act-burden-america-can-no-longer-bear

https://americarenewing.com/issues/primer-deterioration-abuse-and-waste-in-the-shipbuilding-industry/

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It's a second week in a row with a solo show by our host Jim Vinoski!

Jim discusses the reluctance he has encountered repeatedly in his efforts to address the crisis in American shipbuilding. Despite significant declines—from 60% to 0.3% of global ocean-going shipbuilding capacity—and critical national security implications, many experts and high-ranking officials avoid the topic like the plague. Jim cites examples of ghosting and political pressures as some of the possible reasons for this silence. He emphasizes the urgency of addressing the issue, noting the U.S.'s current Navy strength, and the need for collaboration with allies.

Highlights:
00:00 - Shipbuilding Crisis in America: Introduction and Background
03:15 - Challenges in Engaging with Shipbuilding Experts
04:32 - Potential Reasons for the Reluctance to Discuss Shipbuilding
07:45 - Call to Action and Future Plans

Jim plans to explore potential solutions in future episodes, urging open dialogue to prevent a decline similar to Great Britain's fall from greatness.

Resources:
- Our show with Brent Sadler: https://youtu.be/vSkzceC7gJs
- John Konrad's gCaptain website: https://gcaptain.com/
Jim Vinoski's Forbes shipbuilding article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimvinoski/2025/11/28/can-america-recover-from-its-shipbuilding-crisis/

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This week we've got a solo effort by our host, Jim Vinoski.

He's going over the basics of an article from a year ago last September by Brian Potter with the same title as our episode.

Jim discusses the decline of American shipbuilding, highlighting that the U.S. now holds only 0.3% of global shipbuilding capacity, producing about five ships annually, while China produces over 1,000. He references an article by Brian Potter, noting that American shipbuilding has been uncompetitive since the days of wooden ships. Factors include rising labor costs, government regulations, and lack of investment. Vinoski emphasizes the need for government focus and investment to improve shipbuilding quality and competitiveness, suggesting that a national strategy is required to address these challenges.

Highlights:
00:00 - Introduction
01:30 - Historical Context and Decline in Shipbuilding Capacity
02:15 - Challenges in American Shipbuilding
04:05 - Government and Industry Influences on Shipbuilding
07:55 - Efforts to Improve Competitiveness
09:26 - Future Directions and Call to Action

We'll be devoting all of January to the shipbuilding topic, so tune in next Tuesday for more!

In the meantime, here's the link to Brian Potter's excellent article.

https://www.construction-physics.com/p/why-cant-the-us-build-ships

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Nick Reinhart has a good chunk of the answer.

Nick founded Kreate, which makes toolboxes and storage totes for Home Depot, and a whole lot more.

Nick discussed his company's rapid growth in plastic injection molding in the U.S. since 2018. Kreate operates four facilities with 110 machines, employing 600 associates, and has an exclusive partnership with Home Depot. The company focuses on advanced automation, including AI and servo-driven machinery, reducing labor costs to 1.5-2%. Nick emphasized the importance of skilled trades, proper wages, and continuous investment in technology. Future plans include expanding into the $2.4 billion outdoor self-composting toilet market and acquiring more companies. He highlighted the need for capital, deep know-how, and a committed workforce to reindustrialize America.

Highlights:
00:00 - Introduction
02:22 - Kreate's Product Categories and Market Position
04:47 - Advancements in Automation and AI
08:42 - Challenges and Opportunities in Manufacturing
11:58 - Future Growth and Expansion Plans
18:13 - Attracting and Retaining Skilled Workers
25:00 - Create's Engineering Capabilities

There is so much good stuff here... you really owe it to yourself to tune in for the whole thing.

Here are a couple of useful links:

Kreate: https://kreate.com/
Krevera: https://www.krevera.com/