Manufacturing Talk Radio

BREAKING: ISM Chair Steve Miller Reviews the Latest March ISM Services Report

In this exclusive Manufacturing Talk Radio interview, host Lewis Weiss and Amy Nicklaus sit down with ISM Services PMI Chair Steve Miller to discuss the pivotal March ISM Services Report the very day it is released April 6th 2026, breaking down the key data points impacting the services economy. To shed light on the report’s crucial findings, we speak with Steve Miller, a preeminent authority within the services sector.Miller is currently serving as ISM Services PMI Chair and is an accomplished supply chain management executive. His distinguished career includes 40 years of experience in procurement, supply chain management, IT implementation and operations, and operations management consulting at Disney, P.F. Chang’s, Accenture, and Kearney. With 40 years of experience in procurement, supply chain management, IT implementation and operations, Miller offers unparalleled insight into services trends and economic activity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BREAKING: Susan Spence, ISM Manufacturing PMI Chair, on the latest ISM Report April 2026

In this exclusive Manufacturing Talk Radio interview, hosts Lewis Weiss and Amy Nicklaus sit down with ISM Manufacturing PMI Chair Susan Spence to discuss the latest ISM Manufacturing Report, released the same day, and break down the key data points impacting the global supply chain and what the effects of that might mean.  To shed light on the report’s crucial findings, we speak with Susan Spence, a preeminent authority within manufacturing.Spence is currently serving as ISM Manufacturing PMI Chair and is a winner of the J. Shipman Gold Medal Award. Her distinguished career includes serving as vice president of the Sourcing & Procurement group at FedEx Corp. With 28 years of experience at United Technologies Corporation (UTC) in leadership roles across supply management and operations, Spence offers unparalleled insight into manufacturing trends and economic activity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Tompkins on the Future of Reshoring in U.S. Manufacturing

Host Lewis Weiss interviews Jim Tompkins about his career path from industrial engineering academia and the Army to founding Tompkins Solutions and later launching Tompkins Ventures, a matchmaking firm that connects manufacturers with partners for logistics, procurement, technology, automation, AI, and organizational development, typically offering recommendations without consulting fees and earning a success fee when solutions are implemented. Tompkins discusses how manufacturers can focus on core competencies while outsourcing non-core functions, the challenges of maintaining quality in outsourcing, and VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) as the operating reality for global supply chains. He explains reshoring as a risk-mitigation hedge tied to adaptability, digital twins, scenario planning, AI, and automation, and outlines four factors for what to reshore: value density, demand volatility, IP sensitivity, and automation potential.   00:00 Welcome and Introductions 00:40 Tim’s Career Origin Story 01:18 From Seminars to Global Supply Chain 02:56 Launching Tompkins Ventures 03:51 How Ventures Helps Manufacturers 04:42 No Fee Model Explained 06:19 Success Fees and Partner Network 07:45 Why Outside Expertise Matters 10:12 Virtual Companies and Outsourcing 11:07 Quality Control in Outsourcing 13:44 VUCA Defined for Supply Chains 17:10 Reshoring as Risk Mitigation 18:19 Surfing the Next Disruption Wave 22:25 Resilience Over Pure Efficiency 25:13 What to Reshore Four Criteria 26:59 Tariff Refunds Supreme Court Fallout 32:12 Wrap Up Contact and Subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Manufacturing Insights: From PMI Recovery to Cybersecurity Challenges

Host Amy Nicklaus talks with Peter Okun, Editor of Manufacturing Podcast News, about what a PMI move above 50 really means after months of contraction and why the current reading signals disciplined stabilization rather than an overheated surge. They discuss how global steel output—especially shifts in China—drives price volatility and why manufacturers are prioritizing regional sourcing, longer-term contracts, supplier diversification, and data-driven planning to manage risk. Okun also highlights rising ransomware exposure for mid-size manufacturers, emphasizing that downtime, trust, and reputation costs often outweigh ransom itself, and recommends basics like MFA, tested offline backups, training, and response protocols. The episode covers tariff unpredictability and regionalization, workforce strategies amid a persistent skills gap, thoughtful AI adoption to improve morale and productivity, and why adaptability, resilience, digital visibility, and sustainability will define competitiveness over the next three to five years.   00:00 Welcome and Agenda 01:01 PMI Above 50 Explained 02:32 Recovery or Bounce 03:28 Executive Playbook Now 04:15 Early Expansion Risks 04:57 Global Steel Ripple Effects 06:10 Sourcing for Reliability 07:12 Is Globalization Fading 07:27 Ransomware Reality Check 09:05 Cybersecurity Basics 09:50 Tariffs and Regionalization 10:33 Adapting Supply Strategies 11:44 Workforce and AI Shifts 12:24 Skills Gap and Training 13:29 AI Morale and Reskilling 14:50 Winning Mindset Ahead 15:24 Next 3 to 5 Years 16:31 Sustainability as Strategy 17:07 Key Takeaway Recalibration 17:46 Wrap Up and Where to Follow   Further reading: At Last: Institute for Supply Management Manufacturing Index at 52.7 Percent - https://manufacturingtalkradio.com/news/at-last-institute-for-supply-management-manufacturing-index-at-52-7-percent/   Global Steel Output Is Slipping, and the Reasons Go Deeper Than One Bad Month - https://manufacturingtalkradio.com/news/global-steel-output-is-slipping-and-the-reasons-go-deeper-than-one-bad-month/    Why Ransomware Is Hitting Mid-Sized Manufacturers Harder Than Ever - https://manufacturingtalkradio.com/news/why-ransomware-is-hitting-mid-sized-manufacturers-harder-than-ever/   How USMCA and New Tariffs Are Rattling U.S. Manufacturing - https://manufacturingtalkradio.com/news/how-usmca-and-new-tariffs-are-rattling-u-s-manufacturing/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Manufacturing Round Table: January Fed Statistical Report & ISM Report Analysis

Lewis Weiss hosts another Manufacturing Round Table with economist Cliff Waldman and Chris Kuehl to compare the January Federal Reserve industrial production release and the ISM report. After a year-long manufacturing slump, they point to improving signals: manufacturing within industrial production rose 0.8% month over month with broad-based gains, and the ISM index climbed to 52.7, moving above the 50 expansion threshold. The discussion widens to global uncertainty affecting supply chains, shifting trade patterns as China routes production through other countries, and concern that U.S. policy risks damaging critical trade and supply-chain ties with Canada. They also highlight workforce shortages, demographics,  and unclear ROI from rapid AI investment.   00:00 Welcome and Agenda 01:45 Why These Reports Matter 02:22 Fed and ISM Show Uptick 03:24 Caution and Tariff Drag 04:54 Capital Spending on Hold 07:11 Global Uncertainty and Supply Chains 10:02 China Trade Shifts and Workarounds 13:28 Canada Risks and North America 17:48 Looking Ahead to 2026 19:05 Workforce Shortage and AI Hype 21:02 Training Pipelines and Demographics 27:24 Financing Manufacturing Startups 28:42 Wrap Up and Final Takeaways   Reports: January 2026 ISM® Manufacturing PMI® Report: https://www.ismworld.org/supply-management-news-and-reports/reports/ism-pmi-reports/pmi/january/ January Federal Reserve Statistical Release: https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/g17/current/g17.pdf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices