286: Why Local Execution Drives Regional Manufacturing Success: Live from Cleveland, OH

286: Why Local Execution Drives Regional Manufacturing Success: Live from Cleveland, OH

From Manufacturing Happy Hour by Chris Luecke

May 5, 2026 · 49 min · Episode 286

About this episode

The episode discusses how local execution in Northeast Ohio is driving regional manufacturing success through collaboration and innovation.

American manufacturing’s next chapter is being written one region at a time, and Northeast Ohio is one of the places setting the standard. In a region like theirs, the institutions and programs are moving in sync, and that builds into something bigger than any plant could pull off alone. That’s why we’re hitting the road on the Rust Belt Renaissance tour to find more places where modern technology and industrial innovation are helping to revive the area. On the first stop, we’re live from Collision Bend Brewing in Cleveland with seven leaders from across the Northeast Ohio manufacturing community, working out how a region of 7,700 manufacturers turns local action into national impact. We split the conversation into three short parts: Matt Duplin (Manager, TransDigm Advanced Manufacturing Center, Cleveland State University), Kyle Zeller (NSF Engine), and Adam Artman (Executive Director, Manufacturing Works) open with what regional action actually looks like on the ground, covering the role of public universities, federal programs like the $160 million NSF Engine award, and the peer-to-peer learning behind the Manu Future program. Greg Schumacher (Director of Manufacturing…

People in this episode

Host: Chris Luecke

Guests: Matt Duplin, Kyle Zeller, Adam Artman, Greg Schumacher, Mike Yost, Jillian Kupchella, Jonathan Wise

Topics covered

  • regional manufacturing
  • local execution
  • industrial innovation
  • public universities
  • peer-to-peer learning
  • smart manufacturing

Keywords

  • manufacturing
  • Northeast Ohio
  • local action
  • NSF Engine
  • smart manufacturing
  • industrial innovation
  • public universities
  • peer-to-peer learning

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: TransDigm Advanced Manufacturing Center, Cleveland State University, NSF Engine, Manufacturing Works, NOVAGARD, CESMII

Places: Cleveland, OH, Northeast Ohio

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