The Lean Manufacturer Podcast
Tune in to The Lean Manufacturer, our podcast where expert guests bring their outside view of the IIoT and discuss various aspects of manufacturing. Throughout the series, we’ll cover some of the most important ways the IIoT can maximize manufacturing efficiency and bring value to your organization, including the need for reducing planned and unplanned downtime, enabling operational efficiency, ensuring continuous digital improvement, and so much more.
Click play to watch the preview of episode 6
Episode 6: Putting the patient center stage of the manufacturing process (airing on December 4th)
In this episode of The Lean Manufacturer, together with Xavier Hansen from the Innovation and IoT team at Thermo Fisher, we talk to the “Ironman Suit” and the delicate balance between creativity and security in the pharmaceutical industry. We´ll discuss how the company tackles the dual challenge of staying cutting-edge while maintaining an unwavering and non-negotiable commitment to security and quality.
Key questions addressed:
- How to build human centered solutions at an enterprise level and what makes this strategy successful?
- How do users get the most value from implemented systems?
- How to avoid other up or downstream teams working in silos?
- How has Industry 4.0 reshaped our approach to digital manufacturing?
This episode’s speakers
Our host: Chris Wolff
Sales VP, Strategic Partnerships, PTC Americas
Our guest: Xavier Hansen
Lead Solution Architect, Innovation & IIOT Team (I&I Team),
Thermo Fisher
Explore lean manufacturing strategies and reap the benefits:
Improved Operational Efficiency: By implementing IoT solutions, manufacturers can automate processes, detect anomalies, and reduce errors.
Prevention of Unplanned Downtime: Machine downtime significantly impacts productivity. IIoT helps monitor equipment health and predict failures.
Quality Improvement and Defect Reduction: IoT enables real-time monitoring and quality control.
Reduced Costs: IIoT can lead to cost savings through better resource utilization and streamlined processes.
Scalability: Manufacturers can easily scale their IIoT deployments as needed.
Meet our hosts and guests
Chris Wolff - Sales VP, Strategic Partnerships, PTC Americas
Chris Wolff, aka "Wolffie," joined PTC in November 2022 to create a Field Alliance function within PTC Americas sales, working with the DVP of Sales. This team accelerates customer value and leads complex ecosystems. Formerly, Wolffie led Dell Technologies' Office of Global OEM and IOT Partnerships, simplifying partnerships and chairing the Dell Technologies IoT go-to-market committee. She shaped Dimension Data's presence in the USA for 18 years, growing the group from 1000 to 30,000 employees. She served as Dimension Data's SVP, Group Cisco Alliance, managing a $4 billion partnership. A strategic advisor to Dell, Secureworks, and Seagate, she's on boards like MIT Enterprise Forum and Duke AIMS. She's passionate about mentoring women in STEM, golfing, and supporting the Duke Blue Devils.
Clay WIlker - Enterprise Factories of the Future Digital Transformation Solution Owner/Enterprise Lean-Agile Steering Committee, Northrop Grumann
Clay has 34 years of manufacturing experience in the Automotive and Aerospace Industries. He was involved the dramatic growth of the Automotive Safety Airbag growth for 15 years at Autoliv, the World Leader in automotive safety restraints. His most current roles are as a Solution Owner for the Northrop Grumman Enterprise Factories of the Future digital solutions portfolio across the Corporation’s manufacturing operations. Clay was also selected to serve on the Northrop Grumman Enterprise Lean Agile Steering Committee
Clay serves as a Lead Examiner for the Shingo Institute, where for 29 years he leads a team of highly competent lean experts, in the evaluation of Global World Class Companies, against the Shingo Prize criteria for Excellence in Lean manufacturing.
Katie McGinty - Vice President and Chief Sustainability and External Relations Officer for Johnson Controls
Kathleen “Katie” McGinty is Vice President and Chief Sustainability and External elations Officer for Johnson Controls, the global leader for smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings technology. Katie serves on the Executive Committee of the company and helps drive Johnson Controls top tier sustainability performance including recognition as
one of the World`s 100 Most Sustainable Corporations, MSCI AAA, Ecovadis Platinum, and CDP Leader Band. Katie has over 25 years of public and private sector experience, and she is a recognized innovator in clean energy and environmental protection.
Her public sector career includes serving as the first woman to chair the White House Council on Environmental Quality and as Deputy Assistant to President Clinton (1993-1998), as Pennsylvania Secretary of Environmental Protection (2003-2008), and as Chair of the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority (2004-2008). She currently serves on boards including the International Steering Committee of the World Sustainable Development Summit, the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, the
Carnegie Mellon Scott Institute for Energy Innovation, the Energy Futures Initiative, and MN8 Energy (formerly Goldman Sachs Renewable Power).
Xavier Hansen - Innovation & IIoT lead Thermo Fisher
Xavier Hansen leads the Innovation & IIoT team and the Applied AI Innovation Hub for ThermoFisher’s Pharma Services IT Group (PSG IT). He has 20+ years of experience in agile program management, innovation, emerging technologies, design thinking, digital transformation, IIoT, Industry & Pharma 4.0, Ventures and M&A. He has recruited, built, coached, turned around and/or directed high-performing agile teams and organizations (software engineering, product, design, R&D, business development) across a broad range of industries (OTT/5G/telecom, manufacturing, media & entertainment, advertising, fintech, education, healthcare) in startups, mid-sized companies and Fortune 100s.
Howard Heppelmann - Divisional VP and GM, ThingWorx IoT, PTC
Howard Heppelmann is PTC's Divisional VP and GM for the ThingWorx IoT Solutions segment, overseeing innovative solutions merging disruptive technologies for industrial enhancements. He formerly held roles including VP and GM for ThingWorx IoT Solutions and GM for Connected Product Management and Service Lifecycle Management at PTC. With over three decades in manufacturing, Howard drives the application of Industrie 4.0 and Smart Connected Operations to transform industrial processes in the IoT era. He is an industry seminar regular, presenting on topics including Industrie 4.0 and Smart Connected Products. Howard's insights have been featured in publications like Wall Street Journal and Forbes. He holds degrees in Economics and International Studies from Macalester College.
Anthony Huffman - Enterprise Architecture Strategist, Industry 4.0, Koch Industries
Anthony Huffman has over 20 years of manufacturing transformation experience in Electronic Solutions, Medical Device, and Aerospace & Defense industries, Tony leads Enterprise Architecture Strategy for Industry 4.0 at Koch Industries. During his tenure at Koch and Molex, Tony has established cutting edge smart manufacturing, operational excellence, and digital supply chain capabilities in more than 20 manufacturing sites, spanning across 12 countries.
Embracing Agile Methodologies in a VUCA environment, Tony has been able to establish the latest in modern MES/MOM, IIOT, Unified Namespace, Industrial Data Fabric, Digital Worker, and Advanced Analytics (ML/AI) Technologies.
Marci Bizi - MBA Global EOS Director TPPL (Lean/Operational Excellence / Continuous Improvement) at EnerSys
Marco Bizi, with more than two decades of experience in lean manufacturing and process optimization, has made significant contributions to the field. His tenure at EnerSys spans over five years, during which he now serves as the Global EOS Director. His specialized knowledge in operational excellence and continuous improvement strategies has been instrumental in driving EnerSys’ success
Clay serves as a Lead Examiner for the Shingo Institute, where for 29 years he leads a team of highly competent lean experts, in the evaluation of Global World Class Companies, against the Shingo Prize criteria for Excellence in Lean manufacturing.
Her public sector career includes serving as the first woman to chair the White House Council on Environmental Quality and as Deputy Assistant to President Clinton (1993-1998), as Pennsylvania Secretary of Environmental Protection (2003-2008), and as Chair of the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority (2004-2008). She currently serves on boards including the International Steering Committee of the World Sustainable Development Summit, the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, the Carnegie Mellon Scott Institute for Energy Innovation, the Energy Futures Initiative, and MN8 Energy (formerly Goldman Sachs Renewable Power).
Embracing Agile Methodologies in a VUCA environment, Tony has been able to establish the latest in modern MES/MOM, IIOT, Unified Namespace, Industrial Data Fabric, Digital Worker, and Advanced Analytics (ML/AI) Technologies.