Factory Futures

Jp
  • 0.0 (0)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED TWICE MONTHLY

Welcome to the Factory Futures Podcast! Join us as we dive into the world of innovation and best practice in manufacturing. We sit down with industry leaders in reliability, operations, and production with a mission to uncover the new technologies making a real impact, driving performance, and enhancing profitability of your site. We explore the leadership journeys of our guests, learning from their challenges, and gain from their insights. Subscribe on your favourite app to stay ahead of the curve with our latest episodes. Thanks for listening, and enjoy the show.

  1. 1 APR

    Reliability | Shane Scriven on AI in Manufacturing: What Actually Works

    Follow Shane: Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-scriven/Website : https://www.sas-am.com/Summary: AI is everywhere right now, but what does it actually look like on the factory floor? In this episode, we unpack three practical areas shaping the next wave of AI in manufacturing. We explore how AI-powered benchmarking can help sites truly understand performance, where low-cost AI can deliver value without massive investment, and what sovereign and edge AI mean in simple terms for real operations. This is a grounded conversation focused on making AI more understandable, more accessible, and ultimately more useful for reliability, maintenance, and site leaders. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI in Manufacturing 06:47 The Second Wave of AI 11:26 Understanding AI-Powered Benchmarking 16:10 Identifying Gaps with AI 20:42 Automating Maintenance Processes 24:14 Implementing Low-Cost AI Solutions 26:58 Common Pitfalls in AI Projects 32:04 Defining Low-Cost AI 35:39 Starting with AI as a Reliability Manager 37:42 Rapid Fire Round: Insights and Myths Sound Bites "AI is not self-aware or conscious""Avoid ignoring data insights""Autonomous assets will make decisions"

    42 min

  2. 20 MAR

    Site Leadership | Marcelo Fariello on From Tools to Behaviour: The Real Driver of Reliability

    In this episode, JP sits down with Marcelo Fariello, Plant Manager at Mars, to explore a powerful idea: reliability isn’t just a maintenance function — it’s a leadership system. Marcelo shares lessons from his journey across digital transformation, operational excellence, and plant leadership, including his time at Danone and now leading a major Mars site in Australia. They unpack why many reliability programs stall when they sit solely within maintenance, and what changes when operators take true ownership of their equipment. Marcelo explains how shifting to site-wide accountability can unlock performance gains that tools alone never will. The conversation also dives into the reality of digital reliability tools — why so many initiatives fail, what actually works, and the cultural foundations required before technology can deliver value. Finally, Marcelo breaks down how high-performing sites treat reliability as a leadership discipline, focusing on behaviours, mindset, and breaking down silos between production and maintenance. If you’re a maintenance leader, reliability engineer, or site manager, this episode will challenge how you think about ownership, digital transformation, and what it really takes to build a reliable operation. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Marcelo's Journey 02:51 Reframing Reliability and Maintenance 03:33 The Importance of Ownership in Operations 08:44 Strategies for Cultural Change 11:11 Defining Operator Ownership 13:11 The Role of KPIs in High-Performance Teams 15:26 Effective KPIs for Reliability 18:21 The Power of Measurement 26:03 Digital Transformation and Its Challenges 32:04 Leadership as a System 36:09 Hard Truths in Reliability Management Sound Bites "Silos create a superhero mentality." "Ownership drives pride and performance." "KPIs should motivate, not just measure." Key Topics Holistic leadership in reliability and operations Operator ownership and cultural change Role of KPIs and data in continuous improvement

    40 min

  3. 11 MAR

    PdM Series #2 | Start With the Problem, Not the Sensors

    Episode Summary In this episode of our predictive maintenance series, we take a step back and tackle something many sites skip: defining the problem before jumping into PdM. Before selecting assets, installing sensors, or launching a pilot, maintenance and reliability teams need to be clear on what they’re actually trying to improve. Is the goal to reduce reactive work? Extend inspection intervals? Increase MTBF on key asset classes? Without alignment on the problem, PdM pilots often drift, expectations collide, and even good results can be misunderstood. We talk through what a strong PdM problem statement looks like, share examples with clear metrics, and discuss how teams can align around success before any technology is introduced. We also address a common concern many sites raise: “We don’t even have good data.” The reality is that every site has signals to start from, even if they’re messy. If you’re considering predictive maintenance or planning a pilot, this episode will help you start in the right place: clarity before technology. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Predictive Maintenance 01:57 Defining the Right Problem 08:19 Crafting a Clear Problem Statement 28:51 Data Challenges in Predictive Maintenance 34:09 Conclusion and Next Steps Sound Bites "Start with a problem, not just more data." "Measure the impact over a realistic timeframe." "Align your team and get buy-in early." Keywords predictive maintenance, problem statement, asset management, reliability, maintenance strategy, data quality, pilot projects, business outcomes

    35 min

  4. 5 MAR

    Reliability | Laith Alfaqih on The Organizational Readiness Blueprint for Asset Management

    Laith's Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/laithalfaqih/ Connect with Stantec : https://www.stantec.com/en Summary Many organisations invest in asset management programs, new systems, and predictive tools, yet reliability performance often doesn’t improve as expected. Why? In this episode, JP sits down with Laith Alfaqih, Senior Principal and Asset Management Lead at Stantec, to explore organizational readiness. They discuss why asset management should be treated as a management system, not a toolkit, the most common readiness gaps across industries, and a practical framework leaders can use to assess whether their organisation is truly ready to make asset management stick. Chapters 00:30 Introduction and Context Setting 04:00 Understanding Organizational Readiness 06:40 Defining Asset Management and Its Importance 11:23 Challenges in Asset Management Initiatives 17:12 Leadership's Role in Asset Management 22:41 Reframing Asset Management as a Management System 25:12 Holistic Asset Management Approach 27:04 Challenges in Data Collection and Management 33:25 Organizational Readiness Blueprint 42:23 Assessing Organizational Readiness 46:12 Leadership Actions for Improvement Sound Bites "Preventing issues starts with good data and standards" "Trust your people, empower them, and provide resources" "Think with the end in mind for success" Key Topics Organizational readiness definition and importance Common reasons for asset management project failures Leadership's role in asset management success Data quality and standards in asset management Creating a culture of continuous improvement

    50 min

  5. 20 FEB

    Reliability | Simon Murray in 2026 ! The State of Maintenance: 5 Shifts Every Reliability Leader Must Understand

    Links Simon's Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/yourmaintenancecoach/ Simon's Website : https://yourmaintenancecoach.com/ Last Year's Episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1u6P5ulYwL5Si7VEdLggRj?si=OEk27vxMSaCWXAtwO882jA Summary In this episode, Simon Murray revisits the evolving trends in maintenance and reliability for 2025, sharing insights from recent conferences, community building, and technological advancements like AI. Discover how organizations are shifting their focus towards system efficiency, store management, and the importance of community networking to stay ahead in maintenance practices. Chapters 05:40 Reflections on 2025: Changes and Trends 08:12 Community and Networking in Maintenance 11:02 Economic Pressures and Budgeting in Maintenance 13:44 The Importance of Maintenance Operations Partnership 16:31 Justifying Maintenance Needs to Leadership 28:05 Building Trust in Maintenance Operations 29:21 The Importance of Systems Efficiency 32:53 Workshops for Process Improvement 35:24 Revamping Stores Management 42:34 The Challenge of Preventive Maintenance Reviews 46:07 The Impact of AI on Maintenance 48:53 Setting Priorities for the Next 90 Days Key Topics Community and networking in maintenance Recognition for reliability from leadership Systems efficiency and digital transformation Stores improvement and inventory management PM review practices and challenges Sound Bites "Most maintenance teams have had this awakening""We've almost reached the limit of what we trust Google""AI will have the biggest impact in the next three years" Keywords maintenance trends, reliability, AI in maintenance, community networking, asset management, system efficiency, stores improvement, PM review, industry 2025

    51 min

  6. 26 JAN

    PdM Series #1 | Predictive Maintenance 101: From Data to Action

    Summary In this first episode of the predictive maintenance series, JP and Tim break PdM down to what actually matters. No theory, no buzzwords, just a clear explanation of what predictive maintenance is, how it works on a real manufacturing site, and why so many people struggle to make sense of it. They start by looking at why predictive maintenance exists in the first place, and where traditional reactive and time-based maintenance start to fall short. The conversation then moves into how PdM really works, from data and baselines through to alerts and action, and why it’s not the same thing as traditional condition monitoring. This episode is all about building a simple mental model for predictive maintenance. If you’ve ever wondered whether PdM is worth exploring, or why it feels confusing or overhyped, this is the place to start. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Predictive Maintenance 08:33 Understanding the Need for Predictive Maintenance 12:44 Defining Predictive Maintenance and Its Distinctions 19:21 What Predictive Maintenance Is Not 21:52 Addressing Common Objections to Predictive Maintenance 22:37 The Power of AI in Predictive Maintenance 23:58 Overcoming Challenges in Predictive Maintenance 26:21 Setting Goals for Predictive Maintenance 27:13 Addressing Variability in Production Processes 29:14 Understanding Predictive Maintenance: The Five Stages 34:22 The Importance of Feedback in Predictive Maintenance 40:28 What Predictive Maintenance Can and Can't Do Takeaways Predictive maintenance aims to reduce unplanned downtime costs.It's essential to understand the difference between predictive maintenance and condition-based maintenance.Most failures are not age-related, which is why predictive maintenance is crucial.Data-driven insights can significantly improve maintenance strategies.Human judgment remains vital in interpreting predictive maintenance data.

    44 min

  7. 13 JAN

    Reliability | John Sewell on Fixing the Wrong Things & Making Better Reliability Decisions

    Connect with John on Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsewellreliability/Reach out to John's business : https://jsinsightconsulting.com/ Summary In this episode, I sit down with John Sewell, maintenance strategy consultant and reliability thinker, to unpack why reliability decisions are often harder than they need to be. We talk about why teams so often work on the wrong problems, how symptoms get mistaken for root causes, and the classic traps maintenance organisations fall into. John shares practical advice on writing better problem statements, prioritising what actually matters, and turning reliability work into something the business truly cares about (hint: money helps). John also shares grounded advice for new reliability leaders. Slow down. Learn the site. Ask better questions. And don’t try to fix everything in your first week. It’s a thoughtful, occasionally surprising conversation about making reliability simpler, smarter, and far more effective. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Professional Journey 06:20 The Importance of Decision-Making in Reliability 08:16 Common Mistakes in Maintenance Organizations 12:48 Understanding Problems vs. Symptoms 15:45 Crafting Effective Problem Statements 19:17 Prioritizing Problems and Solutions 22:03 Common Reliability Issues and Solutions 28:25 Developing a Reliability Strategy 31:34 Building a Business Case for Reliability 37:10 Advice for New Reliability Leaders Sound Bites "Stop chasing best practices. Just stop." "A good business case is not just a number." "Don't rush in to fix anything quite yet." Key Takeaways Selecting the right problem matters more than fixing things quickly. Too many organisations optimise for short-term relief, not long-term reliability. If you confuse symptoms with problems, you will fix the wrong thing. Repeatedly. A strong problem statement brings focus and direction. Chasing best practice without a clear strategy rarely delivers results. Better decision-making beats more data every time. Clear communication is critical if you want change to stick. Reliability initiatives land better when they are tied to real business outcomes. New leaders should slow down and understand the site before making changes. Talking to the right stakeholders often reveals what is really going on.

    41 min

  8. 9 JAN

    What’s Coming in Factory Futures 2026

    Summary In this episode, I introduce Season Three of the Factory Futures podcast, emphasizing a new structured approach to discussing reliability and operations in manufacturing. The season will feature more episodes, a mix of interviews and focused mini-series, and aims to provide practical insights into predictive maintenance and other relevant topics. Listener engagement is encouraged, with a call for questions and feedback to enhance the conversation. Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Season Three!!! 02:37 The New Structure and Focus for the Season Explained 05:31 Engagement and Listener Interaction Takeaways This season is officially the most exciting we've been year ahead.We are changing our approach to provide more structured content.The focus is on real-world manufacturing reliability and operations.Expect more episodes and continuity in our discussions.We aim to bridge the gap between theory and practice in manufacturing.The mini-series will dive deep into specific topics like predictive maintenance.We want to separate reality from hype in predictive maintenance.Listener questions will guide our discussions and guest selections.Feedback is crucial for improving the podcast experience.Thank you for joining us on this journey.

    7 min
See All (22)

About

Welcome to the Factory Futures Podcast! Join us as we dive into the world of innovation and best practice in manufacturing. We sit down with industry leaders in reliability, operations, and production with a mission to uncover the new technologies making a real impact, driving performance, and enhancing profitability of your site. We explore the leadership journeys of our guests, learning from their challenges, and gain from their insights. Subscribe on your favourite app to stay ahead of the curve with our latest episodes. Thanks for listening, and enjoy the show.

Information

  • Creator
    Jp
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jp
  • Show Website
    Factory Futures