ShopTalk

Steelhead Technologies
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Business
  • Updated Monthly

This show is for those that have dedicated their livelihood to the craft of manufacturing. Because those people understand that it is the hardest job in the world. Customers want parts faster, at lower prices. Operators don’t always show up, or leave for another dollar. Material prices go up. Equipment fails at the worst times . Reworks can kill the productivity. Sales are unpredictable. The schedule is always changing. The margins get squeezed from all angles. It’s chaos. It’s daily firefighting of problems. This show, is to bring on people, who love to fight the fire and conquer it.

  1. Sep 21

    Nadcap Without the Scramble: Traceability on Demand | Steelhead Shop Talk

    What does Nadcap audit prep look like when your quality records, job history, specifications, and process data are already organized and traceable? In this episode of Steelhead Shop Talk, Vraj Shah of Exactatherm Limited joins us to talk about the company’s transition from a paper-heavy legacy system to a connected digital workflow built for aerospace heat treating. Vraj shares how Exactatherm approaches traceability from customer requirements through production, inspection, certification, and record retention. He also breaks down how the team prepared for Nadcap in a digital environment, what changed during deployment, and why understanding the “why” behind a new system was critical to getting employees on board. Topics include: • Moving from paper records to digital traceability • Preparing for Nadcap audits without weeks of manual review • Building workflows around specifications and customer requirements • Giving customers real-time job visibility through the Customer Portal • Reducing time spent searching for historical quality records • Improving quote turnaround and customer response times • Managing change across employees with decades of experience • Using digital records to demonstrate objective evidence to auditors • Connecting quality, production, certification, and record retention • Lessons learned from Exactatherm’s ERP transition If your shop is working toward Nadcap, managing complex aerospace requirements, or looking for a better way to control traceability, this conversation is packed with practical takeaways. Learn more about Steelhead: https://gosteelhead.com #Nadcap #HeatTreating #Manufacturing #Aerospace #ShopTalk

  2. Aug 20

    Driving Growth and Expansion with Control | Steelhead Shop Talk

    Precision Spray & Coatings is growing fast. Dina Wing, Director of Business Planning and Operations, sat down with Dean to tell her story. The margin data that told her which work to stop taking. The stale parts meeting she runs twice a week. The new market that's growing fast enough they're opening a space for it.

    Driving Growth and Expansion with Control | Steelhead Shop Talk

  3. Jul 22

    How to Build a Winning Culture That Fuels Growth | Steelhead Shop Talk

    What separates great job shops from everyone else? In this episode of Steelhead Shop Talk, Dean Halonen sits down with Andrew Kossowski, CEO of Veterans Metal, to discuss how culture became the foundation of one of the fastest-growing metal finishing companies in the country. Andrew shares how Veterans Metal transformed from a small, paper-based operation into a modern, technology-driven business by focusing on quality, people, process improvement, and continuous innovation. Rather than chasing growth, the team built a culture centered around excellence—and growth followed. The conversation also explores how digital tools like Steelhead help amplify strong processes, improve customer visibility, reduce manual work, and support long-term operational success. Whether you're a shop owner, operations leader, or anyone looking to build a stronger manufacturing business, this episode is packed with practical leadership insights. Learn more about Steelhead: https://gosteelhead.com Connect with Veterans Metal: https://veteransmetal.com Subscribe for more conversations with leaders across manufacturing.

    How to Build a Winning Culture That Fuels Growth | Steelhead Shop Talk

  4. May 20

    Service that Scales | Steelhead Shop Talk

    In this episode of Steelhead Shop Talk, Dean Halonen sits down with Cody Whitehead, Operations & Engineering Manager at Advanced Precision Anodizing, to talk about scaling a finishing operation without losing the culture, quality, and customer service that made it successful in the first place. Cody shares how APA grew from a 20-person shop running on QuickBooks and tribal knowledge into a 70-person operation with expanded capabilities, stronger visibility, and a foundation built for long-term growth. The conversation covers operational scaling, retaining top talent, customer communication, automation, lead times, ERP implementation, and what it takes to build a manufacturing business that can continue growing without sacrificing service. Topics include:• Growing from 20 to 70 employees• Why customer communication matters• Building and retaining a strong core team• Scaling operations with Steelhead ERP• Improving visibility and reducing wasted time• Managing lead times and expedites• Expanding capacity and pursuing NADCAP• The role of automation and data tracking in manufacturing growth Learn more about Steelhead: https://gosteelhead.com #Manufacturing #MetalFinishing #Anodizing #JobShop #ERPSoftware #SteelheadTechnologies #ShopTalk Chapters:00:00 Intro01:17 Cody’s background in metal finishing05:56 What Advanced Precision looked like in 201708:42 Growing from 20 to 70 employees10:00 The hardest part of scaling a finishing operation12:13 Why APA moved away from QuickBooks13:37 Improving visibility and customer communication with Steelhead15:12 Building and retaining a strong core team18:33 Quality, on-time delivery, and customer expectations21:23 Scaling revenue without scaling headcount24:01 How the customer portal improves customer service27:52 Expanding capacity and pursuing NADCAP30:59 Managing expedites and customer lead times33:44 The future of Advanced Precision Anodizing40:27 Financing growth and reinvesting into the business42:37 Final thoughts on scaling with Steelhead

  5. Apr 16

    Achieving CMMC in Metal Finishing Job Shops | Steelhead Shop Talk

    Modernizing a 70-person aerospace finishing shop is no small task. In this episode of Steelhead Shop Talk, James Bull of Sullivan Precision Metal Finishing shares how their team approached upgrading systems, improving visibility, and building processes that can scale with the business. From managing complexity on the shop floor to meeting the demands of aerospace work, this conversation breaks down what it really takes to move from outdated systems to a more controlled, data-driven operation. What you’ll learn: • The challenges of running and modernizing a large finishing shop • How better systems improve visibility across operations • What it takes to scale processes in aerospace manufacturing • Why structure and consistency matters as shops grow Learn more about Steelhead: https://gosteelhead.com

  6. Mar 20

    Capacity Planning & Scheduling | Steelhead Shop Talk

    Do you often find your shop battling capacity overloads and overdue jobs? In this episode of Steelhead Shop Talk, host Dean Halonen is joined by Jarrod Wiesen, President and Owner of Coatings Plus, to discuss capacity planning and scheduling. Jarrod shares how aligning his shop around a clear scheduling process helped eliminate bottlenecks, improve visibility, and get the entire operation moving in sync. From his journey into metal finishing to the tools and strategies driving growth today, this episode breaks down how better planning leads to better outcomes across the shop floor.

  7. Feb 23

    Selling Your Shop: Preparing Your Exit Plan | Steelhead Shop Talk

    In this episode of Steelhead Shop Talk, host Dean Halonen sits down with John Mosser, Founder of Triscend Partners, to talk about one of the biggest decisions a shop owner can make — selling their business. John works with manufacturing companies across the country, helping owners prepare for a successful exit by connecting strong businesses with the right buyers and creating positive outcomes for everyone involved.

  8. Feb 10

    Shop Talk | Job Costing: Balancing Fair Margins with Competitive Pricing

    In this episode of Shop Talk, host Dean Halonen sits down with Ken Hannem, Project Manager at D&K Powder Coating in Mankato, MN — a shop recognized for its quick turnaround, exceptional quality, and disciplined approach to margins. The discussion dives deep into job costing — how to balance fair margins with competitive pricing and use real costing data to catch margin leaks early. Ken explains how D&K decides when to improve a process versus when to adjust pricing, builds customer trust by staying fair (and even lowering prices when it makes sense), and keeps the shop accountable with accurate time tracking. From protecting capacity for high-value customers to paying people well while staying profitable, Ken breaks down job costing in practical, plain-spoken terms. Shop Talk brings you authentic conversations with manufacturers — real shops, real results.

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About

This show is for those that have dedicated their livelihood to the craft of manufacturing. Because those people understand that it is the hardest job in the world. Customers want parts faster, at lower prices. Operators don’t always show up, or leave for another dollar. Material prices go up. Equipment fails at the worst times . Reworks can kill the productivity. Sales are unpredictable. The schedule is always changing. The margins get squeezed from all angles. It’s chaos. It’s daily firefighting of problems. This show, is to bring on people, who love to fight the fire and conquer it.

Information

  • Creator
    Steelhead Technologies
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Steelhead Technologies
  • Show Website
    ShopTalk