In aerospace and defense, we're used to seeing demand affect different sectors in opposite ways. When commercial is in a down cycle, defense is going up.

Michael Bruno is seeing something he's never seen before - a 'ramp-up everywhere.' And it's not all roses.

As Executive Editor at Aviation Week, he's talking to leaders across the industry, and seeing signs of stress. Companies are feeling the pressure to ramp up to meet increased demand, but when every P&L is up, they're struggling to choose where to invest limited resources.

And there are real consequences. SpaceX building its own foundry points to the fact that they couldn't get the products they need fast enough.

What You'll Discover In This Episode

• Why GE Aerospace spent $12 billion on a castings supplier,

• How vertical integration is making a comeback,

• Why expanding capacity should be a national priority,

• What tech will go into next gen aircraft.

About the Guest

Michael Bruno is Aviation Week Network's Executive Editor for Business. He oversees coverage of aviation, aerospace and defense business issues, and is editor in chief of Aviation Week Executive Intelligence newsletters.

Beyond reporting, Bruno helps organize related Aviation Week conferences, hosts podcasts and webinars, and speaks publicly as a subject matter expert on industry issues. Since joining Aviation Week in 2005, he has won several Jesse H. Neal and Aerospace Media awards. To read his latest articles, visit his Author Page at Aviation Week.

Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm.

Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives.

Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India.

You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions.

Resources

Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise?

Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence.

Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call.

Custom manufacturing has unique challenges, especially when you're manufacturing custom cases and transit containers for military drones and data centers.

It's easy to take America's superior military hardware as a given. But superior hardware isn't an advantage if it arrives damaged.

Sterling Becklin, President and Chairman of ECS Composites, shares his perspective from leading the business his grandfather founded, to building server rackmounts and semi-trailer sized crates for Predator drones.

What You'll Discover In This Episode

• Where scope creep hides in custom manufacturing

• How ECS gains market share by standing still

• Why tenure is so critical for ECS

• Challenges of leading a high-tenure workforce

• How weight became mission-critical for war fighters

About the Guest

Sterling Becklin is President & Chairman of the Board at ECS Composites, an internationally respected designer/manufacturer of transit cases, rackmount cases and reusable shipping containers for military, aviation and commercial applications.

Serving all branches of the military and NASA, ECS has provided thousands of enclosure solutions for precision tactical, aerospace and communications equipment. The company is a 3rd generation family owned business in operation since 1954 and is small business designated and Hub Zone Certified. All ECS Cases are proudly made in the USA. Learn more at https://www.ecscomposites.com/ or connect with Sterling on LinkedIn.

Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm.

Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives.

Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India.

You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions.

Resources

Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise?

Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence.

Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call.

While the industry is focused on missiles, hypersonic satellite swarms, and AI drone fleets, underneath the hardware is a layer that isn't getting enough attention.

Kathleen Boyle, Chair and CEO of Verify Global, joins me to share some unsettling trends that are coming together. If they continue unchecked, America's lead in A&D hardware may not be a sustainable advantage.

What You'll Discover In This Episode

• The role of OEMs in creating new vulnerabilities

• The late-stage process that can wipe out supplier margins

• CMMC status and the Pentagon's Phase II suspension

• How legacy defense systems can be exploited

• The consequences of slow AI adoption among suppliers

• Kathleen's rise to chair and CEO of a 50-year old service company

• How Verify reaches 8,000 suppliers in 45 nations yearly

About the Guest

Kathleen Boyle is the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Verify Global, with over 25 years of management experience with the Verify group of companies. Prior positions include Vice President of Quality & Compliance, Director of Operations, Director of Customer Satisfaction and Director of Business Development.

Kathleen is a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors for Aerospace Industries Association as well as Founding President and current Board Member of Women In Defense – Greater Los Angeles Chapter. She currently serves as the FBI's Defense Industry Sector Chief for the Bureau's West Coast InfraGard association. Learn more about Verify at https://www.verifyglobal.com/ or connect with Kathleen on LinkedIn.

Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm.

Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives.

Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India.

You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions.

Resources

Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise?

Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence.

Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call.