AI is getting better at predicting potential outcomes, but the technology still isn’t as reliable as humans at coming up with predictions that put everything into context for what it all means. In this podcast, Material Handling & Logistics’ chief editor, Dave Blanchard, takes listeners on a fast-paced tour of predictions for what the supply chain will look like in 2026 and beyond, featuring insights from some of the industry’s best thinkers and thought leaders.

We've all heard someone say it recently: Nobody wants to work these days. It's the refrain of a stressed manager who's short-staffed and losing production capacity because the company can't recruit people.

Even if it's true (and really, has anyone ever really wanted to work? Isn't that why we pay them?), complaining won't fill your plant vacancies. Blaming other industries won't help either as they're saying the same things. Think manufacturers have a rough time recruiting people? Talk to trucking company leaders or landscaping operations.

In a recent article in IndustryWeek, doctoral student Winifred Opoku shared her thoughts on how some manufacturers are making their ability to reach young people a competitive advantage.

Smart Industry content chief Scott Achelpohl wraps up the annual prediction series with highlights from SI's roster of subject-matter experts, who had a lot to say about how AI was moving well beyond the hype and coming to a production line near you.

Joe Kuhn, CMRP, former plant manager, engineer, and global reliability consultant, is now president of Lean Driven Reliability LLC. He is the author of the book “Zero to Hero: How to Jumpstart Your Reliability Journey Given Today’s Business Challenges” and the creator of the Joe Kuhn YouTube Channel, which offers content on starting your reliability journey and achieving financial independence. In our monthly podcast miniseries, Ask a Plant Manager, Joe considers a commonplace scenario facing the industry and offers his advice, as well as actions that you can take to get on track tomorrow. This episode explores practical reliability leadership lessons for maintenance and operations teams in 2026. Bonus: The psychology behind New Year's resolutions?

Fall protection violations remain the most cited OSHA issue, emphasizing the need for continued focus despite some recent decreases in violations. In this interview with Phil Jacklin, continuing education program manager with Diversified Fall Protection, you'll hear that progress is being made through increased awareness, proactive safety practices and better data tracking, but challenges persist, particularly in the construction industry.

This year-end wrapup episode collects clips from three of the most popular Plant Services episodes from the past 12 months. In these clips, Plant Services chief editor Thomas Wilk talks about:

• "How oil analysis can boost equipment reliability, but only if you use the data," with Mike Holloway, 5th Order Industry
• "How PM optimization improves reliability and reduces unplanned downtime," with Brian Hronchek, Eruditio
• "Reshoring in 2025 – strategies for navigating tariffs and trade uncertainty," with Rosemary Coates, Reshoring Institute

In our monthly podcast miniseries, Ask a Plant Manager, Joe Kuhn, CMRP (former plant manager, engineer, and global reliability consultant) considers commonplace scenarios facing the industry and offers his advice, as well as actions that you can take to get on track tomorrow. This episode collects three of our favorite moments with Joe over the past year:

• Maintenance vs. reliability engineers — key differences and how they work together
• Reliability program not working? Here’s what might be wrong
• Why predictive maintenance fails without problem solving on the plant floor

In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Plant Services chief editor Thomas Wilk and UL Solutions Senior VP of Industrial Testing, Inspection, and Certification Jeff Smidt explore the growing role of independent sustainability certification in the industrial sector. Their discussion centers on ECOLOGO and how it evaluates materials, manufacturing practices, and full product lifecycles. The conversation also highlights the connection between reliability, risk reduction, and transparent environmental performance. Together, they examine how rigorous standards like UL 2711 may shape future expectations for industrial products.