Manufacturing innovation is about more than new machines. It is about leadership, resilience, and building the right teams. In this episode you will hear how military discipline shaped Martin Jewell’s approach to leadership, why culture determines whether a project succeeds or fails, and what bold moves are needed for the future of UK manufacturing.

Martin, Co-founder and CTO at Rapid Fusion, shares his journey from the Royal Engineers to leading advanced manufacturing projects, and why listening, adaptability, and strong teams are at the heart of innovation.

We explore:
• How lessons from the military transfer into manufacturing leadership
• Why toxic cultures stall progress and how to prevent them
• The realities of moving from construction into advanced manufacturing
• Why startups can outpace big corporates in bringing products to market
• What the UK needs to compete in global manufacturing innovation

Martin shows that innovation in manufacturing is not only about technology. It is about people, culture, and the courage to take risks.

📍 Connect with Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinjewell/
📍 Visit Rapid Fusion: https://rapidfusion.co.uk/

Building a career in UK aerospace does not have to follow a straight line.

In this episode you’ll hear how apprenticeships can open doors, why culture matters as much as technical skills, and what the future holds for the aerospace and space industries.

Chris Woodhams, Co-founder of Lat51 Space Systems, shares his journey from apprenticeship to leadership, the challenges of moving from working in a business to running one, and why celebrating failures is key to growth.

We explore:
• Why you don’t need a degree to start a successful career in aerospace
• The realities of moving from employee to employer
• How apprenticeships provide opportunities for leadership development
• Why culture and celebrating failures strengthen teams
• Where the opportunities are in aerospace and space over the next decade

Chris shows that building a career in aerospace is not only about technology. It’s about people, culture and the choices you make along the way.

📍 Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriswoodhamsargenta/

📍 Visit Lat51 Space Systems: https://www.lat51.space/

Kate Davies, transformation consultant and founder of Rufus Wren, brings two decades of experience in engineering, manufacturing, and industrial change.

In this episode, she shares her perspective on sustainable leadership in manufacturing and why fixing culture is essential for long-term success.

We explore:

• What sustainable leadership looks like in real factories

• How to lead high-performing teams without burning them out

• Why financial success should be a byproduct, not the goal

• How to create culture change with small, actionable steps

• The biggest mistakes leaders make when trying to transform a business

Kate works closely with leadership teams to deliver practical, people-focused change. Her experience proves that sustainable leadership in manufacturing starts with listening, not spreadsheets.

📍 Connect with Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-davies-9b310341/

📍 Visit Rufus Wren: https://www.rufuswren.co.uk/

Automation, machine vision and AI are changing manufacturing. In this episode, you’ll hear how one founder used them to stay competitive and build a thriving business.

Paul Wilson, founder of Scorpion Vision, shares how he pivoted from military life to manufacturing. He took a leap into unknown tech and built a business that now leads innovation in AI-powered factory automation.

We explore:

• How to grow a business without expert-level technical knowledge
• Why machine vision is essential for modern quality control
• What AI is actually doing on factory floors and what’s hype
• How automation creates, not replaces, skilled roles
• Why talking to strangers might be your best business strategy

Paul is a translator between cutting-edge technology and practical factory needs. His journey proves you don’t need to start as an expert to drive real change.

📍 Connect with Paul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulwilson/

📍 Visit Scorpion Vision: https://www.scorpion.vision/

Quality is not just a department. It is a mindset that should be part of everything a manufacturer does.

In this episode, Suresh Babu explains why the most successful manufacturers treat quality as a shared responsibility. Drawing on decades of experience in manufacturing, software, and medical devices, he shares how to simplify systems, engage teams, and build a culture where quality supports every part of the process.

We explore:

• Why quality is not just the quality team’s job
• How to balance delivery pressure with long term success
• What to do with tasks that do not add value
• How everyday examples can help teams understand quality better

Suresh is the founder of Innovative Quality Consultants and is currently writing three books focused on quality systems, risk, and product development.

📍 Connect with Suresh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sureshbabu-quality

📍 Visit Innovative Quality Consultants: https://www.innovativequalityconsultants.com/

Waste is often seen as a problem, but what if it could be a valuable resource instead?

In this episode, Greg Logelain shares how manufacturers can rethink waste management and find opportunity in what used to be thrown away. From chemical recycling to waste-to-resource partnerships, Greg explains why now is the time to take a closer look at what’s going in the bin.

We explore:

• How to shift your mindset and treat waste as a resource
• Why a waste audit is a smart first step
• What the waste hierarchy means in practice
• What smaller manufacturers can do right now to make a difference

Greg is an Associate Director at Ricardo and a leading voice in the waste and resource management industry. With a background in pollution monitoring and policy development, he brings practical insight to a complex space.

📍 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greglogelain/

Sustainability is no longer just about cutting emissions.

For manufacturers, it can be a smart way to reduce costs, protect margins, and stand out in a changing market.

In this episode, Eszter Haberl shares how businesses are embedding sustainability into operations, working cross-functionally, and turning compliance pressure into commercial advantage.

We explore:

• How to build a solid business case for sustainability
• Why quick wins like energy tracking still matter
• What data to focus on when measuring progress
• How emissions targets can influence customer decisions

Eszter is a Sustainability Director at Tenneco with 15 years of experience across OEMs, supply chain, and now corporate sustainability leadership. She combines a commercial mindset with practical steps manufacturers can take right now.

📍 Connect with Eszter on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eszterhaberl/

SMEs face no shortage of challenges.

Tight budgets, limited time, and too many tech options.

But you don’t have to figure it out alone.

In this episode, Anthony Walker shares how SMEs are getting real support through innovation partnerships, practical tech adoption, and simple ways to make smarter decisions.

We explore:

• Why SMEs don’t need Industry 4.0 in a box

• How to make innovation feel manageable

• What manufacturers are doing with data

• Where to find support that actually helps

Anthony is a Strategic Manager at Liverpool John Moores University and co-founder of multiple innovation programmes, including the Horizons Project. With over 15 years supporting SME growth, he brings a practical take on what works.

📍 Learn more about the Horizons Project: https://horizonslcr.co.uk/