Manufacturing
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Iowan breathing new life into old ag equipment with Ai retrofits.
Ai is allowing farmers to scale and cover more ground, but new Ai systems can be insanely expensive, costing nearly one million dollars. Craig Rupp of Sabanto Ag sees a more efficient path. His approach retrofits existing, older farm equipment with Ai packages, making old “dumb” farm equipment completely autonomous. Rupp says many of his…
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SBA Week: 90%-Backed Loans & Ripping Red Tape
What the heck is small business week? SBA Regional Administrator Brad Zaun explains exactly how the agency guarantees loans through local banks, cuts red tape, and delivers free counseling, especially for rural and manufacturing entrepreneurs. Zaun highlights the new 90% food production loan program for meat processors, grocery stores, and local manufacturers to drive down…
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Apprenticeship week: parents still pushing 4 year degrees?
As we recognize apprenticeship week and the massive opportunity it brings, we learned an alarming number of parents are still pushing students to get 4-year college degrees. Why? Tim Felderman, Chair of the Iowa Apprenticeship council and Superintendent of Hampton-Dumont school district is concerned. Felderman explains why Iowa’s process is far more adaptive to business,…
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Vermeer to harvest Helium3 from moon for fusion energy, quantum computing.
As we watch NASA’s Artemis II mission, one Iowa company is looking forward to incredible breakthrough potential. The moon has plentiful Helium3, an element not found on earth, and Vermeer’s technology can harvest it. CEO Jason Andringa explains how they’re unlocking new potential in quantum computing, fusion energy, and leading a Bondurant manufacturing boom! Andringa…
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Iowa investing 1 million into algae company to clean our water
Would you invest one million dollars into algae? Probably not, that sounds crazy. But that’s exactly what the state of Iowa just did and that one move may be key to cleaning our air, waterways, growing organic crops, and creating sustainable aviation fuel. Martin Gross, founder of Gross-Wen Technologies tells us how their process works.…
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Energy joins healthcare as growing business Iowa concern
The ABI Survey results are out and energy is now a growing concern alongside healthcare and talent acquisition for Iowa leaders. Nicole Crain, President of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI), breaks down fresh Q2 survey data out today. To be clear, energy is cheap and accessible in Iowa, but Iowa business leaders…
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Meet the man behind Iowa’s critical mineral “urban mining”
Critical minerals are in high demand for US-based manufacturing, but access has become a pressing concern. Can a new Iowa startup solve the problem for the country? Daniel Bina, CEO of Critical Materials Recycling explains how their partnered with Iowa State University will commercialize what is known as “urban mining.” Presently, companies send spent electronics…
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Forging the Future: How Seneca Foundry Blends Tradition, Technology, and Teamwork
In this episode of the Iowa Manufacturing Podcast, host Leisa Fox visits Seneca Foundry to talk with Lori Mason and Steph Kruger, two of the driving forces behind one of Iowa’s most resilient and forward-thinking manufacturers. The conversation dives deep into the foundry business—its history, challenges, and evolution. Lori and Steph open up about navigating…
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Automation for All: Inside the Mind of a Student Innovator
Keegan Fogarty didn’t come to the University of Iowa planning to start a business — but a spark from the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (Iowa JPEC) ignited something bigger. Now a senior mechanical engineering student, Keegan is building General Robotics, a company that could change how small and mid-size manufacturers think about automation. In this…
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From Code to Culture: Tim Gifford on Innovation and Impact
In this episode of the Iowa Manufacturing Podcast, host Leisa Fox sits down with Tim Gifford, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Lean TECHniques, a company that’s redefining what it means to be agile in today’s digital world. Tim shares the remarkable story of how Lean TECHniques began—with a small, passionate team determined to build…