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Great Question offers news and information for people who make, store and move things and those who manage and maintain the facilities where that work gets done. Manufacturers from chemical producers to automakers to machine shops can gain insights into the technologies, economic conditions and best practices that can influence how to run facilities to reach operational excellence.

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Behind the Curtain

Longtime manufacturing process engineer and trainer John Dyer discusses operational excellence and continuous improvement with Professor Mohamed Saleh, a Lean, Six Sigma and continuous improvement expert. Between them, they share nearly 60 years of continuous improvement expertise. IndustryWeek partners with Dyer and Saleh to bring their insights to manufacturing professionals.

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Behind the Curtain
Without transparency, visual management is merely decoration.
Oct. 13, 2026
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Behind the Curtain
Behind the Curtain podcast hosts John Dyer and Dr. Mohamed Saleh launch a new series of podcast episodes exploring key behaviors that determine the effectiveness of well-known...
Oct. 6, 2026
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In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, we sit down with Keith Dunnell from ServiceNow to discuss how Manufacturing leaders face a hidden cost: fragmented ...
Oct. 3, 2026
Behind the Curtain
Your perceived ‘lack of time’ may reflect an array of other corporate woes instead, suggest the hosts of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement.
Sept. 28, 2026
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In this episode of Great Question: a Manufacturing Podcast, Carrie Hines of the American Small Manufacturers Association talks about moving forward with MEPs after uncertainties...
Sept. 24, 2026
Behind the Curtain
Lean and Six Sigma adoption often fail not because people inherently resist change, but because organizational trust, context, capability, and implementation practices are overlooked...
Sept. 22, 2026
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In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Chuck Orzechowski and Josh Renicker of the COO Forum discuss how operations leaders are navigating AI-driven disruption...
Sept. 21, 2026
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Behind the Curtain
True success is defined by long-term sustainability rather than initial implementation.
Sept. 15, 2026
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Great Question
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, IndustryWeek’s Anna Smith explores how an aging workforce and the reshoring drive are contributing to the skilled labor...
Sept. 11, 2026
Behind the Curtain
Is it true or is it a convenient excuse when progress is hard to see? It can be both, say the cohosts of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement.
Sept. 8, 2026
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Behind the Curtain
Lean training is important, but "knowing lean is not the same as living lean," say the hosts of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement.
Sept. 1, 2026
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Behind the Curtain
The truth is that lean makes problems more visible, say the hosts of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement. The only way to improve is to develop a culture ...
Aug. 25, 2026
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Behind the Curtain
IndustryWeek revisits the first installment of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement with this “best of” episode.
Aug. 18, 2026
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Great Question
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Ilana Preuss of Recast City discusses regional collaboration, outreach and advocacy, and how manufacturers of any size...
Aug. 13, 2026
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Behind the Curtain
The truth is that many leaders resist team empowerment because they believe it diminishes their importance, argue the hosts of Behind the Curtain. The key is to redefine what ...
Aug. 11, 2026
Behind the Curtain
Don't assume leadership's initial lean enthusiasm automatically translates to long-term support. Many headwinds could derail early commitment, say the hosts of Behind the Curtain...
Aug. 3, 2026
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Emily Domenech, executive director of the Federal Permitting Council, talks about the agency's mission and two manufacturing projects in the works.
July 30, 2026
Behind the Curtain
Neither statement is true, say the hosts of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement, who offer compelling perspectives about why the division between lean and...
July 28, 2026
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Behind the Curtain
On the contrary, many disciplines can excel as lean facilitators. Qualities such as humility, critical thinking and the ability to work as a team are key, regardless of one's ...
July 21, 2026
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Great Question
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Clay Martin, CEO and founder of recruiting agency Isla Talent, describes how manufacturers can address labor shortages...
July 16, 2026
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Behind the Curtain
Don't believe it, say the hosts of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement, who argue that lean applies to any process with inputs, outputs, suppliers and customers...
July 13, 2026
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Behind the Curtain
Every culture presents its own challenges, say the hosts of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement. For that reason, a cookie-cutter approach to implementing...
July 7, 2026
Behind the Curtain
In this episode of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement, hosts John Dyer and Dr. Mohamed Saleh continue their exploration of symptoms that indicate an organization...
June 29, 2026
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What IndustryWeek learned from John Deere, Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, Viridi and LG while producing Smart Manufacturers.
June 25, 2026