Matt Thiel doesn’t see “employees first” as a slogan — he sees it as the engine for growth.

Because in industrial, you don’t get to coast. You either build a culture that unlocks potential, or you fall behind.

In this episode of the Fully Open Podcast, host Gil Welsford Jr. sits down with Matt Thiel, President of AUMA Actuators. Matt walks through the 9-year journey that led to a 35% increase in output with zero new hires, and how it all started with a simple, powerful philosophy.

💡 What you’ll hear:

• The “Employees First, Customers Second, Shareholders Third” philosophy in action.

• How to get the feedback you need to hear, not what you want to hear.

• The practical steps (surveys, coffee meetings) that build real trust over time.

• Why a long-term vision is the key to unlocking massive efficiency gains.

• The “phone down” rule for protecting your family and your focus.

• The story behind AUMA’s famous Heinz Field ketchup bottle actuators.

🎯 This isn’t just a conversation about actuators and valves — it’s a masterclass in modern industrial leadership and building a company people are proud to work for.

🔗 Learn more about AUMA Actuators: https://www.auma.com/

🔧 Explore Valve & Actuation Solutions from ValveMan: https://valveman.com/

Jeff Scott doesn’t talk about “growth” like a slogan — he talks about it like a responsibility.

Because in industrial, you don’t get to coast. You either build capability, or you fall behind.

In this episode of the Fully Open Podcast, host Gil Welsford Jr. sits down with Jeff Scott of NOSHOK. Jeff has spent 51 years inside the business, starting in shipping and receiving as “the third man” in a 400 sq ft storefront, and helping it grow into a modern operation built for the long haul.

💡 What you’ll hear:

• What “e-commerce” actually means in industrial (and why it’s not just “ordering online”)
• Why product data, drawings, and speed-to-answer are part of customer experience now
• How NOSHOK moved certifications from paperwork to process using ERP, serial numbers, and QR codes
• Why quality programs and compliance are the real moat (not low price)
• The stewardship mindset: “We serve the business. The business doesn’t serve us.”
• The simplest truth Jeff repeats: you either grow or you die

🎯 This isn’t just a conversation about valves and instrumentation — it’s about building a company that stays credible, relevant, and trusted for decades.

🔗 Learn more about NOSHOK: https://www.noshok.com

🔧 Explore Valve & Instrumentation Solutions from ValveMan: https://valveman.com

He lost the family company.
Then he bought it back.

Bert Lowden didn’t inherit Aquatrol — he had to fight for it.
This is the story of what happens when legacy slips through your fingers… and what it takes to rebuild it from the ground up.

🔊 In this episode of the Fully Open Podcast:
• The pain of losing a family business
• What it takes to buy back a legacy — with no safety net
• The real cost of ownership (when you're the one on the hook)
• Why fixing a reputation takes more than capital

🎙 Hosted by Gil Welsford Jr., third-generation industrial entrepreneur and founder of ValveMan.com.

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📌 Subscribe for new episodes every month.
We go beyond the brochure — real stories from the shop floor, the boardroom, and the legacy left in between.

#FullyOpenPodcast #FamilyBusiness #Ownership #ValveIndustry #LegacyBusiness

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▶ Watch all episodes of the Fully Open Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLExeHmRbu0ZY0aYxeR1-qYJxm9zB1-ZN_
🔗 Learn more about Bert’s company: https://aquatrol.com
🔗 Learn more about Gil & ValveMan: https://valveman.com