What if the American Dream never actually left — it just moved to the factory floor?
In this episode of Manufacturing Runs The World, we're meeting with Cris of Manitowoc Tool & Manufacturing, a 300,000+ sq ft operation in Wisconsin, and I’m hit with a story that completely reframes how modern manufacturing really works.
Cris Muchowski started here straight out of high school.
No degree.
No network.
No shortcuts.
His first job? Wash line. Cleaning parts. Entry-level. Bottom of the org chart.
Today?
He’s Vice President of a massive, multi-facility manufacturing company with more than 275 employees, millions of parts shipped annually, and one of the strongest tool & die + stamping operations in the Midwest.You will not hear many career arcs like this — not in corporate America, not in tech, not in finance.But you will find them in U.S. manufacturing.This is why I’m doing this series.
This is why I’m teaching myself engineering by talking to people who built their careers with their hands, brains, discipline, and grit.
🔧 Inside a 300,000+ sq ft Tool, Die & Stamping Operation
MTM started in 1965 and has grown steadily for decades — not through hype, not through tech buzzwords, but through:
- Excellence in tool & die
- Real partnerships with OEMs
- Skilled trades talent they trained internally
- Operational discipline
And a philosophy:
“The reward for good work is more work.”
The building Cris talks about began as 25,000 sq ft. As demand grew, they added another section… then another… then another.
Today it spans 300,000+ sq ft across multiple operations, including a brand-new 100,000 sq ft distribution center.This is the quiet power of midwestern manufacturing — no press releases, no noise, just real capabilities and real results.
🏭 The Career Path Schools Never Mention
Cris’s story is the exact counterexample to every narrative young people are told today:“You need a college degree.”“Trades are a dead-end.”“Manufacturing is dying.”“You can’t build a career starting at the bottom.”
Meanwhile…Cris went from:Wash line → Quality lab tech → Quality engineer → Quality manager → Production plant manager → VP of a 300,000 sq ft manufacturing companyThis isn’t a one-off anomaly — this is what happens when a company invests in its people and the industry values skill over paperwork.
When people ask “Where did the middle class go?” — it’s here.🇺🇸 Why U.S. Manufacturing Is Growing AgainPost-COVID onshoring completely reshaped MTM’s customer mix.Companies are shifting from 50/50 offshore → 75/25 domestic because:
- Container shipping doesn’t work for heavy stamped components
- Lead times matter
- Quality control is critical
- Tariffs make offshore risky
- OEMs need suppliers who can respond fast
MTM is winning because they’ve built the capabilities before the reshoring wave hit.🧠 What I Learned in This Episode (Teach Myself Engineering Journey)From Cris, I learned:
- Engineering knowledge lives on the shop floor — not in textbooks
- Manufacturing careers are built through repetition, discipline, accountability
- Toolmaking and stamping require generational skill and patience
- Leadership comes from doing the work, not skipping steps
- Modern manufacturing is advanced, data-driven, and deeply human
- The best engineers often started as operators or technicians
If you’re following my journey to “teach myself engineering by talking to real engineers,” this is one of the most important episodes so far.🚀 Subscribe & Follow the Story: @ManufacturingRunsTheWorld If you want stories that actually show what manufacturing careers look like — and not the outdated stereotypes — hit subscribe.
14 min