Colin Cosgrove, president and CEO of Laystrom Manufacturing in Chicago, returns to The Fabricator Podcast to discuss how a mid-sized fabrication shop can plan for growth intentionally while maintaining flexibility, culture, and operational focus.

Cosgrove shares lessons from his time at a larger manufacturer, how Laystrom collaborates with customers on design for manufacturability and cost reduction, and how the company is navigating tariffs and market uncertainty. He also discusses where artificial intelligence may fit in small manufacturing environments, workforce development challenges, how Laystrom uses book clubs as a leadership and development tool, and why manufacturing roles should be viewed as knowledge work.

Email us at podcast@fmamfg.org with any comments, questions, or suggestions.

Learn more about Tube Düsseldorf 2026, coming in April.

In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, Maxwell Keeler of Electro-Mechanical Integrators (EMI) explains how modern tube plasma cutting systems handle multiple material profiles, enable tab-and-slot construction, and remove much of the math and layout work from the process.

He also talks about how, once a niche capability, tube plasma cutting has become a practical entry point for automation in tube fabrication, especially for shops moving beyond manual layout and cutting.

The conversation focuses on what these capabilities mean for miscellaneous metals, agricultural, and OEM fabrication, and why tube cutting automation is increasingly helping shops maintain consistency as experienced fabricators retire.

Learn more about Lantek, provider of CAM software for CNC programming and nesting.

This episode was recorded at FABTECH 2025 in Chicago. Email us at podcast@fmamfg.org with any comments, questions, or suggestions.

Rod Galbreath, president of CenMac Metalworks, discusses how the Ohio-based company evolved from a small metal stamping operation into a laser-focused fabrication business.

Galbreath explains why CenMac has prioritized investing in new equipment, including lasers, press brakes, and robotic welding cells, instead of adding multiple shifts. He outlines how this approach has increased capacity and productivity while supporting work-life balance for employees. He also describes a sales philosophy rooted in relationships, word-of-mouth, and long-term trust rather than a formal sales strategy.

Throughout the conversation, Galbreath points to people as the foundation of CenMac’s success, crediting company culture and long-tenured employees for the firm’s stability, including the fact that it has lost only one customer in nearly 30 years.

This episode was recorded at FABTECH 2025 in Chicago in partnership with MC Machinery. Email us at podcast@fmamfg.org with any comments, questions, or suggestions.