In this episode, Chris sits down with Troy Ellison of Cloacina to talk about what it takes to build infrastructure that works in the real world, not just on paper. Troy explains what membrane bioreactors (MBRs) are in a way that you and I can understand, then pulls back the curtain on why so many systems fail the people who have to run them.
A big theme here is end-user experience. Troy makes the case that operators have been ignored for too long, and that designing systems around spreadsheets instead of humans is why so many projects struggle.
We also get into scaling a manufacturing business, what it’s really like growing from a handful of people to well over a hundred, and the highs and lows of being in business with your family.
If you’re building something meant to last, whether that’s equipment, a team, or a company, there’s a lot in here worth sitting with.
Subscribe
Apple | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube
3 Quick Things from this Episode
- Most systems fail because they were designed without operators in mind. Troy explains how years of running other people’s equipment showed him that “bad race cars” were being handed to good drivers, and the industry blamed the driver when things went wrong.
- Real innovation in wastewater only happens when someone is willing to take the risk themselves. Cloacina moved faster by funding its own “race car,” taking on full responsibility, and refusing to wait for industry permission, even when that meant years without taking profit.
- Scaling a manufacturing business is as much about culture as it is about equipment. Going from two people to over a hundred required focus on end-user experience, extreme ownership, and hiring people willing to abandon yesterday’s ideas for better ones today.
Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!
Tweetable Quotes
- “The Cloacina difference is the end user experience. We’re hyper focused on that. It’s all we care about at the end of the day.”
- “We were essentially building the airplane as it was on fire and falling out of the sky for many, many years.”
- “We are on a relentless pursuit for the perfect MBR. But the reason it’s relentless is we will never get there; we will never achieve perfection. Perfection is the process, it’s not a destination.”
Please Scroll Down for Recommended Resources from this Episode
Do you want to connect with other leaders that are moving the needle in manufacturing everyday? Then make sure to join us in the Manufacturing Happy Hour Industry Community on LinkedIn.
This episode is part of the MADE HERE City Series, created in partnership with ISN, the Industrial Solutions Network. In these episodes, we’re exploring what makes a city’s manufacturing community so special. This series not only features full podcast interviews with manufacturing leaders, but behind-the-scenes tours of some of the region’s most iconic and important industrial operations. Check out our latest mini-series in Nebraska today.
What We Discuss with Troy
- What an MBR (membrane bioreactor) is, and why it’s become Cloacina’s core focus
- Why Troy compares wastewater systems to race cars, and what happens when operators are handed something poorly designed
- How prioritizing the operator changes everything from layout to long-term performance
- What scaling a manufacturing business looks like when you’re buying equipment, hiring people, and fixing problems nonstop
- Why Cloacina stopped listening to voices that slowed progress and focused on building the right team
- How taking on single-point responsibility removes friction instead of adding risk
- Where Troy sees the future of MBRs heading
Recommended Resources
- Cloacina – Troy Ellison’s company, focused on membrane bioreactor (MBR) wastewater treatment systems
- Cloacina Rentals – Rental MBRs for immediate wastewater treatment solutions
- Membrane Bioreactors (MBRs) – The core wastewater technology discussed throughout the episode
- Extreme Ownership – Leadership principle referenced (popularized by Jocko Willink)
- Jocko’s – The local bar that Troy references
Recent Comments