Fear is expensive. In 2025, manufacturers delayed billions in capital projects because anxiety, not data, drove business decisions.
But 2026 is different. Tax incentives expire mid-year, borrowing costs are down, and the hard data shows CapEx accelerating at 3-4%. The companies acting on facts while others remain frozen are the ones positioned to gain market share, capture expiring tax benefits, and pull ahead.
This episode comes to you live from the A3 Forum 2026, where the message is clear: 2026 isn’t about waiting for certainty. It’s about preparing for complexity with multiple strategies, acting on hard economic data, and recognizing that technology will solve the labor shortage.
You’ll hear why geopolitics can no longer be ignored and why every manufacturing company needs dedicated monitoring and scenario-based planning to navigate constant disruption. We dig into why America’s $1+ trillion manufacturing investment boom is creating career opportunities that rival the tech industry and why the outdated narrative around manufacturing jobs is costing the industry the next generation of talent.
Plus, we explore how automation and robotics are becoming the central solution for critical challenges and how theme park robotics taught the industry the power of asking “how” instead of “no”.
Subscribe
Apple | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube
3 Quick Things from this Episode
- Alex Chausovsky (Economist, 3DM Analytics): Business leaders are delaying investments because they feel uncertain, even though the actual economic data shows solid growth and no recession on the horizon. Companies sitting on cash need to stop making decisions based on anxiety and news headlines. If the numbers support it, it’s time to pull the trigger on those delayed projects, especially with expiring tax incentives looming.
- Bob Little (Chief of Robotics Strategy, Novanta Inc.): Over $1 billion is being invested in U.S. manufacturing across semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and data centers. This benefits large corporations, as well as creating opportunities for hundreds of small suppliers.
- Fay Goldstein (CEO, Bardin): The industry has shifted from excitement about AI possibilities to practical deployment questions. Success in 2026 means focusing on implementation over internal development, becoming value-added partners rather than transactional sellers, and asking “how can we do this?” instead of defaulting to “no.”
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
- “We are in a manufacturing revolution, but most people don’t realize it yet. More importantly, America is starting to learn how to rebuild and manufacture its own goods. We are starting the process to build, and AI is a tool that will help close that chasm.” – Bob Little
- “If 2025 was marked as a year of uncertainty, I think we are now far enough into the process to recognize that it’s transitioning to a year of complexity in 2026. You have to be prepared for a variety of different scenarios. You have to treat it almost like war gaming, if you think about it.” – Alex Chausovsky
- “92% of manufacturing CEOs interviewed by Deloitte said smart automation or smart manufacturing is their top priority. This data validates that automation/robotics is the central issue for manufacturing leadership, not a side conversation.” – Alex Shikany
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.
MRPEasy is the AI-powered MRP software for small manufacturers, ideal for companies with 10 to 200 employees. It’s a seriously powerful yet easy-to-use manufacturing software that gives you everything you need to manage your manufacturing and distribution.
STÄUBLI is a leading manufacturer of quick connector systems, covering connection needs for all types of fluids, gases, and electrical power. Their standard and customized products – including quick and dry disconnect couplings, multiconnection solutions, safety break-away couplings, tool changers, and quick mold change systems – combine performance, quality, safety, dependability and durability.
What We Discuss with Alex, Stu, Alex, Bob, and Fay
- Why 2026 is transitioning from a year of uncertainty to a year of complexity
- How to become a value-added partner instead of a transactional seller
- How America’s $1+ trillion manufacturing investment is rebuilding domestic capability
- Why manufacturing careers now offer competitive tech-level salaries
- Why 92% of manufacturing CEOs prioritize smart manufacturing as their top growth strategy
- The impact of expiring tax incentives on CapEx decision-making urgency
- Why AI has shifted from hype to practical implementation questions
- How theme park robotics pioneered human-robot collaboration and safety standards
- Why the answer should be “how” instead of “no” when facing unconventional challenges
Recommended Resources
- A3 – Association for Advancing Automation, connecting innovators, businesses, and technologies across key technology sectors-robotics, vision, motion control, and industrial AI-to accelerate progress in automation
- 3DM Consulting, tap into Alex Chausovsky’s market research and analysis
- Bardin, helping industrial AI coworkers bridge the sales-engineering gap and, most importantly, helping manufacturers close deals faster
- Eat’n Park, family restaurants serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner to guests in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia since 1949
Connect with Alex, Stu, Alex, Bob, and Fay
Fay Goldstein | Bob Little | Alex Chausovsky | Stu Shepherd | Alex Shikany
Recent Comments