MC059: Women in Manufacturing – Stamping Out a New Vision with Erica Wiegel

Women are the future of manufacturing industry leaders and essential to the success of the industry. However, many women in manufacturing have experienced a gender bias which has excluded them from core managerial roles such as production supervisors and operations managers. Compounding the issue, many people think of manufacturing jobs as dirty, unskilled, back-breaking labor. That’s not the case anymore…

 “When the five years had passed and I hadn’t done anything, that’s when I had to re-evaluate my goals, my decisions, and what I wanted to execute.” – Erica Wiegel

On this episode of MakingChips, we have a great conversation with Erica Wiegel, President and Owner of Aro Metal Stamping. Erica shares with us her inspiring story of accomplishing her goals through acquiring a new business. She details the acquisition process, challenges she faced along the way, and lessons she has learned from her experience. We also discuss manufacturing news, WBE certification, associations, and the future of manufacturing.

Episode Outline:

• [00:07] – Episode Preview
• [01:55] – Manufacturing News
• [04:15] – Welcome Erica Wiegel
• [07:25] – What Aro Metal Does
• [08:10] – Erica’s 5 Year Goal Plan
• [10:20] – Woman Business Enterprise 
• [12:00] – Acquiring a New Business
• [13:30] – New Employees
• [14:15] – A Good Fit (Company Culture)
• [16:20] – Value Added
• [17:45] – Defining Goals
• [18:55] – Challenges, Mistakes, and Lessons
• [20:25] – Associations
• [21:40] – Competitive Edge
• [22:30] – WBE Certification
• [23:48] – The Next 5 Years (Near-sourcing)
• [25:50] – Cleaning Up
• [26:45] – Conclusion of Episode

Mentioned in this Episode:

• “Manufacturing News Article
• Wiegel Tool Works
• Aro Metal Stamping
• Erica Wiegel | LinkedIn
• TMA | Technology | Manufacturing Aligned
• Women In Manufacturing: Home
• About WBE Certification
• Near-sourcing

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