The Challenge of Implementing a Succession Plan with Bob Bechtold

In order for your manufacturing company to outlast your leadership tenure, it’s a good idea to have a succession plan. After investing so much time and energy into building a successful company, it can be difficult to hand over your responsibilities to another person. Having a succession plan can ensure that the right person is in place when the time comes. Doing so protects your employees and prepares the company for continued longevity. In this episode of MakingChips, you’ll hear Bob Bechtold talk about his success in starting and leading HARBEC in Ontario, New York. You’ll also hear about the challenges of developing his own succession plan.

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Do you have a 30-year plan?

What will your business be like in the next 30 years? While it used to be necessary to have a long-term vision for your company, it is becoming increasingly difficult to plan far into the future. The rapid changes in technology and the global economy require more short-term planning. However, it is still important to consider the long-term future and goals of your company. During this episode, Bob Bechtold talks about his four decades of manufacturing experience and how he has dealt with challenges and changes throughout his career. Listen as Bob also shares his approach to future planning that will prepare Harbec for continued success.

Fear of change could lead to failure

Bob Bechtold started his manufacturing career as a journeyman toolmaker. His years of experience both in making and teaching gave him the knowledge and wisdom to start his own manufacturing business. One of the qualities that made Bob so successful was his willingness to embrace change. He says that most people in the 1980s saw computers and technology as a threat to manufacturing. However, instead of resisting new technologies, Bob saw them as an opportunity. Hear how he has continued to lead his company to adapt and use new technologies during this interview on MakingChips.

The Challenges of Developing a Succession Plan

Bob Bechtold says his main focus at HARBEC currently is finding the right leader to take his place. Because he cares about his employees and wants to ensure their well-being, Bob is dedicated to implementing a succession plan. He describes the thought of letting go of his leadership role as unnerving. Bob shares candidly about the challenges he has experienced while developing this succession plan and the ways he is seeking to overcome them.

3 Keys to Manufacturing Success

A succession plan is only as good as the foundation upon which it is built. There are some practices that a manufacturing leader can implement to help set their company apart and increase the likelihood of long-term success. During this interview, Bob Bechtold talks about the three keys that he has put in place at Harbec that has contributed to the company’s success. These three keys can help you not only see growth, but also help develop a culture that more readily can be passed on to the next generation of leadership.

Here’s The Good Stuff!

Jim and Jason talk about trends that could change manufacturing over the next 30 years
Manufacturing News: The future of American manufacturing
Introduction of IMTS Rockstar Bob Bechtold, President at HARBEC in Ontario, New York
The changes in manufacturing technology throughout Bob Bechtold’s career and how he started HARBEC
Bob Bechtold talks about his company’s core competencies and who they serve
How Bob is preparing HARBEC for future leadership
The three most important lessons Bob Bechtold has learned during his career

Tools & Takeaways