In this episode of the Destiny of Manufacturing podcast, host Dean Phillips welcomes Mike Lauber, CEO of TuscoMFG, for a forward-looking conversation about what lies ahead for American manufacturing.
Mike shares insights on the industry’s most pressing challenges such as attracting and retaining a new generation of workers, navigating global supply chains, and staying ahead of rapid automation and AI adoption. He also highlights how Tusco is taking action locally, partnering with nearby schools, creating hands-on opportunities for students, and redefining what a manufacturing career looks like in 2025 and beyond.
The discussion touches on:
• The changing workforce mindset and why flexibility, culture and purpose now matter as much as pay.
• Smart automation and AI tools that empower people instead of replacing them.
• The impact of reshoring, trade policy and evolving markets such as EVs, data centers and power generation.
• The value of collaboration within the manufacturing community and why competition doesn’t have to mean isolation.
It’s an engaging, optimistic look at where manufacturing is headed and how leaders like Mike are proving that making things still matters in America.
About the Guest: Mike Lauber, CEO, TuscoMFG
Mike Lauber is the CEO of TuscoMFG, a company founded in 1949 that designs, engineers, and produces a variety of fabricated metal products used in retail advertising, gaming, conveyance and various industrial applications.
Mike holds a BA in Economics from the College of Wooster and MBA from the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College. He serves as chair of the Tuscarawas County Economic Development Corporation, as a member of the College of Wooster Board of Trustees, and on the board of MAGNET, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) that serves small- and medium-sized manufacturers in 22 Northeast Ohio counties.
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