Why are interest rate cuts finally unlocking billions in factory investments?
Will Drewery and Greg Smyth, co-founders of Diagon.ai, dive into the manufacturing equipment market's dramatic Q4 surge. After months of hesitation driven by interest rate uncertainty and tariff concerns, buyers are finally moving forward with major capital investments. Will, now leading Diagon's commercial efforts, reports seeing 60-70 equipment requests monthly—from aerospace coating machines to semiconductor wire bonders. "Companies are looking to get equipment sooner so they can spend their time making products rather than buying machines," Will explains. The conversation reveals how used equipment markets are heating up and why flexibility in specifications can slash costs from $6 million to under $1 million.
Greg shares insights from his product leadership role, describing Diagon's three-pillar approach: marketplace visualization, proprietary industrial data, and AI expertise through their Albus platform. The team has switched roles internally, with Will now interfacing with customers daily while Greg builds the technology stack. Their mission? Democratize equipment procurement the way Gusto simplified payroll and Shopify opened e-commerce. As Greg puts it: "Most people are not Tesla with huge expert teams buying equipment all day long. They're CEOs or manufacturing engineers doing procurement—and these transactions are complicated." Will emphasizes that what differentiates their AI platform is the data—"It used to be that information just completely goes back into the ether. Now we capture and hold on to those learnings."
In This Episode:
- (00:00) Macro trends and administration changes impact
- (03:32) Interest rates and tariffs driving hesitation in factory investments
- (09:48) Tips for equipment buyers: flexibility and total cost ownership
- (14:45) Diagon and Albus platform overview and AI capabilities
- (20:33) Current project examples: coating machines and wire bonders
- (28:20) Closing thoughts on data, product vision and team excitement
- Share with someone who would benefit, like and subscribe to hear all of our future episodes!
About the Show
The Movers and Makers podcast, powered by Diagon.ai, explores the future of manufacturing and supply chain innovation. Hosted by Diagon co-founders Will Drewery and Greg Smyth, the show covers factory-building strategies, manufacturing processes, and market insights. With expertise from Diagon, a leader in reshoring and streamlining manufacturing equipment procurement, the podcast offers valuable perspectives for engineers, executives, and enthusiasts aiming to optimize supply chains and drive efficiency in the industry.
Resources:
Join the waitlist for Albus AI - Diagon's AI-powered procurement assistant that cuts months off equipment sourcing timelines. Get early access at https://join.diagon.ai/
Diagon.ai http://Diagon.ai
Will Drewery LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamdrewery/
Greg Smyth LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryfsmyth/
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