Marlen had the pleasure of working with Chris Luecke at Manufacturing Happy Hour and the Industrial Solutions Network on their Made Here series. The series spotlights diverse manufacturing processes in U.S. cities, including Kansas City.
In this podcast, Doug Wilson, Director of Engineering at Marlen, and Chris pull the curtain back on food and beverage manufacturing. They discuss how Doug got involved in manufacturing and where he sees it going. They also discuss some misconceptions of the food and beverage industry and where Marlen fits in.
3 Quick Things from this Episode:
- The Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) celebrates a key part of Kansas City’s culture, hosting events and competitions for its 16,000 members and counting!
- Think manufacturing is a dirty job? Think again. There’s no room for dirt in food and beverage manufacturing. Everything has to be spotless and sanitary practices are essential.
- Kansas City is a hub of manufacturing, especially in the food and beverage space – thanks to a combination of a central location, vo-tech schools, and Midwest work ethic.
What Chris and Doug Discuss:
- How Doug first became a passionate Kansas City barbeque fan
- Doug’s early career in welding and high-speed printing and packaging
- Important lessons that Doug learned from an early startup that failed around workflow
- How Doug moved into the food processing business at Marlen
- Common misconceptions around food and beverage manufacturing
- What goes on behind the scenes of mass food production around testing and quality control
- Doug shares how he’s helped a number of smaller producers to industrialize and scale (including a truck stand)
- The key to ensuring quality when automation is a huge part of large-scale operations
- How the food manufacturing industry is changing, with a lean toward prepared meals
- How Marlen recycles exhaust fumes to boost energy efficiency
- Doug explains some of his barbeque tools, the Kansas City Barbeque Society, and his time as a judge
- What makes Kansas City a hub of food and beverage manufacturing
- The future of manufacturing in the food sector, Doug’s predictions
To check out Chris’ Podcast and get additional resources, visit ManufacturingHappyHour.com, Podcast 197.
