Younger owners and managers are stepping into leadership roles — often after growing up in the family shop or working summers in the field — and they’re bringing fresh ideas to operations, technology, and culture. Their challenge isn’t starting from scratch; it’s modernizing what already works while honoring the legacy built by previous generations.
Prices are up and tech is evolving fast. Powerhouse Consulting’s Jenny Benbrook outlines where ROI is left on the table, how to phase improvements, and why “the way it’s always been done” is dragging margins.
Each year, the Innovation Awards receive hundreds of submissions from manufacturers putting forward their breakthrough designs for new and never before seen solutions or improvements upon existing products and technologies.