OM DETTA AVSNITT
We're not beating the drum this week… we're ringing Cici's bell.
Filmed live at Trinity College's Innovation Hub - our first time in Connecticut, and our first ever 9:30am taping. Not quite our usual ‘happy hour’, but our guests and the “small-but-mighty" state of Connecticut brought the energy all the same.
Chris sits down with Cici Bevin, sixth-generation President of Bevin Brothers Manufacturing and leader of the only remaining bell maker in the U.S, Andrew Gibson, CEO of AlphaQ, who came out of retirement to run a precision aerospace supplier for names like Sikorsky and Rolls-Royce, and Dustin Nord, Foundation Director at CBIA, tracking the trends shaping Connecticut's manufacturing future.
Together, they get into what keeps a 200-year-old manufacturer relevant, how a turnaround can make you a top global supplier almost overnight, and why one of the priciest states to manufacture in has built such a strong industrial cluster. Expect a state role you've probably never heard of, a centuries-old invention with surprising staying power, and what it takes to grow tomorrow's manufacturing workforce.
In this episode, find out:
- How Andrew Gibson turned a failing aerospace supplier with 0% on-time delivery into Rolls-Royce's #1 global supplier
- What surprising products are actually made in Connecticut, from Wiffle balls to Black Hawk helicopters
- Why Connecticut created a Chief Manufacturing Officer role, and why other states might want one too
- How a vicar from Wethersfield, Connecticut ended up inventing the first machine mill, and why that still matters today
- How Connecticut manufacturers collaborate with neighboring states like Massachusetts and Rhode Island
- Why Dustin believes no state has fully figured out manufacturing competitiveness, and what that means for the industry
Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going! Even one sentence helps. It’s feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!
Tweetable Quotes:
- "I don't think any state has the answer. That's what I learn the most when I look up what other states are doing. Everybody's experimenting." - Dustin Nord, Foundation Director at CBIA
- “When you make a change, you have to follow through. You've got to keep your word, even if it's adding a water cooler." - Andrew Gibson, CEO at AlphaQ
- "You have to have a vision. You've got to throw a rock out there tied to a string, and every day you want to make sure you can see that string." - Andrew Gibson, CEO at AlphaQ
Links & mentions:
- CLA exists to create opportunities for clients, people, and communities through industry-focused wealth advisory, outsourcing, audit, tax, and consulting services.
- MaintainX is one platform for maintenance, repair, and operations keeping the physical world running.
Make sure to visit https://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.
Mentioned in this episode:
Get a free LEGO at IMTS 2026!
If you're heading to IMTS 2026, make sure Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence is part of your game plan. Hexagon is the architect of innovation in manufacturing and a global leader in measurement technologies. Make sure to visit Hexagon in the East Building at Booth 134102 and tell them Chris from Manufacturing Happy Hour sent you to claim your LEGO MAESTRO CMM via the link below.
