Our dialog with steel artist David Madero at FABTECH was simply certainly one of many nice episodes of The Fabricator Podcast in 2025. Butler Images
The Fabricator Podcast is near releasing its a centesimal episode. That’s a number of conversations about steel fabricating, welding, workforce improvement, steel artwork, advertising and marketing, and an entire lot of different necessary—and typically not-so-important—topics.
It’s been a completely fascinating journey for the workforce, assembly all of those thrilling and gifted individuals. We’re hoping that by sharing our friends’ tales, we’re in a position to present individuals with a practical and thrilling have a look at what awaits of us getting right into a steel fabricating profession. Nobody’s going to be shopping for a Ferrari on a welder’s wage proper out of faculty, however that could possibly be step one on a profession path that might result in a pleasant F250, a jet ski, and a hound canine named Rufus. (This is likely to be the genesis of a rustic track!)
Coming into 2026, we figured we might take a while to look again on a few of our favourite episodes from the earlier yr. After we every compiled our prime 5 lists, we did so with out figuring out what the opposite individual may choose. To our shock, we ended up with two lists of fully completely different episodes.
However, alternatively, it’s additionally not a shock. Nearly each episode we launched in 2025 was a contender. It was troublesome to select simply 5. As you will note, each lists stick out for numerous causes.
DAN’S TOP FIVE
No. 5—Greg Schutte, director of fabrication, Knapheide (Episode 94)
The dialog with Greg Schutte stands by itself, however that is additionally a nostalgic choose. Early on in my profession at The Fabricator, I did a telephone interview with Schutte concerning the fabrication actions at Knapheide, a sixth-generation family-owned firm in Quincy, In poor health. The story had all the weather of what I like concerning the business: humble beginnings, a willingness to tackle manufacturing challenges that frighten most different entrepreneurs, and a very fascinating enterprise. It’s one of many first instances that I can recall studying about an organization after which seeing its handiwork in every single place. To at the present time, once I see a piece truck with a Knapheide fabrication on it, I feel again to that story.
Nicely, because of a sponsored episode by our associates at Salvagnini America, we have been in a position to observe up with Schutte and be taught simply how massive the corporate’s enterprise has gotten—managing greater than 2 million SKUs. That’s large enterprise involving a number of massive and awkward-sized fabrications.
It’s additionally enjoyable to listen to how the corporate treats its potential prospects, jetting them in to absorb the manufacturing pleasure at Knapheide’s manufacturing camps. It’s a fantastic American success story, and it’s cool to see the corporate’s development.
No. 4—Jarrod Klassen, proprietor, Twisted Steel Signal Co. (Episode 86)
That is straight-up noteworthy due to Jaren Klassen’s expertise as a bead rolling artist. I wasn’t conversant in such a artwork, so it was all about studying about bead rolling methods and Klassen’s ability.
You then see a few of his work, akin to a portrait of Willem Dafoe or the lead singer of the doom steel band Pentagram, and also you’re fully in awe of simply how a lot element he can ship utilizing a bead rolling machine.
Plus, it all the time good chatting with somebody from Saskatchewan. Go Tough Riders!
We recorded this one at Baileigh’s Manitowoc, Wis.-based headquarters throughout its Metalshaping Fest. Additionally try the episode we did there with Chris Rusch and Mike Wagner.
No. 3—Jo Mackiewicz, professor/welder, Iowa State College/Howe’s Welding & Steel Fabrication (Episode 78)
Jo Mackiewicz is a professor at Iowa State who focuses on how communication facilitates (and impedes) studying and a part-time welder at Howe’s Welding & Steel Fabrication in Ames, Iowa. Throughout her go to, we realized about what it’s like to leap into an entire new realm of existence—transferring from a lectern to a welding torch.
Mackiewicz supplied a really distinctive perspective on what it’s like to leap into welding and steel fabricating. In truth, she continues to share these ideas as an occasional blogger for us and on her LinkedIn web page, which is a should observe if you’re on that platform.
In a manner, Mackiewicz is an instance of what trendy manufacturing may must thrive sooner or later. With producers craving welding expertise and concurrently asking any potential new hires to have good communication and important considering abilities, they is likely to be required to take people with little to no expertise and mould them into productive welders and trendy steel fabricators. It’s not a straightforward task, however in some cases the payoff could be large.
No. 2—Brandon Minga, artist, welder, and artistic power, Home of RAD (Episode 87)
The explanation I like interviewing fascinating individuals is as a result of I’m not so fascinating. Hanging round artistic varieties offers me an power bump that I merely don’t get when listening to about my supervisor’s golf sport or my good friend’s journey to see King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard for the eighth time. Inventive varieties are contributing to the betterment of the world, even when it’s only a small nook of it.
Brandon Minga is the personification of that. By Milwaukee-based artist co-op Home of RAD, they’ve created a efficiency stage for Beerline Plaza in Milwaukee and added some native aptitude to another public buildings within the metropolis. Additionally, studying that he had some connections with the parents that labored on the 2022 movie “Lots of of Beavers” sealed the deal that these of us are individuals you wish to know.
No. 1—Marvin Herrera, welding engineer, Freedman Seating Co. (Episode 91)
Actually, I can’t consider a greater episode that embodies what I feel The Fabricator Podcast tries to do. This dialog with Marvin Herrera covers his personal private journey from working in a grocery retailer to now programming welding robots for certainly one of Chicago’s largest manufacturing corporations. It ought to present inspiration to anybody caught in a job and is likely to be questioning what potentialities exist on the earth of producing.
Herrera most likely doesn’t consider himself as an embodiment of tomorrow’s data employee in manufacturing, however he’s a fairly good instance. He’s curious, succesful, and gaining extra expertise with each passing day. Anybody firm can be fortunate to have him, and we have been very fortunate to spend an hour with him this summer time.
GARETH’S TOP FIVE
No. 5—James Geier, founder, 555 Worldwide (Episode 88)
It’s spectacular all of the tasks Chicago-based design and fabrication company 555 Worldwide has performed an element in, from retail areas just like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) Museum reward retailer and the Madhouse Crew Retailer at United Middle to eating places throughout Chicago and at Onerous Rock Lodges throughout the nation.
James introduced his large persona to the studio. He describes himself as a designer, sculptor, fabricator, engineer, carpenter, and so on. However he’s additionally a savvy businessman. One a part of the dialog that all the time stood out to me was when he talked about how, regardless of his ardour to be a artistic, turning into a ravenous artist was by no means going to be an possibility for him.
What James has constructed with 555 Worldwide is the very best instance of how one can make large enterprise out of creativity. In that very same realm, it is also value trying out our episode with Mike McCarthy of Design Communications Ltd. (DCL).
No. 4—Rae Ripple, steel artist and welder (Episode 89)
Ever since she graced the duvet of our March/April 2020 problem of The Welder, Rae has been certainly one of our favourite individuals to speak to. Previously six years, she’s turn out to be an actual power in entrepreneurship, model ambassadorship, and ladies’s empowerment throughout steel artwork and the trades.
That is Rae’s second time on The Fabricator Podcast. We have been lucky sufficient to catch her on her manner again to Tennessee from Harley-Davidson Homecoming in Milwaukee this previous summer time.
On prime of telling us tales about performing airplane aerobatics and rallycross racing within the desert, she additionally talked about how 2025 was the yr she rediscovered her ardour for making steel artwork and advocating for different ladies within the business. After the episode dropped, she additionally began her personal basis.
Talking of steel artwork, our episodes with David Madero and Steve Kost are additionally value trying out.
No. 3—Lucy Minturn and Liz Kloster, co-founders, Fosterworks (Episode 80)
This dialog with Lucy and Liz is a good instance of a really nontraditional path to small enterprise possession in steel fabrication.
They share what it actually appears to be like like to purchase a small Chicago job store, transfer it, and rebuild it right into a mission-driven manufacturing enterprise. Lucy got here up by welding and hands-on store work, whereas Liz introduced an accounting and nonprofit background and realized the shop-floor realities on the fly.
As ladies enterprise homeowners, they speak candidly about constructing a values-driven store in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood centered on middle-class jobs, teamwork, and adaptability. The episode highlights why tradition issues in small manufacturing, and why making issues nonetheless issues, all instructed by the very actual (and typically amusing) challenges of transferring heavy gear, upgrading energy, and discovering their footing as new homeowners.
No. 2—Kirk McCauley, proprietor, American Engineering and Metalworking (Episode 82)
Once I was making my checklist, I knew I wished to incorporate Kirk’s episode as a result of I believed it was our most underrated episode of the yr. Then I crunched the numbers and realized that his episode was our second-most performed episode of 2025 on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
So, in different phrases, completely rated.
Kirk’s episode resonated as a result of it displays shared manufacturing realities, from globalization pressures to adopting new expertise in sensible, reasonably priced methods by a “good manufacturing facility on a price range” mindset. Backed by actual investments and a people-first management method, the dialog felt credible, accessible, and deeply related.
He mentioned one thing through the dialog that completely summarizes his method with AEM: “It isn’t about scale to me. We do not hold rating with others. We simply hold rating with ourselves. We’re not benchmarking. We’re simply doing our personal factor.”
No. 1—Marc Levin, co-founder, Welder Underground (Episode 95)
I’ve a lot respect for what Marc and Adina Levin have created in Welder Underground. When you’re not acquainted, it’s a Brooklyn-based nonprofit group and apprenticeship initiative centered on coaching the subsequent era of welders and steel fabricators.
Again in March, we revealed a brief article highlighting Welder Underground’s Rappin’ Max Robotic venture. As quickly as I learn it, I knew we needed to have them on the podcast. And we have been fortunate sufficient to meet up with Marc at FABTECH. Not solely did he deliver the power, however he additionally introduced a gaggle of apprentices to the commerce present, widening their scope of what the business has to supply.
Additionally they got here again to Chicago a month after FABTECH to finish their Doorways to Future venture. We speak all about it on the podcast.
For Marc and Adina, it’s all about giving these younger apprentices concrete experiences they will apply to their profession. “Actual world tasks. That’s how we do it,” Marc mentioned at one level.
To me, that is what welding and fabrication schooling ought to be.
