WMEP Manufacturing Solutions

WMEP CEO/Executive Director Chris Baichoo was featured on RATCHET-UP, Allan Breidenbach's leadership podcast for executives, managers, and business owners who need to drive change without losing their people. Their discussion focused on:
- Unlocking growth with structure and standards
- Managed risk and making mistakes
- AI in manufacturing
- Company culture
- And more!

Take a listen:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Yfg34nqgPDARMX2kxTvhJ

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ratchet-up-with-allan-breidenbach/id6809825826

Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c5360365-262a-4072-8cc4-d93cd75a2a07/ratchet-up-with-allan-breidenbach?fbclid=IwY2xjawUWS-1wZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4OWzFvp2MoQTepEQZEsyPAXl5uGGEkC9YHeuW6e0KJcLHnwBK6mh4exrqZQw_aem_WVTKe4WunztURKJq83-CDQ

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0i7nFPIJVc0J49TEoQ1P6A

WMEP Senior Consultant Carol Crawford will present "Building a Leadership Pipeline" for Kenosha Area Business Alliance's Manufacturer's Forum on October 3, 2026, 8:00 - 9:30 a.m., at the Village of Pleasant Prairie Fire Station #3. For more information or to register: https://wmep.org/events/

WMEP experts from across Wisconsin came together this week to cultivate ideas for manufacturing growth in the state. Thank you to Nourish Farms, a nonprofit organization offering farm-to-community programs, for their hospitality and a hands-on lunch experience featuring delicious produce grown on-site! https://wmep.org/

Build your team's effectiveness with WMEP workshops and training! Tailored to help Wisconsin manufacturers succeed, these sessions are led by experts with hands-on manufacturing leadership experience.

Upcoming:
- Leadership Fundamentals Training for Frontline Supervisors, starting October 13 in Brookfield
- AI Navigator Workshop, October 26 in Waukesha

Learn more and enroll today: https://wmep.org/events/

WMEP Senior Consultant Carol Crawford will present "Building a Leadership Pipeline" as part of Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce and Racine County Economic Development Corporation's Continuous Improvement Roundtable series on September 17, 2026, at Gateway Technical College's SC Johnson iMET Center in Sturtevant. For more information or to register: https://wmep.org/events/building-a-leadership-pipeline/

We're proud to honor Gina Schultz, People Operations Administrator, and Craig Fey, Business Development Specialist, who celebrate another year of impact with WMEP in September. Congratulations, and thank you for the work you do every day to support WMEP and manufacturers across Wisconsin.
Learn more about our team members: https://wmep.org/about/our-team/

Did you know that 95.8% of manufacturing exporters are small or medium-sized? Learn how to expand your reach and transform your business through exporting. ExporTech, a nationally recognized exporting accelerator program, guides manufacturers to develop a customized export plan in 12 weeks. Held September-November in Madison, WMEP's fall program features three in-person training sessions with personalized coaching and action planning. Scholarships and export growth implementation grants are available! For more information and to apply: https://wmep.org/exportechexportgrowth/

Today we honor Wisconsin's hardworking manufacturers -- the makers, assemblers, fabricators, packagers, and designers who impact every life, every day with the products they create. Happy Labor Day!

What is your biggest business challenge? If it's retaining good employees, you are not alone. By understanding why employees leave, manufacturers can improve not only retention, but hiring and operations as well. WMEP Senior Consultant Greg Gasper explains in his article what employees are telling manufacturing leaders -- and how to use feedback to keep valuable employees engaged and productive.

Read the full article: https://wmep.org/employees-usually-tell-you-why-theyre-leaving-are-you-listening/

Equip your supervisors, team leads, and emerging leaders with practical leadership skills to enhance communication, motivation, and team performance. Our popular three-day Leadership Fundamentals Training series will be offered in Brookfield starting October 13, 2026.

Learn more and enroll: https://wmep.org/events/leadership-fundamentals-training/