217: The Intersection of Energy, Automation, and Construction with FTI's Kevin Senn

FTI are at the center of some of the most important macro trends taking place in manufacturing today. From building biodigesters to driving innovations in energy solutions, they are helping companies optimize production systems, use automation, and address sustainability challenges. So how do they do it?

In this episode, we’re joined by FTI’s Kevin Senn to discuss trends in manufacturing and automation, the growth of data centers, AI, and more. Kevin highlights how FTI differentiates from their competitors by offering comprehensive end-to-end solutions, from high-concept development and engineering consultation to full design services, in-house manufacturing, and automation packages.

We also cover FTI’s unique approach to industrialized construction, including their approach to offsite prefabrication, and explore Kevin’s transition from a solutions architect to Director of Automation. Finally, we discuss how energy is the common thread that binds the seemingly diffuse sectors in which FTI operates.

In this episode, find out:

• FTI’s ‘pathway to smarter energy’ - a stepwise approach to helping customers become energy independent
• Why energy resilience is something that every company can enjoy and be customized to fit individual needs
• How FTI capitalized on emerging markets thirty years ago
• What the manufacturing industry looks like going into 2025 with regards to automation and sustainability
• The trend towards prefabricated buildings and why this is happening
• Why FTI has seen such growth in the data center space, especially with electric vehicle infrastructure
• Why automation is integral to creating efficient and scalable solutions
• Why a level of responsibility and ownership is needed when using AI, especially considering sustainability

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Tweetable Quotes:

• “A lot of the growth that the company is seeing at the moment is tied to that data center market growth.”
• “There were some really conscious decisions that the leadership team of this company made looking at these emerging markets.”
• “Resilience, I think, is something that every company can achieve.”

Links & mentions:

• Rockwell Automation, an American provider of industrial automation and digital transformation technologies
• FTI, a dynamic organization leveraging unified growth to create unparalleled possibilities and shape the future of energy
• Raised Grain Brewing, located in Waukesha, WI, this brewery has an extensive beer lineup that often pays tribute to local guitar hero Les Paul

Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.