The Connected Factory | Manufacturing Industry Podcast

Guest: Britta Mittlefehldt, Partner Smart Manufacturing @ Deloitte In this episode, Niklas sits down with Britta Mittlefehldt from Deloitte to explore what it takes to scale AI and digitalization across manufacturing operations. Drawing on her background as a certified welding engineer, former plant manager in China, and 16 years in consulting, Britta gives a direct assessment of where the industry stands today. They discuss why lighthouse projects fail to scale, how IT/OT convergence is reshaping organizational structures, and what manufacturers must solve on the data and people side before AI delivers real value. The conversation also covers Unified Namespace, data ownership, and Deloitte's Smart Factory in Düsseldorf — a live production environment built for testing connected factory infrastructure. 👉 To learn more about our product and try the free community version, please visit https://www.umh.app/ 🔗 Britta Mittlefehldt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/britta-mittlefehldt-68a82919b/ 🔗 Niklas Hebborn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niklas-hebborn-13994682/

Guest: Heiko Wirtz, Co-Founder and CTO of ANTICIPATEIn this episode, Alex and Heiko from Anticipate dive into the role of AI and computer vision in modern manufacturing. They trace the journey from early image processing to today’s deep learning–powered quality inspection systems, discussing the challenges of integrating AI into legacy shop-floor environments and the opportunities this technology brings for scalability, accuracy, and reduced costs. The conversation also explores the balance between in-house development and external solutions, the hype around generative AI versus practical industrial applications, and strategies for getting started with computer vision projects in manufacturing. The evolution of computer vision from traditional image processing to deep learning. How AI improves resilience and adaptability in quality inspection. The integration hurdles with legacy machines and protocols. Why ease of use is key for automation engineers and SMEs. The risks of overestimating DIY in-house AI projects. The gap between AI hype at C-level and real shop-floor needs. Practical advice for engineers: start small, use open-source tools, and show ROI quickly. How computer vision fits into the bigger IT/OT and AI landscape.👉 To learn more about our product and try the free community version, please visit https://www.umh.app/

Guest: David Ariens, Author & Founder of The IT/OT InsiderIn this episode of The Connected Factory Podcast, David Ariens joins hosts Alexander Krüger and Jeremy to unpack what it really takes to bring IT and OT together. Drawing on his journey from mathematics to chemical-plant digitalisation, David explains why open learning, shared language, and trust drive success on the shop floor. They discuss:Why an interdisciplinary background accelerates digitalisation initiativesHow paywalled, uneven education slows IT/OT teamworkWhat “infrastructure convergence” means and why factories need it nowWhy cybersecurity must be a joint mission, not a turf warHow building trust and a common language turns siloed teams into partnersA practical playbook: clear business cases, visible leadership, and community support👉 To learn more about our product and try the free community version, please visit https://www.umh.app/

Guest: Natan Linder, Co-Founder & CEO of TulipIn this episode of The Connected Factory Podcast, Natan Linder, CEO and co-founder of Tulip, joins Alexander Krüger, Co-Founder of United Manufacturing Hub, to explore what it really takes to empower shop floor workers with data insights and tools — beyond buzzwords like “digital transformation.” They discuss:Why traditional digital transformation strategies often leave shop floor workers behindThe role of composable, low-code platforms in enabling dynamic, scalable operationsThe shift from rigid architectures to open, ecosystem-driven solutionsHow Tulip is helping turn frontline engineers into citizen developersWhy treating every worker as a "knowledge worker" is key to future-proofing operationsThe real impact of AI on industrial workflows — beyond the hype👉 To learn more about our product and try the free community version, please visit https://www.umh.app/

Guest: Dr. Tilman Buchner, Partner and Director at BCG and global leader of BCG’s Innovation Center for OperationsIn this episode of The Connected Factory Podcast, host Alexander Krüger speaks with Dr. Tilman Buchner , about the shift toward software-defined automation. They explore the challenges and opportunities in bridging IT and OT, scaling industrial use cases, and the growing importance of open-source and resilient architectures in manufacturing.Shifting from traditional automation to software-defined solutionsBridging IT/OT gaps and deploying services at scaleWhy unified namespace can simplify data managementBalancing reliability with flexible, cloud-native updatesOpportunities in the pharma industry and beyondBCG’s hands-on approach to engineering and proof-of-concept👉 To learn more about our product and try the free community version, please visit https://www.umh.app/

Guest: Matthew Parris, Director of Advanced Manufacturing at GE AppliancesIn this episode of The Connected Factory Podcast, host Jeremy Theocharis speaks with Matthew Parris, Director of Advanced Manufacturing at GE Appliances, about the evolution of Unified Namespace, DataOps, and real-time data integration in industrial manufacturing.Data Operations at GE AppliancesQuality Assurance & Cybersecurity in ManufacturingThe Shift from OPC UA to MQTT in Data CommunicationUnderstanding Quality of Service (QoS) in MQTTThe CESMII API & Standardizing Industrial Data AccessPractical Advice for IT/OT Professionals👉 To learn more about our product and try the free community version, please visit https://www.umh.app/

Guest: Brian Pribe from Mach Controls and Trent Christopher from 4.0 Hero LLCWhat’s stopping manufacturers from leveraging their data? High costs, complexity, and IT/OT misalignment. In this episode of The Connected Factory Podcast, Brian and Trent join Jeremy Theocharis, CTO and Co-Founder of United Manufacturing Hub, to share their firsthand experiences in system integration, Unified Namespace (UNS), and edge data solutions. Starting a Systems Integration Business & Finding Market FitUnified Namespace (UNS) as a Manufacturing Data BackboneThe MQTT & Kafka Debate: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Best UsesWhy Open-Source & Why UMH?ProveIt Conference: Hands-On UNS & Edge Integration👉 To learn more about our product and try the free community version, please visit https://www.umh.app/

Guest: Dominik Obermaier, CEO and Co-Founder of HiveMQIn this episode of The Connected Factory Podcast, Dominik joins Alexander Krüger, Co-Founder of United Manufacturing Hub, share insights into his journey with HiveMQ, the evolution of MQTT, and its applications in various industries. During the podcast they cover:Bootstrapping the company to working with automotive giants.Future-proofing IoT with “boring” open standards like MQTT.Simplifying data access from the edge to the cloud.Addressing IT/OT convergence challenges and empowering the shop floor.Future outlook and Unified Namespace governance.👉 To learn more about our product and try the free community version, please visit https://www.umh.app/

Guest: Rick Bullotta, Advisor and Co-Founder of ThingWorxIn this episode of The Connected Factory Podcast, Rick, a seasoned entrepreneur and advisor in the industrial software landscape, joins Alexander Krüger, Co-Founder of United Manufacturing Hub, to share insights from barely graduating college to founding and scaling multiple successful software companies. During the podcast they cover:Mastering go-to-market strategies: Building a great product is only part of the equation; selling it effectively is key.Embracing extensibility: How enabling customization opens up broader markets and makes your product indispensable.Adapting to legacy systems: Integrate instead of replacing, while ensuring mission-critical operations remain resilient.Unlocking value with technology: The convergence of IoT platforms, AI, and low-code environments to accelerate innovation.👉 To learn more about our product and try the free community version, please visit https://www.umh.app/

Guest: Kasper Korsholm Christiansen, Senior Platform Owner – VELUX IIoT PlatformIn this episode of The Connected Factory Podcast, Kasper Karlsson Christiansen, Senior Platform Owner at VELUX, joins Alexander Krüger, Co-Founder of United Manufacturing Hub, to discuss his journey from electrician to building industrial IoT platform. During the episode, Kasper shared tactical advice for companies getting started on their IIoT journey, along with:Build cross-functional teams (IT & OT)Focus on decoupling data systems as a key job to be doneInvolve operators and technicians early and implement their feedbackLeverage open-source technologies to move fast👉 To learn more about our product and try the free community version, please visit https://www.umh.app/

Guest: David Schultz, Senior Consultant at Rhize Manufacturing Data HubIn the second episode of The Connected Factory, David Schultz, Senior Consultant at Rhize Manufacturing Data Hub, joins Jeremy to discuss the role of data contracts and the Unified Namespace (UNS) in modern manufacturing. During the podcast, they cover: Why we need Data Contracts for reliable, error-free communication between systems.How UNS acts as a data hub that enforces data standards, keeps models structured, and supports real-time event-driven data.Challenges in Data Handling w.r.t Managing errors, notifications, and the limits of querying historic data.

Guest: Jan Wokittel, Digital Strategy Delivery Lead at RocheIn this inaugural episode, host, Alexander, and Jan discuss the challenges and opportunities of implementing a Unified Namespace (UNS) in the pharmaceutical industry—a highly regulated sector where innovation must balance with compliance.