Shows
Industrial VisionariesEP 9 — Why Your BMW is Smarter Than Most Factory FloorsIn this episode of Industrial Visionaries, ZJ sits down with Markus Grundmann, board member at FlowFuse and partner at Senovo VC, to discuss the investment thesis behind FlowFuse and the broader industrial digitalization market. Markus shares his perspective on why the first wave of Industry 4.0 investments failed to deliver and how software-native companies are positioned differently in today's market.
What you'll learn:
Why most Industry 4.0 investments failed to create successful exits and what made those approaches fundamentally flawed
How Node-RED's widespread adoption across HiveQ customers revealed the market opportunity for enterprise-grade industrial software platforms
The three...2025-06-1815 min
Industrial VisionariesEP 8 — Takeda’s Michael Backhaus on As Local As Possible, As Global As Needed IT ArchitectureDigital transformation in pharmaceutical manufacturing faces unique challenges that aren't present in other industrial sectors. In this episode of Industrial Visionaries, Michael Backhaus, Director of Digital Manufacturing at Takeda, provides an inside look at how one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies balances innovation with stringent GxP compliance requirements. Michael walks ZJ through Takeda's strategic approach to empowering site-level innovation within a regulated framework, allowing their 25+ manufacturing sites to digitize at their own pace while maintaining regulatory compliance.
From their successful paperless transformation initiative that's "exploding" with adoption across their network to their pragmatic data architecture philosophy o...2025-06-1622 min
Industrial VisionariesEP 7 — ANDRITZ’S Regis Ataides on a Shared-Risk Model for Manufacturing TechRegis Ataides brings a unique perspective to industrial digital transformation, combining mechanical engineering expertise with business acumen developed over decades at companies like Embraer, Siemens, and now as Vice President of Metris, ANDRITZ.
In his conversation with ZJ on this episode of Industrial Visionaries, Regis shares why performance-based contracts have become the most effective way to drive digital adoption in manufacturing environments, and why companies must start small but think big to achieve meaningful transformation. His insights on aligning stakeholder interests across organizations provide a practical blueprint for anyone navigating the complex world of industrial technology implementations.2025-05-0823 min
Industrial VisionariesEP 6 — Videojet’s Aroon Sehgal on Global-Local Technology Framework for ManufacturingIn manufacturing, the biggest challenge isn't implementing technology — it's blending technology with business needs to deliver real value. Aroon Sehgal, Chief Information Officer at Videojet, has mastered this intersection through his "glocal" approach to digital transformation.
In this episode of Industrial Visionaries, he walks ZJ through how manufacturing leaders can empower frontline workers to create their own digital solutions while maintaining enterprise security and control. Aroon reveals their strategic implementation of Tulip's citizen development platform, their disciplined "Wednesday release" schedule for production changes, and their zero-trust architecture for maintaining data security.
He also shares candid insi...2025-04-2416 min
Industrial VisionariesEP 5 —IDEMIA's Hicham Ghriss on Securing Smart Manufacturing Through People-First Digital TransformationIn this episode of Industrial Visionaries, Hicham Ghriss, Digital Factory Director, at IDEMIA, walks ZJ through implementing Industry 4.0 within highly regulated security technology manufacturing. Drawing from computer science foundations and seventeen years of industry experience, Hicham explains how IDEMIA balances innovation with security requirements.
He also discusses their approach to global standardization, strategies for achieving significant OEE improvements through smart monitoring, and emphasizes why focusing on people and change management drives digital transformation success. Hicham offers valuable perspectives on implementing industrial IoT while maintaining strict compliance standards.
Topics discussed:
Implementation of Industry 4.0 initiatives within h...2025-03-0423 min
Industrial VisionariesEP 4 — Bel Group's Rémy Beraud on Driving Value-First Digital Transformation in Food ManufacturingWith a 25-year career spanning rail transportation, automotive manufacturing at Renault, and now food production at Bel Group, Rémy Beraud, Industry 4.0 Director, offers unique insights into implementing Industry 4.0 initiatives at scale.
In their discussion on this episode of Industrial Visionaries, Rémy tells ZJ about Bel Group’s innovative approach to data collection across global sites, the importance of standardization in technical infrastructure, and their successful framework for IT-OT collaboration through digital pillars.
Rémy also emphasizes the critical nature of value-driven transformation and shares candid advice about managing technical debt while maintaining momentum in digi...2025-02-2025 min
Industrial VisionariesEP 3 - Henkel's Dr. Michael Honné on Building Smart, Self-Monitoring Industrial AdhesivesFrom traditional industrial adhesives to smart materials that detect their own failures — that's the journey Dr. Michael Honné, Head of MRO 4.0/Industry 4.0 at Henkel is leading at Henkel's LOCTITE Pulse division. Michael discusses how Henkel leverages its deep chemical expertise to create innovative digital maintenance solutions.
He also tells ZJ about their transition from product-focused to solution-driven business models, practical approaches to scaling digital implementations, and their strategic vision for combining chemical knowledge with digital capabilities.
Topics discussed:
Development of predictive maintenance solutions combining chemical expertise with digital technologies for enhanced industrial operat...2025-02-0626 min
Augmented OpsScaling Open Source in Manufacturing with FlowFuse’s ZJ van de WegThis week’s guest is ZJ van de Weg, CEO of FlowFuse.
ZJ shares his journey from an intern at GitLab to now leading FlowFuse, how open-source technology is transforming industrial operations, and why Node-RED has become the go-to platform for low-code manufacturing connectivity.
He also takes a deep dive into the challenges of scaling open source solutions in enterprise environments, the value of an ‘open-core’ business model, and the future of IT/OT collaboration.
Augmented Ops is a podcast for industrial leaders, citizen developers, shop floor operators, and anyone else that cares about...2025-02-0526 min
Unplugged: An IIoT Podcast17 - Transforming Data Management with Node-RED and FlowFuse with Nick O'LearyJoin hosts Phil Seboa and Ed Fuentes as they sit down with Nick O'Leary, the visionary behind Node-RED, to trace its fascinating journey from an IBM experiment to a vital tool for industries worldwide. Delve into the challenges and triumphs of scaling an open-source project, the creation of FlowFuse to meet enterprise demands, and how thousands of community contributions have shaped the platform.
Get insights into the future of AI in tool integration, the delicate balance of innovation and stability, and real-world applications from theme parks to ice cream factories. Whether you're new to Node-RED or a...2025-01-0953 min
Industrial VisionariesEP 2 - GE Appliances’ Trenton Ingrim on Balancing Innovation and StandardizationIn this episode of Industrial Visionaries, our host ZJ van de Weg, CEO of FlowFuse, speaks with Trenton Ingrim, Senior Director of Advanced Manufacturing, Industry 4.0 at GE Appliances. Trenton shares his extensive experience in engineering and operations, highlighting the transformative impact of digitalization in manufacturing.
Trenton touches on the implementation of data visualization through the "Brilliant Factory" concept, which has led to significant efficiency gains, and strategies for balancing innovation with standardization across multiple sites. Additionally, Trent discusses the importance of upskilling the workforce to embrace new technologies, ensuring that GE Appliances remains at the forefront of...2024-12-1934 min
IoT UnpluggedEnabling IoT applications with low codeThe last episode of IoT Unplugged Season 4 is out now! ⏰In this weeks episode of IoT Unplugged, Caitlin Gittins editor of IoT Insider, talks with ZJ, CEO, FlowFuse about "Enabling IoT applications with low code".
2024-12-1319 min
Industrial VisionariesEP 1 — FlowFuse’s Nick O’Leary on Low-Code Development and Its Impact on IoTIn our inaugural episode of Industrial Visionaries, our host ZJ van de Weg, chats with fellow FlowFuse exec, Nick O’Leary, CTO & Founder. Nick, who is also the creator of Node-RED, shares his extensive insights into the evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT). He discusses the early days of IoT and the transformative role of edge computing, highlighting how increased computing power has shifted data processing closer to devices.
Nick also explores the significance of open-source software in driving grassroots innovation within enterprises and the advantages of low-code development in creating flexible IoT solutions. Tune...2024-11-2518 min