Midwest House Stories - Chris Luecke, Manufacturing Happy Hour

Chris Luecke, founder and host of the Manufacturing Happy Hour podcast, shares his unique approach to making manufacturing conversations more accessible and engaging at the 2024 Reindustrialized Conference in Detroit. Known for his candid, beer-fueled interviews, Chris launched his podcast in 2016 to cut through the acronyms and jargon that often cloud the industrial sector. “Let’s have a candid conversation about the biggest trends and technologies and issues that manufacturers are facing… the same way you would as if you’re having a beer with someone,” he says.

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Manufacturing Happy Hour aims to humanize the sector by focusing on storytelling and real-world impact. Chris explains, “People aren’t necessarily going to remember the facts and figures… but they are going to remember the stories you tell.” The podcast blends insightful interviews with startup founders, industry veterans, and VCs, building a tight-knit community around industrial innovation.

Chris shares how his background in industrial automation and sales eventually led him to embrace marketing, podcasting, and media creation. “I worked for an automation company for 10 years as a salesperson,” he says, highlighting how content marketing and storytelling became his bridge between sales and broader industry impact. He emphasizes aligning sales and marketing through platforms like LinkedIn, urging manufacturers to start small with social media: “Pick a couple spots where you know your audience is hanging out… Double down on those.”

Live events are also key to the show’s success. With over 20,000 LinkedIn followers and 2,000 monthly podcast listeners, Chris turns online engagement into real-world community by hosting events like an 800-person meetup at Detroit’s Batch Brewing. These gatherings aren’t just parties—they strengthen the connections in manufacturing’s tight-knit ecosystem.

At the Reindustrialized Conference, Chris notes the difference in audience energy: “What I’d say I’ve noticed about this audience is everyone here is already really freaking excited about it.” The conference's attendees are focused on bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. using automation, robotics, and advanced manufacturing technologies. “We’re going to manufacture in a new way,” Chris explains. “We’re still going to need to employ an insane amount of people to do it.”

For the average person, Chris believes the biggest takeaway is reframing what reindustrialization really means. It’s not about reviving “dirty factories that make Nike shoes,” he clarifies, but about building safer, cleaner, tech-enabled manufacturing jobs that are both desirable and sustainable.

Now based in Milwaukee, Chris praises the Midwest as a growing hub for industrial innovation. “Manufacturing is going to be one of the things that helps the Midwest resurge,” he says, citing proximity to Chicago and Detroit as key benefits for podcasting and business.

As for what’s next, Chris plans to expand his content by spotlighting more startups, manufacturers, and venture capitalists pushing boundaries in modern industry. “You’re going to be hearing more perspectives from more roles and different types of people in different types of companies on Manufacturing Happy Hour very soon.”