The Robot Industry Podcast
Podcast for the Automation, Robotics and Manufacturing Industries by host, Jim Beretta. The podcast is partnered with A3 | RIA Robotics Industry Association. We discuss trends, innovation, and important tech for advanced manufacturing.
All episodes(25)
- StandardSummaries onlyBryan Madden - Leading the Mushroom Growing Industry with Automation, Robotics and Mycionics
Published Apr 26, 2026
Bryan Madden is the Farms Director at Champ's Fresh Farms Inc. in Langley BC Welcome to podcast # 159. I caught up with Bryan, who is a customer of Mycionics, my client. I spent the last few days at #Mushroomdays or #Mushroom Days in the Netherlands. Here are some of my questions: How did you get into mushroom farming? Can you tell me about Apex / South Mill Champs? What is the output of the farm? How many employees? What is a Drawer farm, what is that and why is it important to the conversation
- StandardSummaries onlyAgRobotics, Agriculture, and Automation with Chuck Baresich
Published Apr 8, 2026
Chuck BaresichWelcome to podcast # 158. Chuck Baresich is the Founder and President of Haggerty Creek farming operation. He is a farmer and an expert in AgRobotics. The farming operation is part of Haggerty Creek Ltd. owned & operated by Chuck & Justin Baresich and AGRIS Cooperative since 2001 www.haggertycreek.com. He has been researching and testing various automated technologies. Haggerty AgRobotics is actively developing relationships with leading ag-technology companies to commercialize new innovations a
- StandardSummaries onlyAVL Battery and Test Systems with Matthew Hortop, PE
Published Mar 28, 2026
Welcome to #157 of TRIP, The Robot Industry Podcast. I met up with Matt in Windsor during the Windsor-Essex' Emerging Technologies in Automation & Mobility Transformation Conference & Trade Show. Matthew Hortop, P.E. is a Technical Specialist for all Things Electrification. AVL is his employer and they are a 12,000-person company focused on powertrains. They don't make engines or inverters, they help customers doing the technology development. Batteries have become an important part of the autom
- StandardSummaries onlyTetraGen Robotics AI welding automation and robotics with Matt Khoshdarregi
Published Feb 25, 2026
Matt KhoshdarregiWelcome to #156 of TRIP, The Robot Industry Podcast. Matt Khoshdarregi is the CEO of TetraGen Robotics. He holds a P.Eng. and Ph.D. They, TetraGen, are a Manitoba-based developer of adaptive robotic manufacturing systems for high-mix, high-variability applications. Their current focus is on welding and trimming processes. Enjoy the podcast! Some of my questions to him: Matt, How did you get into the industry? Tell me (and our audience) about TetraGen. Who are your bullseye customers? Why did you
- StandardSummaries onlyAutomation Matters Podcast CRM for Automators with Stephen Slothuber
Published Feb 18, 2026
Stephen SlothuberWelcome to #158, I have known Stephen Slothuber for a long time; in fact, I worked with him and his father at ATS Automation. The Slothubers were an institution at ATS for accuracy, dependability and getting things done. I was happy to have Steve on the podcast to talk about CRM for automation integrators and machine builders. Enjoy the podcast and if you are thinking about a CRM for your machine building company, or are thinking about a Zoho implementation, I highly recommend him and his compan
- StandardSummaries onlyMass Timber and Element5 with Chris Latour
Published Feb 12, 2026
Chris LatourChris Latour and I have known each other for many years, from our days at ATS Automation, and it was my pleasure to reach out to him to arrange a tour of Element5 in St. Thomas, Ontario. So if you have never heard of Mass Timber, it is structurally efficient wood that is bonded together and used to form small and large buildings: walls, ceilings, floors and is engineered to be easy to use, to look beautiful and be functional. Think of a wall that needs a plumbing stack cutout, but it is actually
- StandardSummaries onlyMecademic Industrial Robotics - Micro Automation in Action Powered by Integrators
Published Jan 28, 2026
I had the pleasure of recording an episode with Stan Gleizer, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Integrators and OEMs. He works for Mecademic Industrial Robotics and is based in Montreal. With a background in mechatronics and over a decade of experience in aerospace and automotive robotics, Stan has spent his career working on high-precision systems involving vision, force feedback, and micron-level motion. That path led him to Mecademic, a Montreal-based robot manufacturer purpose-built for mi
- StandardSummaries onlyAutomation Matters #1 with Geoffrey Bremner
Published Jan 22, 2026
Geoffrey BremnerIf you have been a listener to The Robot Industry Podcast, then you already know Geoffrey Bremner. His fingerprints are all over our podcast. He is my audio engineer, but he is more than that; he is a friend, a supplier, and a neighbour. Geoff is a true geek, loves recording music and podcasts. Welcome to Automation Matters Podcast with me, Jim Beretta. Have a listen. Jim Notes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffreybremner https://linktr.ee/gbaudio
- StandardSummaries onlyAutomation Matters with Jim Beretta Podcast Introduction
Published Jan 22, 2026
Jim Beretta Podcast IntroductionI would like to introduce you to my NEW podcast called Automation Matters. In Automation Matters, we are going to concentrate on the front of the house in the automation business. The people who interface, who plan and who provide services, to the companies that build and deploy automation and robotics. This podcast will be about marketing, sales, strategy, business development, customer attraction and strategies for growing your automation business. We will look at big trends and micro trends,
- StandardSummaries onlyMirsee Humanoid Robots with Tarek Rahim
Published Jan 17, 2026
Tarek RahimWelcome to episode #153. I was lucky to meet up with Tarek Rahim in Windsor, ON, at the Emerging Technologies in Automation conference. The conference also highlights Mobility Transportation. I wish to thank the team at Emerging Technologies for getting me involved in the day. You can find out more about the organizers (Invest Windsor Essex) at https://www.emergingtechnologies.ca/ or at https://www.investwindsoressex.com/. If you have not heard of Tarek or Mirsee Robotics, they have built a huma
- StandardSummaries onlyBison Ventures and Caleb Appleton
Published Jan 3, 2026
For this edition, #152 of The Robot Industry Podcast, I welcome Caleb Appleton from Bison Ventures. Bison Ventures is a Venture Capital (VC) firm with $135M AUM for frontier tech. From AI-powered drug discovery to collaborative robotics, Bison backs bold, deeply scientific solutions that have potential for massive commercial scale. An all-engineer team, Bison believes most attractive opportunities exist at the intersection of technical disciplines ignored by mainstream VC. Partner Caleb Appleton
- StandardSummaries onlyGarrett Renders and Phoenix Contact
Published Dec 4, 2025
A shoutout to Windsor Essex's Wendy Stark and the team at Invest WindsorEssex. I was invited to attend their Emerging Technologies in Automation & Mobility Transformation 2025 event in Windsor, and I was lucky to be able to catch up with him. From DIN rails to terminal blocks to power supplies, Garrett Renders has seen many automation products from a young age. He is currently the Business Development Manager at Phoenix Contact Canada for Ontario. His role is to help clients solve problems using
- StandardSummaries onlyPredictive Maintenance using AI with Soralink's Yun Yao
Published Oct 20, 2025
Welcome to podcast # 150! My guest for this edition is Dr. Yun Yao. Yun Yao, holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from McGill University, is a dynamic professional known for her creativity and ambition. In 2010, she co-founded Tactile Labs, a non-profit organization that advances haptics research, where her leadership has fostered innovation and collaboration. After completing her PhD, Yun became a senior engineer, designing wireless communication systems, excelling both technically and in lead
- StandardSummaries onlyPromoting and Promotions at Trade Events | ADM Toronto 2025 for Event Professionals
Published Oct 3, 2025
Hello Everyone, Welcome to The Robot Industry Podcast #149 This episode too is a little different for The Robot Industry Podcast. This episode is about sponsorships and their efficacy. Informa is a client for over 15 years (aka UBM, and Canon Communications). I have been involved in the ADM (Advanced Design & Manufacturing) Toronto and ADM Montreal shows for many years. If you know me, you may have fielded a phone call or read an email about the show and the efficacy of being involved in trade e
- StandardSummaries onlyAdvanced Design & Manufacturing Toronto Trade Show ADM 2025
Published Oct 2, 2025
Hello Everyone, This episode is a little different for The Robot Industry Podcast. I have invited some of my friends from the ADM Toronto 2025 show to join me to talk about the upcoming show. Informa is a client for over 15 years (aka UBM, and Canon Communications). I have been involved in the ADM Toronto and ADM Montreal shows for many years. If you know me, you may have fielded a phone call or read an email about the show and the efficacy of being involved in trade events. I have invited Kayle
- StandardSummaries onlyHow to Buy a Factory Automation System with Bruce Polson from Ehrhardt Automation
Published Sep 3, 2025
Welcome to The Robot Industry Podcast #147. My guest for this segment is Bruce Polson whom I have known for decades. He is a very smart guy. Bruce has over 30 years of experience in automation and engineering. He began as a process engineer and consumer of automation, establishing a background in processes such as forming, welding, material handling, joining, and discrete assembly. In automation, he began as an application engineer and eventually migrated into business development, where he has
- StandardSummaries onlyAI-Hybrid Automation with a Deployed Mobile Manipulation Robot | Diligent Robots' Vivian Chu
Published Aug 24, 2025
Hello Robot Friends. Welcome to edition #146 of The Robot Industry Podcast. My guest today is Vivian Chu. Vivian Chu is a roboticist with over a decade of experience in human-robot interaction. She created Moxi and Poli, and applied her HRI and machine learning expertise to platforms like PR2, Meka, and Kinova Jaco2. She has worked at Google[X], Honda Research Institute, and IBM Research. Vivian holds a Ph.D. in Robotics from Georgia Tech and an M.S.E. from the University of Pennsylvania. She’s
- StandardSummaries only"What Manufacturing Needs" with Shaun Ghafari from Humber College
Published Aug 6, 2025
Welcome to episode #145 with Shaun Ghafari. Shaun holds a Ph.D., P.Eng. Dean, Engineering at the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology (FAST) at Humber College in Toronto. Faculty of Applied Sciences & Technology (FAST) is growing to meet the needs of industry in engineering, mechatronics, robotics, information technology, data analytics, cybersecurity, sustainable design, and the skilled trades. Shaun, Tell me a bit about yourself. Who is Humber College? What are the most interesting cours
- StandardSummaries onlyKonrad Konnerth and Konnexio Automation
Published Jul 23, 2025
Welcome to podcast edition #144. I welcome my friend Konrad Konnerth to the pod Good day, everyone, and welcome to the robot industry podcast . Thanks for joining us and for subscribing. Konrad, welcome to the podcast. Can you take a few minutes and introduce yourself to our audience? Tell me about your automation background here in southwestern Ontario (SWO). What is happening from a high level in automation? You have a strong background in precision indexing automation from Germany, correct? C
- StandardSummaries onlyTrueLight Machine Vision with Andrew Perkins
Published Jul 9, 2025
Andrew PerkinsWelcome to edition #143 of The Robot Industry Podcast. For this edition I am interviewing Andrew Perkins. He is a long time automation machine vision expert and is heading up TrueLight Machine Vision, a division of BOS Innovations. Andrew, how did you get into this industry? Who are your customers? Manufacturers or other integrators, robotics OEMs (or all three)? Do you have a typical customer or are they all custom? Who is TrueLight Machine Vision Integrations? Tell me a bit about what is going
- StandardSummaries onlyMPI Solutions Inc. machine controls and Beckhoff Platform
Published Jul 1, 2025
MPI Solutions is a talented group of professionals helping industries across North America with AB, Siemens and Beckhoff machine control and system integration. Scott Pytel, P. Eng is Co-Owner and VP at MPI. MPI Solutions invited me to tour the facility and chat with the founders. Kevin van der Maarel is also a Co-Owner and a mechanical engineer. He enjoys the constant change brought about by automation. What is happening in the world of machine control? What is Industry 4.0 from your (or your c
- StandardSummaries onlyBBS Automation Update with Mike Gunner and Steve Hoenig
Published Jun 12, 2025
It brings me great pleasure to welcome two experts in the industry to this edition of TRIP (The Robot Industry Podcast) #141. Steve Hoenig is a senior executive with expertise in marketing, sales, product design, business development, P/L Management, Strat planning, engineering, and leading complex teams. He is an astute, decisive, and energetic leader recognized for outstanding interpersonal relationships and bottom-line results. MSEE & MBA 35+ Years in Automation Focused on adding value and he
- StandardSummaries onlyA conversation with JAKS Automation's Adon Portman
Published May 30, 2025
Few things bring me as much excitement and gratitude as working with a dedicated, close-knit team, working towards a common goal. I graduated in 2015 holding my engineering physics degree with a passion to successfully design and build engineering solutions, learn new things, challenge myself, and meet amazing people along the way. Specifically, my passion covers mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering. My favorite projects, such as building an autonomous vehicle to compete in the NASA
- StandardSummaries onlyVention, AI and NVIDIA. Automating at the speed of AI.
Published May 15, 2025
Francois Giguere CTO at Vention and Etienne Lacroix Founder & CEO join me for this version (#139) of The Robot Industry Podcast. We talk about automating at lower costs, the manufacturing industry ordering products directly, AI and NVIDIA and what the future holds for capital equipment automation We talk about: Palletizing Robot arms vs actuators Sensors vs. cameras Shift away from PLCs inside robot cell Robots and grasping Agility, simulation and software Cabinet door sanding for the kitchen in
- StandardSummaries onlyMecademic's Compact and Precise Industrial Robots with Louis LaPierre
Published Apr 30, 2025
Hello everyone and welcome to The Robot Industry Podcast (edition #138). We are glad you are here, and thank you for subscribing. Today, I welcome Louis Lapierre to the podcast; he works for a company called Mecademic Robotics, and they build very precise industrial robots for medical devices, photonics, aerospace, consumer and electronics industries. Their robots are used in assembly, attachment, dispense, material handling and much more. How did you get in this industry? Tell us about the hist