June Edison Manufacturing Exchange - Novel Transportation Solutions, Quick Manufacturing Launches & Some Philosophy
Thoughts on transportation, manufacturing, and impact
Welcome to the June 2024 edition of the Edison Manufacturing Exchange. Fun topics this month, including:
Novel mobility approaches that challenge the status quo
Balancing speed and reliability during new product launches
One of the most fundamental decisions we all face
Challenging the Status Quo
This wasn’t intentional, but an interesting theme has emerged from the Future of Mobility podcast episodes over the past month.
Three of the episodes feature individuals who are fundamentally rethinking certain aspects of mobility:
On Episode 209, Jason Marks highlighted how TELO Trucks has reconsidered what it means to build a purposeful, urban truck. This vehicle has been intentionally designed for a specific segment from the ground up, and it shows. It’s unlike any other electric truck on the market.
On Episode 210, Chris Borroni-Bird made an unthinkable claim, stating that the developed world should be looking to the developing world to learn how to build a better future transportation ecosystem - not the other way around. And I actually believed him.
On Episode 211, Ian Rust introduced an unexpected concept. His company, Revoy, is fighting to cut down on long haul trucking costs while simultaneously cutting back on emissions. That might not be shocking, but the approach is. They’re introducing a brand new, third vehicle into the traditional tractor-trailer setup, resulting in a hybridized system that is optimized for the needs of long haul trucking today.
Each of these solutions excite me.
Not because they’re novel (I’m not a fan of novelty for novelty’s sake) but because they show a clearly different approach to solving old problems.
And that’s often where the greatest innovations come from.
Rethinking Manufacturing, with Speed in Mind
Novel innovation has been on my mind lately, partly because of the podcast interviews I highlighted above, and partly because this has been a hot topic with our customers at Edison.
Innovative companies need to move quickly. They need to launch new products, as soon as possible, without sacrificing quality and without incurring unreasonable costs.
This often requires a new approach to manufacturing.
One that respects the way things have been done, but also looks for opportunities to make things better.
The traditional automotive production approach is a great foundation. That system that has produced exceptional results over many decades.
But there are external forces that have fundamentally changed the game for pockets within the transportation ecosystem. Which has opened the door for innovation.
And has begged the questions…
What if a manufacturer can move faster than previously thought possible?
What if they could mold to the specific needs of obscure products and situations, meeting the product owner exactly when and where they are?
And what if they could do that while still delivering best in class quality and reliability?
Maybe we’re crazy but, at Edison, we believe this is all possible. And we’re doing it today.
I recorded a short bonus episode on our Capital Light Assembly podcast to explore this idea. Take a listen if you’re curious.
Virtue or Vice?
Warning - this third topic is outside the traditional mobility space, but bear with me.
Let’s explore a philosophical question…
Is it better to live a hard life, or an easy life?
Put differently - is the goal to build an easy, enjoyable life? Or a meaningful life that you’re proud of?
Think about it. The answer isn’t straightforward.
When I first started thinking about this question, my gut reaction was likely the “easy” route. I thought the objective was to build a life free of unnecessary hardship.
But that perspective has changed over time. I now believe that the “hard” path is far superior.
Here’s an example from my personal life…
A few years ago, my wife and I decided to add a baby to our family. Shortly after, we learned that a new baby makes daily life far more challenging.
They make simple tasks difficult. And difficult tasks nearly impossible.
The second kid adds even more fuel to the fire.
Seemingly every moment of home life is now harder than it was back when we were living the married and free life.
Yet having kids is one of the greatest parts of my like.
Not because they make life easier (they don’t) but because they help to make it more meaningful, and simply better - in more ways than I could describe.
I’ve found something similar in my professional life.
I could certainly find an easier way to make a living. Building Edison is one of the most challenging things I’ve ever tried to do.
Yet there’s no question that it’s the right path.
This journey, along with all of its hardships, is far better than taking the easy way out. It provides a platform to make a meaningful positive impact on those around me. And it provides a training ground to help me grow as a person.
Sometimes these growth opportunities are pleasant. Often times they’re not.
But either way, the work that each of our team members is doing has the potential to make a difference well beyond whatever any of us could do individually, and we’re dead-set on doing it the right way.
Which feels like one of the most meaningful things that I can do. Alongside building a family.
The hard life isn’t comfortable. It isn’t predictable and, on paper, it doesn’t seem nearly as enjoyable as a life of leisure and luxury.
But I’ve come to believe that it’s the only path worth taking.
How about you?
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Stay tuned next month for more info. And please, if you read anything you like hear (or that you didn’t like), shoot me a note. I’m still refining the format, and would love some input.
Until next month, best of luck.
Brandon
P.S. - If you know anyone who needs help assembling a complex electromechanical product in or around the mobility space, please send them my way. Edison helps companies bring new products to market, faster and at a lower cost than they could otherwise.