Innovation. It’s a word that features in almost every speech, article and business strategy – simply because leaders know it’s what keeps their customers engaged long term. It’s also one of the most important drivers for sustained growth.

Yet, for all its importance, innovation is curiously difficult to define. So, how can we identify the exceptional ideas from the everyday? And – more to the point – what does innovation actually look like in the world of engineering and manufacturing? Can an innovative company culture be built with the right team, or is it instead a natural outcome of the R&D process?

This is the central topic we examine in the third and final episode of this series of Beyond the Blueprint. This time we’re joined by Graham Reed, Manuela Kraus and Mark Koski, three colleagues who have spearheaded innovation across different divisions of Ingersoll Rand. We get the inside track on their experiences, as well as some reflections on standout projects that capture the true meaning of innovation.

It's a fitting end to series two. Be sure to tune in.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• What exactly is innovation? And how does the ‘right’ idea happen?
• What comes first: changing customer requirements or entirely new concepts that need shaping according to customers’ needs?
• Challenges associated with the development of new products and services
• How to avoid overengineering a solution

Website: www.irco.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ingersoll-rand

Its origins can be traced back to the development of the first programmable logic controller almost 60 years ago – but it’s only now that industrial engineering and manufacturing is beginning to fully reckon with the Industrial Internet of Things’ (IIoT) potential.

As our guests highlight in the latest episode of Beyond the Blueprint, IIoT is now entering an exciting new phase with the help of next-gen technologies, such as machine learning and AI. The road to this point, however, has been filled with many other important milestones, which have ultimately given customers a much greater degree of visibility and control of their assets.

It’s these milestones that serve as the starting point for our conversation with Corene Newbery and Aviran Yaacov. Both guests share insights into how Aircom and EcoPlant – two Ingersoll Rand businesses – are tackling complex challenges and delivering efficiency to customers worldwide with industry-changing technologies. You’ll hear about the big problems these businesses are solving, as well as the customer-centric thinking that led to the creation of these powerful solutions.

Be sure to listen to the end of this episode, where we take a glimpse into the future and question what’s next for IIoT.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• Putting IIoT in context – why is this technology so powerful and where is it making an impact?
• The technology’s development to date – and its position within industrial engineering and manufacturing
• Appetite for data and how this can be used to improve performance – even over large geographical areas

Website: www.irco.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ingersoll-rand

In the first episode of the second season of Beyond the Blueprint, we look at what is arguably the defining challenge for businesses today: sustainability.

Our speaker is Mary Betsch, vice president, Sustainability at Ingersoll Rand. During the episode, Mary explains how Lead Sustainably, one of Ingersoll Rand’s strategic imperatives, has unlocked a new era of sustainable growth across the business, reducing environmental impact while maintaining efficiency and profitability. As Mary shows, the results of this process have been impressive, signposting a viable route forward for those also working in industrial engineering and manufacturing.

Mary is joined by Kristof Suykerbuyk and Matt Vail, two leaders within product management who have delivered sustainable, industry-changing products in response to evolving customer requirements.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• What exactly ‘sustainability’ means within industrial engineering and manufacturing
• How a coherent sustainability strategy can enhance businesses and unlock accelerated growth
• The biggest challenges and opportunities of sustainability targets while seeking improved performance and efficiencies across a large base of operations
• Landmark projects that showcase what’s possible when sustainability is central to a customer’s brief

Website: www.irco.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ingersoll-rand