Makingchips | Equipping Manufacturing Leaders

What happens when a machine shop does everything right operationally but still feels exposed when markets shift, customers pull back, or one industry cools overnight? In this episode of MakingChips, the conversation turns squarely toward one of the most uncomfortable and misunderstood areas of manufacturing leadership: proactive sales and diversification. We're joined by Gabe Draper, founder of Factur, and Alan Hartmann, CEO of Hartmann's Inc., a multi-generation Texas manufacturer. Gabe shares a raw and honest origin story that starts with growing up in a manufacturing family, fighting to save a struggling shop, riding the oil and gas rollercoaster, and ultimately losing nearly everything when the downturn hit. That experience became the catalyst for building Factur, a company designed to help shops avoid reactive, last-minute sales cycles by intentionally filling their pipeline. Alan brings the perspective of a well-run, highly capable shop that realized success alone wasn't protection. With major customers