Innovation, artificial intelligence (AI) and national policy changes on manufacturing were the themes of the Tulsa Regional Chamber's first Manufacturers' Council meeting of the year on Jan. 22. 

Talking about how their companies foster innovation, Alro Steel’s Tim Epps and Zeeco’s Parker Imel participated in a panel discussion at Fab Lab. 

“An attitude of openness is key to driving innovation,” said Epps, who highlighted Alro’s leadership programs as a means for promotion. 

Imel said Zeeco, which manufactures and distributes combustion equipment and environmental systems, doesn’t have “the sort of red tape that holds other companies back,” adding that the company is doing a major automation push to stay competitive and meet growing demand. 

The meeting also included a discussion on AI as a tool for advancing manufacturing. Mike Noshay, head of partnerships at GitWit, shared insights on how AI is poised to transform industries. 

“It’s not going to be Google or OpenAI innovating in your industries; it will be you,” he said, encouraging attendees to see themselves as the innovators in their fields. Noshay also noted the challenges posed by a labor shortage that could reach 85 million people by 2030, stressing that AI can be used to address the gap. 

The Chamber sponsors bi-monthly meetings of the Manufacturers’ Council, which convenes Chamber-member manufacturers for networking and discussion on issues impacting their companies and the sector. For more information about the Manufacturers’ Council, please contact Brien Thorstenberg, the Chamber’s vice president of economic development, at 918-560-0231.