About the author

Rich Winsor

I'm an operations executive. I've spent my career building and running manufacturing and distribution operations, from a precision plant started from zero to a distributor scaled through acquisitions.

What I've learned is that most operating problems aren't technology problems. They're about whether the right person sees the right information at the right time. The ERP knows what was ordered and shipped; the margin is won or lost on the floor in between.

I write here about shop-floor systems, maintenance and purchasing: practical notes for people running small and mid-sized plants.

Writing

• October 20, 2026Your PM Program Lives or Dies Before Go-Live
• October 2, 2026An MES Only Works if the Floor Uses It
• September 15, 2026What a Plant Display Should (and Shouldn't) Show
• August 18, 2026Planning Without an APS: What a Small Plant Actually Needs
• July 21, 2026ABC-XYZ: A Simple Way to Decide What to Stock
• June 16, 2026MRO: The Spend Nobody Manages
• May 19, 2026Build, Buy or Configure: Software Decisions for a Small Plant
• April 14, 2026Why Small Plants Still Run on Spreadsheets