Welcome to Advanced Automation, a podcast by Calvary Robotics, where you'll find industry leaders and experts sharing their thoughts on the world of automation. Hello, everyone, and thanks for listening. I'm Josh Carvel, your host for this installment of Advanced Automation. Today, we have with us Ryan Reynolds, project manager of Boulter Industrial Contractor Ryan, thanks for being with us today. Thank you, Jas. Thanks for having me. Yeah. So for people who aren't in the Rochester area and don't see the bolter trucks driving down the highway, you know, the big blue with the white lettering. Tell us a little bit about bolter. Boulter is a hundred and thirty one year old company. It started with horse and carriage hauling ice to various customers. This evolved greatly into more of heavy hauling, big machinery moving to steel fabricating, creating and packaging, warehousing, storage, to a very array of workers here that are all specialized in different fields. Yeah. Sounds like Boulder does a lot. So tell us about you, Ryan. What did your past, you know, from beginning to where we are today? My beginning. Where to start on that one? So I grew up in Lions, New York right here in Wayne County. I still live in Lions. I left for a little while for college. I went to I got an associates at FLCC, Finger Lake College. I went on to Suni Kovalskill where I got a bachelor's degree in fisheries and aquaculture. And kind of environmental side with that as well. Got out of college and realized that for one that really doesn't offer much for pay. And bills came in. I I've always I've always had several jobs under my belt. You know, I I work basically through college to put myself through college. And I got out. I I jumped into job doing some semiconductor work in a clean room. Did that for a few years, wanted to change, moved on, and I got my CDL and started driving boot or bootlegging, I'd like to say, for liquor and wine delivery. So I did that right here in Rochester. I did that for several years. And then I had a little boy that came along and So my my time with him with being on the road and driving and that kinda led me into a a more, I wouldn't say, nine to five job, but I wanted something a little more home and to spend that time with him. So I got lucky and and Boulder called me back in twenty sixteen. And they they brought me on. I I started in the crating and packaging department. And get coming into that, I always I always like to work with my hands. I I've always been a hands on learner. In in high school, we had one one year where we got to do like a shop class, and I loved. And then it was out of there onto nothing. Like, we never really got to experience and get out to see what what was out there in my mind. So coming over here, it was like a whole new spectrum of of all kinds of things. You know, you have the creating, you have the iron fab, you had you know, the trucking portion, you know, it's it's all, you know, spot here. And so I I did the grading. I I would go on the road with the guys. I did a bouncing back in about a year and a half ago. They they brought me into the project management role. Wonderful. That sounds like a great great history in your where you're meant to be. Yeah. Definitely. Wonderful. That's it it's such a wide offering that you guys have How have you seen, you know, technology change from the industry from, like, ten years ago, would you say? Technology has come a long way. We rely on that more and more every day, especially with the the younger generations coming up. I mean, everybody technology drives us. I mean, especially for you guys with the robotics and everything you're into. With us, because of the different fields we're in. Like right now, we're we're kinda dabbling in a new program that should come out in a week or so, where it's a new software that's going to connect with our customers more with the jobs. So we start the job when they they get dispatched, basically. It's gonna go to the customer. They're gonna get a list of the people that are coming, so it's more of on a friendly basis. They can see the faces of the crew that's coming if they're bringing them machine or they're coming to work on a conveyor line or they it keeps a a timely manner with them too. They know what time they're coming and it just it keeps track everything in a better matter. So in the in the rigging department, we have some of our new forklifts. They have their Versa lifts, that they've got cameras on them, they've got readers on there that shoot out the weights of the machinery. So a lot of times we see with equipment that comes in truck drivers lie, the paperwork lies. The the weights are never always true. So a piece of equipment the forklift may not be able to handle, that's a big safety concern. So now some of these bigger ones because we handle such heavy weight, you know, it it leaves a path for a more safer environment with that. Also with in our in our creating department, So we're we're kinda looking a little bit into some like CAD files now, so we can have them design the crates for us in a more timely, efficient manner. This just saves like we just sit down and we would hand draw out each little cut sheet for each and each piece is its own unique thing that creating. We're not always creating the same thing. So having to sit down and go through every cut sheet on every new piece, you know, there's a lot of labor costs and So we're we're looking into that way to save save money and and time. And and also with the the grading department, we would do load outs. So c container, overseas shipping, or any kind of truck load outs. We do use a cargo program that better fills the the load at a more maximum capacity and a better layout program for it just to once again keep the cost downs for the customers. So it sounds like there's a lot of data collection that happens with a lot of these updates you're making. I would assume, kinda like in our industry, in automation with web, you know, industry four point o, industry of things, all that, that with all these analytics, you guys can better kind of assess you know, what's been done, what's coming, and talk to your customers with that data? Definitely. With with HubSpot's another platform that we use, keeps a good history on the different jobs we've done for each customer. It keeps the stats on that. So at any point, we need to look back or or kinda go over anything done in the past or we can do with them in the future. We we we keep that info to better suit their needs. So in your industry, what are some of the examples of how technology has created, you know, new job categories even as it displaces others. Alright. So a lot of the the way customers are going now is having a more automated lines in their facilities. They're manufacturing plants and that. So you know, the industry for the robotics is booming, which in our case, you know, we're we're setting this machinery, you know, so it's booming for us as well. In the displacing of jobs. You know, I feel we're we're in a time right now where we have this major labor shortage that, you know, the robotics is where we gotta go. Yeah. The robotics can take away different positions, but it opens up different jobs as in, like, the the manual labor portion of of putting these machines, programming these machines, you know, there's a lot more into it other than just displacing at somebody's position. Absolutely. I mean, we we encountered this every time in history, you know. Yeah. Yep. Whatever the new technology is, they're always like, it's gonna kill whatever -- Yes. -- now. But, yeah, it's absolutely right. It it creates more than you think. And what have you seen are the benefits of automation technology and how do these align with, you know, the skilled trades? Automation technology can definitely help with reducing the labor's cost and increasing productivity. And then that's gonna give our skilled workers more time to focus on more complex tasks. Also, you know, it's gonna reduce the risk of injury, any accidents in the workplace, creating a safer work environment for our skilled tradespeople. Oh, so dangerous. Right? That's kinda what we looked to eliminate all the stuff that humans don't wanna do or it's too repetitive or like we said dangerous and stuff. So, yeah, that's that's absolutely right, I think. Exactly. What ways does bolter keep up with, you know, the change changing landscape of technology? Because as we're kinda already talking, you know, things are going at such a fast pace these days. How do you keep up with it? So we're always looking into future training, any education that we can give the employees the help update the latest technology advancements in the industries. Like I said, we're all always looking for new tech technologies and solutions that help improve efficiency and reduce cost for our customers. Kinda like these new software programs, one of the best examples we see. We found at a skills USA event last week is they they hit t shirts for these kids and on the back of it, it says teach me like your pension relies on. And I mean, it sets a home for yeah. It sets a home for, like, we're in the mixture right now of an older generation in our crews and the younger generations coming up. So the the younger guys are are more tech savvy and and our older guys are they're sat in their their pre existed ways and that's that's your future. You know, we we need to train and and make this I always say a good way to tell you're getting older is when you start complaining about the young people. Exactly. So, like, based on that whole idea, how do we keep older generations up to speed and eager to implement new forms of technology because it's hard. I I mean even for myself, a new thing comes out, a new technology or, you know, software, the learning curve, it's that's real. How do you think we can help older generations adapt to this the fast pace of technology? It it is tough. And I find myself doing that at times too. I wanna not always take on the new things that come out. But, you know, in our case here, we're we're always doing the ongoing training, educating, in different opportunities to help these older generations stay more up to date with the latest technology. There's there's offering incentives learning new for learning these new technologies. You know, a lot of places are doing more promotions to motivate these older as you adapt these in tools, you know. And above all, it's, you know, creating the culture for, you know, to wanna learn. Yeah. I I totally agree. You know, incentivizing, making sure they stay eager and wanna stay active with it absolutely. You know, the the my biggest thing with technology is is now it's it's YouTube, you know. There isn't anything on YouTube. You can't find if you need to fix something. That that's your tool. So on the other end, what advice do you give to a high schooler, you know, looking to get into the trays and to expand their knowledge? I mean, as I've said before, anytime you if you're you're a hands on, you like to learn, you know, take any opportunity you can. And that's where I've been. I wish I got started in this industry right out of high school. I wish I never went on to college. Know, I've always enjoyed learning and and picking up new things. And if I could go back to high school and change it all over, I I definitely would have looked into a a more trade specific line. Yeah. So you think you'd recommend they kind of look at that option versus college depending on what their their not even their skill set, but their desire is or what they're, you know, what they wanna do. Yeah. Yeah. My son, you know, he's he's only eight. And I I pick on him all the time because he's he's a big gamer. He loves his his Playstation as VR headset and a lot of the way this technology's moving now is like some of the heavy heavy machinery, they're turning that into analog sticks and more controls around that line of the technology. So You know, I mean him will go back all the time where he's playing his playstation. And I said, you know, you could be, you know, a crane operator, you know, you're you're running this kind of equipment. Just kinda pushing them towards, you know, you know, a diff a different line of work in that aspect. Yeah. I think it's one of the things too I've noticed come up through, you know, our Calvary TV and podcast episodes that although you said you might go back and change, you know, college or some of the past. You don't always know where like, just because you wanna be in one thing, everything you do should hopefully help you learn something that would advance you. And you might think, oh, I wanna be in this field, but you might not know like, oh, that led me to this other field or use those skills that I learned there. So there is a lot of transitional I think things and don't don't just count what you are picking up. Right? Yeah. No. I I mean, I I enjoy my experiences I had and everything that I did learn going through college. And Did I I expect to find myself in this situation? No. Am I thankful for where I'm at? Yes. Yeah. But it it was it's learning, you know, and it's where we're at. Yeah. And and to defend yourself, the thing is we wanna push, like, that skilled trades and going to a trade school is such a great option that it doesn't have to be college. So I think, you know, having so many options is is really the key and to look at them all, don't think you have to just do the one thing. Right? Exactly. What so I'm gonna I'm gonna have you pull out your crystal ball. Since this is audio people can't see, but it's right behind you. I see you grabbing it, and I want you to look into it and tell us in what you think your industry will be like twenty years from now. Oh. So this is a big one, I think. Just, you know, best guess. So shake that ball up a little bit. You know, you see this artificial intelligence, this AI programs, and everything that's out now. You know, that's that's doing all all this programming and writing and and we've used it in here. Can write up anything you want. You know, it can take your simple couple words and and write a whole book for you and make it sound, you know, as professionals can be. I see that pulling a lot of jobs out of the way for for some of these people. So to open up more more openings in the skill trades, versus, you know, this this IT department. To, like, are you guys thinking, like, cars driving automatic, auto drive cars, auto load trailers, you know, stuff like that and Well, we so we're seeing it now with with driverless tractor trailers and that that they're coming out with. And do I see us doing that in this department? No. I mean, I don't see a robot loading machinery on the on the our trucks anytime soon. But I mean, for for all of the road, delivery services and stuff like that, like, That's that's gonna be a big thing I would think in in the next ten years. I would say also with the, you know, with the driverless trucking, they're pushing more towards battery operated now too. So I I think we're gonna see more of that down the road with more of the the tractor trailers and and stuff like that with the battery operated. Yeah. Maybe the roads will even charge to cars as we drive in some cases. That's a technology that's kinda starting to come out there. Right? Yeah. That that would be amazing. Yeah. Like, what are some of your pain points that you think will technology will solve probably in twenty years? So we can we can say about the in the in the creating and packaging department. One of the major issues we have in there is is cutting cutting the wrong dimensions or something like that with with the wood. There's programs out there that are all c and c driven that that does all our cutting and that, you know, down the road with it. Would it be able to wrap and package the moisturize barrier, protect these machines for us that takes away the tedious tasks that we have for having to sit there and wrapping them and sealing them and packaging them. You know, it's you know, things get a little tiring doing the same thing every time, but and then from there, we get them fully done. Have that loaded rate into the truck for us, scan it with your phone and away it goes, you know. That would be the way. Sounds good. Yeah. I mean, you're still kinda doing it, but instead of five people wrapping it, it's a one robot kind of thing. Right? Yep. Yeah. Who knows? Maybe twenty years, we'll do a follow-up podcast and you'll say I told you I told you that was gonna happen. I should have bought into that. Yeah. Alright, Ryan. What is a good way for our listeners to get in touch with Bolter or with you specifically? Best way to find any information going right on bolter industrial dot com. Go through, check our website. It's got all kinds of great content on there. All of our project managers are reachable on calendar invites on there with our advancements in technology here. We have a a digital business card on my own that we can throw on here. You can find me on LinkedIn, YouTube, Boulder Industrial has their own YouTube channel with gradient content that's always getting uploaded. So If you got times, great great time to check out some good videos. Yeah. There's a lot of amazing videos of all the awesome jobs you guys do and especially if you're Rochester based, but even if you're not, I mean, it's it's cool to see all the stuff's happening right in our backyard. Definitely. Well, I appreciate, you know, your time and today talking with us about all this. Thanks again. No. Thank you, Josh. I appreciate the opportunity. And thank you to all the listeners. Make sure to subscribe to advanced automation wherever you get your podcasts. And head over to kelveryrobotics dot com to listen to other episodes, watch our series, Calvary TV, and lots of other great content about Kelly Robotics. Have a great day.
