Roboticist Chronicles

Understanding Marketing’s Critical Role In The Automation Age

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It doesn’t matter how innovative your product is if your potential customers don’t know about it or understand why they should buy it. Johnny Tyler, Marketing and Design Specialist at Arc Specialties, has seen many companies adopt an unambitious marketing strategy – or, worse, not even draw out a strategy at all – rather…

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Latest

Engineering & Construction
The Roboticist Chronicles: Robots Aren’t Stealing Your Jobs, They’re Creating Them

As technology advances at an exponential rate, a common fearful sentiment among Americans is that robots are stealing human jobs. But, this long standing rumor couldn’t be farther from the truth. Robots actually create jobs, save humans from harm, and open up opportunities for new industry growth. The Roboticist Chronicles unpacks how robots are…

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Articles Engineering & Construction
Why Collaboration is King at Fabtech 2019 with Dan Allford

It takes multiple companies to make robot automation come to life in metal forming, fabricating, welding or finishing. At Fabtech 2019, Dan Allford  of Arc Specialties provided a picture of why collaboration and cooperation between companies in different segments of the industry is so important. “People that come to this show typically come with…

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Engineering & Construction
The Roboticist Chronicles: Talking Tariffs, Subsidies, and Free Market Capitalism

Tariffs and subsidies are a hot topic at the moment, with global trade affecting the market each day. But who exactly are tariffs hurting and helping? Dan Allford, president and founder of ARC Specialties, delivers his perspective on this episode of The Roboticist Chronicles. Allford, a proponent of a global free market, described how…

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Engineering & Construction
The Roboticist Chronicles: Lockheed’s “Skunk Works” Business Philosophy in Practice

Every business approaches how they work in a unique way. Each has a philosophy and culture, and each unique approach has its wins; some successful than others. But why? On this episode of The Roboticist Chronicles, we spoke business philosophy with Dan Allford, president of ARC Specialties. ARC Specialties has sound technology, but they…

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AEC
From a Small Garage to Big Success: The Story of Arc Specialties

From its inception in 1983 to now, ARC Specialties has become a case study in the growth of an American entrepreneurial endeavor. Company President Dan Allford took the business out of a garage and has since turned the automated manufacturing systems provider into an international enterprise. On the first episode of The Roboticist Chronicles,…

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AEC
Should We Tax Robots on the Factory Floor?

Have you heard of the concept of robot taxation? It’s an idea that pushes for more taxes on companies that use robots over human labor, and supporters have a fierce advocate in their corner: Bill Gates. But does it make sense in the modern world, one in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution…

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Latest

podcast
The DisruptED Journey with Tim Maitland at MarketScale (Episode Three)
January 15, 2026

Storytelling is changing fast, shaped by new platforms, shifting audiences, and a growing demand for authenticity. What started as traditional podcasting has evolved into community-driven ecosystems built on real voices and lived experience. In this landscape, storytelling isn’t just content—it’s a way to build connection, spark engagement, and drive meaningful change. When done well,…

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education
The DisruptED Journey with Tim Maitland at MarketScale (Episode Two)
January 15, 2026

Education is at a crossroads. As AI, online learning, and workforce demands rapidly reshape how people gain skills, long-standing gaps in access and outcomes remain a major concern in Michigan. Recent reporting on the 2025 State of Education and Talent shows Michigan has fallen to its lowest ever ranking in per capita income, underscoring…

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Ron Stefanski
The DisruptED Journey with Tim Maitland at MarketScale (Episode One)
January 15, 2026

Education doesn’t change in neat, predictable cycles—it shifts when people start asking better questions. Over the past several years, those questions have become louder and more urgent, driven by workforce disruption, new technologies, and a growing demand for learning that actually prepares people for real life. At the same time, media itself has evolved, favoring…

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supporting parents
Supporting Parents Is a Business Strategy: A CFO’s Perspective on Retention, Trust, and Long-Term Growth
January 14, 2026

Workplace flexibility has shifted from a culture debate to a retention lever—especially as more professionals are becoming parents later, right when they’re stepping into mid-management and executive-track roles. Childcare and caregiving logistics don’t just strain families; they strain talent pipelines, and the companies that treat parenting as a “personal issue” are often the same…

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Other Roboticist Chronicles
Tech, Teamwork & Trade: Collaboration in Intelligent Manufacturing with Dan Allford of ARC Specialties
August 24, 2018

As integrated solutions like automation, robotics, and process development become more and more integrated in the manufacturing industry, we decided to sit down with Dan Allford, President of ARC Specialties, to get some insight on his industry and break down just why “manufacturing became cool again.” “One thing that I see that proves my…

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