# Navigating Industry Change with Out of the Box Manufacturing's Allison Budvarson

- Show: [EMS@C-LEVEL](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level)
- Published: 2025-06-13
- Length: 7m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-06-13-navigating-industry-change-with-out-of-the-box-manufacturings-allison-budvarson

## Summary

Allison Budvarson, COO and co-founder of Out of the Box Manufacturing, discusses the current state of the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) industry at APEX 2025. She highlights a growing customer openness to reshoring manufacturing to the US, despite ongoing hesitancy regarding tariffs and geopolitical uncertainty. Budvarson argues that addressing talent shortages and capacity constraints requires leveraging AI to automate non-value-added processes, allowing the workforce to focus on high-technology tasks. She also emphasizes the importance of industry collaboration through the EMS Leadership Summit to share knowledge and elevate the entire sector.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-06-13-navigating-industry-change-with-out-of-the-box-manufacturings-allison-budvarson#t=8) Introduction: Philip Stoten and Allison Budvarson at APEX 2025
- [1:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-06-13-navigating-industry-change-with-out-of-the-box-manufacturings-allison-budvarson#t=76) Customer openness to reshoring and tariff hesitancy
- [2:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-06-13-navigating-industry-change-with-out-of-the-box-manufacturings-allison-budvarson#t=144) Using AI to solve talent and capacity constraints
- [3:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-06-13-navigating-industry-change-with-out-of-the-box-manufacturings-allison-budvarson#t=233) Industry collaboration and the EMS Leadership Summit
- [5:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-06-13-navigating-industry-change-with-out-of-the-box-manufacturings-allison-budvarson#t=338) Global perspectives on talent development and apprenticeships

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Out of the Box Manufacturing (company)
- APEX 2025 (other)
- EMS Leadership Summit (other)
- Koh Young (company)
- Creative Electron (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [The Hard Truths About Reshoring American Manufacturing w/ Eddy Azad](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2026-04-21-the-hard-truths-about-reshoring-american-manufacturing-w-eddy-azad) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [OnTrack PCB Design Podcast 2025 Year in Review](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-12-30-ontrack-pcb-design-podcast-2025-year-in-review) (OnTrack)
- [245: A Grassroots Approach to Shaping the Future of American Industry with Bret Boyd, CEO of Sustainment](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-07-08-245-a-grassroots-approach-to-shaping-the-future-of-american-industry-with-bret-b) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Smarter Manufacturing in an Evolving Ecosystem w/ Chris Lupfer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-02-04-smarter-manufacturing-in-an-evolving-ecosystem-w-chris-lupfer) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [BONUS: Gaps in the Manufacturing Industry (and what to do about them), LIVE from Fathom's Manufacturing Exchange in Hartland, WI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-11-07-bonus-gaps-in-the-manufacturing-industry-and-what-to-do-about-them-live-from-fat) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)

## Citing this page

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