# 166: How Canvus Turns Wind Turbines into Functional Art with Brian Donahue

- Show: [Manufacturing Happy Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour)
- Published: 2024-01-02
- Length: 49m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-01-02-166-how-canvus-turns-wind-turbines-into-functional-art-with-brian-donahue
- Listen: http://manufacturinghappyhour.com

## Summary

Brian Donahue, VP of Corporate Affairs at Canvus, explains how the company upcycles retired wind turbine blades into functional art like park benches, tables, and planters. He details the unique manufacturing process that combines heavy automation for cutting fiberglass fillets with handcrafted finishing by artisans, and discusses the strategic importance of hiring skilled craftspeople and strong leadership for a novel production line. Donahue also describes Canvus’s community-focused business model, which includes partnering with local artists for custom finishes and offering 'Legacy Benches' and sponsored spaces that connect products to personal or brand stories via QR codes.

## Chapters

- [0:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-01-02-166-how-canvus-turns-wind-turbines-into-functional-art-with-brian-donahue#t=46) Introduction and Canvus Origin Story
- [5:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-01-02-166-how-canvus-turns-wind-turbines-into-functional-art-with-brian-donahue#t=301) The Wind Turbine Lifecycle and Problem
- [12:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-01-02-166-how-canvus-turns-wind-turbines-into-functional-art-with-brian-donahue#t=760) Building the Manufacturing Roadmap and Facility
- [19:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-01-02-166-how-canvus-turns-wind-turbines-into-functional-art-with-brian-donahue#t=1178) Hybrid Manufacturing: Automation and Craftsmanship
- [21:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-01-02-166-how-canvus-turns-wind-turbines-into-functional-art-with-brian-donahue#t=1315) Leadership, Hiring, and Decision Making
- [26:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-01-02-166-how-canvus-turns-wind-turbines-into-functional-art-with-brian-donahue#t=1562) Partnering with Artists and Community Engagement
- [34:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-01-02-166-how-canvus-turns-wind-turbines-into-functional-art-with-brian-donahue#t=2091) Legacy Benches, Sponsorships, and Canvas World
- [44:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-01-02-166-how-canvus-turns-wind-turbines-into-functional-art-with-brian-donahue#t=2640) Final Advice and Closing

## Topics

- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Sustainability & circular products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sustainability-and-circularity)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Canvus (company)
- Great Lakes Brewing (company)
- Granger (company)
- Ford (company)
- Aston Martin (company)
- Rivercap (company)
- Canvas World (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [467: Making Art Into The Sunset](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2025-01-17-467-making-art-into-the-sunset) (Making It)
- [348: Swimming with icepicks](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2022-03-25-348-swimming-with-icepicks) (Making It)
- [Episode 269: Everything is an opportunity, to make a keychain.](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2020-07-24-episode-269-everything-is-an-opportunity-to-make-a-keychain) (Making It)
- [456: *cough* SELLOUT *cough*](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2024-10-04-456-cough-sellout-cough) (Making It)
- [Episode 176: Pretend you’re talking to a martian or a 3 year old.](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2018-07-20-episode-176-pretend-youre-talking-to-a-martian-or-a-3-year-old) (Making It)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-01-02-166-how-canvus-turns-wind-turbines-into-functional-art-with-brian-donahue. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Manufacturing Happy Hour.