Why are interest rate cuts finally unlocking billions in factory investments?

Will Drewery and Greg Smyth, co-founders of Diagon.ai, dive into the manufacturing equipment market's dramatic Q4 surge. After months of hesitation driven by interest rate uncertainty and tariff concerns, buyers are finally moving forward with major capital investments. Will, now leading Diagon's commercial efforts, reports seeing 60-70 equipment requests monthly—from aerospace coating machines to semiconductor wire bonders. "Companies are looking to get equipment sooner so they can spend their time making products rather than buying machines," Will explains. The conversation reveals how used equipment markets are heating up and why flexibility in specifications can slash costs from $6 million to under $1 million.

Greg shares insights from his product leadership role, describing Diagon's three-pillar approach: marketplace visualization, proprietary industrial data, and AI expertise through their Albus platform. The team has switched roles internally, with Will now interfacing with customers daily while Greg builds the technology stack. Their mission? Democratize equipment procurement the way Gusto simplified payroll and Shopify opened e-commerce. As Greg puts it: "Most people are not Tesla with huge expert teams buying equipment all day long. They're CEOs or manufacturing engineers doing procurement—and these transactions are complicated." Will emphasizes that what differentiates their AI platform is the data—"It used to be that information just completely goes back into the ether. Now we capture and hold on to those learnings."

In This Episode:

• (00:00) Macro trends and administration changes impact

• (03:32) Interest rates and tariffs driving hesitation in factory investments

• (09:48) Tips for equipment buyers: flexibility and total cost ownership

• (14:45) Diagon and Albus platform overview and AI capabilities

• (20:33) Current project examples: coating machines and wire bonders

• (28:20) Closing thoughts on data, product vision and team excitement

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About the Show

The Movers and Makers podcast, powered by Diagon.ai, explores the future of manufacturing and supply chain innovation. Hosted by Diagon co-founders Will Drewery and Greg Smyth, the show covers factory-building strategies, manufacturing processes, and market insights. With expertise from Diagon, a leader in reshoring and streamlining manufacturing equipment procurement, the podcast offers valuable perspectives for engineers, executives, and enthusiasts aiming to optimize supply chains and drive efficiency in the industry.

Resources:
Join the waitlist for Albus AI - Diagon's AI-powered procurement assistant that cuts months off equipment sourcing timelines. Get early access at https://join.diagon.ai/
Diagon.ai http://Diagon.ai
Will Drewery LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamdrewery/
Greg Smyth LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryfsmyth/

How are Intel's $10 billion government investment, Ford's biggest manufacturing shift since the Model T, and Tesla's equipment secrets all connected to America's industrial future?

Will Drewery and Greg Smyth dive deep into Ford's revolutionary EV manufacturing announcement, analyzing it through their unique lens as former Tesla equipment procurement executives. Will, who was responsible for purchasing equipment during Tesla's Model 3 launch, explains why Doug Field's leadership at Ford signals authentic transformation rather than typical corporate announcements. "Execution is everything. Announcements are cheap, but execution is really where the proof is in the pudding," Will emphasizes when discussing Ford's shift from linear assembly to subsystem integration.

The conversation expands to examine the Trump administration's strategic $10 billion Intel investment and its implications for American semiconductor manufacturing. Greg shares insights from his time at ExxonMobil, including firsthand experience with the company's $200 billion Russian operations and the complexities of global manufacturing partnerships. Both hosts offer contrarian takes on AI development, with Greg arguing that "the iPhone moment is behind us" for artificial intelligence, suggesting the industry is entering an incremental improvement phase rather than continued exponential growth.

In This Episode:

• (00:00) Family vacation stories

• (06:25) Ford's revolutionary EV manufacturing platform announcement analysis

• (16:06) Exxon's potential return to Russia operations

• (24:04) Trump administration's Intel investment strategy

• (30:47) Hot takes on AI plateauing and commodification

• (37:03) Equipment procurement insights and Diagon product updates

• Share with someone who would benefit, like and subscribe to hear all of our future episodes!

About the Show

The Movers and Makers podcast, powered by Diagon.ai, explores the future of manufacturing and supply chain innovation. Hosted by Diagon co-founders Will Drewery and Greg Smyth, the show covers factory-building strategies, manufacturing processes, and market insights. With expertise from Diagon, a leader in reshoring and streamlining manufacturing equipment procurement, the podcast offers valuable perspectives for engineers, executives, and enthusiasts aiming to optimize supply chains and drive efficiency in the industry.

Resources:
Join the waitlist for Albus AI - Diagon's AI-powered procurement assistant that cuts months off equipment sourcing timelines. Get early access at https://join.diagon.ai/
Diagon.ai http://Diagon.ai
Will Drewery LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamdrewery/
Greg Smyth LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryfsmyth/

Are we about to see the biggest manufacturing boom since World War II?

Manufacturing is experiencing its biggest transformation in decades, driven by AI breakthroughs and unprecedented government incentives. Greg Smyth and Will Drewery, co-founders of Diagon.ai, join Blake Menezes to dissect Microsoft's massive $120 billion annual CapEx commitment and a wave of new factory announcements totaling over $12 billion. What's driving this surge? "Business confidence is returning as the tariff situation stabilizes and GDP rebounds to 3%," explains Greg.

The conversation explores Jensen Huang's provocative concept of "two factories for every factory" - one producing physical goods, the other manufacturing intelligence through AI. Will emphasizes the productivity imperative: "Companies won't be able to compete without AI integration in strategic industries." They break down three critical provisions in recent manufacturing legislation that could save companies millions through equipment expensing and advanced manufacturing credits. The hosts also preview Albus, their AI procurement assistant that's revolutionizing how manufacturers source equipment by acting as "the most capable technical procurement person you could add to your team."

In This Episode:

• (00:00) Introduction to manufacturing tax benefits and Microsoft earnings surge

• (03:06) Factory announcements discussion and GDP growth analysis

• (08:05) Jensen Huang's AI manufacturing vision and data center factories

• (15:40) One Big Beautiful Bill tax provisions for manufacturers

• (20:04) Diagon's AI procurement platform Albus development and capabilities

• (29:31) Hot takes on economic growth and startup ecosystem revival

• Share with someone who would benefit, like and subscribe to hear all of our future episodes!

Guest Bio

Patrick McGee is a Financial Times journalist and author of "Apple in China," examining how Apple became dependent on Chinese manufacturing infrastructure. As the Financial Times' Apple beat reporter from 2019-2023, McGee covered global supply chain dynamics and US-China trade relationships. His investigative work earned him the San Francisco Press Club Award in 2023. "Apple in China" has been recognized by The Economist as one of 2025's top 40 books and named a most anticipated title by major publications.

About the Show

The Movers and Makers podcast, powered by Diagon.ai, explores the future of manufacturing and supply chain innovation. Hosted by Diagon co-founders Will Drewery and Greg Smyth, the show covers factory-building strategies, manufacturing processes, and market insights. With expertise from Diagon, a leader in reshoring and streamlining manufacturing equipment procurement, the podcast offers valuable perspectives for engineers, executives, and enthusiasts aiming to optimize supply chains and drive efficiency in the industry.

Resources:

Publications/Articles Mentioned: The Economist magazine, Barry Weiss's Honestly podcast, Wall Street Journal article on Tesla's Optimist robot development with Chinese suppliers, "Breakneck" by Dan Wang (upcoming book), "Abundance" by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, Andy Grove's 2010 essay on manufacturing and innovation

Book: