As manufacturers grapple with AI’s rapid rise—and conflicting predictions about its impact—many are still trying to answer the same fundamental questions: Which tools are worth the investment? How should success be measured? And how do you ensure employees embrace new ways of working?
For Tim Beatty, the answers have less to do with technology alone, and more to do with the underappreciated human side in concert with these shifts.
“Sometimes two ideas look like they’re in conflict—investing heavily in automation while also investing in people—but we believe the two actually reinforce each other,” he says. “New tools only succeed if employees understand them and see how they fit into the company’s future.”
Beatty is president of Bullen Ultrasonics, an Ohio-based manufacturer specializing in the precision machining of advanced ceramics, glass and specialty materials used in industries ranging from semiconductors and medical devices to drug discovery. In an interview with Chief Executive, he explains why manufacturers’ biggest challenges—from technology adoption to innovation and operational efficiency—are best addressed through investments in people, culture and organizational alignment.
You’ve made major investments in automation, robotics and advanced technologies like laser machining. How do you think manufacturing CEOs should approach technology adoption without losing sight of workforce development and culture?
We approach this with what I call paradoxical thinking. Sometimes two ideas look like they’re in conflict—investing heavily in automation while also investing in people—but we believe the two actually reinforce each other.
At Bullen, that mindset shapes how we approach technology adoption. We’ve made major investments in robotics, automation and advanced manufacturing technologies to remain competitive and continue to grow. From the beginning, we’ve been clear with employees that the goal isn’t to eliminate jobs. The goal is to grow revenue and deliver more value to customers with the team we already have.
In fact, when automation improves efficiency, it creates new opportunities for both the business and our people. That’s why we’ve invested in apprenticeship programs, leadership development, junior engineering roles and promoting from within. As technology evolves, the skills needed in manufacturing evolve too, and we want our employees to move into those new, higher-value roles as the company grows.
From semiconductors and aerospace to medical devices, advanced manufacturing is evolving quickly. What industry trends do you believe CEOs need to be paying closer attention to right now—and which ones are still underappreciated?
The biggest trend shaping advanced manufacturing right now is artificial intelligence. AI is a broad umbrella encompassing machine learning, automation and advanced data analysis, and it’s helping to change how manufacturers solve complex process problems.
At Bullen, we’ve spent years building capabilities in data and robotics automation and analytics, and we’re now moving into a phase where AI can help us analyze processes and uncover new machining approaches. What excites me most is how this technology can accelerate innovation.
As designs evolve, engineers will begin exploring unique materials and unconventional machining methods that weren’t previously practical. AI can analyze data and model possibilities, but it can’t replace the creativity and judgment engineers bring to experimentation and pushing the boundaries of what’s manufacturable.
At the same time, one trend I think is still underappreciated is the human side of these technological shifts. CEOs often focus on the technology itself but underestimate the importance of bringing people along as those changes happen. New tools only succeed if employees understand them and see how they fit into the company’s future.
We saw this firsthand when we introduced our first robot at Bullen. We held open sessions where the team walked through exactly how the system would work on the shop floor, and those meetings were open to every employee. We also used company meetings to explain why we were investing in robotics—that the goal wasn’t to eliminate jobs, but to create more value for customers and expand our capabilities to meet marketplace needs.
It’s possible to embrace advanced manufacturing and AI while still building a culture where people feel valued. When leaders introduce technology transparently and take the time to bring their teams along, it strengthens both the business and the workforce driving innovation forward.
You’re a third-generation leader who’s driven significant growth since becoming president. How have you balanced honoring a family-owned company’s legacy while pushing the kind of innovation required to stay competitive today?
At Bullen, honoring our legacy and driving innovation aren’t competing priorities; they’re tightly connected. The legacy of this family business shows up in our core values: excellence, humility, integrity and teamwork. Those principles shape how we work together inside the company and how we serve customers outside it.
Innovation actually grows out of that foundation. When people trust each other, communicate openly and hold themselves to high standards, they’re more willing to experiment and solve difficult problems. Our growth has a direct line to innovation, and our innovation has a direct line to those values.
What I appreciate most is that this mindset goes all the way back to the company’s beginning. From its early days, Bullen pushed the boundaries of ultrasonic machining through creative machine and cutting tool designs. That willingness to rethink how things are done has always been part of Bullen’s identity.
Today, that same inventive spirit is seen in how our engineers and machinists approach complex manufacturing challenges for customers. Our team is constantly looking for better ways to machine difficult materials and solve problems others can’t. That combination of strong values and technical curiosity is what allows us to keep evolving while staying true to who we are.
Your career path includes international expansion, managing a semiconductor division in China, and even running operations for a large nonprofit organization. How have those diverse leadership experiences shaped the way you lead Bullen today?
For me, that culture starts with trust and respect, and ultimately with a mindset we describe as love—meaning you genuinely want the best for others as well as yourself. Building that kind of culture takes real effort. It means recognizing people when they do things well, correcting behavior that doesn’t align with the culture and leaders being willing to admit their own mistakes.
My experience in China reinforced an important part of building that kind of culture: Leaders need to stay closely connected to the people doing the work. I watched how the best managers maintained a strong pulse on what was happening on the shop floor, not just in reports or meetings. That visibility helped them understand problems earlier and make better decisions.
My nonprofit experience reinforced another piece of the same lesson: Clear communication is essential to maintaining a healthy culture. When you’re coordinating hundreds of volunteers and staying in touch with more than a thousand people, unclear messaging can quickly create confusion. That experience still shapes how we operate at Bullen today. Major presentations are always reviewed by a team to ensure the message is clear and concise.
Across all of those experiences, one lesson has been consistent: Strong cultures don’t happen by accident. They are built intentionally through leadership behavior, clear communication and staying closely connected to the people doing the work.
