In this episode, Christian Streu, CFO of The Partner Companies, and Charles Cohen, President of FotoFab, join The Fabricator Podcast to talk about the growing trend of mergers and acquisitions in manufacturing. They discuss the evolution of Chicago-based The Partner Companies and how smaller manufacturing and fabrication businesses can benefit from being part of a larger organization. The Partner Companies was formed in 1997 by founders Dan Brumlik and Scott Bekemeyer with a focus to bring together a strategic network of specialty manufacturers serving the aerospace, defense, energy, medical, technology, automotive, and telecom industries. They also touch on the challenges of running multiple companies within one fold, the importance of near-shoring, and the future of manufacturing in North America. The episode concludes with a discussion on the recruitment of young talent into the industry and the exciting opportunities in the clean energy sector. At the top, a mention of a Yugo leads to a conversation about first cars, from a 1966 Ford Galaxy to a 1989 Chevy Nova to the ultimate latch-key kid car, a 1987 Chevy Beretta. Email us at [email protected] with any comments, questions, or suggestions. Learn more about podcast sponsorship opportunities.