The Fabricator Podcast

Thinking differently about running a small manufacturing business

2026-03-24 · 09:30 UTC ·Fabricators and Manufacturers Association ·1 min read

Brief

Small-business manufacturing leadership is the focus of this episode, with Lori Tapani outlining how Wyoming Machine evolved from a family-owned shop into a multi-decade sister-led business. She connects succession planning, culture, and growth strategy with practical workforce development, emphasizing partnerships with technical schools and local communities as a way to sustain a 50-plus-year-old job shop.

Why it matters

Lori Tapani said she and her sister, Traci Tapani, have led Wyoming Machine in Stacy, Minnesota, for more than 30 years under a succession plan that transferred leadership from their father at the more than 50-year-old company.

Key details

  • Tapani described Wyoming Machine as a job shop serving diverse industries, and said the company has changed its leadership, culture, and growth approach by "thinking differently" about how a small manufacturing business is run.
  • A major focus of Tapani's discussion was workforce development: Wyoming Machine partners with local communities and technical schools to recruit and train workers, an effort that received national recognition through the W.O. Lawton Business Leadership Award.
Source evidence

title: Thinking differently about running a small manufacturing business
author: Fabricators and Manufacturers Association
contenttype: podcast
publication: The Fabricator Podcast
published: 2026-03-24T09:30:00+00:00
sourceurl: https://www.thefabricator.com/podcast/episode/the-fabricator-podcast/thinking-differently-about-running-a-small-manufacturing-business

word_count: 154

Lori Tapani, co-owner and co-president of Wyoming Machine in Stacy, Minnesota, joins The Fabricator Podcast to discuss what it means to think differently when running a small manufacturing business. Alongside her sister, Traci Tapani, she has led the more than 50-year-old company for over three decades, following a unique succession plan that transitioned leadership from their father. A longtime FMA member and vice chair of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Council, Tapani also brings a small business perspective to broader industry and policy discussions. She shares how their approach to leadership, culture, and growth has evolved, and how their job shop operates across diverse industries. A major focus is workforce development, including partnerships with local communities and technical schools to attract and train the next generation, an effort recognized nationally with the W.O. Lawton Business Leadership Award. Email us at podcast@fmamfg.org with any comments, questions, or suggestions. Learn more about Fulcrum .