”When you have the correct individuals in place for training and helping to up-skill individuals, then that’s a much easier leap, and you got to be willing to take that path and be patient with it to get them to that point because especially if they have the willingness, the hunger, and the commitment and care for the company, invest. Take them and tool them up, and as others see it within the shop, they start asking and signing up for it. We are always encouraging people to speak up when they want to learn something new or have questions about something, and then we take the time to address it and invest in it.“
— Christina Collette, GM of Final Frontier Manufacturing (Formerly Action Industries) in Arvada, CO
In this episode, we talk with Christina Collette, GM of Final Frontier Manufacturing (Formerly Action Industries) in Arvada, CO. She shares her path from managing teams in banking to rolling up her sleeves on the shop floor. What pushed the shift? A love of math and a frustration with repetition that evolved into a desire for work that challenged her to think, solve, and build.
Christina breaks down how she has learned to spot the right professional and cultural fit in manufacturing and what she has picked up from peers in groups like NTMA. She also shares how Final Frontier is laying down a blueprint for the modern machine shop driven by digital tools, real-time data, and process automation that supports both quality and speed.
We talk about what modernization looks like across a multi-generational workforce—and how Christina went from being cautious about change to leading the charge, becoming a strong voice for progress in the industry.
If you’re thinking about what it takes to lead change in manufacturing, you’ll want to hear this one.
”If you aren’t updating, addressing, and embracing automation and the newest technologies, then you end up obsolete.“
— Christina Collette, GM of Final Frontier Manufacturing (Formerly Action Industries) in Arvada, CO
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- 03:10 — From Banking to the Shop Floor
- 06:40 — Why Your Processes Aren’t Scaling
- 16:42 — The Generational Shift in Manufacturing
- 19:34 — Start with Data, Not Dollars
- 23:27 — Yes, Your Shop Needs Marketing
- 28.10 — Building a Tech Stack That Drives Flow
- 35:19 — What Christina Would Tell Her Younger Self
Links Referenced:
- Rocky Mountain NTMA: https://www.rmtma.org/
- Final Frontier Manufacturing
- Datanomix: https://datanomix.io/
- mfgmavericks.com: https://mfgmavericks.com