Scott MacKenzie introduces the Industrial Talk podcast, highlighting five elements of successful companies: education, collaboration, innovation, culture, and communication. At the Xcelerate 2025 event, hosted by Fluke Reliability, Scott interviews Jeremiah Woodford from Verison AI, a company leveraging AI to optimize industrial maintenance and inventory management. Versen's technology, trained on MRO data, helps companies determine stocking levels and optimize spare parts inventory by integrating with ERP and EAM systems. The AI identifies duplicates, normalizes data, and makes stocking recommendations, improving reliability and uptime. Verison aims to automate processes, reducing the need for manual data entry and increasing efficiency.

Action Items

• [ ] Connect with Jeremiah Woodford on LinkedIn or visit Versen.com to get a demo of the software.
• [ ] Explore how Versen's AI-powered technology can help optimize MRO inventory and improve maintenance and reliability at your industrial facility.

Outline

Introduction to Industrial Talk Podcast and Xcelerate 2025

• Scott MacKenzie introduces the Industrial Talk podcast, emphasizing its focus on industry professionals and their innovations.
• Scott thanks listeners for their support and highlights the importance of education, collaboration, innovation, and effective communication in industrial success.
• Scott mentions the Accelerate 2025 event, hosted by Fluke Reliability, and encourages listeners to connect with them for better reliability, maintenance, and asset management.
• Scott introduces Jeremiah Woodford, a key figure in the industrial maintenance field, and provides a brief background on his career and company, Verison.

Jeremiah Woodford's Background and Career Journey

• Jeremiah Woodford shares his 20+ years of experience in heavy industrial maintenance, starting in the oil fields of Southeast Texas.
• He discusses his transition from being a roughneck to an outdoor machinist in refineries and chemical plants, and later earning a computer science degree.
• Jeremiah explains his involvement in maintenance software and his return to the plant environment.
• Scott and Jeremiah discuss the evolution of technology and its impact on leveraging solutions effectively in the industrial sector.

Introduction to Versen and AI Technology

• Jeremiah explains the origin and meaning of Versen, which means "truth" in Latin.
• He describes Verison as an AI company focused on leveraging large language models trained on MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) data.
• Jeremiah shares his excitement about the technology and how it was developed through a joint venture with Georgia Tech and Stanford.
• Scott asks Jeremiah to explain MRO, and Jeremiah provides a detailed definition and its relevance to industrial maintenance.

Versen's Mission and AI Capabilities

• Jeremiah outlines Versen's goal of helping industrial companies determine the stocking levels of maintenance spare parts by integrating with ERP and EAM systems.
• He explains how Versen's AI technology can make sense of large amounts of data, often perceived as bad, and improve inventory management.
• Jeremiah provides an example of how the AI can normalize data and identify duplicates, optimizing inventory levels across multiple plants.
• Scott and Jeremiah discuss the challenges of data normalization and the importance of accurate data for effective inventory management.

Implementation and User Experience

• Jeremiah describes the typical implementation process, where Versen's software pulls data from ERP and EAM systems to make stocking recommendations.
• He explains the workflow for approving or rejecting recommendations, emphasizing the importance of user interaction and validation.
• Jeremiah highlights the goal of reducing the time users spend in the software, allowing them to focus on more critical tasks.
• Scott asks about the user interface, and Jeremiah explains that the system is designed for material managers and procurement personnel, with notifications for maintenance personnel.

Optimizing Inventory and Supply Chain

• Jeremiah discusses the importance of optimizing inventory levels to improve reliability and uptime, using a North Sea project as an example.
• He explains how Versen's system can identify critical spares and optimize their placement, reducing the need for costly helicopter or fast boat deliveries.
• Scott and Jeremiah talk about the criticality of assets and how Versen's system can integrate with existing asset management software.
• Jeremiah emphasizes the importance of continuous monitoring and adjusting inventory levels based on changes in equipment criticality and usage.

Future of AI in Industrial Maintenance

• Jeremiah shares Versen's vision of building AI agents to automate inventory management, reducing the need for manual intervention.
• He explains the goal of achieving management by exception, where the AI system makes recommendations and notifies users only when necessary.
• Scott and Jeremiah discuss the potential for AI to revolutionize the industrial maintenance sector by automating menial tasks and improving efficiency.
• Jeremiah provides contact information for Verison and encourages listeners to get a demo of the software to see its capabilities.

Closing Remarks and Call to Action

• Scott thanks Jeremiah for sharing his insights and experiences on the podcast.
• Scott reiterates the importance of education, collaboration, innovation, and effective communication in industrial success.
• He encourages listeners to download the free ebook and workbook available on Industrial Talk.
• Scott invites listeners to stay tuned for future episodes and to continue supporting industry professionals.