Episode 120
How Marketing Becomes a Strategic Partner in Manufacturing
Why Alignment Between Marketing, Sales, and Engineering Matters More Than Ever
Join host Sannah Vinding as she talks with Jacob Baldwin, Director of Corporate Marketing at UNITED GRINDING North America, one of the world’s leading providers of precision grinding machines. Together, they explore how marketing can evolve from a support function into a true strategic partner in manufacturing organizations.
In this episode, you’ll hear real-world strategies on:
-
-
-
- Marketing as a Service Organization: Learn why marketing works best when it supports sales, drives demand, and aligns with business goals — especially in highly engineered B2B industries.
- Cross-Functional Alignment: Discover how Jacob navigates sales, engineering, operations, and executive teams to lead initiatives that move the needle.
- Storytelling That Connects: Explore how UNITED GRINDING’s “Unstoppable Grit” campaign reframed customer stories into compelling narratives that build trust and brand value.
- Event Strategy and Feedback Loops: Find out how postmortems and honest internal feedback improve future marketing initiatives — and strengthen internal relationships.
- Navigating Digital Transformation in Manufacturing: Hear Jacob’s take on staying ahead of digital trends, using data to guide strategy, and when to embrace (or question) the latest tools like AI.
-
-
Whether you’re a marketing professional in the industrial space or a manufacturing leader looking to elevate your brand, this episode is packed with insights on building marketing that drives real business outcomes.
Don’t miss it — subscribe and listen wherever you get your podcasts!
“Marketing in a machine tool manufacturing company is unique because the marketer needs to understand the key messages that are relevant to each person in that buying committee over the duration of the customer’s journey.”
Key takeaways
Collaboration Starts with Understanding Different Perspectives
Effective cross-functional work depends on knowing what each team values. Anticipating the needs of engineering, sales, and leadership leads to better planning, stronger execution, and more unified outcomes.
Marketing Thrives When It Serves the Business
Marketing delivers the most value when it’s aligned with sales and operations. By focusing on supporting business goals and customer needs, marketing becomes a strategic driver—not just a support function.
Customer Stories Are Your Strongest Asset
Authentic storytelling grounded in real customer experiences builds trust and connection. Highlighting the challenges and wins of others makes your message more relatable, credible, and powerful.
“When you’re in the middle of it, it feels like climbing a mountain — but reflection always shows you it wasn’t as tough as it seemed.”
“The best way to lead cross-functional teams is to anticipate what each department needs, then tailor your message to help them succeed — that’s true internal marketing.”
Show Notes
In this episode of the Leadership in Manufacturing podcast, host Sannah Vinding speaks with Jacob Baldwin, Director of Corporate Marketing at UNITED GRINDING North America, about how marketing can become a true strategic partner in manufacturing organizations.
The conversation explores what it takes to move marketing beyond traditional support roles and into a position that directly drives growth. With a focus on cross-functional alignment, storytelling, and customer-centricity, this episode dives deep into how marketing can unlock value by partnering with sales, engineering, and operations.
One key theme is the idea of marketing as a service-oriented function — one that opens doors for sales and communicates value clearly across the buying journey. Whether it’s launching campaigns, running trade shows, or building customer stories, Jacob emphasizes the importance of anticipating team needs and tailoring messaging to fit every stakeholder.
Sannah and Jacob also discuss how authenticity in customer storytelling can transform brand perception, why internal postmortems are critical for improvement, and how digital trends like AI should be approached with both curiosity and caution.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
-
-
-
Why aligning marketing with sales and engineering leads to stronger business outcomes
-
How anticipating internal team needs improves cross-functional execution
-
What makes storytelling effective in complex B2B environments
-
Why feedback and postmortems help teams grow and evolve
-
How to stay focused on long-term strategy in a fast-changing digital world
-
-
This episode is packed with insights for professionals working at the intersection of marketing, manufacturing, and leadership. Whether you’re leading a team or just starting in the industry, there’s value here for anyone aiming to build a more strategic, collaborative, and forward-thinking marketing function.
Like what you hear?
Subscribe, share, and follow the podcast on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram for more conversations with real leaders in the electronics and manufacturing space.
Guest
Jacob Baldwin
Director of Corporate Marketing, UNITED GRINDING North America
Jacob Baldwin is a results-driven marketing leader with a proven track record of accelerating growth and innovation in global industrial and technology organizations. As Director of Corporate Marketing at UNITED GRINDING North America, he leads strategic marketing efforts for multiple European OEMs, supporting their expansion and driving business outcomes.
With deep expertise in digital transformation, branding, demand generation, and product launches, Jacob has successfully led cross-functional teams through high-impact initiatives. He is known for his data-driven mindset, creative problem-solving, and ability to build strong internal and external partnerships.
His contributions have earned industry recognition, including marketing awards and invitations to speak at leading conferences. Jacob continues to play a key role in shaping the future of B2B marketing in manufacturing.
Leadership in Manufacturing Newsletter:
Join the 2,400+ professionals in the electronics manufacturing industry who rely on our insights.
Developing Future Leaders!
* By subscribing, I consent to receive email updates.
Related Episodes
How Leaders Build High Performing Remote Teams with AI and Trust – Episode 129
Learn how to lead high performing remote teams with clarity, communication, trust, and smart use of AI. Practical leadership insights for electronics and manufacturing professionals.
How to Lead Every Generation with Experience and Trust – Matt Cordell – Episode 128
Learn how manufacturing leader Matt Cordell builds trust and leads every generation through experience, adaptability, and people-first leadership.
