Inside the Shop: How a Houston Team is Transforming Manufacturing Communication

Step inside NOV’s West Little York facility, and you’ll hear the steady hum of machines, see monitors glowing, and catch the sharp scent of coolant and metal in the air. It’s the sound of a shop in motion - focused, skilled, and alive.  

Beneath that rhythm, something quieter is shaping how the team works: communication.  

At the center of it all is Melinda Baltazar, machine shop supervisor and manufacturing veteran of nearly 30 years. Her career has taken her through oil and gas, aviation, and even NASA robotics. She’s seen technology revolutionize production, but the biggest change she’s witnessed isn’t the machines; it’s people and how they connect.  

Melinda Baltazar on DNA of NOV

A Career Built on Curiosity and Care 

Melinda never set out to work in manufacturing. She answered a simple newspaper ad for a shipping and receiving position at a small plating shop, a decision that quietly set her path in motion.  

That shop specialized in gold, nickel, and anodized finishes for aviation and aerospace. Before long, her team was contributing to NASA’s rover program. She still smiles when she talks about it. It wasn’t about the size of the job; it was about the people. 

That early lesson stuck with her: when people communicate and care about what they do, the work speaks for itself.  

Years later, when Melinda joined NOV to lead a bustling Houston machine shop full of talented machinists, she brought that same mindset. But the environment was different, faster, bigger, and more complex. Communication meant constant walk-throughs, quick check-ins, and solving problems one at a time.  

“It worked,” she said. “But it was exhausting. If I was in a meeting, I worried about what I was missing on the floor.”

When Innovation Meets the Floor  

Everything shifted when Melinda was introduced to Auredia, a digital communication system designed for manufacturing teams.  

“At first, I thought, ‘Okay, another tool to learn,” she said with a laugh. “But once we started using it, everything clicked.” 

The first real test came quickly. A machinist flagged a quality issue, and within two minutes it was resolved, a process that used to take twenty.  

With Auredia, machinists could message from their stations when they needed materials, inspections, or programming support. Supervisors and maintenance could see updates instantly. Those small issues that once caused delays and required walking the entire shop floor were now visible with a single tap. But most importantly, it gave every machinist a voice.  

“They want to be heard,” Melinda said. “They want to know someone’s listening.” 

That shift changed everything. The team started taking ownership of their machines, knowing their input mattered. Melinda could step into a meeting and still see what was happening, which machines were running, who needed help, and where to focus next.  

A Culture of Respect and Connection  

For Melinda, leadership has always been about honesty and respect.  

“I tell my people, ‘Be honest. Tell me what happened, and we’ll fix it,” she said. “That’s how we grow.”  

That openness builds trust. Her team knows she listens, and she trusts them to take pride in their work. Over time, Auredia became more than a communication tool; it became part of the shop’s culture.  

Now, Melinda uses it to share updates, safety messages, and even recognition. One morning, she sent a quick note announcing a last-minute meeting. When she walked in, everyone was already there, no confusion and no missed memos.  

“It’s made everything smoother,” she said. “But it’s also made us closer. People feel included. They feel part of the process.”  

Communication at the Heart of Manufacturing 

After nearly three decades in the industry, Melinda has seen plenty of change from new tools, new systems, and new challenges. But this one stands out.  

“Auredia keeps me in front instead of falling behind,” she said. “I can’t imagine working a day without it.” 

Technology will keep advancing. Machines will get smarter. But Melinda knows that at its core, manufacturing will always come down to people, and the way they communicate.  

On the floor at West Little York, that connection is what keeps everything running.