Press Releases

Online gala takes place May 19

The Manufacturing Leadership Council, a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, today revealed the list of world-class manufacturing companies and individual leaders set to receive recognition as winners of the 2021 Manufacturing Leadership Awards.

“Tested with challenges they never could have imagined, manufacturers rose to the occasion to keep factories open, sometimes with significant changes to their production and supply chains,”  said David R. Brousell, Co-Founder of the Manufacturing Leadership Council.   “At the same time, manufacturers doubled down on digital transformation as they sought greater agility and flexibility in their businesses. These awards honor the innovation and resolve that manufacturers demonstrate at all times, and especially in times of crisis.”

ML Awards winners will be honored at 4:30 pm EDT on May 19, 2021, during the virtual Manufacturing Leadership Awards gala. In addition, the High Achiever Awards in each category, Manufacturers of the Year, and the Manufacturing Leader of the Year winners will be announced during the gala. Nominations that were specific to COVID-19 response will be honored as part of the Creators Respond Honor Roll, a designation created this year to recognize efforts by manufacturers in the fight against the pandemic.  To see an archive of past Manufacturing Leadership Award winners, including those from 2021, click here.

Entries were submitted in 11 categories that honor outstanding achievements by individuals and organizations that are shaping the future of global manufacturing. The nine project categories for 2021 include Artificial Intelligence and Analytics Leadership, Industrial Internet of Things Leadership, Sustainability Leadership and Talent Management Leadership. Individual categories this year were Digital Transformation Leadership and Next-Generation Leadership.

Additionally, nominations that were specific to COVID-19 response will be honored during the virtual gala as part of the Creators Respond Honor Roll.

Select award winners will present their winning projects at Rethink: The Manufacturing Leadership Council Summit, the industry’s leading event for exploring manufacturing’s digital era. “With a theme of Accelerating the Adoption of Manufacturing 4.0, Rethink will include case studies of digital transformation in action, expert insights on leading technologies, and opportunities to network with other industry leaders,” Brousell added.

Rethink will take place online June 22-24, 2021. Details are available here. Nominations for the 2022 Manufacturing Leadership Awards will open in August.