The National Association of Manufacturers’ Manufacturing Leadership Council recognizes these world-class manufacturing companies and individual leaders for their outstanding efforts.

Manufacturers of the Year

Small/Medium Enterprise: Hologic

Large Enterprise: Dow Inc.

Manufacturing Leader of the Year

Given to the medical manufacturing industry and all front-line manufacturing workers in recognition of their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Project Winners

(* – Denotes High Achiever, or highest scoring project in each category)

Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics Leadership

  • Cisco Systems – Cisco’s Data & Analytics Office Brings AI to Life All Across Cisco
  • Cisco Systems – Component Quality Early Sensing Platform
  • CNH Industrial
  • HELLA
  • IBM Corporation – Manufacturing Quality Inspection with AI and Edge Computing*
  • MacLean-Fogg
  • Merck & Co., Inc. – Automated Vision Inspection Platform
  • NCDMM – Joint Additive Manufacturing Model Exchange – JAMMEX

Collaborative Innovation Leadership

  • Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) – COVID-19 Response: Infrastructure for Good
  • Flex – A Mask-Making Journey
  • IBM Corporation – IBM Customer Solution Center NYC Department of Education Remote Learning Enablement
  • Johnson & Johnson – Johnson & Johnson Supply Chain Wearables Smart Glasses
  • Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals – COVID-19 Response Team
  • Merck & Co., Inc. – DigInnovate Community
  • Roche and Genentech – Rapid Technical Transfer*
  • Roche and Genentech – Continuing Pharma Manufacturing When the World Stopped
  • VIRTEX

Engineering and Production Technology Leadership

  • Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) – Project Segue*
  • Corteva Agriscience – Pyraxalt Active Product Manufacturing & Process Optimization
  • Dana
  • Ford Motor Company – In-Station Process Control for Gear Machining Processes
  • Ford Motor Company – 2D Laser Profiling for High-Speed CNC Compensation
  • General Motors*
  • Johnson & Johnson – Ethicon Digital Surgery Molded Components
  • Kenworth Truck Company – Tension Control Tooling Improvement
  • Kenworth Truck Company – Sealed Beam Headlamp Aimer
  • Lexmark International
  • Lockheed Martin Aeronautics – F35 Seal Frame Accelerated Cure Project
  • NCDMM – Conformal Fan Duct Heat Exchangers for Engine Thermal Management Systems
  • Peterbilt Motors Company – Paint Air Ladder Calibration Project
  • PULS GmbH
  • SAUDI ARAMCO

Enterprise Integration Technology Leadership

  • Array Technologies
  • Cisco Systems – Hardware Failure Prediction
  • Dow Inc. – Dow Manufacturing 4.0*
  • Flex – Utilizing Simulation in Manufacturing
  • Ford Motor Company – Ford Teams with Drishti for Process Improvements in Manual Assembly
  • IBM Corporation – Embracing Complexity, a Compass to Digital Transformation
  • Merck & Co., Inc.- Remote Assist
  • MxD – MxD Cyber Box
  • Nexteer Automotive
  • Rapid Turn Laser & Machine LLC
  • Xenith

Industrial Internet of Things Leadership

  • Dow Inc. – Accelerating Innovation in Instrumentation and Sensors at Dow Texas Operations
  • Intertape Polymer Group – Operational Excellence Through Digital Transformation*
  • Maxion Wheels
  • MxD – MxD Cyber Platform

Operational Excellence Leadership

  • ADAC Automotive
  • Bridge Publications Inc.
  • Church & Dwight
  • Comez International s.r.l. – a Jakob Mueller company
  • Corteva Agriscience – Spinetoram Active Insecticide
  • Excel Connection
  • Flex – Ventilator Production
  • Geico Taikisha
  • General Mills
  • Iochpe-Maxion S.A.
  • Lockheed Martin Aeronautics – Aircraft Optical Network Diagnostic System*
  • Lockheed Martin Aeronautics – Wireless Harness Automated Measurement System
  • Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals – Packaging Process Improvement
  • NCDMM – Manufacturing Technology for Complex Missile Seekers (JAGM CMS)
  • Peterbilt Motors Company – Engine Trim Error Proofing
  • The Raymond Corporation

Supply Chain Leadership

  • ALOM
  • Central Garden & Pet
  • Corning Incorporated*
  • Dow Inc. – E2E Business Planning Program
  • Hologic Inc. – Supply Chain: Impacting Lives, Every Day
  • Johnson & Johnson – Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Transformation
  • Roche and Genentech – Unlocking Manufacturing Network Capacity at Roche and Genentech

Sustainability Leadership

  • Corteva Agriscience – Advanced Technology for Successful Rinskor Active Ingredient Product Manufacture
  • FloraCraft
  • Intertape Polymer Group – Incorporating Sustainability into Lean Manufacturing Production System
  • Owens Corning*
  • Peterbilt Motors Company – Paint Emissions Reduction
  • Protolabs
  • Pure & Gentle

Talent Management Leadership

  • Essentra
  • Hologic Inc. – Building a Talent Management System for a 4.0 Medical Device Company in Costa Rica*
  • MxD – MxD’s Hiring Guide: Cybersecurity in Manufacturing

Individual Winners

Digital Transformation Leadership

  • Maria Martinez, Cisco Systems
  • Dave Evans, Fictiv
  • Billy B. Bardin, Dow Inc.
  • Veronica Gutierrez Magallanes, IBM Corporation
  • Raja Shembekar, Denso
  • Jayendran Sundararaman, Intertape Polymer Group
  • Jeff Gleeson, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

Next-Generation Leadership

  • Kasia Karimee Garcia Bracho, IBM Corporation
  • Katherine Duggan, Dow Inc.
  • Jonathan Jones, Corteva Agriscience
  • Katia Valenzuela, MxD

Partner Winners

  • Ceridian
  • Dassault Systèmes
  • Drishti
  • ECI Software Solutions
  • EPSoft Technologies
  • Ernst & Young LLC
  • iBASEt
  • KBMax
  • Leading2Lean
  • Logility
  • Markforged
  • Paperless Parts
  • Predictronics

Creators Respond Honor Roll

Given in recognition of projects that made a direct effort toward pandemic relief and recovery

  • ALOM Technologies
  • AB InBev
  • Bridge Publications Inc.
  • Dow Inc.
  • Flextronics Manufacturing
  • Flex
  • IBM
  • Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals
  • Merck & Co., Inc.
  • Roche and Genentech
  • Smithfield Foods