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The NAM’s digital transformation division has announced the winners of this year’s Manufacturing Leadership Awards, accolades given to the most outstanding companies, teams and individuals leading manufacturing into the next era.

What’s going on: The Manufacturing Leadership Council named Celanese as its Large Enterprise Manufacturer of the Year, Pure & Gentle, Inc. as the winner in its Small-Medium Enterprise Manufacturer of the Year category and Besu Alemayehu of Merck & Co., Inc. as its 2025 Manufacturing Leader of the Year.

• The winners were announced last week at the MLC’s 2025 Manufacturing Leadership Awards Gala in Marco Island, Florida. It was the culmination of Rethink: Accelerating Digital Transformation in Manufacturing, the organization’s flagship event focused on strategies that advance digital transformation in manufacturing operations.

Why they were picked: Global chemistry company Celanese was chosen owing to its many achievements in digital transformation, including an artificial intelligence-powered digital platform that increases employee productivity and improves decision-making.

• Personal care product manufacturer Pure & Gentle won in its category for use of digital technology to monitor and boost sustainability, as well as for its creation of a work culture that fosters high levels of employee engagement.
• Merck Senior Vice President of Digital Manufacturing and Chief Digital and Technology Officer Alemayehu was recognized for leading digital initiatives that have increased business value and for partnering with senior leadership across the company in key functions.

There’s more: The award ceremony included a memorial tribute to former Lexmark Chief Sustainability Officer John D. Gagel, also a former member of the MLC Board of Governors, recognizing his lasting contributions to manufacturing and transformational leadership.

Our take: “The winners of the Manufacturing Leadership Awards represent the kind of bold and innovative thinking that will propel our industry into the future,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons.

• “Every project and individual recognized in the Manufacturing Leadership Awards represents movement toward a future state of Manufacturing 4.0,” said MLC Founder, Executive Director and Vice President David R. Brousell.

Read more: See a full list of this year’s winners and finalists here.