News and Insights
Rheem, General Motors Named Top Winners in 2026 Manufacturing Leadership Awards Competition
Rheem’s Alan Machuga was named 2026 Manufacturing Leader of the Year, while General Motors won Large Enterprise Manufacturer of the Year. Pure & Gentle earned Small/Medium Enterprise Manufacturer of the Year in the Manufacturing Leadership Awards.
Welcome New Members of the MLC May 2026
Introducing the latest new members to the Manufacturing Leadership Council
MLC welcomes new members from McCain Foods, Bosch, Bloom Energy, General Mills, Abbvie, Workday, Smurfit Westrock, Pioneer Service and Standex. Learn more about the association’s newest member leaders.
The Best of Executive Dialogue
2025 Executive Dialogue highlights how manufacturing leaders are using AI, Industry 4.0 and digital culture to drive transformation, build talent, and prepare for the future.
From Legacy to Leading Edge: Real Stories of Data-Driven Transformation
Four company stories show how modernizing legacy data systems, governance, and analytics helps manufacturers unlock better decisions, operational visibility, and AI-driven competitive advantage.
MLC Announces 2025 Manufacturing Leadership Award Winners
MLC named Celanese, Pure & Gentle and Merck’s Besu Alemayehu as 2025 Manufacturing Leadership Award winners for digital transformation, sustainability and innovation in manufacturing.
Merck, Celanese and Pure & Gentle Named Top Winners in Manufacturing Leadership Awards Competition
Merck’s Besu Alemayehu was named 2025 Manufacturing Leader of the Year, while Celanese and Pure & Gentle won top Manufacturing Leadership Awards for digital transformation and sustainability.
Decarbonizing Scope 3 Emissions through Circular Strategies
Circular economy strategies can help companies cut Scope 3 emissions by reducing upstream supplier impacts and product-use emissions. Circular procurement and supplier engagement offer practical decarbonization levers across the value chain.
Profit by Design
AI is helping manufacturers make circularity profitable by extending product life cycles, reducing waste, and lowering emissions. GenAI and agentic AI also strengthen resilience and create bottom-line value.
Dialogue: Finding the Human Edge in Manufacturing AI
Dow’s Tim O’Neal says manufacturers should place talent intentionally and measure the data that drives action, using AI and analytics to improve operations and predict failures.
The Best of 2024 Decision Compass Calls
MLC’s 2024 Decision Compass calls covered generative AI, workforce retention, predictive maintenance, cloud-based supply management and carbon reuse. Recordings are available in the member-exclusive content library.
Manufacturing Leadership Council Elects Two New Industry Leaders to Board of Governors
Manufacturing Leadership Council elected Tim O’Neal of Dow and Bryan Van Itallie of PIC Trailers to its Board of Governors, strengthening leadership on digital transformation in manufacturing.
Building a Generative AI-Powered Digital Twin
Celanese is using a generative AI chatbot, Celia, to power its digital twin and help manufacturing teams troubleshoot, optimize production, and make faster decisions. The platform spans 30+ sites and is already improving visibility, collaboration, and downtime reduction.
Welcome New Members of the MLC August 2024
Introducing the latest new members to the Manufacturing Leadership Council
MLC welcomes six new members from Valvoline, New Balance, TXI Digital, First Solar, Dow, and Eli Lilly, spanning supply chain, manufacturing engineering, automation, and operational excellence leadership.
Preparing the Supply Chain Workforce for an AI Revolution
Manufacturers need a strong data foundation and cross-functional collaboration to unlock AI’s supply chain benefits, from better demand forecasting and inventory planning to more efficient admin work.
Welcome New Members of the MLC April 2024
Introducing the latest new members to the Manufacturing Leadership Council
MLC welcomes new April 2024 members from leading manufacturers including aPriori, Toro, DENSO, Rockwell Automation, PACCAR, and more.
Dialogue: A Future of Data-Driven Leadership
Dow’s Amanda Ahrens says data science will increasingly drive manufacturing, from R&D and asset optimization to sustainability, but only if companies improve data quality and embed AI into everyday processes.
AI, Autonomous Operations Seen as Having Major Impacts by 2030
MLC leaders say AI and autonomous operations will reshape manufacturing by 2030, while supply chains, sustainability and leadership skills evolve around stronger environmental stewardship and human-AI management.
Welcome New Members of the MLC December 2023
Introducing the latest new members to the Manufacturing Leadership Council
MLC welcomes new December 2023 members from Standard Industries, Greene Tweed, Knauf Insulation, West Monroe, and JLS Automation, including product, manufacturing, and smart factory leaders.
AI’s Outcomes Rely On Its Rollout
AI can improve manufacturing safety and efficiency, but success depends on employee training, secure infrastructure, and careful rollout. AI also introduces cyber risks and works best when tailored to specific plant tasks.
Unlocking Data-Driven Manufacturing’s Power
Manufacturers are increasingly using data to optimize operations, empower workers and improve performance, but many struggle to integrate it into daily processes. Organizations that build data-driven strategies and upskill employees can gain a competitive edge.
