Press Releases

The 2021 winners of the Manufacturing Leadership Awards were honored at the 17^th annual Manufacturing Leadership Awards Gala, hosted by the National Association of Manufacturers’ Manufacturing Leadership Council. For the second year in a row, the gala took place as a virtual event.

Dow was named the Large Enterprise Manufacturer of the Year for its enterprise-wide digital transformation encompassing manufacturing, logistics, and operations. Hologic was named the Small/Medium Enterprise Manufacturer of the Year for its workforce cultural transformation, which has positioned the company to take advantage of advanced manufacturing technologies such as data analytics, 3D printing, and machine learning.

In a change from tradition, the Manufacturing Leader of the Year award, usually given to an individual operations executive, was bestowed on the medical supply, biomed, and pharmaceutical manufacturing sectors for their efforts in pandemic response and vaccine production. Also honored were all frontline manufacturing workers for their resilience and perseverance in keeping production lines running throughout the pandemic.

“The past year was possibly the most challenging in modern history for manufacturing operations. But we also saw how critical modern manufacturing is to our society and to our quality of life,” said MLC Co-Founder, Vice President, and Executive Director David R. Brousell. “It was impossible to choose just one leader to represent the tremendous efforts put forth by manufacturers throughout the pandemic, but the sense of hope we are experiencing as life returns to normal is very much thanks to the perseverance and tenacity of manufacturers.”

“These awardees represent the heart of the NAM’s mission: honoring American manufacturing and innovation. It’s no surprise that so many of the innovations that helped us develop and manufacture COVID-19 vaccines and treatments are made right here in the United States,” said PhRMA President and CEO Stephen J. Ubl. “We appreciate the NAM recognizing these advances and our PhRMA member companies’ efforts to end the pandemic.”

Another new addition to this year’s awards gala was the Creators Respond Honor Roll, an acknowledgement of all nominations that were directly tied to pandemic response. The companies on that list are:

• ALOM Technologies
• Anheuser Busch-InBev
• Bridge Publications Inc.
• Dow Inc.
• Flex
• IBM
• Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals
• Merck and Co., Inc.
• Roche and Genentech
• Smithfield Foods

Also announced at the gala were this year’s High Achievers, the projects with the highest scores in each category. Those winners included:

• Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics Leadership: IBM for Manufacturing Quality Inspection with AI and Edge Computing
• Collaborative Innovation Leadership: Roche and Genentech for Rapid Technical Transfer
• Engineering and Production Technology Leadership: Anheuser Busch InBev for Project Segue and General Motors for GM Additive Industrialization Center (tie)
• Enterprise Integration and Technology Leadership: Dow for Dow Manufacturing 4.0
• Industrial Internet of Things Leadership: Intertape Polymer Group for Operational Excellence through Digital Transformation
• Operational Excellence Leadership: Lockheed Martin for Aircraft Optical Network Diagnostic System
• Supply Chain Leadership: Corning for Corning Global Supply Management Transformation
• Sustainability Leadership: Owens Corning for Foamular NGX
• Talent Management Leadership: Hologic for Building a Talent Management System for a 4.0 Medical Device Company in Costa Rica

An archive of Manufacturing Leadership Award winners is available at https://www.manufacturingleadershipcouncil.com/leadership-awards/manufacturing-leadership-award-winners-archive/.

The 2022 Manufacturing Leadership Awards season will open to nominations on August 16, 2021.ML

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.

Washington, D.C. – The Manufacturing Leadership Council, a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, has announced the election of Mary Beth Heydrick, vice president of operations for Dow’s performance materials and coatings business segment and operations in North America and a member of Dow’s operations leadership team, to the MLC’s Board of Governors. The MLC is the nation’s foremost executive leadership organization dedicated to driving transformational growth for manufacturing companies along their digital journey to Manufacturing 4.0.

In addition to Heydrick’s appointment, MLC Co-Founder, Vice President and Executive Director David R. Brousell was officially appointed to the MLC Board of Governors as the MLC’s direct representative. The Board of Governors also reelected John Fleming, former executive vice president of global manufacturing and labor affairs at Ford, and Mike Packer, director of production strategy at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, as MLC Board chair and vice chair, respectively, for another year.

The MLC Board of Governors approved Heydrick’s nomination in a unanimous vote. With this appointment, the MLC Board consists of 19 industry thought leaders who represent the full ecosystem of the manufacturing industry, which includes large global enterprises, small and medium-sized manufacturers, leading academic institutions and influential industry analysts.

As an advisory body, the MLC Board of Governors provides guidance to the MLC on its “critical issues” agenda, research studies and programs and services for the MLC membership. Dow has been a committed and highly engaged MLC member for many years.

“I am delighted to welcome Mary Beth to the Board,” said Fleming. “We look forward to working with her and benefiting from her extensive manufacturing industry experience and insights.”

“The role manufacturing plays in driving both economic and social prosperity is a true passion of mine,” stated Heydrick. “The MLC provides a critical voice as companies navigate the ever-changing landscape facing all manufacturers. I look forward to being part of the MLC Board of Governors and providing my insight and expertise now and in the future.”

Heydrick first joined Dow in 1989 and has held a variety of roles of increasing responsibility in both the U.S. and Europe. As vice president of operations for one of Dow’s business segments and geographic regional areas, she is accountable for operations at many of Dow’s locations across the globe. In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities, Heydrick serves as the Asian Diversity Network North America sponsor, is a strong supporter of Dow’s Women’s Innovation Network, is a council member for Dow’s Global African American Network and is a member of the Society of Women Engineers. She holds a degree in chemical engineering from Michigan State University, is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt and is a recipient of The Manufacturing Institute’s STEP Ahead Award, which recognizes women in science, technology, engineering and production careers who exemplify leadership within their companies.

Heydrick replaces former Dow MLC board member David Mongrue, who served on the MLC Board since 2017 and is now retired.

MLC: Founded in 2008, and now a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Leadership Council’s mission is to inspire and support manufacturing executives to achieve transformational growth for themselves, their companies and the industry at large through enlightened leadership. With more than 2,000 senior-level members from many of the world’s leading manufacturing companies, the MLC focuses on the intersection of advanced digital technologies and the business, identifying growth and improvement opportunities in the operation, organization and leadership of manufacturing enterprises as they pursue their journeys to Manufacturing 4.0.

MLC Board of Governors: The Manufacturing Leadership Board of Governors comprises senior executives and industry experts at leading manufacturing, academic and research organizations around the world, including Lockheed Martin, Procter & Gamble, Ford Motor Company, Dow Chemical, Merck, IBM, Europe’s SmartFactory EU Technology Initiative, Lexmark International, Protolabs, Premio Foods, Virtex Enterprises, Graphicast, the Cooley Group, UCLA, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) in the UK, the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Deployment Group, and consultants Frost & Sullivan.

NAM: The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12.2 million men and women, contributes $2.32 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 63% of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the NAM or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

Virtual Gala Will Take Place Oct. 8

The Manufacturing Leadership Council, a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, today unveiled the list of world-class manufacturing companies and individual leaders set to receive recognition as winners of the 2020 Manufacturing Leadership Awards.

“At a time when the industry is more innovative and competitive than it ever has been, these award winners truly stand out as leaders of manufacturing’s digital transformation,” said Manufacturing Leadership Council Co-Founder, Executive Director and Vice President David R. Brousell. “We congratulate them for their outstanding achievements.”

ML Awards winners and their partners will be honored on Oct. 8, 2020, during the virtual ML Awards gala. In addition, the High Achiever Awards in each category, Manufacturers of the Year and the Manufacturing Leadership of the Year winners will be announced during the gala.

To see a list of the 2020 ML Awards winners, click here.

Entries were submitted in 12 categories that honor outstanding achievements by individuals and organizations that are shaping the future of global manufacturing. The nine project categories for 2020 include Artificial Intelligence and Analytics Leadership, Industrial Internet of Things Leadership, Sustainability Leadership and Talent Management Leadership. Individual categories this year were Community Service, Digital Transformation Leadership and Next-Generation Leadership.

Brousell added, “The ML Awards gala is a prelude to Rethink: The Manufacturing Leadership Council Summit, the industry’s leading event for exploring manufacturing’s digital era. Focused on the connection between technology, organization and leadership, Rethink’s agenda includes interactive think tanks, innovative manufacturing case studies and inspiring keynotes. We’re excited to present both events virtually as manufacturers continue to be on the front lines of the COVID-19 response.”

Rethink will take place online Oct. 27–29. Details are available here. Nominations for the 2021 ML Awards season open in September. For more information on the ML Awards program, click here.

Expert judges for the 2020 Manufacturing Leadership Awards were:

• John Barcus, Vice President, Manufacturing Industry Business Unit,Oracle
• David R. Brousell, Co-Founder, Vice President, Executive Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
• Chandra Brown, CEO, MxD
• Ronald Castro, Vice President, IBM Supply Chain
• Michele D’Alessandro, Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Manufacturing IT, Merck & Co., Inc.
• Jim Davis, Vice Provost of IT & CTO, UCLA
• Dan Dwight, President & CEO, Cooley Group
• Stewart McMillan, Chairman/CEO (Retired), Task Force Tips
• Michael Packer, Director, Advanced Manufacturing Programs, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works
• Jay Pavlick, SVP and Managing Director, LION Vallen
• Dr. Rebecca Teeters, Strategy and Execution for Enterprise Operations, 3M
• Tony Topencik, Senior Director of Operations, Raymond Corporation

The Manufacturing Leadership Council has released a new blueprint to guide manufacturers as they transition to the digital model of doing business. The blueprint, called the 2019/2020 Critical Issues Agenda, is the latest strategic guidance on digital transformation released by the MLC, a division of the National Association of Manufacturers.

The MLC’s mission is to help senior manufacturing executives and emerging leaders define and shape a better future for themselves, their organizations and the industry by focusing on the intersecting business and technology issues driving manufacturing growth. The Critical Issues Agenda encompasses the technology, organizational and leadership requirements of implementing the digital model of modern manufacturing, also known as Manufacturing 4.0.

The agenda covers five categories:

• Factories of the Future
• Establishing M4.0 Cultures: Collaborative, Innovative, Integrated and Connected
• Transformative Technologies in Manufacturing
• Next-Generation Manufacturing Leadership and the Changing Workforce
• Manufacturing 4.0 Sustainability

The 2019/2020 Critical Issues Agenda identifies opportunities for manufacturers to become more efficient, more productive and even to develop new business models and services by successfully implementing new digital technologies and practices. These include data entrepreneurship, deploying artificial intelligence, the use of digital twins and providing digital skills training.

“For nearly 10 years, our Critical Issues Agenda has proven to be a comprehensive and reliable model for embracing Manufacturing 4.0,” said David R. Brousell, Co-Founder of the MLC. “But what’s new and important this year is the need for leaders to develop greater digital acumen and for manufacturing organizations to deal with even greater volumes of data from increasingly connected factories and plants. If manufacturers can rise to these challenges, they will go a long way to unleashing the potential of M4.0.”

The agenda is the result of a unique member-driven process designed to capture and reflect the views and insights of the MLC’s 1,500-strong executive membership. The resulting agenda is then finalized and approved by the MLC’s Board of Governors.

“I am delighted that the MLC’s member-driven process continues to enable us to identify the critical issues that MLC members themselves have defined as most important in their drive to transform their businesses to world-class levels of efficiency and competitiveness,” said John Fleming, chairman of the MLC’s Board of Governors and former executive vice president of global manufacturing and labor affairs at Ford Motor Company. “The MLC will work tirelessly to deliver thought-leading knowledge and insights around these key transformational issues in the year ahead.”

Full descriptions of the 2019/2020 Critical Issues Agenda are available on the MLC’s website and in the August 2019 issue of the Manufacturing Leadership Journal.

Huntington Beach, CA – At the 15th Annual Manufacturing Leadership Awards Gala, the National Association of Manufacturers’ Manufacturing Leadership Council recognized the winners of the 2019 ML Awards for their outstanding manufacturing achievements.

The program’s distinguished panel of expert judges honored Ron Castro, IBM’s supply chain vice president and chief supply chain officer, as the Manufacturing Leader of the Year for his successful, comprehensive efforts to drive the adoption of Manufacturing 4.0 technologies across IBM and its supplier ecosystem and build the world’s first cognitive supply chain.

Merck & Co, Inc. was selected as Manufacturer of the Year in the Large Enterprise category. The ML Awards judging panel selected Merck for this prestigious award in recognition of its transformation to a Manufacturing 4.0 leader. Judges specifically cited Merck’s multiyear push to broadly embrace additive manufacturing technologies and its successful use of drone technology to deliver much-needed medicines to disaster-affected areas.

LION-Vallen Industries was named Manufacturer of the Year in the Small/Medium Enterprise category. LION-Vallen Industries is a maker of personal protective equipment for first responders and war fighters. The ML Awards judging panel recognized the company’s success in transforming its supply chain performance while investing in upgrades to its workforce and leadership capabilities to become dramatically more competitive.

“The top winners of the 2019 Manufacturing Leadership Awards are stellar examples of the ways modern manufacturers are driving innovation, and they demonstrate the power of adopting Manufacturing 4.0 technologies,” said MLC Co-Founder David Brousell. “I congratulate these manufacturers and the leadership teams that made their achievements possible.”

Also honored at the ML Awards Gala was Jim Davis, vice provost of information technology and chief academic technology officer at UCLA and the principal investigator and principal CIO adviser at the Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute. The MLC’s Board of Governors recognized Davis for his 45-year career advancing technology-based engineering research and application, including his pioneering work defining and advocating the concept of smart manufacturing.

Nine recipients of ML High Achiever Awards were also announced. The High Achiever Awards are presented to a select group of ML Award–winning projects. These ML Award winners received the most votes from the judges in each of the nine ML Award project categories.

High Achiever Award Winners:

• Cisco Systems, Inc. in the Artificial Intelligence and Analytics Leadership category for its Fully Connected Customer Experience Project
• Samtec, Inc. in the Collaborative Innovation Leadership category for its Electronic Component Configurator with Instant Digital Samples Project
• IBM Corp. in the Engineering and Production Technology Leadership category for its Systems Hardware Design for Excellence Process Project
• Lockheed Martin in the Enterprise Integration Technology Leadership category for its shop floor management of the company’s Smart Digital Factory Project
• Kamco Industries, a subsidiary of Kumi Kasei, in the Industrial Internet of Things Leadership category for its Operations Automation Project
• Starkey Hearing Technologies in the Operational Excellence Leadership category for its Customer Experience Mapping and Improvement Project
• Merck & Co., Inc. in the Supply Chain Leadership category for Project Ivan: Drone Delivery Initiative
• Oracle in the Sustainability Leadership category for its Take-Back Sustainability Program
• The Raymond Corp. in the Talent Management Leadership category for its Virtual Reality Simulator Project

Winners of the ML Partner Awards were also recognized. These technology providers played key roles in helping many ML Award winners achieve outstanding performance.

ML Partner Award Winners: Predictronics, CADENAS PARTsolutions, FORCAM, Infor, Plex Systems, Oracle, Epicor Software Corporation, Tata Consultancy Services and Dassault Systèmes.

-MLC/NAM-

Founded in 2008, and now a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Leadership Council’s mission is to inspire and support manufacturing executives to achieve transformational growth for themselves, their companies and the industry at large through enlightened leadership. With more than 1,500 senior-level members from many of the world’s leading manufacturing companies, the MLC focuses on the intersection of advanced digital technologies and the business, identifying growth and improvement opportunities in the operation, organization and leadership of manufacturing enterprises as they pursue their journeys to Manufacturing 4.0.

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.38 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org

Washington, D.C. – The Manufacturing Leadership Council, a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, has announced the election of Dan Dwight, president, CEO and director of Cooley Group, to the MLC’s Board of Governors. The MLC’s mission is to help senior manufacturing executives and emerging leaders define and shape a better future for themselves, their organizations and the industry at large by focusing on the intersection of critical business and technology issues that will drive growth today and in the future.

The MLC Board approved Dwight’s nomination in a unanimous vote. With his appointment, the MLC Board of Governors consists of 21 industry thought leaders who represent the full ecosystem of the manufacturing industry. As an advisory body, the MLC Board of Governors provides guidance to the MLC on its “Critical Issues” agenda, research studies and programs and services for the MLC membership.

“I am delighted to welcome Dan to the Board,” said John Fleming, chairman of the MLC Board of Governors. “He has truly established himself as a thought leader who is implementing Manufacturing 4.0. into his business. His hands-on experience will add to the value of the MLC for all of our members.”

“For the past four years, I experienced the value the Council brings to its constituent members by connecting global manufacturers with industry experts who share global best practices and the latest in academic research,” said Dwight. “Joining the Council as a board member is an exciting opportunity to collaborate with other executives and academic leaders in setting the Council’s strategic and operational objectives around Manufacturing 4.0 and beyond.”

Since his appointment as president, CEO and director of Cooley Group in 2011, Dwight successfully repositioned the 90-year-old company around three pillars of sustainable growth (economic prosperity, environmental stewardship and social responsibility) while improving the health, well-being, engagement and ultimately the capacity for innovation of the entire Cooley team. Under his leadership, Cooley has sustained revenue and profitability growth for seven consecutive years. During this time, Cooley generated more than 40 percent of its revenue from new products, won PBN Awards, including “Healthiest Employer of Rhode Island” and “Product Innovation & Design,” and cultivated collaborative partnerships such that more than 70 percent of Cooley’s revenue is managed under long-term customer supply agreements.

The Manufacturing Leadership Board of Governors comprises senior executives and industry experts at leading manufacturing, academic and research organizations around the world, including Lockheed Martin, Procter & Gamble, Ford Motor Company, Dow Chemical, Merck, Cisco Systems, IBM, Germany’s SmartFactory Technology Initiative, Lexmark International, Protolabs, Premio Foods, Virtex Enterprises, S&S Hinge, Graphicast, MIT, UCLA, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing in the UK, the U.S. National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining and consultants Frost & Sullivan. For more information and MLC membership details, visit www.manufacturingleadershipcouncil.com.

-MLC/NAM-

Founded in 2008, and now a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Leadership Council’s mission is to inspire and support manufacturing executives to achieve transformational growth for themselves, their companies and the industry at large through enlightened leadership. With more than 1,500 senior-level members from many of the world’s leading manufacturing companies, the MLC focuses on the intersection of advanced digital technologies and the business, identifying growth and improvement opportunities in the operation, organization and leadership of manufacturing enterprises as they pursue their journeys to Manufacturing 4.0.

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.35 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than two-thirds of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

733 10th St. NW, Suite 700 • Washington, DC 20001 • (202) 637-3000

80 Outstanding Projects and Individual Manufacturing 4.0 Leaders to Be Honored at the Manufacturing Leadership Summit

The Manufacturing Leadership Council, a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, today unveiled the list of world-class manufacturing companies and individual leaders set to receive recognition as winners of the 2019 Manufacturing Leadership Awards. ML Awards winners and their partners will be honored on June 12, 2019, at a gala celebration that concludes the 15th annual Manufacturing Leadership Summit in Huntington Beach, Calif. In addition, the High Achiever Awards in each category, Manufacturers of the Year, the Manufacturing Leader of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement Award winners, will be announced at the gala.

To see the list of the 2019 Manufacturing Leadership Awards winners, click here.

“Congratulations to all of the 2019 Manufacturing Leadership Awards winners,” said Manufacturing Leadership Council Co-Founder, Vice President and Executive Director David R. Brousell. “By embracing new technologies and bold ideas, these teams and individual leaders are redefining the meaning of manufacturing excellence and demonstrating the transformative power of Manufacturing 4.0.”

The 80 projects and individuals on the list of ML Awards winners represent small and large enterprises in a wide range of manufacturing markets. They all leverage best-in-class processes, technologies and engaged teams to set themselves apart from the competition. Winners for 2019 include Ford, IBM, Cisco Systems, Merck, The Dow Chemical Company, Northrop Grumman and Saint-Gobain.

Now in its 15th year, the ML Awards program honors organizations and individuals that are shaping the future of global manufacturing. Entries are submitted in 11 categories. Nominations are evaluated and scored by a panel of expert judges. Nine categories are for outstanding projects by a manufacturing company. Project categories include Artificial Intelligence and Analytics Leadership, Industrial Internet of Things Leadership, Operational Excellence Leadership and Talent Management Leadership. Two categories, Visionary Leadership and Next-Generation Leadership, recognize the achievements of individual manufacturing leaders.

The ML Summit is a one-of-kind interactive gathering of manufacturing leaders from around the world. The theme for the 2019 Summit is “Manufacturing 4.0: Going for Gold—Strategies to Identify and Deliver Business Value from the Digital Revolution’s Next Phase.” Featured speakers include Peter Holicki, Senior Vice President, Operations Manufacturing & Engineering Environment, Health & Safety Operations, Dow Chemical Co., and the recipient of the 2018 Manufacturing Leader of the Year Award.

The nomination period for the 2020 Manufacturing Leadership Awards will open in September.

Expert judges for the 2019 ML Awards were:

David R. Brousell
Co-Founder, Vice President, Executive Director
Manufacturing Leadership Council

Billy Bardin
Global Operations Technology Director
The Dow Chemical Company

Ronald Castro
Vice President, Supply Chain
IBM

Caralynn Collens
CEO
UI Labs

Michele D’Alessandro
Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Manufacturing IT
Merck & Co., Inc.

John Gagel
Global Senior Manager, Corporate Sustainability
Lexmark International

Allison Grealis
Founder and President
Women in Manufacturing

Brad Heath
CEO
VirTex Enterprises

Dennis Hoeg
Vice President
North America Chief Operating Officer
Nexteer Automotive

Praveen Jonnala
Vice President, Global Business Solutions Development
Commscope

Michael Packer
Director, Advanced Manufacturing Programs
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works

T Sarangarajan
Senior Vice President, Operations
Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited

Selden O. Swain
Global Head of Production
Triumph Intertrade AG

Val Zanchuk
President
Graphicast Inc.

-MLC-

Founded in 2008, and now a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Leadership Council’s mission is to inspire and support manufacturing executives to achieve transformational growth for themselves, their companies and the industry at large through enlightened leadership. With more than 1,300 senior-level members from many of the world’s leading manufacturing companies, the MLC focuses on the intersection of advanced digital technologies and the business, identifying growth and improvement opportunities in the operation, organization and leadership of manufacturing enterprises as they pursue their journeys to Manufacturing 4.0.

-NAM-

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12.8 million men and women, contributes $2.35 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

733 10th St. NW, Suite 700 • Washington, DC 20001 • (202) 637-3000

To learn more about the Manufacturing Leadership Awards, review the award categories, learn more about the ML Awards Judges and judging criteria, go to https://mlawards.manufacturingleadershipcouncil.com/

Nominations Open for Program Honoring Companies Leading the Industry into the Manufacturing 4.0 Era

Washington, D.C. – Reflecting significant industry trends, the 2019 Manufacturing Leadership (ML) Awards will add a new emphasis on recognizing emerging individual leaders under 30 years of age and manufacturers that are excelling in the use of artificial intelligence.

Nominations are now open for the 2019 ML Awards. Through December 14, manufacturers and their partners may create and submit nominations online at https://manufacturingleadership.awardsplatform.com/.

In its 15th year, the ML Awards program, presented by the National Association of Manufacturers’ (NAM) Manufacturing Leadership Council (MLC), honors large and small companies and individual leaders shaping the future of manufacturing. Nominations are accepted from manufacturing companies from across the globe. The program also honors partners that have assisted ML Award–winning manufacturers in achieving transformational breakthroughs.

By winning an ML Award, companies and individuals are able to demonstrate that they are world-class when it comes to driving innovation, operational efficiency, customer value, the use of advanced digital technologies and employee engagement.

The ML Awards program includes categories for manufacturers that are transforming their businesses to succeed in the Manufacturing 4.0 (M4.0) era. The program recognizes outstanding projects as well as outstanding achievements by individual leaders.

For 2019, new and updated categories will raise the profile of outstanding young leaders and manufacturers using artificial intelligence to transform their operations.

“On their journeys to Manufacturing 4.0, companies are recognizing the opportunity of using artificial intelligence and machine learning to increase agility and responsiveness. They are also more keenly aware of the critical need to develop a bench of outstanding next-generation leaders for the M4.0 era,” said MLC Co-Founder and Executive Director and NAM Vice President David R. Brousell. “We are pleased to add categories to the ML Awards for 2019 that recognize these trends.”

Manufacturers and their partners may submit 2019 ML Award nominations in the following project categories.
2019 Project/Company Awards:

• Artificial Intelligence and Analytics Leadership
• Collaborative Innovation Leadership
• Engineering and Production Technology Leadership
• Enterprise Integration and Technology Leadership
• Industrial Internet of Things Leadership
• Operational Excellence Leadership
• Smart Products and Services Leadership
• Supply Chain Leadership
• Sustainability Leadership
• Talent Management Leadership

Manufacturers may also nominate individual leaders in the following categories:

• Visionary Leadership Award
• Next-Generation Leadership

Full descriptions of these categories as well as complete information about submitting a nomination are available at MLAwards.manufacturingleadershipcouncil.com.

Recipients of the ML Awards receive global recognition as manufacturing industry leaders and will be honored at the ML Awards Gala on June 12, 2019, at the Manufacturing Leadership Summit in Huntington Beach, California. Partners may also facilitate nominations for their outstanding manufacturing customers. Winners are those companies that receive the highest scores from the ML Awards judges. Partners facilitating winning nominations are also honored publicly.

Past ML Awards project winners have included the following companies:

• Airbus Operations GmbH
• Boeing Co.
• Ford Motor Co.
• General Electric Co.
• General Motors Co.
• IBM
• Lockheed Martin
• Merck & Company, Inc.
• Pixelligent Technologies LLC
• Raytheon
• The Dow Chemical Company
• Under Armour, Inc.

Top individual ML Award winners have included Richard E. Morley, father of the programmable logic controller, industry 4.0 pioneer Dr. Detlef Zühlke, National Council for Advanced Manufacturing Founder Leo Reddy, 3D printing inventor and 3D Systems Chief Technology Officer Charles W. Hull, Ford Executive Vice President for Global Manufacturing and Labor Affairs John Fleming and Sir James Dyson, inventor and founder of the Dyson Company.

Submissions may be made through December 14, 2018. ML Award winners will be notified in February 2019, prior to a public announcement. Discounted early-bird nominations will be accepted through October 31.

For more information on the ML Awards, including past recipients, deadline details, examples of completed nomination forms and to create and submit a nomination, visit https://manufacturingleadership.awardsplatform.com/.

-NAM-
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12 million men and women, contributes $2.25 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters of private-sector research and development. The NAM is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

733 10th St. NW, Suite 700 • Washington, DC 20001 • (202) 637-3000

Washington, D.C. – National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) President and CEO Jay Timmons today announced plans to continue the NAM’s ambitious organizational growth with the acquisition of the Manufacturing Leadership Council (MLC). The MLC is a leader in providing best practices, data and insights to manufacturing companies of all sizes on Manufacturing 4.0, the next wave of technological breakthroughs driving innovation in the industry. In keeping with the NAM’s 2020 Vision, the long-term growth plan developed under Timmons’ leadership, this acquisition will expand the association’s reach, operational expertise and diverse array of services available to NAM members.

“We are continuing to implement a vision we laid out more than three years ago when we made a commitment to provide programming that exceeds our members’ expectations and demonstrates what the modern business association should be,” said Timmons. “This acquisition is a milestone for the NAM and enhances the value proposition for our members at a time when trade associations are being asked to deliver an ever-growing array of services in addition to exceptional government relations leadership. The MLC will give the NAM access to unparalleled expertise and knowledge, while expanding our reach in the industry and diversifying our revenue streams—all in service to our mission of building a more successful and competitive manufacturing industry in the United States.”

The MLC provides its membership access to real-world insights from other manufacturing professionals on topics such as artificial intelligence, predictive maintenance, augmented and virtual reality, robotics, additive manufacturing, current workforce digital readiness and cybersecurity. MLC co-founder David R. Brousell will continue to lead the MLC’s day-to-day operations as vice president and executive director, reporting to NAM Chief Operating Officer Todd Boppell, who successfully negotiated and executed the deal on behalf of the NAM.

“The NAM is a natural home for the MLC. It’s a win–win for our current members, and we look forward to sharing our resources and programming with a growing number of manufacturing leaders,” said Brousell.

“Thanks in part to the NAM’s leadership, manufacturing in America is seeing incredibly strong growth, and the MLC is committed to providing the cutting-edge insights on the advanced technology, organization and leadership requirements of Manufacturing 4.0, a pivotal trend that is redefining industry competitiveness in the global market.”

As part of the acquisition, the MLC’s staff will join the NAM team.