The Manufacturing Leadership Council developed the Manufacturing Leadership Awards to honor manufacturing companies and leaders that are shaping the future of global manufacturing. Originated in 2005, the Manufacturing Leadership Awards have honored more than a thousand innovative projects and outstanding leaders from around the world.
Manufacturing Leadership Awards FAQ
The ML Awards are for manufacturing companies and individual leaders within the manufacturing industry, from any industry and at any location in the world. Anyone can nominate a ML Award candidate by describing their high-impact manufacturing-related projects and achievements using the online nomination form. The project and individual achievements described in the form will be evaluated and scored by our distinguished panel of judges. Technology and consulting partners may submit entries to recognize their manufacturing clients or customers so long as the manufacturer has approved the nomination. Partners who submit entries that are selected as finalist will be recognized with a Partner in Collaborative Award.
There are 11 award categories, nine for projects and two for individuals. The complete list is available here.
When reviewing nominations, the MLC editorial team may reassign entries to a different category if it is determined that such a change would allow the entry to be judged more competitively against similar entries. For further assistance in regards to categories, please complete this inquiry form and a member of the MLC team will reach out directly.
Please click here to see all rules for the Manufacturing Leadership Awards.
The only cost to participate is the $295 nomination fee. There is no fee to license, receive, or promote the award. Manufacturing Leadership Council members receive one complimentary project nomination and one complimentary individual nomination with their membership. In addition, all finalists are invited to attend the Manufacturing Leadership Awards Gala at no charge.
The deadline for the 2024 Manufacturing Leadership Awards is midnight EST on January 17, 2024.
PDF versions of the nomination forms are available for reference purposes when gathering content and materials for submitting an entry. Please note that the sample forms are for guidance only – the nominations must be submitted through the online nomination form.
Entrants will be asked to use a tailored entry form based on who is submitting the entry: a manufacturer submitting their own project or individual leader; a technology/consulting partner submitting a project or individual leader with a manufacturing client; or an external PR/marketing firm submitting a nomination on behalf of a manufacturing client. Choose from the correct link below.
Manufacturers
Project nomination form (all project categories)
Digital Transformation Leadership form (individual category)
Next-Generation Leadership form (individual category)
Technology/Consulting Partners
Project nomination form (all project categories)
Digital Transformation Leadership form (individual category)
Next-Generation Leadership form (individual category)
External PR/Marketing/Communications Firms
Project nomination form (all project categories)
Digital Transformation Leadership form (individual category)
Next-Generation Leadership form (individual category)
All information included in the nomination form is considered confidential and will only be viewed by editorial staff along with the ML Awards expert judges. The Manufacturing Leadership Council may draw on the information in preparing profiles of the ML Awards finalists and winners, but inclusion of nomination form information in these profiles will be subject to approval from the manufacturing company.
ML Award finalists are selected based on evaluations by a panel of expert judges comprised of experienced manufacturing operations executives from companies across many different industries. The entries that receive the highest scores are designated as ML Award finalists. The top scoring project in each category will be designated as the Category Winner.
Yes! Any single enterprise may submit up to five project entries. However, a company may be named a finalist for only three project awards in any single season. There is no limit on nominations for individuals.
Technology and consulting partners may submit an unlimited number of their client projects; however, they may submit no more than one (1) project and/or one (1) individual from any single enterprise.
In the event that the number of entries received for any enterprise exceeds the designated limit, all entrants will be contacted as a group to make a final determination on which entries to submit to the judging panel.
ML Award finalists will be notified in March 2024, immediately followed by a public announcement. Finalists are announced through press releases, e-newsletters, and social media posts from the MLC and the NAM. Finalists will also receive recognition during the Manufacturing Leadership Awards gala, scheduled for June 5, 2024, in Marco Island, FL. Finalists will be contacted with additional information about gala participation.
Category winners, Manufacturers of the Year, and the Manufacturing Leader of the Year will all be announced at the Manufacturing Leadership Awards Gala. In addition, winners for the Lifetime Achievement Award and any other special awards will be announced, if candidates are identified for those awards.