Press Releases

Johnson & Johnson’s Talloen Named Manufacturing Leader of the Year

Marco Island, Fla. – The National Association of Manufacturers’ Manufacturing Leadership Council has named Bart Talloen, vice president, supply chain strategy, innovation and deployment at Johnson & Johnson as the 2023 Manufacturing Leader of the Year for his role in leading J&J’s digital transformation efforts throughout the company’s operations and supply chain. He is also influential through his involvement in many leading industry groups and through establishing broad external partnerships that have furthered their position as a leading global healthcare innovator.

“Manufacturing is a proven accelerator of innovation and economic prosperity, and the companies and individuals honored at tonight’s award ceremony are world-class leaders in shaping the manufacturing industry of tomorrow,” said David R. Brousell, founder, executive director and vice president at the Manufacturing Leadership Council. “I commend them for their tremendous achievements, for turning possibilities into realities and for their relentless pursuit of excellence in the face of persistent disruption.”

The award ceremony took place at Rethink: The Manufacturing Leadership Council Summit, which examines digital manufacturing as it intersects with technology, organizations and leadership at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in Florida June 26–28.

In recognition of the highest scoring projects in each award category, the MLC also announced the following category winners:

AI and Machine Learning

Schneider Electric USA

Collaborative Ecosystems

Dow

Digital Network Connectivity

Celanese

Digital Supply Chains

IBM

Engineering and Production Technology

Johnson Controls

Enterprise Integration Technology

Jabil

Operational Excellence

Corning

Sustainability and the Circular Economy

dsm-firmenich

Transformative Business Cultures

Cisco Systems

Manufacturing in 2030 Award

Anheuser-Busch InBev
AUO Corporation
The Boeing Company
Flex
General Motors
IBM
Pfizer

Digital Transformation Leadership

Melanie Kalmar, Dow

Next-Generation Leadership

Amanda Ahrens, Dow

Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. Don A. Kinard, Lockheed Martin

MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR – Small/Medium Enterprise

Starkey

MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR – Large Enterprise

Flex

The 2024 Manufacturing Leadership Awards season will open to nominations on August 28, 2023. Information about the awards program is available here.

-MLC-

Founded in 2008 and now a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Leadership Council’s mission is to help manufacturing companies transition to the digital model of manufacturing by focusing on the technological, organizational and leadership dimensions of change. With more than 2,500 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.

-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 nearly 13 million men and women, contributes $2.90 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 55% 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.

Press Releases

Congratulations to the 2023 Manufacturing Leadership Award Finalists

Finalists and winners to be recognized at gala on June 28

Washington, D.C. – The Manufacturing Leadership Council, a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, today revealed the list of world-class manufacturing companies and individual leaders recognized as finalists for the 2023 Manufacturing Leadership Awards, the industry’s premier awards program for achievements in digital manufacturing.

“As more manufacturers extend digital’s reach onto the factory floor and throughout their operations, we are witnessing transformative performance improvements that would have been unthinkable just a few short years ago—and that are improving life for employees and customers alike,” said MLC Co-Founder, Vice President and Executive Director David R. Brousell. “The finalists recognized for this year’s awards represent the pinnacle of those achievements and exemplify possibilities for digital manufacturing.”

Select award winners will present their projects at Rethink: The Manufacturing Leadership Council Summit, the industry’s leading event for exploring manufacturing’s digital era. “Rethink is a must-attend for any manufacturer who wants to know more about digital transformation, whether they are just starting the journey or are much further along,” Brousell said. “It’s an unparalleled opportunity for manufacturing leaders to connect and learn from each other and then apply those learnings to their own businesses.”

Background: All finalists will be recognized on stage at the Manufacturing Leadership Awards Gala, which will take place at 7:00 p.m. EDT on June 28, 2023, at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in Florida.

Also announced at the gala will be winners for all project and individual categories, winners of the Manufacturing in 2030 Award, the Manufacturing Leader of the Year, the Small/Medium Enterprise Manufacturer of the Year and the Large Enterprise Manufacturer of the Year.

See the complete list of 2023 Manufacturing Leadership Award finalists here.

The 2023 awards feature nine project categories to recognize company achievements:

  • Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
  • Collaborative Ecosystems
  • Digital Network Connectivity
  • Digital Supply Chains
  • Engineering and Production Technology
  • Enterprise Technology Integration
  • Operational Excellence
  • Sustainability and the Circular Economy
  • Transformational Business Cultures

Additionally, individual leaders are recognized in the Digital Transformation Leadership and Next-Generation Leadership categories.

Rethink will take place at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in Florida on June 26–28, 2023. Details are available here. Nominations for the 2024 Manufacturing Leadership Awards will open in August.

Press Releases

Pfizer’s Bourla Named Manufacturing Leader of the Year

Marco Island, Fla. – The National Association of Manufacturers’ Manufacturing Leadership Council has named Pfizer CEO Dr. Albert Bourla the 2022 Manufacturing Leader of the Year. The award was presented to Bourla at the 18th annual Manufacturing Leadership Awards Gala for the company’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During a recorded presentation, Dr. Bourla highlighted the work of Mike McDermott, Pfizer’s chief global supply officer and executive vice president and NAM Executive Committee member, and his team of more than 30,000 colleagues and contractors to ensure uninterrupted supply for Pfizer’s entire product portfolio, which includes hundreds of medicines and vaccines—more than 38 billion doses each year—and the manufacturing and global distribution of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and COVID-19 oral antiviral.

“Manufacturing in America today is stronger thanks to the leadership of Dr. Bourla and his team at Pfizer, including our Executive Committee member Mike McDermott. Albert and Mike’s passion and dedication to defeating COVID-19 set an example for thousands of companies as our industry navigated and responded to the evolving pandemic, and their leadership and innovation will make us better prepared to respond to the next crisis,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “I also want to recognize the crucial work of the other winners this year, again proving that a competitive manufacturing sector is the key to solving the problems of today and tomorrow.”

The award ceremony took place at Rethink: The Manufacturing Leadership Council Summit, which examines digital manufacturing as it intersects with technology, organizations and leadership, at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in Florida June 27–29.

“Manufacturers continue to be the driving force for global economic recovery and pandemic response as they establish innovative ways to problem-solve in an increasingly complex environment,” said MLC Co-Founder, Vice President and Executive Director David R. Brousell. “Those recognized tonight have helped establish a roadmap for the future of the sector and highlight the importance of Manufacturing 4.0.”

In recognition of the highest scoring projects in each award category, the MLC also announced the following High Achievers:

AI and Machine Learning
AB InBev

Collaborative Ecosystems
Protolabs

Digital Network Connectivity
AB InBev

Digital Supply Chains
Dow Inc.

Engineering and Production Technology
General Motors

Enterprise Integration Technology
(Tie) Flex
(Tie) Johnson & Johnson

Operational Excellence
AB InBev

Sustainability
AUO Corporation

Transformative Cultures
ALOM Technologies

Editor’s Choice
Flex – LISA Line Stop Assistant

MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR – Small/Medium Enterprise
Protolabs

MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR – Large Enterprise
AB InBev

The 2023 Manufacturing Leadership Awards season will open to nominations on Aug. 15, 2022. Information about the awards program is available here.

-MLC-

Founded in 2008 and now a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Leadership Council’s mission is to help manufacturing companies transition to the digital model of manufacturing by focusing on the technological, organizational and leadership dimensions of change. With more than 2,500 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.

-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 12.7 million men and women, contributes $2.71 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 58% 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

Press Releases

The Manufacturing Leadership Council Elects Six Leading Industry Figures to its Board of Governors

Washington, D.C. The Manufacturing Leadership Council (MLC), the digital transformation arm of the National Association of Manufacturers, has announced the election of six leading figures from industry and academia to the MLC’s Board of Governors. The MLC is the nation’s foremost executive leadership organization dedicated to helping manufacturing companies transition to the digital model of manufacturing by focusing on the technological, organizational, and leadership dimensions of change.

The six new MLC Board members include:

Denise DeLaune, Global Director of Operational Excellence and Leveraged Services at Dow Inc. She is also responsible for Dow’s Strategic Project “Operations 2025”, designing and driving the implementation of an updated future Operations organizational model meeting the needs of digital, sustainability, and other expected market changes.

Will Bonifant, Vice President, U.S. and Canada Supply Chain at The Hershey Company. He is responsible for leading Hershey’s supply chain planning, distribution, transportation, commercialization, packaging development, continuous improvement, and manufacturing alliance functions supporting the U.S. and Canada businesses.

Jai Sundararaman, Vice President of Business Transformation at Intertape Polymer Group. He is responsible for building capabilities to deliver strategic growth outcomes. He leads capital planning, acquisition integration, operational excellence, digital transformation & innovation. He has successfully scaled multiple Digital Transformation M4.0 initiatives across IPG which have won IndustryWeek Best Plants Awards for digital transformation.

Dr. Jill O’Sullivan, Professor and Chair of the Computer Systems Department at Farmingdale State College in Long Island, New York, where she has taught for more than 20 years. She is also a former President of APICS NYC/LI and Regional Industry Council Aerospace Manufacturing.

Dr. Thomas R. Kurfess, HUSCO Ramirez Distinguished Chair in Fluid Power and Motion Control at the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has also recently concluded a three-year term as Chief Manufacturing Officer and Senior Distinguished Staff Member at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Dr. Julie Shah, Professor, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Lead, Interactive Robotics Group, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, at MIT. She is also Associate Dean for Social and Ethical Responsibility of Computing in the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing.

“We at MLC are proud to welcome to our Board such a notable group of industrial and academic leaders in the advancement of digital manufacturing,” said Mike Packer, chairman of the MLC Board of Governors.

“The MLC’s goal has always been to bring great minds and rich expertise to the Board to reflect the depth, scope, and diversity of the manufacturing industry,” added David R. Brousell, MLC Co-Founder and Board member. “These six new Board members advance those goals immeasurably.”

As an advisory body, the MLC Board of Governors provides guidance to the MLC on its “Critical Issues” agenda, research studies and its programs and services for the MLC membership.

With these appointments, the MLC Board of Governors now consists of 21 industry thought leaders who represent the full ecosystem of the manufacturing industry, including large global enterprises, small and medium-sized manufacturers, leading academic institutions and influential industry analysts.

(Photos available on request)

-MLC-

Founded in 2008, and now the digital transformation arm of the National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Leadership Council’s mission is to help manufacturing companies transition to the digital model of manufacturing by focusing on the technological, organizational, and leadership dimensions of change. With more than 3,300 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.

-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, Dow Chemical, 3M, IBM, Hershey, IPG, Europe’s SmartFactory EU Technology Initiative, Lexmark International, Premio Foods, Virtex Enterprises, Graphicast, the Cooley Group, UCLA, MIT, Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of Cincinnati, Farmingdale State College, the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Deployment Group, consultants Frost & Sullivan, and the MLC.

For more information and MLC membership details, please visit www.manufacturingleadershipcouncil.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.

Press Releases

Manufacturing Leadership Council Unveils 2022 Leadership Awards

AI, Digital Supply Chains, Sustainability Projects Among Top Winners

Washington, D.C. – 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 2022 Manufacturing Leadership Awards, the industry’s premier awards program for achievements in digital manufacturing.

“This year’s winners are exemplary for their compelling use of technology, innovative approach to problem solving and overall commitment to furthering the progress of Manufacturing 4.0,” said MLC Co-Founder, Vice President and Executive Director David R. Brousell. “These achievements have helped manufacturers boost their competitive position and realize significant performance improvements even in the most challenging business conditions.”

The 2022 awards season featured nine company-level categories to recognize high-performing projects in the areas of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning; Collaborative Ecosystems; Digital Network Connectivity; Digital Supply Chains; Engineering and Production Technology; Enterprise Technology Integration; Operational Excellence; Sustainability and the Circular Economy; and Transformational Cultures. Additionally, two individual categories recognizing outstanding leaders were Digital Transformation Leadership and Next-Generation Leadership.

Winners will be recognized at the Manufacturing Leadership Awards Gala, an in-person event taking place at 7:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 29, at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in Florida. The gala will also feature announcements of the High Achiever Awards in each project category, the Manufacturers of the Year and the Manufacturing Leader of the Year. See the complete list of 2022 Manufacturing Leadership Award winners here.

Select award winners will present their projects at Rethink: The Manufacturing Leadership Council Summit, the industry’s leading event for exploring manufacturing’s digital era. “This year’s theme for Rethink is Maximizing the Value from Manufacturing 4.0, and attendees can expect to discover new ideas and tactics for establishing or accelerating their digital strategy, along with many fantastic opportunities to network with other industry leaders,” Brousell said.

Rethink will take place at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in Florida June 27–29. Details are available here. Nominations for the 2023 Manufacturing Leadership Awards will open in August.

Press Releases

The NAM’s Manufacturing Leadership Council Announces New Chair and Vice Chair for the MLC’s Board of Governors

Washington, D.C. The Manufacturing Leadership Council, a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, announces the election of Michael D. Packer, former director of production strategy at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, as the new chair of the MLC’s Board of Governors. Previously serving as the MLC Board’s vice chair, Packer succeeds John Fleming, former executive vice president of global manufacturing and labor affairs at Ford Motor Company, who is stepping down from the MLC Board.

Daniel Dwight, president and CEO of Cooley Group, was also elected as the MLC Board’s new vice chair. Both roles are effective from Jan. 1, 2022.

The MLC’s Board of Governors acts as an advisory body providing guidance to the MLC on its “critical issues” agenda, research studies and programs and services for the MLC’s more than 3,000 members. The MLC Board now consists of 16 industry thought leaders who represent the full ecosystem of the manufacturing industry, including large global enterprises, small and medium-sized manufacturers, leading academic institutions and influential industry analysts.

“I am honored to serve as MLC chair and help drive the MLC’s critical mission to accelerate digital transformation across the manufacturing industry,” said Packer. “I look forward to working together with the MLC team and my fellow board members to expand the MLC’s growth in numbers, diversity and impact and help support both MLC and NAM members as they embrace new digital opportunities for the future.”

“As a longtime MLC member and supporter of the Board of Governors’ mission, I am thrilled to extend my MLC role to vice chair,” added Dwight. “Along with supporting the new chair, I am particularly motivated to build greater diversity in the MLC/NAM membership and to give new voices the opportunity to share their experiences in the industry.”

The MLC would like to congratulate them both on their new board positions and to thank former Chair John Fleming for all his insights, guidance and wisdom over the past three years.

-MLC- Founded in 2008 and now a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Leadership Council’s mission is to help manufacturing companies transition to the digital model of manufacturing by focusing on the technological, organizational, and leadership dimensions of change. With more than 2,500 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.

-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, Dow Chemical, IBM, 3M, Europe’s SmartFactory EU Technology Initiative, Lexmark International, Premio Foods, VirTex Enterprises, Graphicast, the Cooley Group, UCLA, the University of Cincinnati, the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Deployment Group, consultants Frost & Sullivan and the MLC.  

For more information and MLC membership details, please visit  www.manufacturingleadershipcouncil.com.

-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 12.5 million men and women, contributes $2.52 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and has the largest economic multiplier of any major sector and accounts for 58% 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.

 

Press Releases

Dragos Becomes the First Industrial Cybersecurity Company to Join the Manufacturing Leadership Council of the National Association of Manufacturers

Dragos Demonstrates Commitment to Enabling Secure Digital Transformation to Manufacturing 4.0

Washington, D.C. – Dragos, Inc., a global leader in cybersecurity for industrial controls systems (ICS)/operational technology (OT) environments, today announced that it has joined the Manufacturing Leadership Council, a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, as its first cybersecurity member. Dragos will bring manufacturing OT cybersecurity expertise—including monitoring, OT asset visibility and vulnerability management and threat analytics—to the broader NAM community.

As a member of the MLC, Dragos will partner with the nation’s foremost executive leadership organization to educate, protect and enable manufacturers to drive transformational growth in their companies at every stage of their digital journey to Manufacturing 4.0. The industry knowledge Dragos brings to the manufacturing cybersecurity environment will help MLC and NAM members accelerate secure adoption of Manufacturing 4.0 for their organizations.

“Dragos joined the MLC because they are at the forefront of helping manufacturers grow and implement the newest technologies. The manufacturing leaders of today require the expertise of companies like Dragos to better understand and address the growth and exposure to cyberthreats,” said Dragos Vice President of Marketing Peter Vescuso. “Dragos will help the MLC and NAM members better understand the need for better ICS/OT cybersecurity as manufacturing systems are increasingly connected.”

“We are excited to welcome Dragos to the MLC,” said David R. Brousell, vice president and executive director of the Manufacturing Leadership Council. “As a leader in ICS/OT cybersecurity, they fill a critical void for our members in understanding and implementing Manufacturing 4.0. technologies in their businesses. The Dragos mission to safeguard civilization hits home, and their experience will add to the value of the MLC for all of our members.”

About 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 12.3 million men and women, contributes $2.35 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.

About Dragos, Inc

Dragos has a global mission: to safeguard civilization from those trying to disrupt the industrial infrastructure we depend on every day. The practitioners who founded Dragos were drawn to this mission through decades of government and private sector experience.

Dragos codifies the knowledge of our cybersecurity experts into an integrated software platform that provides customers critical visibility into ICS and OT networks so that threats are identified and can be addressed before they become significant events. Our solutions protect organizations across a range of industries, including power and water utilities, energy, and manufacturing, and are optimized for emerging applications like the Industrial Internet of Things.

Dragos is privately held and headquartered in the Washington, D.C., area with regional presence around the world, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the Middle East.

Visit dragos.com for more information.

Press Releases

3M Senior Vice President, Dr. Rebecca Teeters, Joins the Manufacturing Leadership Council’s Board of Governors

Washington, D.C. – The Manufacturing Leadership Council, a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, has announced the election of Dr. Rebecca Teeters, senior vice president of fluorochemical stewardship at 3M, 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.

The MLC Board of Governors approved Dr. Teeters’ nomination in a unanimous vote. With this appointment, the MLC Board consists of 18 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. 3M has been a committed and highly engaged MLC member for many years.

“I am delighted to welcome Rebecca to the Board,” said MLC Board of Governors Chairman John Fleming. “We look forward to working with her and benefiting from her extensive manufacturing industry experience and insights.”

“The Manufacturing Leadership Council is an important forum for innovative companies to collaborate on solutions to some of the biggest challenges affecting the global economy, and I’m proud to represent 3M as a part of it.” said Dr. Teeters. “By bringing 3M science and leadership to the Board, I hope we can build on its history of excellence and accelerate the manufacturing sector’s shift to a more sustainable, successful and resilient future for the communities we serve and operate in.”

Dr. Teeters leads 3M’s ongoing work in environmental stewardship, where she proactively manages the intersection of 3M’s operations and products with the environments where 3M operates around the globe through technology, engagement with peer companies and the public and innovation in product stewardship. In her previous role as Advance 3M, Strategy and Execution Director, she acted as the chief designer and champion of the 3M Execution System (3MEx), working with all business groups, and more than 200 facilities around the globe, to drive operational excellence and rearchitect end-to-end value streams. Other senior 3M roles include Business Group Operations and Lean Six Sigma Director and Value Stream Director of the company’s global Display Materials and Solutions Division (DMSD) Manufacturing and Supply Chain. Dr. Teeters holds a degree in chemistry from the University of Central Missouri and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Missouri–Columbia.

-MLC-

Founded in 2008, and now a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Leadership Council’s mission is to help manufacturing companies transition to the digital model of manufacturing by focusing on the technological, organizational and leadership dimensions of change.  With more than 2,500 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.

-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, 3M, Europe’s SmartFactory EU Technology Initiative, Lexmark International, Premio Foods, VirTex Enterprises, Graphicast, the Cooley Group, UCLA, the University of Cincinnati, the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Deployment Group, consultants Frost & Sullivan and the MLC.

For more information and MLC membership details, please visit our new website: www.manufacturingleadershipcouncil.com.

-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 12.3 million men and women, contributes $2.35 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.

Press Releases

Dow and Hologic named Manufacturers of the Year at 2021 Manufacturing Leadership Awards Gala

The 2021 winners of the Manufacturing Leadership Awards were honored at the 17th 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

Press Releases

2021 Manufacturing Leadership Award Winners Announced

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.

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