Research, Innovation and Technology

After several grueling rounds of chemo, Lynn Simoncini found herself preparing for a mastectomy in November 2022. She searched for advice on online forums for breast cancer patients and came across a warning that surprised her—a major challenge for patients following surgery was the simple act of wearing a seatbelt.

When Simoncini was recovering from her own operation, she found this warning was correct. it was impossible to drive comfortably with a seatbelt pressing painfully against the surgical scar. She tried wrapping the belt in a hand towel, but it didn’t work very well; other patients also came up with makeshift solutions, but some just drove unsafely while holding their seatbelts away from their chests.

Unlike other patients, however, Simoncini was well-placed to find a solution. A creative director at VML who works on the Ford Motor Company account, she sketched out a design for a seat belt attachment that could be manufactured by the automaker. With the help of her writing partner and manager, she pitched the idea to Ford. The result: Ford’s recently released SupportBelt, now available to patients nationwide—for free. 

Ford takes it on: Ford, which has a 30-year history of supporting breast cancer patients through its Warriors in Pink program, was  incredibly receptive to Simoncini’s idea, she told us. The company gave her design to engineer Emily Obert, Ford’s manager of in-vehicle accessibility in digital product design, who began developing prototypes. 

The process: As Obert worked on the project with Simoncini’s help, they discovered that the need for this belt was considerable. First, oncologists told them that the inability to wear seatbelts was widespread among patients, which Ford had not known previously, Obert said.

• The patients that Obert interviewed also said that their chests were sensitive even during chemo and before surgery, and many still had some chest discomfort long after the operation. In addition, chemo ports are installed in the upper chest and can often make wearing a seatbelt uncomfortable.
• With 100,000 women undergoing mastectomies every year in the U.S., and many more undergoing other stages of treatment, the SupportBelt would be hugely helpful, Obert realized.

The innovation: The winning design is elegantly simple. A soft foam pad, hollow on the inside, rests against the chest underneath the seatbelt, which is secured to it by Velcro straps.

• The SupportBelt’s hollow pad gives it the flexibility to conform to different body shapes, and the soft foam alleviates the pressure on the sensitive area, Obert explained.
• The belt is slightly longer than a typical seatbelt attachment, which keeps its ends further away from the chest. It is also designed to cup the shoulder and reduce pressure on that area as well, which is also often sensitive following surgery.
• Lastly, the SupportBelt is crafted carefully so that the driver can move his or her head with ease and features leather accents that complement a car’s interior.

The launch: After the company completed testing, the SupportBelt was finally ready for production and distribution. This past October, patients began getting their belts—free of charge.

• Right now, the belts are only available to the U.S., and Ford is still fulfilling its first 2,500 orders. It has more belts available, however, and is gearing up for a next round of orders.

Attention, automakers: Ford has made the SupportBelt design open source, in the hopes that other automakers will make their own versions to blend in with their cars’ materials. “That’s my dream,” said Simoncini. 

The last words: Simoncini is glad that her teenage son got to witness the development of the SupportBelt, which became a source of inspiration and pride during a painful time in their lives. She says that the whole experience makes her especially proud to work with Ford, a company that “walks the walk.”

• “This got me to work every day” during her illness, she told us.

Read more, order here: If you want to learn more about the SupportBelt or order one, please go here.

The NAM kept up a breakneck pace on the third day of its 2025 Competing to Win Tour, with the Manufacturing Institute delivering the first-ever State of the Manufacturing Workforce Address at Drake State Community and Technical College in Huntsville, Alabama, before an audience of students, faculty, manufacturers and local and state officials.
 
Opportunity—for all: Taking the stage to give the MI’s assessment of the manufacturing worker base in 2025, Carolyn Lee, president of the Manufacturing Institute, the NAM’s 501(c)3 workforce development and education affiliate, homed in on the theme of opportunity.

• “Manufacturing is not just about innovation and economic growth; it’s about opportunity. It’s about ensuring that every community, every aspiring maker, builder and creator—no matter their background—can have access to the skills, training and careers that will define the future.”
• But because the industry stands at a crossroads, part of that opportunity today is to help manufacturing maintain its momentum, Lee said, echoing a theme of NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons’ 2025 State of Manufacturing Address on Tuesday.

Finest hours ahead: Lee was joined at the event by Rep. Dale Strong (R-AL), who spoke about the strength of Alabama’s manufacturing sector.

• “I think we’ve proven here in Alabama, and North Alabama especially, advanced manufacturing is part of our DNA,” he said. “You look at the jobs that we’ve brought in the last 10 or 15 years. You start with GE Aviation, Polaris, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mazda Toyota. We’ve proven that the Alabama workforce has the ability. I think our finest hours are still ahead.”

A world-changing job: Timmons echoed that sentiment. “You’re stepping into one of the most important and innovative fields in the world,” he told the Drake State students.

• “The products, the materials, the technologies that you will help create, they won’t just be used in your hometown or even all across our country. They’re going to help change economies … They’re going to strengthen the very foundation of America’s security and prosperity.”

A shortfall: But manufacturing today faces an immense challenge, Lee told the crowd: “a structural workforce deficit.”

• “[I]f we don’t act boldly, the U.S. faces a shortfall of 1.9 million manufacturing workers by 2033; 3.8 million positions will open up, but nearly half could go unfilled. That’s not just a workforce issue—it’s an economic and national security issue.”
• That’s despite the average annual earnings—including pay and benefits—for a manufacturing employee coming in at more than $102,000.
• The dearth of workers in the sector is driven by both retirements and growth.

How to overcome it: “[W]e have to inspire more Americans to see themselves in manufacturing,” Lee said. “That starts early, with programs that spark curiosity and excitement for careers in our industry. And when I say early, I mean as young as 9 or 10 years old—because today’s 4th graders will graduate in 2033 and may be our future team members.”

• To this end, the MI partners each year with manufacturers on MFG Day, which kicks off a full month of events at which companies show young people, students and job seekers what a modern manufacturing career looks like.
• The MI, with the support of Honda, has also created a new interactive experience to interest youngsters in the industry: “Innovators Quest,” which combines elements of board games and popular fantasy and storytelling activities.

The FAME factor: Under the MI’s auspices, the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education USA, a workforce program started by Toyota in 2010 and entrusted to the MI in 2019, has grown considerably. (Drake State is home to one of the public–private partnership’s newest chapters.)

• FAME participants attend classes and earn while they learn in hands-on apprenticeships with manufacturers.
• The program—in which a participant can easily earn more than $30,000 over two years—has become “the gold standard for how employers, educators and communities should work together” on manufacturing workforce training, Lee said.

Other efforts: The MI helps manufacturers actively recruit groups often overlooked in manufacturing hiring initiatives: veterans, women and previously incarcerated individuals.

• The Heroes MAKE America program helps connect former members of the military with manufacturing jobs. Walmart provides crucial funding to the program; in 2022, it gave a six-figure grant to fund the development of a model that translates skills acquired in the military to ones recognized by manufacturing employers.
• The Women MAKE America Initiative is the nation’s premier program aimed at closing the gender gap in the sector.
• “The MI is helping manufacturers develop second chance hiring strategies, recognizing that talent is talent—and potential shouldn’t be wasted,” Lee said to the audience.

Working together: “As we look ahead, manufacturers, educators and policymakers must work together to strengthen our talent pipeline,” Lee and Drake State Community and Technical College President Dr. Patricia G. Sims wrote in a Thursday op-ed for the Alabama Political Reporter. 
 
Manufacturing in Alabama: On Thursday afternoon, the NAM and MI contingent continued its manufacturing-facility tour, visiting Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama and Bruderer Machinery—both in Huntsville—and Milo’s Tea Company in Bessemer.

• “I plan on making my career here,” said Drew, a 2024 FAME graduate, during a discussion before a tour of the shop floor. Drew is now working as a maintenance team member at Toyota Alabama. The talk focused on how the FAME program prepared participants for a rewarding career in auto manufacturing. Toyota Alabama—2,400-plus team members strong—has created 10,000 jobs in the state.
• Lee visited Bruderer Machinery, a leading manufacturer of high-precision stamping presses that provides solutions for the automotive, aerospace and electronics industries. Bruderer is also a key supporter of the FAME apprenticeship model.
• Timmons and the rest of the NAM team finished the day at Milo’s Tea, the fastest-growing tea company in America. The family-owned business, founded by CEO Tricia Wallwork’s grandparents Milo and Bea Carlton, has won 40% of the refrigerated iced tea market share in the U.S. “This reminded me of my grandmother’s iced tea,” said Timmons. “You could see how special Milo’s is by just walking the shop floor and seeing the smiles and camaraderie.”   

At the NAM, we’re examining some of the top trends that are shaping manufacturing this year, and offering the resources you need to take action.

Today, we’re taking a look at the industry’s efforts to enable innovation—and how manufacturers are working to stay on the cutting edge.

Applying technology: Digitalization can increase the speed and agility of innovations in areas like prototyping, iteration, simulation and modeling. And by using AI and data analytics to improve decision-making, manufacturers can build resilient, transparent supply chains that are more efficient and effective.

Upscaling workforces: Because of the rapid pace of technological advancement and adoption, manufacturers will have to create a workforce that is ready for the future—and processes designed to transfer knowledge and skills effectively and continuously.

Harnessing partnerships: Manufacturers can lean into collaborations that help to accelerate innovation. By connecting with manufacturing peers, government institutions and academia, industry leaders can develop unique and inventive paths forward.

Expert insight: According to CEO and Co-Founder of Narratize Katie Trauth Taylor, tools like generative artificial intelligence can accelerate and automate manufacturing innovation—with human ingenuity at the helm.

• “Human-led AI methodologies enhance teams’ ability to analyze opportunities, translate complex concepts into compelling business cases and think deeply about their innovative work,” said Taylor. “With reduced documentation and improved communications, product teams can reallocate their time value-generating work—deeper market research, sharper strategy and accelerated development.”

Resources for you: Want to dive deeper? Check out some additional resources from the NAM.

• Explore the Innovation Research Interchange, a division of the NAM that focuses on value creation and top-line growth through the management of innovation.
• Join one of the Manufacturing Leadership Council’s Plant Tours in person—or read summaries of past tours—to get an inside look at how other manufacturers have reshaped processes to advance their businesses.

Manufacturers need an integrated, comprehensive strategy for expanding their sector, and a large part of that is preserving and bringing back tax reforms, NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons said on CNBC’s “The Exchange” Wednesday.

What’s going on: Timmons spoke to the news channel from a teacher workroom at the Energy Institute High School in Houston, Texas, a stop on the first leg of the NAM’s 2025 Competing to Win Tour. He told show host Kelly Evans that any plans to bolster manufacturing in the U.S. must “start with renewing those tax reforms from 2017.”

• “A smart strategy is going to involve reducing the cost of doing business for manufacturers here in the United States,” he said, praising Republican House leadership for being “able to move” forward a House budget bill “that’s going to set the framework for those tax rates to be set, hopefully, permanently in stone.”
• The 665-student Energy Institute High School, led by Principal Lori Lambropoulos, is the first high school in the U.S. dedicated to preparing students for careers in the energy industry.

What else is needed: Timmons echoed some of the major themes from the NAM State of Manufacturing Address, which he gave Tuesday in Ohio.

• “We also are looking at regulatory reform,” he told Evans. “We’re looking at expanding our energy dominance. We’re looking at workforce policy … and then, of course, we have to have a sensible trade policy as well.”

But back to taxes: Bringing back expired provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and making them and other, scheduled-to-expire provisions from the legislation permanent, is critical to manufacturing’s future success, Timmons continued.

• “Ninety percent of my 14,000 members are small and medium manufacturers. Most of them benefit from the pass-through deduction that expires this year. And I don’t think what you want to see is a huge tax increase that will cost 6 million jobs in the economy happen if we don’t renew those reforms,” he said, citing data from a recent NAM study on the effects of a congressional failure to act on tax reforms.
• “That’s why the Speaker’s actions in the last day or so have been so incredibly important to get this thing moving forward. President Trump actually endorsed that bill—the ‘one big, beautiful bill,’ as he calls it—and that will help make America great again for manufacturing.”

 Energy dominance: Also critical to the success of manufacturing and the U.S. economy as a whole: the right energy policies, Timmons said. Promising to “unleash the energy sector,” President Trump lifted the previous administration’s ban on liquefied natural gas exports on his first day in office.

• Yesterday, the NAM got to see first-hand some of the effects of that kept promise, when the team visited Freeport LNG’s liquefaction facilities near Houston.
• More than 9,000 construction jobs were created during the construction of those facilities, which now directly employ about 400 people. Their operations have an estimated total positive economic impact on the U.S. economy of more than $5 billion a year.
• “Energy is … a critical national security component,” Timmons said on CNBC.

Emphasis point: The tour also stopped at Bray International, a global leader in flow control and automation solutions, supporting U.S. energy dominance, LNG exports and high-tech manufacturing.

• The visit helped underscore why policies that support manufacturing investment and provide certainty to manufacturers are essential to America’s economic future.

Up next: Today, the NAM is in Alabama, where this morning Manufacturing Institute President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee gave the Manufacturing Institute’s State of the U.S. Manufacturing Workforce Address at Drake State Community & Technical College in Huntsville. (The MI is the NAM’s 501(c)3 workforce development and education affiliate.) The theme: building the workforce of the future.

• This afternoon, the team will tour Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama in Huntsville, the manufacturing facilities of Bruderer Machinery in Huntsville and Milo’s Tea Company in Bessemer.

When Siemens sees a feasible way to save resources and improve efficiency, the company takes it. 

Case in point: The global industrial manufacturing and technology business recently opened one of the first all-electric powder coating paint lines for the electrical distribution industry in the U.S., in Grand Prairie, Texas, to cut down on natural gas consumption.

• Siemens wholly replaced the original paint line to an all-electric system, which has reduced natural gas consumption by more than 90%, according to the company.
• “The timing was fortuitous,” said Stacy Mahler, U.S. head of sustainability for Siemens Smart Infrastructure. “We’d done an assessment of [the facility] and saw that our Scope 1 emissions were coming mostly from the paint line, which at 30 years old was due for replacement. The team realized that there was an opportunity to make an investment that would not only modernize the process but also lower the carbon footprint and help to manage the volatility in energy cost.”
• That change—made without interruption to plant operations because the new line was built alongside the old line—is part of Siemens’ larger goal to achieve a net-zero carbon footprint across its operations by 2030. It’s 55% of the way there already.
• Next up: assessing other company facilities globally for the same all-electric upgrade. One outcome of the effort in Grand Prairie is a cross-business team of experts working to replicate success at Siemens’ other facilities, like the newly expanded facility in Pomona, California, while sharing their knowledge with the broader manufacturing community.

Waste not: At its Spartanburg, South Carolina, site, Siemens is extracting and reusing waste oil found in materials on the floor.

• “We’ve partnered with a third-party company that provides the infrastructure within our own facility to take oil from rags and other materials, absorb it and then recycle or downcycle it,” Mahler told the NAM, adding that in the latter, the oil can be made available for other downstream applications.
• The impact is big, recycling about “3,000 pounds of oil-absorbent material that otherwise would have gone to landfill.”

From trash to energy: Siemens has also designated two of its American facilities—the one in Grand Prairie and another in Hingham, Massachusetts—as “landfill-free,” meaning that the sites incinerate all their nonrecyclable waste, producing thermal energy to power operations.

• “We’re taking waste that’s coming out of the facility, and instead of having waste management take it, we partner with a company that extends the useful life of the raw material and prevents it from sitting in a landfill,” Mahler said.
• The two-facility program redirects approximately 1,000 tons of waste each year.

Reusing metals: At its Roebuck, South Carolina, manufacturing center, Siemens uses a wastewater treatment process that recovers metals for reuse.

• The onsite system “extracts valuable metals—including copper, aluminum, tin and iron—from sludge that are a byproduct of painting and fabrication processes,” Mahler said. “These are then recycled instead of sent to the landfill.”
• Siemens recovers about 59,000 pounds of metal annually this way.

Even the windows: Siemens has also slashed energy consumption at its Fort Worth, Texas, facility using a unique type of window.

• Michigan-based glass solutions startup LuxWall recently installed its Enthermal Glass windows throughout the office in the Siemens plant. “The glass operates like a thermos, reducing both emissions and the energy bill,” according to Mahler.
• Installing the windows can cut a building’s emissions by 35% to 40% and reduce cooling costs by 20%, according to LuxWall.
• Siemens has been so impressed with the reductions it’s seen that it has even begun “sharing the product with our suppliers and customers.”

Onward and upward: Chief among Siemens’ sustainability goals for the coming years is “accelerating action across our other U.S. facilities, our supply chain and for the manufacturing sector as a whole,” said Mahler.

• “We’re trying to pave the way, show proof of concept and hopefully remove some of the barriers in the name of sustainability and more efficient operations.”

“Manufacturing in the U.S. has momentum”—and to keep it going, manufacturers will need to push, NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons said Tuesday in the NAM’s annual State of Manufacturing Address.
 
What’s going on: Speaking to an audience of manufacturers and congressional and state officials at Armstrong World Industries in Hilliard, Ohio, Timmons, who was joined by NAM Board Chair and Johnson & Johnson Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Operations & Risk Officer Kathy Wengel, emphasized the “defining moment” for the industry and said that for manufacturing, “what happens next really matters.”

• “Uncertainty is the enemy of investment,” he told the crowd. “Manufacturing is a capital-intensive industry. We make decisions months and years in advance. … That’s why we need certainty. We need a clear, actionable, multistep strategy from our government—one that says, ‘We want you to invest here, hire here and succeed here.’”
• Timmons’ annual speech kicked off the NAM’s 2025 Competing to Win Tour, starting with a whirlwind four-states-in-four-days tour of manufacturing facilities, schools, government offices and more.
• “In Ohio, manufacturers have thrived because our leaders have taken decisive actions to keep our industry competitive,” Ohio Manufacturers’ Association President Ryan Augsburger said at the kickoff event. But now, “manufacturers across Ohio and the nation are facing critical challenges, from tax uncertainty, project delays and workforce shortages to supply chain vulnerabilities and price pressures that threaten our ability to grow. … These issues cannot wait.”

What manufacturing needs: Certainty from the federal government should come in several forms, Timmons said, including the following:

• Preserving tax reform: The 2017 tax reforms were “rocket fuel” for manufacturing in America—but key provisions have expired and others are scheduled to sunset. Congress must bring them back and improve and extend the package. “Every day that Congress delays because of process and politics, manufacturers face rising uncertainty, delayed investments and fewer jobs,” said Timmons.
• Regulatory clarity and consistency: Manufacturers today spend a total of $350 billion just to comply with regulations. “Commonsense regulation is critical to American manufacturers to continue to innovate, to compete against foreign manufacturers and to improve the lives of American citizens,” Austin So, general counsel, head of government relations and chief sustainability officer for Armstrong World Industries, told the crowd.
• Permitting reform: President Trump’s lifting of the liquefied natural gas export permit ban was a start, but to reach our full potential as energy leader, we must require “federal agencies to make faster decisions and reduc[e] baseless litigation,” said Timmons.
• Energy dominance: “America should be the undisputed leader in energy production and innovation. But … we are seeing opportunities for energy dominance fade in the face of a permitting process that takes 80% longer than other major, developed nations,” Timmons said, adding that we must cut red tape, require federal agencies to make faster decisions and reduce meritless litigation.   
• Workforce strategy: By 2033, manufacturing faces a shortfall of 1.9 million manufacturing employees, Timmons said. To fill those positions, the sector needs a “real workforce strategy,” one that includes apprenticeships, training programs and public–private partnerships.
• Commonsense trade policy: If President Trump continues to use tariffs, “we need a commonsense policy … that provides manufacturers with the certainty to invest” and “a clear runway to adjust,” according to Timmons.

State of manufacturing: “Manufacturing in the United States is moving forward,” Timmons said. “Like a press at full speed, like a production line firing on all cylinders, like the workers who show up before dawn and leave long after the job is done—manufacturing in the United States is driving us forward.” And Timmons added that now it’s time “to make America Great for Manufacturing Again.”

On the move: Following the speech, Timmons, Wengel and Augsburger joined state lawmakers, including state Sens. Kristina Roegner and Andrew Brenner, and local business leaders for a visit to the Ohio Statehouse for an event focused on the importance of tax reform for Ohio and its manufacturing sector.

• A recent NAM study found that, if key provisions of tax reform are allowed to expire, Ohio would risk losing 208,000 jobs and $18.9 billion in wages.

What’s at stake: Tax reform was transformational for Humtown Products, the Columbiana, Ohio–based family-owned sand cores and molds manufacturer, President and CEO Mark Lamoncha told the audience at the Ohio Statehouse tax event.

• “We have been at the forefront of 3D-printed manufacturing for years and have invested significantly in the machinery and equipment required, including the purchase of 3D printers—one of which can easily cost over $1 million,” he said.
• “Since the 2017 tax reform, Humtown has invested over $9 million in capital expenditures related to 3D printing and averages around $100,000 annually in R&D costs. Under the 2017 tax reform, we were able to deduct 100% of those costs, generating around $1.6 million in accelerated tax savings.”
• “That amount alone allowed us to purchase another 3D printer, fueling continued growth. That’s what tax certainty allowed us to do. But right now, that certainty is slipping away. As these provisions begin to expire, our tax burden is increasing.”

Creators Wanted: The group also fit in a stop at Columbus State Community College, which serves approximately 41,000 students, to visit with students in the semiconductor and mechanical drive classes.
 
The last word: The NAM recently “stood shoulder-to-shoulder with congressional leaders—delivering a clear, urgent message on tax reform” and is “driving the agenda on regulatory certainty, on energy dominance, on permitting reform, health care and workforce development,” Wengel told the audience. “The NAM is not waiting for Washington to act; we are making sure Washington acts for you, for manufacturers.”

• Added NAM Executive Vice President Erin Streeter: “The NAM is on [these issues], and we’re going to keep fighting, as we do every day with the right leaders, the right strategies and the right vision for the future.”

The introduction of artificial intelligence has been a boon to manufacturing, and the technology will continue to have a positive impact—as long as regulations are “right-sized,” manufacturers told Congress this week.

What’s going on: “Manufacturers are utilizing AI in myriad ways on the shop floor and throughout their operations,” the NAM told the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade in a statement for the record at Wednesday’s hearing, where data was cited.

• “The diverse use-cases of AI in manufacturing suggest a need for a cautious regulatory approach to this groundbreaking technology: one that supports innovation and U.S. leadership in AI while providing context-specific, risk-based, right-sized rules of the road for manufacturers,” the NAM said.
• Giving testimony at the hearing, Siemens USA President and CEO and NAM Board Member Barbara Humpton discussed the many benefits of using AI in manufacturing and emphasized the need to ensure that AI regulations include “targeted” rather than “overly broad” definitions.

Industrial vs. consumer-focused AI: First, it’s important to distinguish between industrial and consumer-facing AI, Humpton told the subcommittee members.

• “Industrial AI is different from consumer AI,” she said. “Industrial AI uses controlled data from the manufacturing environment to help manufacturers create business value. Think better products, more efficient operations, a more prepared workforce. … AI will enable all companies—from startups to small and medium enterprises to industrial giants—to thrive in this new era of American manufacturing.”
• In written testimony, she added that “the core distinction of industrial AI is that it is trained on highly monitored data from sensors and machines, providing a more reliable foundation for training AI models.”

Simple, singular and targeted: Regulation of AI should be undertaken with a light touch and following a full accounting of on-the-books laws to prevent duplicative and/or contradictory rules, the NAM said.

• “[P]olicymakers should always review existing laws and regulations before enacting new ones, because most uses of AI correspond to tasks and objectives that industry has faced for a long time and that are thus highly likely to have already been addressed by existing laws and regulations,” said the NAM, which also referenced its first-of-its-kind AI report, “Working Smarter: How Manufacturers Are Using Artificial Intelligence,” released last May.
• “Similarly, policymakers must right-size any compliance burden associated with AI regulation,” the NAM continued. “The ubiquitous use of AI throughout modern manufacturing, as well as manufacturing’s dependence on innovation, underscore the need for rules that enable rather than hinder manufacturers’ development and adoption of AI systems.”

Protect without hindering: Congress “must advance industrial AI by prioritizing strong rules for digital trade, especially to include strong protections for source code and algorithms,” Humpton went on in her written testimony. “We encourage policymakers to build upon the success of previous U.S.-led efforts to protect intellectual property.”

• Legislators must also safeguard privacy and protect against baseless legal claims, the NAM said. “[I]t is … crucial that Congress take steps to maintain the privacy of personal data when utilized in AI contexts. … A federal standard should avoid a patchwork of state-level rules by fully preempting state privacy laws; it also should protect manufacturers from frivolous litigation.”

The last word: “The range and importance of uses of AI—transforming every aspect of the core of manufacturers’ operations—make it clear that AI has become integral to manufacturing,” said the NAM. “With the right federal policies, manufacturers in the U.S. will continue to devise new and exciting ways to leverage AI to lead and innovate and stay ahead of their global competitors.”

At Milo’s Tea, every element of the company’s delicious beverages is scrutinized for sustainability opportunities—from bottle-sourcing to the water and tea leaves that go into each gallon.

The bottles: The Bessemer, Alabama–based business recently opened a new, one-gallon bottle-blowing facility in its hometown, right next to its distribution center.

• The new facility will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1,000 metric tons per year, since it will eliminate the need for trucks to travel from farther-off bottling locations to the Bessemer distribution facility.

• “We’re still family-held, and sustainability is a family value, too,” said Chief Operating Officer Chris Droney. “When you have a project like this, that has a positive environmental impact and allows us to reinvest in our company growth, that’s a win–win.”

The water: The 78-year-old Milo’s Tea—which in 2022 became the top-selling refrigerated tea brand in the U.S. and is the fastest-growing refrigerated lemonade brand—has a strong track record of environmental resource preservation, starting with its water conservation.

• Since 2019, Milo’s has conserved nearly 37 million gallons of water, an achievement that has helped earn the certified woman-owned business two Platinum TRUE Zero Waste certifications (one for its Bessemer plant and another for its Tulsa, Oklahoma, facility).
• Among other measures, the company has invested in new, more water-efficient line-cleaning (clean-in-place) technology, which it uses between production runs to clean the brew, blend and filler equipment. “If we’re going from making sweet tea to zero-calorie tea, for example, it’s very important to make sure there’s no residue” in the lines, Droney explained.
• The enhanced equipment reduces energy, water and cleaning agent consumption, while also improving the effectiveness of the cleaning cycle. Milo’s made additional improvements to the production scheduling process, which decreased the total number of cleaning cycles required and further reduced energy, water and cleaning agent consumption.
• Milo’s was also able to reduce the amount of excess product the company had in its tanks during those flavor switchovers, further reducing waste and water use.

The tea: Milo’s earned its Oklahoma Zero Waste certification in part through “re-earthing” its tea leaves—“the largest waste stream we have”—in partnership with GEM Dirt, Droney said.

• The topsoil company takes Milo’s spent tea leaves and turns them into compost that it blends with dirt to create nutrient-rich soils. In 2023, Milo’s re-earthed more than 10,000 tons of used tea leaves from all facilities.

The packaging: When it comes to packaging, Milo’s doesn’t let dents stand in its way. The firm has installed compressed air stations on its lines to un-dent damaged bottles before they’re filled, so that none are thrown away.

• “At our flagship facility in Bessemer, if bottles can’t be undented, we send them back to the manufacturer and they can be reground and made into new bottles,” Droney continued. “A recycled bottle uses less resin than a new one.”

The production process: Milo’s has also recycled and diverted more than 148,000 tons of waste since 2019, another reason it has been so highly certified. On top of that, it has prioritized renewable energy sources at its facilities.

• Solar panels went live at the Bessemer plant in 2023, and this past summer, the business commissioned a rooftop solar farm at its Tulsa facility.
• The panels offset from 5% to 10% of each site’s total annual energy consumption, Droney told us. More solar panels are scheduled for other Milo’s sites, he added.

Advice for other manufacturers: Careful environmental stewardship can pay dividends for manufacturers, according to Droney.

• Profitability and sustainability “go hand in hand; we really believe that,” he said. “Solar power, onsite bottle blowing—there’s a cost to it, but there’s also a benefit. When you combine those, not only are you doing the right thing, but you’re generating fuel for future growth. We all have a responsibility to drive sustainability.”

The “30C” tax credit has the potential to spur manufacturing investment, but the Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department must first clarify some of their proposed rules regarding it, the NAM said this week.

What’s going on: In September, the IRS and Treasury Department jointly proposed regulations regarding Section 30C of the U.S. tax code’s Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Tax Credit, which was changed and expanded by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

• “A key purpose of the energy provisions of the IRA was to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and spur manufacturing investments in low emissions and renewable energy sectors,” NAM Vice President of Domestic Policy Chris Phalen told the IRS on Monday.
• “Manufacturers make vehicles that use alternative fueling stations, many of our members produce the components … that go into these stations and manufacturers will construct and operate these refueling properties. These companies require certainty and specificity to make final investment decisions.”

What must be done: To that end, the NAM told the agencies the following changes should be made to the proposed regulations for the 30C tax credit:

• Extend the allowed transition period for organizations to update “census tract designations to reflect population data in the years 2016–2020,” as the draft rulemaking mandates that those wishing to take advantage of the 30C credit “must place the property into service within a specific census tract designation.”
• Clarify whether the location of the refueling infrastructure “would need to be made available to the public to qualify for the 30C tax credit.”
• Provide tax credit “eligibility for certain property directly attributable to the operation of alternative fuel vehicle refueling property, such as electrical panels and conduit/wiring, and ask that the agency also consider related construction and other project costs for eligibility.”

With a new administration and Congress on the horizon, the NAM is signaling confidence in its ability to secure wins for manufacturing in the United States, highlighting both recent achievements and policy priorities moving forward.

“The NAM has always focused on what’s best for manufacturing in America, and our track record speaks to that,” said NAM Executive Vice President Erin Streeter. “Our approach is consistent because we know what it takes to get results.”

What we’ve delivered: With post-partisan engagement, the NAM has achieved historic policy wins across both recent administrations, including:

• Tax reform: The NAM’s advocacy helped shape the 2017 tax cuts, driving billions in savings that manufacturers have reinvested in jobs, innovation and facility upgrades.
• Regulatory certainty: The NAM has played a pivotal role in streamlining regulations, reducing compliance costs under the Trump administration and working to slow regulatory expansion during the Biden years.
• United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement: The NAM was a key advocate for USMCA, safeguarding U.S. jobs by ensuring fairer competition and greater access to key markets.
• Energy advances: NAM-backed policies have supported growth in domestic energy production, creating a more stable energy market.
• Infrastructure and CHIPS Act: The NAM was instrumental in securing the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the CHIPS and Science Act, both critical for modernizing the economy, bolstering national security and ensuring a reliable semiconductor supply.

“These wins demonstrate what we bring to the table,” Streeter said. “By staying focused on manufacturing’s priorities, we can partner effectively with the new administration and Congress to create and protect jobs and strengthen communities.”

Looking ahead: The NAM’s focus on core issues remains critical for keeping the sector competitive and resilient, Streeter continued. These issues include:

• Securing tax reform: The NAM’s “Manufacturing Wins” campaign aims to lock in key 2017 tax provisions that manufacturers rely on for stability and growth. “Tax reform has been a game-changer,” said Streeter. “Protecting that progress means more jobs and manufacturing-led growth across the country.”
• Regulatory certainty: The NAM is advocating for balanced regulations that support competitiveness. “Manufacturers thrive with clear, fair rules,” Streeter noted. “We’re making sure Washington understands the importance of regulatory stability—and the danger of excessive regulation.”
• Energy security: The NAM is working to secure reliable, affordable energy while fostering innovation in sustainability. “Energy security and grid reliability are top of mind for every manufacturer,” Streeter added. “We’re ensuring manufacturers can continue to innovate, grow and drive America forward.”

Bottom line:  The NAM remains focused on advocating for policies that strengthen U.S. manufacturing. “Our success is built on trust and influence,” Streeter said. “Our members know the NAM is a constant force, with the relationships and expertise to deliver, regardless of political changes.”

In related news, President-elect Trump has named campaign manager Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff (Reuters, subscription), a choice NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons called “a powerful move to bring bold, results-driven leadership to the White House from day one.”