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From the opening notes at Cleveland’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to the final chorus in Phoenix, the 2026 NAM State of Manufacturing Tour spanned 10 days and multiple stops across the country, spotlighting manufacturers’ most pressing policy priorities. The final message to Congress was clear: it’s time to strike the right chord by passing robust infrastructure investments and comprehensive permitting reform.

The visit: In partnership with the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the NAM organized a full day of facility visits and events spotlighting Arizona’s leadership in industrial growth. 

• Phoenix delivered a full slate: a candid roundtable on permitting reform with business and community leaders, followed by on the ground visits to EMD Electronics—a trusted partner to the semiconductor industry—and Four Peaks Brewery, Arizona’s largest and longest standing craft brewer.

What they’re saying: “Arizona shows what happens when competitiveness leads,” said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. “It didn’t happen by chance—it happened because this state has chosen to lead on taxes, workforce and a business climate. But even here, federal permitting delays threaten progress. If we’re serious about semiconductors, critical minerals and energy infrastructure, it’s time to build the next generation of robust infrastructure we need, and 2026 must be the year of permitting reform.” 

• “Arizona has proven that smart policy and regulatory clarity drive investment and growth. But at the federal level, permitting delays are slowing projects that matter to our economy and national security,” said Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry President and CEO Danny Seiden. “If America wants to lead in advanced manufacturing, we need a system that is predictable, efficient and built for today’s demands.”
• “Arizona has become a premier destination for semiconductor manufacturing, and we’re proud to be part of that dynamic and growing ecosystem,” said Katherine Dei Cas, executive vice president, EMD Electronics, the Electronics business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. “Strong collaboration among industry, community and government partners is essential to sustaining this momentum and ensuring semiconductor innovation.” 

The tour: Spanning seven states— New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Texas (see here and here) and Arizona—the NAM State of Manufacturing Tour brought together manufacturing leaders, workers, educators, students and elected officials. It highlighted the policies that the United States needs to compete and win in a global economy, focusing on tax policy, permitting reform, energy dominance, workforce, trade policy and more.

NAM in the news: The Houston Business Journal (subscription) covered the tour’s stop in Houston, and WISN covered the stop in Milwaukee.

• Dallas Innovates covered Manufacturing Institute President Carolyn Lee’s State of the U.S. Manufacturing Workforce Address, which she delivered during the tour’s Dallas stop last week.
• Timmons and Rockwell Automation CEO and NAM Board Chair Blake Moret contributed an op-ed to the Milwaukee Business Journal (subscription).