Feature Stories

• Polaris Industries: Popular Products, Major Employer

  As every outdoors enthusiast knows, Polaris Industries is the manufacturer of premier snowmobile... More...

• Hussey Seating: A Family-Owned Manufacturer Serving Global Markets

  Veterans Day is a time each year that Americans formally honor those who have served the country ... More...

• They Make the Equipment that Makes the Candy

  Everyone knows that some of the best candy in the world is made at American companies like Sees, ... More...

• ElectroLux: Manufacturer Sees the U.S. as a Great Place for R&D and Production

  Electrolux is a Swedish-based manufacturer that offers appliances under its own brand name, as we... More...

• Ford Motor Company: An Exporting Powerhouse

  Forty years ago, nearly all Americans purchased their cars from three, or perhaps four, manufactu... More...

• ExxonMobil: Jobs, Investment, and Waste-to-Energy Conversion at One of World's Top Petrochemical Hubs

  One of the world’s largest and most integrated petrochemical hubs can be found around Baton Rou... More...

• Mary Andringa of Vermeer Industries: Emphasizing STEM Education

  Even as President and CEO of a global company, Vermeer Industries, Mary Andringa has never lost s... More...

• Act Global: Company Sells Environmentally Responsible Synthetic Turf in 70 Countries

  Synthetic turf has become a popular alternative to traditional grass at sports stadiums, practic... More...

• Liberty Tire Recycling: Reclaiming 140 Million Tires Per Year for Healthier, More Scenic Communities

  The American countryside is becoming more scenic, thanks to companies that are working with local... More...

• Bison Gear and Engineering: A National Leader in Innovation and Workforce Development

  Railroad gates, combine harvesters, surgical pumps, mobility scooters, beverage dispensers, coff... More...

• Gorman-Rupp: Advanced Technology and Trustworthy Governance Make this a Great Manufacturing Story

  Hydraulic pumps are a $6.3 billion industry in North America. One of the leaders in the industr... More...

• Roseburg: Committed to Sustainable Forestry

  
  For more than 75 years, an Oregon-based manufacturer named Roseburg Forest Products has harvested... More...

• Peavey Electronics: Top Quality at a Fair Price

    As a young man in 1957, Hartley Peavey went to a Bo Diddley concert, fell in love with rock a... More...

• Wyoming Machine: At this Woman-Owned Business, Staff Development Comes First

  People are often surprised to learn that manufacturing offers great career opportunities for wome... More...

• Della Williams of Williams RDM: A Small Manufacturer with a Big Role in Defense, Energy and Fire Suppresion

  Small and mid-sized manufacturers are a vital part of the American economy, and one of the best e... More...

• Gilbarco: The People behind the High-Tech Service Station Fuel Pumps

  The automobile not only changed the way Americans live, work, and travel, but it also created ne... More...

• Manhasset Specialty Company: Music Manufacturer Benefits from Ex-Im Bank

  Based in Yakima, Washington, Manhasset Specialty Company has been designing and manufacturing con... More...

• Frito-Lay: Great Stories Behind an Iconic Brand

  Frito-Lay is the leading manufacturer of snack-food, with seven of the ten most popular micro-sn... More...

• Orbital ATK: State-of-the-Art Aerospace, Defense and Communications Products

  Manufacturers in the aerospace, defense, and communications sector do more than keep Americans sa... More...

• Wilton: A Manufacturer Adapts to 73 Years of Challenges and Opportunities

      Back in 1941, Hugh Vogl, a Czech immigrant, launched a business in Chicago, manufacturing ... More...

• Donaldson Company: The First Word in Advanced Filtration Technologies for American Military Aircraft

  When American service men and women fly military aircraft is desert environments, they depend upo... More...

• Dow Chemical: Green Chemistry Innovation

  When the EPA awarded The Dow Chemical Company with a U.S. Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge ... More...

• Snow Machines Inc: R&D Helps Optimize Snowmaking at Ski Resorts around the Globe

  During ski season, resorts and skiers alike depend on snowmaking equipment to keep the slopes in ... More...

• Kent Bicycles: Reshoring Bike Production to South Carolina

  Kent Bicycles is investing $4.3 million to construct a bicycle manufacturing facility in Clarend... More...

• RTP Company: The Highest Standards of Process and Product Quality

  One of the great truths of modern life is that we use dozens, if not hundreds, of products every ... More...

• AESYS Technologies: Advanced Boiler System Helps Ensure Clean Water in New York City

  This great manufacturing, engineering, and construction story involving AESYS Technologies dates ... More...

• The Manufacturing Institute: Addressing the Skills Gap

  In the early 1990s, Labor Secretary William Brock commissioned a report that projected shortages ... More...

• McCormick Spices: Great Taste Starts with a Commitment to R&D

  It would be hard to find a company that does more to bring life to the taste of food than McCormi... More...

• Modine Manufacturing: A Century of Innovation

  Modine Manufacturing Company, based in Wisconsin, will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2016. I... More...

• Steinway Pianos: The Finest Tradition of Craftsmanship and Artistry

  Steinway pianos are built by hand, with the highest level of quality craftsmanship, at the compa... More...

• Lockheed Missiles & Fire Control: Precision and Quality

    More than 4,400 people work at the Lockheed Missiles and Fire Control plant, outside of Orlan... More...

• Firmgreen: Converting Hydrocarbons from Renewable Resources to Electricity for Vehicles and Fuel Cells

  Firmgreen is an example of a U.S.-based manufacturer that derives the vast majority of its sales ... More...

• ClearCorrect: 3D Printing Leads to Healthier, Prettier Smiles

  Tens of thousands of American would love to do something to improve their smiles or better align ... More...

• Myers Pump: Manufacturer Celebrates 145th Anniversary

  Myers Pump, a division of Pentair, manufactures several types of pumps that have practical, every... More...

• American Electric Power: Producing Electricity More Efficiently

  North America’s first ultra-supercritical (USC) electricity generating unit went into service n... More...

• Texas Instruments: Leading in NanoPower Harvesting Innovation

  One of today’s most exciting emerging technologies is a process called NanoPower Harvesting. Th... More...

• Volvo Construction Equipment: Ready to Boost U.S. Infrastructure

  
  Talk to business associations and chambers of commerce in every state, and nearly all of them wil... More...

• Hannay Reels: Fourth Generation Now Leading Respected Small Manufacturer in Upstate New York

  Back in the 1980s, Hannay Reels received their first international order. It came from an agricul... More...

• Andersen: North America’s Largest Window and Door Manufacturer Is Still Creating New Jobs

  Some of today’s greatest manufacturing stories feature companies with long, proud legacies that... More...

• Schlumberger: Microseismic Surface Acquisition System is Another Advance in Energy Exploration and Recovery

  The processes used in the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas are continually... More...

• Robotics: A Growing Impact

  Across the U.S., there are more than 232,000 robots in use, according to the Robotic Industries A... More...

• Second Sight: Maker of the First Bionic Eye

  Each year, about 250 people are diagnosed with a rare, degenerative condition called retinitis pi... More...

• Huntsman: Largest Maker of Ethylene Oxide in North America

  If you have never heard of ethylene oxide, don’t feel bad. The industrial chemical does not com... More...

• Procter & Gamble: How They Achieved Zero Waste at 45 Manufacturing Plants

  Zero waste to landfill. Think about that for a moment. Cincinnati-based P&G, one of the world... More...

• Gibson: Leader in Guitar Quality, Technology, and Sales

  If rock and roll is the fusion of musical creativity with human energy, then the guitar is certa... More...

• Karsten Manufacturing: Maker of the PING Golf Clubs

  
  Serious golfers often turn to Phoenix-based Karsten Manufacturing for custom-order irons, woods, ... More...

• Vitamix: Rugged Quality, Commitment to Healthy Diets, and Export Success Fuel Global Business

  As increased information becomes available about the benefits of healthy diets, more people are ... More...

• Mannington Mills: Sustainability and a Commitment to the U.S.

  Mannington Mills is a fourth-generation, family-owned business with nine locations and more than ... More...

• Hyundai: The 5 Keys to Automotive Success in America

    As the U.S. emerged from the deep recession, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing helped pace the auto... More...

• PPG Industries: Innovation with Impact

  Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries is a truly global company. Founded in 1883, it now manufactures i... More...

• Merle Norman Cosmetics: Committed to Manufacturing in America

  
  Merle Norman products have been produced in the U.S. since Merle Norman started making cosmetics ... More...

• Wilson: Manufacturing Footballs for the NFL

  Every autumn, millions of Americans look forward to watching NFL football on the weekends. The ga... More...

• Freightliner Trucks: Product Design and 1,000 More Jobs

  
  Across North America, hundreds of older, inefficient trucks are coming off the highways. Taking t... More...

• Kellie Johnson of ACE Clearwater Enterprises: Passionate about Manufacturing Careers

  The first thing you notice when you talk with Kellie Johnson and her husband Gary Johnson at one ... More...

• Statoil, NASA and CalTech: Synergies between Space Technologies and Energy Exploration

  At first blush, space technologies might not seem especially applicable to oil and gas exploratio... More...

• BioPharmaceuticals: Improving Patients’ Quality of Life

  When one thinks about the global economy, the biopharmaceutical industry may come to mind as one ... More...

• Lean Operations at Legendary Harley-Davidson Plants

  
  Harley-Davidson has been synonymous with the American road for decades. The company has survived ... More...

• Boeing: World-Class Military Aircraft

  Some of the world’s most sophisticated military aircraft come from the City of Brotherly Love. ... More...

• Sports Attack: Product Quality with High Heat

  If you ever took baseball batting practice against a pitching machine back in the 1970s or 1980s,... More...

• WeatherTech: Telling an Inspirational Story about Manufacturing

  If you have seen television or print ads for WeatherTech auto floor liners, you are not alone. Th... More...

• Zildjian: Making Cymbals for the E Street Band and Other Stars

  Long-established manufacturers are understandably proud of their companies’ heritage. Many of ... More...

• Caterpillar: Reshoring to America

  In the early-to-mid 2000s, U.S. companies were off-shoring manufacturing production to China at a... More...

• Burke Industrial Coatings: Durable Liquid Stainless Steel

  If you ever have a chance to see the Bonneville Lock and Dam on the Columbia River east of Portla... More...

• Greenheck Fan Corporation: Award-Winning Energy Efficiency

  One of the most dynamic changes in the construction of commercial and industrial buildings in rec... More...

• Shutterfly Inc.: One of Numerous Manufacturers Making a Commitment in Minnesota

  Shutterfly bills itself as an Internet-based social expression and personal publishing business. ... More...

• Bert Miller of Phoenix Closures: Advocate for Job Creation

  Some of America’s small and mid-size manufacturers can trace their roots back more than 100 ye... More...

• STIHL Incorporated: Continuous Improvement in Manufacturing

  After touring modern manufacturing facilities, visitors are often surprised not only by how effic... More...

• DuPont: Nurturing Careers in Science

  Each year, Science magazine presents a list of the best employers in the biotechnology and pharma... More...

• Lodge: America’s Original Cookware

  Each day, 10,000 cast-iron products are produced at the Lodge Mfg. Company foundry in Tennessee.... More...

• Wilson Electronics: Boosting Signal Strength

  As reliable cellular communication has become increasingly important to businesses, government, a... More...

• Austin Polytech High School: Helping Students Gain Certifications and Understand Career Options

  The Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance Council established Austin Polytech Academy in 2007. What ... More...

• GrafTech International: Keeping the Curiosity Cool on the Way to Mars

  In November of 2011, NASA launched the unmanned Curiosity rover aboard an Atlas V rocket on a mis... More...

• Nextant Aerospace: The World’s First Remanufactured Business Jet

  Business jets provide executives with tremendous efficiency and convenience, but they are not ine... More...

• French USA: Exports as a Long-Term Business Strategy

  Exporting has long been a key part of the business strategy at French Oil Mill Machinery Company... More...

• Trace-a-Matic: More Demand for CNC and Exotic Materials Machining

  Trace-a-Matic is a high-quality machine shop in Brookfield, Wisconsin, specializing in computeriz... More...

• Jim Kanicki of Arthur Louis Steel Company: From NFL Football to Steel Manufacturing

  Jim Kanicki knows a thing or two about tough competition. A native of Michigan, the 270-pound Kan... More...

• Haws Corporation: Water Dispensers for the 21st Century

  Luther Haws invented the water fountain in 1906. Today, the company that bears his name is a glob... More...

• GSC Packaging: Amazing Job Growth and the Inc. 500

  In the world of economic development, the high-profile business-attraction announcements get the ... More...

• Michigan Ladder: Stepping Up to New Challenges

  Manufacturing in America is a $1.7 trillion enterprise. Much of that activity comes from small an... More...

• SASCO Chemical: Export-Promotion Programs Can Help Drive Exports

  Achieving success in exporting does not come easy, and sometimes hard work alone does not yield d... More...

• Patriot Porcelain: Bringing Jobs Back to a Vacant Plant

  In 2007, a Globe Union Group porcelain products factory in Kokomo, Indiana was shut down as its ... More...

• MAKO Surgical: No. 1 on Deloitte Technology Fast 500 List

  In Fort Lauderdale, a medical device company called MAKO Surgical designs and manufactures produc... More...

• Footwear Industries of Tennessee: Bootmaking Returns to the United States

  You don’t have to live in the Lone Star state of Texas to appreciate a good pair of boots. Arou... More...

• Vaughan-Bassett: Tenacity Leads to $8 Million Expansion

  
  Though the U.S. furniture industry suffered drastic losses in market share the past 20 years, Vau... More...

• Tessy Plastics: Innovation Drives Incredible Comeback

  
  In 2001, Tessy Plastics suffered a severe setback when its largest customer, Xerox, pulled out of... More...

• AMERICAN Cast Iron Pump Company: Hall of Fame Quality Engineering

  Have you ever wondered where those ubiquitous fire hydrants on city streets come from? Many are m... More...

• Yokogawa: Measuring the Boom in Energy Production

  In 2005, the U.S. produced 18 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. In recent years, that total has... More...

• Shaw Industries: A Recognized Workplace Safety Program

  Shaw Industries is a manufacturer of carpeting, flooring, and laminates based in Dalton, Georgia ... More...

• Arcelor Mittal: Developing Steelworkers for the Future

  Billy Joel’s hit record “Allentown” harkened back to a day when the steel industry was labo... More...

• Amphenol Fiber Systems: Teaming with MEP to Speed Innovation

  As manufacturers in the U.S. strive to compete and grow in the face of international competition,... More...

• Precision Sheet Metal Operator Certification: A Manufacturing Skills Standard

  In a positive development, the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International (FMA) an... More...

• L.B. Foster: Award-Winning Quality

  When the L.B. Foster steel pipe coating plant in Birmingham, Alabama received the Level 3 Excelle... More...

• MasterLock: A New Lock Every 2.1 Seconds

  MasterLock received international attention in early 2012 when President Obama lauded the Milwauk... More...

• Sherwin-Williams: A Culture of Workplace Safety

  OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) awards “Star” status to facilities with comprehe... More...

• Codonics: Growth through Exports

  When the federal govenrment set a goal of doubling U.S. exports in five years, it had growing com... More...

• Harrington Hoists: The Importance of Behind-the-Scenes Product Manufacturing

  You bought the tickets several months ago, and the night is finally here. You are at the theatre ... More...

• Maze Eco-Nails: Resilience and Environmental Responsibility

  In the riverfront city of Peru, Illinois, they have been manufacturing nails and spikes since the... More...

• A Rush Order to Kuwait? No Problem

  When the government of Kuwait wanted to rush-order five new fire-fighting vehicles with delivery ... More...

• Cummins: World’s Most Powerful Diesel Engine

  Cummins Inc. has been manufacturing engines in Seymour, Indiana, since 1976. This past week, the ... More...

• Canon: One Thousand New Jobs in Virginia

  
  If lawmakers from the nation’s capital want to see advanced manufacturing in action, they need ... More...

• Pratt Industries: Growing Employer Saves 70,000 Trees Daily

  Three of the last four paper mills built in the United States have been by the same company –... More...

• Eagle Alloy: Sustained Growth in the Metalcasting Industry

  Across the United States, there are 1,900 metalcasting plants that melt and pour metal into molds... More...

• Cope Plastics: Demonstrating Recycling as a Business Strategy

  Cope Plastics is a privately held, woman-owned based in Alton, Illinois, which is just across the... More...

• Talan Products: Employee Involvement Key to Company Culture

  Talan Products is a highly respected metal-stamping and metal-forming company with about 55 emplo... More...

• Raytheon: Encouraging STEM Education through Multiple Channels

  Today’s college, secondary, and primary education students constitute tomorrow’s workforce. W... More...

• Dalco Metals: Mastering the 5S System

  Developed in Japan, the 5S system is a lean manufacturing process built around – as translated ... More...