Opinion
The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders
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What manufacturers should know about protecting independent contractors
Tedd Merrill, chief distribution officer of Accident & Health at Intact Insurance Specialty Solutions, outlines potential risks and solutions for navigating compliance with this workforce.
Tedd Merrill • Nov. 19, 2025 -
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Aerospace-grade standards are coming to plastic. Are you ready?
Mike Ciaccio, general manager of Polymershapes, outlines an ongoing shift toward higher customer expectations for plastics manufacturers.
Mike Ciaccio • Nov. 7, 2025 -
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Physical AI is the convergence of robotics and intelligence
Alex West, a senior principal analyst with the manufacturing technology group at Omdia, shares insights about recent news involving Nvidia, Fujitsu, Yaskawa Electric, SoftBank and ABB Robotics.
Alex West • Oct. 29, 2025 -
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Automation’s hidden challenge: A lack of engineering talent
Al Ruiz, a senior professional recruiter at Actalent with more than 20 years of experience, shares ideas for how the industrial equipment sector can address this particular labor shortage.
Al Ruiz • Oct. 27, 2025 -
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Rugged devices offer a solution to reduce scope 3 emissions
Charlie Gibbs, director of product solutions at Getac North America, says manufacturers should take the long view on electronic device investments at their facilities.
Charlie Gibbs • Oct. 14, 2025 -
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How to bridge the AI skills gap to power industrial innovation
A Kyndryl survey found that the majority of manufacturing leaders don’t think their workforce is ready to embrace artificial intelligence. Onofrio Pirrotta outlines the best practices for adapting to this major technology change.
Onofrio Pirrotta • Sept. 4, 2025 -
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The future of manufacturing belongs to systems thinkers
Licensys’ Matteo Neri urges industry leaders to look beyond efficiency and take a broader view about how to define operational excellence in a constantly changing world.
Matteo Neri • Aug. 21, 2025 -
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AI pilot problem: Why manufacturing’s digital transformation is stalling
Latent AI CEO Jags Kandasamy says that manufacturers should design their artifical intelligence systems at scale from the start, rather than getting stuck on smaller projects.
Jags Kandasamy • Aug. 14, 2025 -
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Why manufacturing needs a purpose revolution — not just a digital one
Bringing employees together around a shared objective and sense of community can drive better decisions and productivity, writes LicenSys Group’s Matteo Neri.
Matteo Neri • Aug. 11, 2025 -
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The truth about building a career in American manufacturing
A retired executive with over 25 years of experience in the food and consumer product industry says revitalizing U.S. manufacturing shouldn’t be romanticized but can offer rewarding careers.
Don Brock • July 30, 2025 -
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The US is already a manufacturing powerhouse, but shadow factories can make it the global leader
Shadow factories can offer manufacturers a way to decrease downtime and aid others in onshoring production lines, writes Augury CEO Saar Yoskovitz.
Saar Yoskovitz • July 14, 2025 -
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Tariffs or not, automation is still key to reshoring manufacturing
Tariffs may accelerate reshoring, but sustainable manufacturing success depends on the competitive advantage that automation delivers, writes HowToRobot co-CEO Søren Peters.
Søren Peters • July 8, 2025 -
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How manufacturers can turn tariffs into a strategic advantage for long-term success
Tariffs, while disruptive, can force companies to pinpoint weaknesses in their operations, address them and strengthen their competitive advantage for the long-term, writes Daniel Wolf of PROS.
Daniel Wolf • July 1, 2025 -
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Tariffs, regulations and talent: Manufacturing trends to watch in H2
Manufacturers should prepare for regulatory changes at the state and federal level and continue developing a skilled data analysis and emerging technologies workforce, write two KPMG experts.
Claudia Saran and Amy Matsuo • June 30, 2025 -
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Growth, geopolitics, and GPUs: Mapping the 2025 semiconductor landscape
Despite strong demand for advanced graphic processing units, chipmakers will continue to face workforce challenges and tariff pressures for the rest of the year, writes KPMG’s Chris Gentle.
Chris Gentle • May 30, 2025 -
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Cybersecurity risks manufacturers face during peak season — and how to fix them
As companies quickly onboard new employees during seasonal demand hikes, they must be careful to not expose themselves to sudden security risks, writes Pathlock CEO Piyush Pandey.
Piyush Pandey • May 21, 2025 -
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Are tariffs the new COVID-19 for manufacturers?
The Trump administration’s tariff policies are forcing companies to better leverage AI tools to stay agile and quickly adapt to new challenges, writes industry analyst Jan Burian.
Jan Burian • May 1, 2025 -
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‘Made in America’ is not enough
The U.S. needs to go beyond tariffs to modernize the country’s trade regulations and create a forward-looking strategy for global competitiveness, writes Crowell Global Advisors’ Monica Gorman.
Monica Gorman • April 17, 2025 -
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Layoffs, furloughs and worksharing: What to know about employment law when business slows down
Manufacturers should ensure they understand each employee’s classification, as well as their state’s WARN Act regulations, before they need to cut jobs or take other measures, writes Greenberg Glusker’s Wendy Lane.
Wendy Lane • March 28, 2025 -
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AI first, robotics next: The shifting landscape of hyper-intelligent automation
Humanoid robotics offer a new era for U.S. manufacturing, writes Trask’s head of industry insights Jan Burian.
Jan Burian • March 21, 2025 -
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Steering the future: Navigating challenges and opportunities in manufacturing
Manufacturing’s promise hinges on the correct use of emerging technologies and leveraging clean energy, writes Fluke Corp. President Jason Waxman.
Jason Waxman • Jan. 13, 2025 -
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How manufacturers can leverage AI to boost sustainability
Manufacturing executives are turning to AI-powered computer vision, work order management and automation software to make their machines more efficient, writes IBM’s Kendra DeKeyrel.
Kendra DeKeyrel • Jan. 6, 2025 -
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Op-ed: Limiting plastic production leads us backwards
The Biden administration should roll back its support of a reduction in global plastics production, writes Plastics Industry Association CEO Matt Seaholm.
Matt Seaholm • Oct. 21, 2024 -
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Navigating the semiconductor surge in a complex landscape: op-ed
Now is the time for the U.S. to build and stress-test semiconductor supply chains as the country grows its chip industry, writes Tim Robertson, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding Americas.
Tim Robertson • Sept. 30, 2024 -
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Taking a strategic approach to filling the labor gap in light manufacturing
Companies can address acute worker shortage by focusing on workforce development, training, STEM and diversifying recruitment approaches.
John E. Dorer • Sept. 3, 2024
