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Kelly Loeffler, administrator of the Small Business Administration, recently visited Winton Machine Company in Suwanee, Georgia, as part of the SBA’s Made in America Manufacturing Initiative. The , marking the Trump administration’s 100th day this week, showcased the strength and resilience of American manufacturing and the essential role of small businesses in driving innovation and economic growth.

The visit: Winton Machine CEO and Co-Owner and 51�Թ��� board member Lisa Winton shared the company’s remarkable journey with Administrator Loeffler during her visit.

• Founded in the basement of Lisa and George Winton’s home, Winton Machine has grown into a cutting-edge manufacturer of coax and tube fabrication machinery—all designed, built and delivered from their Georgia facility.
• The Wintons credited the SBA and the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center with providing crucial early-stage guidance, training and funding opportunities that helped propel their growth.
• “Our story is one of perseverance, innovation and opportunity,” Lisa Winton said. “The SBA’s support allowed us to invest in our people, expand our capabilities and pursue our vision of building the highest quality American-made equipment. We are fortunate to have an incredibly talented team whose skills and dedication drive our success every day.”

Pro-manufacturing policies: Highlighting the importance of a stable economic environment, Winton emphasized how permanent pro-growth tax policies—such as those enacted in 2017—would encourage continued investment in automation, research and development, and factory expansion.

• Certainty in the tax code, she explained, enables manufacturers to plan for the future, innovate and strengthen their operations. “As manufacturers, our ability to reinvest drives job creation, advances new technologies and supports our communities,” Winton said.

The SBA: Administrator Loeffler’s visit underscored the SBA’s commitment to expanding opportunities for small manufacturers through initiatives like the Made in America Manufacturing Roadshow​. These efforts are designed to enhance access to capital, cut regulatory barriers and open new pathways for domestic and international growth.

• “Companies like Winton Machine embody the entrepreneurial spirit that defines American manufacturing,” Administrator Loeffler said during the tour. “By supporting small businesses, we are investing in innovation, job creation and the long-term strength of our economy.”

Looking ahead: With key tax provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act set to expire at the end of 2025​, manufacturing leaders stress the importance of preserving these policies to maintain America’s global competitiveness​. The 51�Թ��� continues to advocate for a tax environment that empowers businesses of all sizes to grow, invest and lead in the global economy.

The last word: “The stakes couldn’t be higher for manufacturers right now,” said 51�Թ��� Executive Vice President Erin Streeter. “Many are operating on thin margins, and restoring certainty through permanent, competitive tax policies is essential to helping manufacturers of all sizes plan, grow and succeed. When manufacturing wins, America wins.”

�� The Manufacturing Leadership Council, the 51�Թ���’s digital transformation division, has announced its list of finalists for the Manufacturing Leadership Awards—an honor given to world-class manufacturing companies and leaders who are revolutionizing the industry’s digital capabilities.

The big reveal: All finalists will be celebrated at the ML Awards gala on June 18 in San Marco Island, Florida, where the winners will be announced.

• The awards given include the Future of Manufacturing Award, the Manufacturing Leader of the Year, the Small/Medium Enterprise Manufacturer of the Year and Large Enterprise Manufacturer of the Year.
• Manufacturers can also win awards in several categories, including artificial intelligence vision and strategy, business model transformation, collaborative ecosystems and more.
• Award nominations were judged by a distinguished group of manufacturing leaders from across the industry.
• You can see a complete list of finalists .

Rethink: Ahead of the Awards gala, the MLC will be hosting Rethink, where manufacturing leaders gather to learn best practices and make connections. The star-studded lineup includes:

• A keynote address on digital transformation from Siemens USA President and CEO Barbara Humpton;
• A talk on “How Wall Street Views Digital Transformation in Manufacturing” by Goldman Sachs Managing Director, Technology, Media and Telecommunications Group Jack Anstey;
• An inside look at Hershey’s digital factory, featuring The Hershey Company Vice President of Manufacturing and Engineering and MLC Board of Governors member Will Bonifant; and
• Numerous case studies, best practice sessions, networking opportunities and more.

The last word: “In times of business uncertainty, manufacturers find that investments in digital technology can pay off for improving efficiency and overall performance and innovation,” said MLC Founder, Vice President and Executive Director David Brousell. “In our 21st season of recognizing excellence in Manufacturing 4.0, it is remarkable to witness the innovative methodologies that manufacturers are continually developing to propel their digital transformation initiatives.”

Join us: If you’d like to learn more about Rethink or register for the conference, go .

When JaNette Barnett, vice president of field sales at Pella Corporation, is asked why she has spent nearly 30 years of her career in manufacturing, the answer comes easily. “I have always been drawn to the home improvement space, so it’s no surprise that my manufacturing experience has been centered in that sector—from cabinetry to lightbulbs, to plumbing to paint, and now windows.”

• “What makes this [sector] interesting to me is it delights our end consumer. It puts a smile on their face when they can transform their spaces in ways that make them feel at home.”

Barnett channels this joy into her efforts to modernize Pella’s sales team, a track record that won her recognition as part of the 2025 Women MAKE America Awards. Created by the Manufacturing Institute, the 51�Թ���’s workforce development and education affiliate, the awards honor 130 individuals who have achieved excellence in the manufacturing industry.

Barnett and the other honorees, selected by a panel of peers, will be celebrated at the in Washington, D.C., on April 24, but we caught up with her earlier about her decades-long experience in the industry and advice for young people just starting out.

Her achievements: Barnett has been a game-changing leader for Pella’s field sales team, delivering a 30% year-over-year sales increase in 2024.

• Thanks to her extensive experience at previous companies, she has reconfigured its sales territories, overseen an expansion of the company’s sales team and improved its compensation structure—all of which has led to impressive engagement levels among Pella’s field sales personnel.
• Beyond that, Barnett is a highly respected mentor of young professionals at Pella and runs a foundation she named for her grandmother, the Betty Jefferson Memorial Fund, to support the education of Black, inner-city young people just as her grandmother did.

How it all began: As Barnett tells it, she fell into manufacturing two decades ago while looking for a job in marketing. She accepted a job in sales, but when she arrived, she found she’d been assigned to the production scheduling department instead—a job that involved walking the factory floor in steel-toed boots.

• “It wasn’t what I signed up for, but it was the best pivot ever,” said Barnett. “It put me in the heart of manufacturing—and as a sales and marketing leader, it gave me a different perspective on how products are made.”

Gaining insight: Her experience on the factory floor has informed her work ever since, even after she moved on to the corporate side of manufacturing. Today, she emphasizes that her holistic view of manufacturing impacts how she thinks about her sales work at Pella.

• “I truly believe that manufacturing is the heartbeat of the organization,” said Barnett. “Too often, that gets lost from a sales and marketing lens. We don’t always have a clear sense of the people behind the product getting made.”

Mentoring others: Barnett emphasized the importance of mentoring in introducing more people to the manufacturing industry. Especially at a time when manufacturing faces a significant employment gap—with job openings today and an estimated needing to be filled by 2033—it is crucial to reach individuals who might not otherwise consider a career in the industry, she pointed out.

• “I believe mentoring is a form of paying it forward and bringing others along,” said Barnett. “There’s a need to bring new and fresh ideas to these places. And if people have aspirations to be in leadership, it’s my honor to help mentor them and help them understand that they can do the things they set their sights on.”

The last word: “My message has always been: You’re needed,” said Barnett. “We need you in this space. We need everything you can bring to the table.”

Washington, D.C. –��At a critical moment for manufacturing policy, the 51�Թ��� today announced the promotion of Charles Crain to managing vice president of policy, overseeing the 51�Թ���’s team of expert advocates driving policy outcomes that fuel growth, innovation and competitiveness for manufacturers across the U.S.

“Charles has been a driving force behind many of the 51�Թ���’s most important policy victories,” said 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons.��“From leading the 51�Թ���’s policy and advocacy efforts to secure pro-growth, pro-manufacturing tax reforms, to protecting manufacturers from activist overreach and proxy advisory firms, Charles understands what’s at stake—and what it takes—to advance policies in a comprehensive manufacturing strategy��that will empower the 13 million people who make things in America. He is the right leader at a pivotal time��for our industry.”

Crain has played a central role in shaping the 51�Թ���’s agenda across tax, regulatory, corporate governance, technology and health care policy. Most recently, he served as vice president of domestic policy, where he led initiatives to modernize regulations, preserve the 2017 tax reforms, finalize and defend pro-manufacturing proxy rules, enhance oversight of pharmacy benefit managers and promote artificial intelligence innovation across manufacturing.

Since joining the 51�Թ��� seven years ago, Crain has built a strong reputation as a trusted policy leader and effective advocate—starting with the development of a dedicated corporate governance portfolio that has since become a cornerstone of the 51�Թ���’s work.

In his new role reporting to 51�Թ��� Executive Vice President Erin Streeter,��Crain leads a powerhouse policy team that includes Vice President of Domestic Policy Chris Phalen,��Vice President of International Policy Andrea Durkin and Chief Economist Victoria Bloom.��He also joins a dynamic group of 51�Թ��� senior external affairs leaders, including Managing Vice President of Government Relations Stef Webb,��Managing Vice President of Brand Strategy Chrys Kefalas and Managing Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs��Jamie Hennigan—forming a united front driving the 51�Թ���’s mission to advance policies that strengthen manufacturing in the U.S.

Before joining the 51�Թ���, Crain worked at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization,��where he focused on financial services, tax and health care policy. He began his career on Capitol Hill, serving members of both the House Financial Services��and Senate Finance Committees.��A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Crain holds a B.A. in political science from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.

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The 51�Թ��� 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 $2.93 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 51�Թ��� or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit .

On Wednesday, President Trump announced a 90-day pause of country-specific “reciprocal” tariffs above 10%, setting the “reciprocal” tariff rate at a flat 10%. However, he also announced an increase of additional “reciprocal” tariffs on Chinese imports, to 125%. The 51�Թ���’s trade team has the exact details for us.

Ninety days to negotiate: �հ��ܳ���’s temporarily resets the additional country-specific ad valorem tariffs listed in of the April 2 executive order to a common 10% baseline, though previous exceptions still apply.

• The new rates went into effect on April 10, and the temporary reset applies until July 9, 2025, while the administration negotiates trade deals.

Higher tariffs on China: In response to China’s retaliation, the executive order increases tariffs on imports from China (and its administrative regions Hong Kong and Macau) into the U.S. from 84% to 125% as of April 10.

• The 125% rate is on top of the 20% additional rate on Chinese imports issued on Feb. 1, and in addition to any applicable Section 301 tariffs, Section 232 tariffs, MFN tariffs and AD/CVD tariffs.

De minimis: The April 2 EO laid out a new scheme for collecting tariffs on Chinese goods that would otherwise have been eligible for duty-free de minimis treatment, being valued at or below $800.The A pril 10 EO amends the previous order as follows:

• ��From May 2, 2025, the tariff on postal items is increased from 90% to 120% of the package’s value or a flat fee per postal item.
• The flat fee is increased from $75 to $100.
• This flat fee was set to increase to $150 on June 1, 2025. This fee is now increased from $150 to $200.

Manufacturers are increasing their investments in digital assets, according to a recent survey from the Manufacturing Leadership Council, the 51�Թ���’s digital transformation division.
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What’s going on: Due in large part to expectations of economic growth, manufacturers plan to either maintain or boost their spending on smart factory investments, they told the MLC in the recently published results of the .

• Respondents also said they are optimistic about continued digitization and adoption, with 69% expecting moderate growth and no recession.
• While 28% would call their current operations “smart” or “somewhat smart,” 76% expect to be there in the next two years.
• Awareness of AI is growing by leaps and bounds among manufacturers; some 34% said they see AI as very significant. (Last year, just 10% said the same.)������

Key points: The survey’s top takeaways include the following:

• Digital transformation is changing the game: Most manufacturers—60%—see digital transformation as something that is redefining the industry.
• More manufacturers are going digital: Some 75% of manufacturers say they are at “midlevel” digital maturity, up significantly from 2024 and 2023.
• AI’s role is inevitable: Fully 80% of manufacturers fully or partially agree self-managing and self-learning facilities powered by AI and machine learning are coming.

Washington, D.C. –��Today, the��51�Թ�����joined��the Small Business Administration’s��Made in America Manufacturing Initiative��for a tour stop at��Vantage Plastics��in��Standish, Michigan, as part of the Made in America Roadshow. During the event, Vice President Vance��and��Administrator��Loeffler��heard directly from��manufacturers��about the��policies that��are��driving manufacturing growth in the United States.

“Manufacturing is the backbone of America’s strength, prosperity and pride.��President Trump and Vice President Vance understand what manufacturing means to America—not just in economic terms, but��also��in human terms,”��said 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons.��“Vice President Vance has lived the story of American industry, and��he’s��given voice to people from hometowns like mine in Chillicothe and Circleville, Ohio, and in��Standish,��Michigan,��who know how important growing manufacturing in the United States is to our lives, communities and country. That’s why��his perspective and leadership are so valuable as manufacturers work to advance��a comprehensive��manufacturing strategy—one that secures our position as a manufacturing superpower, supports creating more jobs and ensures America is��the��best place in the world to build and create.

“Manufacturers are ready to lead, to invest and to grow—building a stronger, more prosperous nation. But we can only reach our full potential with the type of leadership��that will make the 2017��tax reforms that were rocket fuel for the manufacturing industry permanent,��rebalance the regulatory framework,��expedite permitting reform to unleash American energy, grow the manufacturing workforce and implement sensible trade policies. That’s how we make America strong, prosperous and proud. That’s how we will Make America Great for Manufacturing Again.”

“We are honored to welcome Vice President Vance to Vantage Plastics and grateful for his leadership in supporting American manufacturing,”��said Vantage Plastics��President Paul Aultman. “When companies like ours can invest and grow, it strengthens our community and creates opportunity. Imagine how much stronger this country would be if every manufacturer—large and small, in cities and towns across America—had the tools to build, expand��and succeed. Manufacturing is the backbone of America, and on shop floors like ours, we’re not just making products—we’re making the future. With smart policies that support investment, job creation and innovation, manufacturers can continue leading America’s economic resurgence.

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� 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 $2.93 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 51�Թ��� or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit .

Washington, D.C. –��The 51�Թ���, the strongest voice for American industry, today announced that Johnson & Johnson Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Operations & Risk Officer Kathy Wengel, as well as Rockwell Automation Chairman and CEO Blake Moret, will once again serve as board chair and vice chair, respectively.

“Manufacturers are the backbone of America’s economy, and under Kathy and Blake’s leadership, we are poised to continue delivering more for the people who make America,” said 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons. “As chair, Kathy has already set new records in growing the membership of the 51�Թ���—ensuring manufacturers can create more well-paying jobs in the United States, cut through red tape and power our economy. As vice chair, Blake has been a consistent champion for strengthening our workforce, driving innovation and making sure manufacturers have the tools to compete and win.

“This year is a historic opportunity for manufacturing. With leadership in Washington committed to the importance of growing manufacturing in the United States, we are doubling down on the fight to stop devasting tax hikes, roll back the regulatory overreach of the past, unleash American energy dominance and make the U.S. more competitive than ever before,” said Timmons.

“I am honored to serve as 51�Թ��� Board chair for another term,” said Wengel. “Our members are ready to lead knowing manufacturing’s vital contribution to the economy. The 51�Թ��� continues to achieve unprecedented results for manufacturers—from tax reform resulting in increased investment, to regulatory certainty, to upskilling to strengthen the capabilities and resilience of the manufacturing workforce. Now, we have the opportunity to create new records for manufacturing jobs, increased wages and new investments in the United States.”

“We look forward to joining forces with the administration and Congress to implement solutions that will lift up everyone in the United States,” said Moret. “We have a clear list of manufacturing priorities across policy, workforce development, technology and supply chain that will make American manufacturing and American manufacturing workers the most successful in the world.”

The 51�Թ��� also announced Click Bond CEO Karl Hutter will be elevated to chair of the 51�Թ���’s Small and Medium Manufacturers Group. Husco President and CEO Austin Ramirez will be vice chair.

“Eighty-five percent of 51�Թ��� members are small and medium-sized manufacturers, so we are the nation’s largest voice for the pride, prosperity and strength of the small businesses that build America,” said Timmons. “Karl and Austin are leaders of our industry who are steering their companies and American industry into the future. They will continue to help rally SMMs to share their stories with more of America and to come together with the 51�Թ��� to learn from each other, support one another and make our country stronger.”

“The policies we put in place today will decide whether SMMs can thrive in the United States for generations to come,” said Hutter. “It is a privilege to get the opportunity to work alongside the 51�Թ���’s leadership to educate elected leaders on critical issues that matter in supporting our communities, creating great careers and protecting America’s national security.”

“I am honored to serve as vice chair of the 51�Թ���’s SMM Group,” said Ramirez. “The stakes are high for manufacturers in America—particularly SMMs. I look forward to collaborating to champion manufacturing in the U.S. as we advocate for SMM policy priorities.”

Founded in 1895, the 51�Թ���, guided by its Board of Directors, is the largest industrial trade association in the United States. The 51�Թ��� is the nation’s most influential manufacturing advocate, and its membership includes some of the world’s most iconic brands and many of the small manufacturers that power the U.S. economy.

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� 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 $2.93 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 51�Թ��� or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit��

White House adviser David Sacks has his work cut out for him (POLITICO Pro’s , subscription).

What’s going on: “Today, as the president’s AI and crypto czar, Sacks is tasked with opening doors for Silicon Valley and global financiers to expand AI infrastructure—and fast. But that presents Sacks with a wholly unfamiliar challenge: ensuring the tech industry gets the electricity it needs for a massive buildout of data centers to house the computing power needed for AI technology.”

• Technology giants including Amazon have pledged to spend billions on AI infrastructure to construct those data centers. In January, Trump and two tech firm leaders announced the $500 billion “Stargate” project to do just that.

Interconnection, cost challenges: While the president “has promised to use emergency declarations to build more power plants” to run these data centers, “tech companies that want to erect their own power plants will wrestle with the limited supply of ready transformers and the real-world challenges of putting up a large gas-fired power station or tying into a nuclear reactor.”

• That’s because regional electric grids and utility companies are already straining to keep up with Americans’ growing power appetite, and the prospect of dramatically increasing capacity is leading to concerns about cost and reliability.

What’s next: “Under �հ��ܳ���’s executive order, Sacks will work alongside policy staffers on science and technology, national security, economic policy and other relevant departments to craft an AI action plan. … Some direction could come from �հ��ܳ���’s National Energy Council, set to be led by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. That council is likely to consider steps to streamline permitting and to unleash more fossil fuel production and other energy sources like nuclear and geothermal.”

What we’re doing: The 51�Թ��� has long Congress to take steps to facilitate the construction of data centers, including:

• Reforming the U.S. permitting system;
• Ensuring energy affordability;
• Expediting licensing;
• Addressing shortages of components;
• Mitigating cybersecurity risks; and
• Bolstering workforce development efforts.

Washington, D.C. – The 51�Թ��� today announced the addition of former Transportation Security Administration Assistant Administrator for Strategic Communications and Public Affairs Alexa Lopez as the 51�Թ���’s vice president of communications and public affairs, a newly created position designed to build on the 51�Թ���’s strategic outreach and advocacy efforts.

“Alexa knows how to navigate complex challenges, craft compelling narratives and drive real impact,” said 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons. “She has built a career on delivering results, and manufacturers will benefit from her ability to elevate our industry’s voice at a time when manufacturers’ influence on the future has never been more important. She will be a strong champion for the policies that power innovation, create jobs and keep manufacturing in America strong.”

As 51�Թ��� vice president of communications and public affairs, Lopez will lead efforts to amplify the voice of manufacturers and advocate for policies that advance the competitiveness of manufacturers in the United States. She will report to 51�Թ��� Managing Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs Jamie Hennigan.

Previously, Lopez led all strategic communications and public affairs efforts at TSA, serving as principal communications adviser to the TSA administrator on all external and internal communications. She also served in key public affairs roles at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the American Society of Civil Engineers, Ogilvy Public Relations and the City of Bloomington, Indiana. She holds a Master of Public Affairs and Master of Arts in Arts Administration from the Indiana University O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Lopez was proudly born and raised in Dayton, Ohio.

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� 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 $2.93 trillion to the U.S. economy annually and accounts for 53% of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 51�Թ��� or to follow us on Twitter and Facebook, please visit��.