Tariffs, trade uncertainty, and shifting energy demands are colliding with rapid advances in AI, medtech, and advanced manufacturing. At the same time, companies are racing to fill hundreds of thousands of open roles, rethink how they attract talent, and modernize permitting and policy frameworks that haven’t kept pace with innovation. The result is a U.S. manufacturing sector on the verge of a new chapter, but only if leaders can unlock the right mix of policy, people, and technology. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton sits down with Jay Timmons, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), and Kathy Wengel, Executive Vice President, Chief Technical Operations and Risk Officer at Johnson & Johnson, live from the Innovation Summit North America 2025, powered by Schneider Electric. Together, they unpack NAM’s comprehensive manufacturing strategy and the conditions needed for American industry to thrive. Scott, Jay, and Kathy explore how permitting reform, energy leadership (including nuclear), and trade certainty impact investment decisions on the factory floor, from small manufacturers to multinational enterprises. They discuss the urgent need to expand the workforce pipeline, especially for veterans and non-traditional talent, and why modern manufacturing careers offer both purpose and prosperity.…

Elaine Read & Matt Weyandt have stamped the most important values from their previous careers into every facet of their craft chocolate manufacturing business. In this episode of Logistics with Purpose, host Kristi Porter welcomes Elaine Read and Matt Weyandt, co-founders of Xocolatl Small Batch Chocolate. The Atlanta-based company sources cacao directly from farmers and cooperatives in Central and South America, and the Caribbean, and makes chocolate bars in small batches. Listen in and learn more about Read and Weyandt’s unique story and commitment to sustainability through their organization’s carbon neutrality, packaging, and more.