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.…

Allen Jacques knows a thing or two about the world of life sciences and the various nuances that characterize the medical and pharmaceutical supply chains. Today, he serves as a Thought Leader at Kinaxis, a cloud-powered supply chain insight platform that combines human intelligence with AI and concurrent planning to help companies plan for the future, monitor risks and opportunities, and keep up with the speed of change. In this episode, sponsored by Microsoft, Allen sits down with hosts Scott Luton and Kevin L. Jackson to offer his take on a range of trends, issues, opportunities, and challenges relating to supply chains, drawing on his experience from the biopharma world. Listen in and learn more about the complexities of the pharmaceutical industry- including manufacturing challenges, regulatory constraints, and how these contribute to lengthy lead times- and how technology is helping supply chain professionals within the sector. Allen highlights the evolution of various digital and AI-powered solutions in improving supply chain transparency and efficiency, and the value of data-driven decision-making, and also offers some sage advice for those seeking to advance their careers and develop leadership credentials. Want to hear what else Allen has to say? Tune into the full discussion…