SEASON 2

Smart Manufacturing Mindset™

The Balancing Act:
Running Today While Building Tomorrow

Behind every digital initiative is an ops leader thinking, “How will this affect the bottom line?” This episode of Smart Manufacturing Mindset™ takes a deep dive with the leaders who balance operational realities, manage change fatigue, and determine when new technology is worth the risk. Our panelists are responsible for keeping the lights on, the lines running, and products shipping no matter what stage transformation is in.

Hear from:
🎙️ Courtney Andersen, Vice President of Supply Chain at General Mills
🎙️ Jim Beilstein, Vice President, Global Operations & Supply Chain at Owens Corning
🎙️ Audrey St.Onge, President & CEO of N.A Baking Business at Lallemand

And we can’t forget our host of Season 2: Jeff Winter, Smart Manufacturing Advisor to CESMII.

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Smart Manufacturing Executive Council Update
🇺🇸 Shaping the Future of U.S. Manufacturing

CESMII & SME convened the Smart Manufacturing Executive Council earlier this month in collaboration with the LNS Research Pathfinder event in Minneapolis to tackle some of the most pressing challenges—and opportunities—facing the U.S. manufacturing sector.

🧠 Key themes from the meeting:

• Survey insights informing a national Smart Manufacturing workshop
• Development of a Smart Manufacturing Playbook to guide industry transformation
• Preparation for the June 12th Congressional Briefing to advocate for workforce development, tax incentives, and ecosystem growth
• Strategic insights from the Global Lighthouse Network on scaling digital transformation

The Smart Manufacturing Executive Council has been formed to advocate for the strengthening of U.S. manufacturing and offer strategic guidance to revitalize our competitiveness and transform the future of U.S. manufacturing, and is working hard to deliver on that mission.

A few notes from MX.0 Southeast 2025

By Conrad Leiva, VP Ecosystem and Workforce Education at CESMII

The MX0 Southeast was a great conference at Greenville, South Carolina, this year with over 250 attendees. Manufacturers were very engaged at the conference and there were many opportunities for networking and sharing peer experiences. It was motivational to see that many of the attendees were on a path to digital transformation. However, there was also evidence of a temporary pause in some investment plans because manufacturers are worried about the effect of tariffs on their market, and supply of parts and materials.

I co-presented with Brian Kuney from SCMEP on the urgency behind digital transformation, developing a Smart Manufacturing Mindset, and some critical technology building blocks for Smart Manufacturing. Regional MEPs, like SCMEP, provide great services to small-medium manufacturers including consulting on improvement methods, technologies, and workforce training.

~22 M/yr

Potential annual gallons of gas savings through defect reduction and other process improvements.

~$90M/yr   

Potential savings for the US Steel industry from the reduction of steel slab manufacturing defects. 

~$2M/yr   

 Potential savings per caster strand by reducing equipment down-time.

2025 Manufacturing USA Network Meeting 

At the 2025 Manufacturing USA Network Meeting, CESMII—the Smart Manufacturing Institute—actively contributed to advancing the national conversation on digital transformation and smart manufacturing. Held in Washington, D.C., this annual gathering brought together over 80 representatives from the network’s 18 innovation institutes and federal partners to share insights, foster collaboration, and explore strategies for strengthening U.S. manufacturing competitiveness.

CESMII’s Role in the Institute Insights: Digital/Automation Session

CESMII participated in the “Institute Insights: Digital/Automation” session alongside peer institutes such as America Makes, ARM Institute, CyManII, and MxD. This session featured rapid-fire updates and a collaborative discussion on building effective innovation ecosystems. Topics included best practices for digital infrastructure, shared-use pilot facilities, and strategies for scaling smart manufacturing across diverse sectors .

CESMII Smart Manuafacturing Roadshow Series

Thursday, June 12

Cleveland, OH

Thursday, June 26

Texas

Tuesday, August 26

Harrisburg, PA

Thursday, August 28

New Kensington, PA