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Articles by Bill Herman
Playlist: Riding the Americana Highway – Oct 15 2026
Riding the Americana Highway – Oct 15 2026 Riding the Americana Highway is a twice-monthly journey through the music, artists, and stories that make up the world of Americana music. Along the way, we will listen to new releases from established performers as well as emerging artists who deserve to be heard. We’ll also revisit the landmark albums, influential musicians, and unforgettable songs that helped shape Americana into what it is today.
Podcast: Riding the Americana Highway – Oct 1 2026
Riding the Americana Highway – Oct 1 2026 Riding the Americana Highway is a twice-monthly journey through the music, artists, and stories that make up the world of Americana music. Along the way, we will listen to new releases from established performers as well as emerging artists who deserve to be heard. We’ll also revisit the landmark albums, influential musicians, and unforgettable songs that helped shape Americana into what it is today.
Help Shape U.S. Manufacturing Policy in 10 Minutes
Please take the 2026 Reshoring Survey today. Most industrial policy decisions are made by people guessing what you need. This is your chance to move beyond being the end-user and start being the architect. The Reshoring Initiative, in collaboration with Regions Recruiting, is asking for your input in our 2026 Reshoring Survey. U.S. manufacturing policy is evolving, and the decisions being made today could shape your costs, supply chain, and competitiveness in the years ahead.
Data Is Power: A Leader’s Edge in Modern Manufacturing
“Data is power,” says Andy Chu, vice president of Supertec Machinery (IMTS booth #236922). For Chu, data is not just information; it is a strategic asset that sharpens perspective and reveals opportunity. Drawing on AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology’s research tools and services, including USMTO data, he stays ahead of market shifts and anticipates evolving customer needs.
Leadership and Growth News From SCT, BISON, Ellison, and More
AMT Member News is your source for updates on major promotions, new appointments, facility inaugurations, and other noteworthy developments within the manufacturing technology community. Stay informed and join us in recognizing the achievements of your fellow members.
Risks and Rewards: A Path to Manufacturing Success
Quick, quality service is no longer a luxury; it is an expectation. Mark Osterstock, the founder and president of Q-Mark Manufacturing Inc., saw a need in the coordinate measuring machine (CMM) industry, and he took a risk to fill it. Since 1992, Q-Mark Manufacturing, a member of AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, has been offering same-day and overnight shipping on machine tool and CMM probe styli. A probe stylus (styli is plural) is the "finger" of a CMM, according to Q-Mark.
A Season of Progress: Industry Leaders Announce Promotions and Partnerships, Plus New Funding for Additive Manufacturing
AMT Member News is your source for updates on major promotions, new appointments, facility inaugurations, and other noteworthy developments within the manufacturing technology community. Stay informed and join us in recognizing the achievements of your fellow members.
Schunk President on the Strategic Value of AMT Membership
Companies can sustain long-term relevance by prioritizing product development and fostering emerging leaders in the manufacturing industry, according to Milton Guerry, president of Schunk USA (IMTS booth #432010). A global leader in tooling, workholding, and automation, Schunk has operated internationally for more than 80 years and in the United States for 35 years. The company continues to invest in expanding its product portfolio while cultivating talent to support long-term growth.
AMT NOW: Economic Momentum Returns as Manufacturing Tech Orders Rise
This is a published version of the AMT NOW newsletter. You can sign up to get AMT NOW in your inbox here. Economic Momentum Returns as Manufacturing Technology Orders Rise U.S. economic growth regained footing as GDP rebounded, supported by renewed strength in manufacturing technology orders. The latest data points to stabilizing demand and reinforces the role of capital investment as a key driver of near-term manufacturing activity.
Growth Mode: New Facilities, Leadership Moves, and Industry Recognition
AMT Member News is your source for updates on major promotions, new appointments, facility inaugurations, and other noteworthy developments within the manufacturing technology community. Stay informed and join us in recognizing the achievements of your fellow members. ANNIVERSARIES Friction Welding Manufacturer Reaches 100th Year in Operation South Bend, Indiana — Manufacturing Technology, Inc. (MTI) celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026 after its founding as Adams Engineering in 1926.
Tariff Refunds: Real Money — but No Relief Yet
Following the February 2026 Supreme Court decision that struck down tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), the federal government has begun issuing refunds for duties collected since 2025. The scale is significant – estimated at more than $150 billion – but for most companies, the practical impact will take time to materialize. Refunds are going to the importer of record, meaning the entity that paid the tariff at the border.
Orange You Glad You Went to The MFG Meeting?
At the center of a stage draped in hues of violet and blue, a twisted rind transformed into a metal chip behind an orange cut in two. The distinct and inspired logo for The MFG Meeting 2026 caught the eye of Sam Potolicchio, Ph.D., president of the Preparing Global Leaders Forum and a professor at Georgetown University, as he took the stage and recounted the parable of the orange. Potolicchio described how two people, both wanting the same orange, split it in half, each getting half.
Modern Sales Mastery: Influence, Discipline, and AI
Prepare for objections. Focus on relationships. Know your products. These fundamentals still matter – but today’s sales environment demands more. To succeed in the modern manufacturing sales landscape, sales teams must combine timeless relationship skills with data-driven strategy and emerging technologies. At AMT’s Distribution Summit, experts provided actionable insights to help sales teams achieve measurable results with minimal investment.
A Smarter Marketing Roadmap for IMTS Exhibitors
Exhibiting at IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show is one of the most important investments a manufacturing technology company will make to market its brand. It’s the largest manufacturing trade show in the Western Hemisphere, and booth space, equipment logistics, travel, staffing, and show services add up quickly.
Data Boosts Sales for Manufacturing Distributors
Distributors connect. As relationship engineers in manufacturing, they serve as an essential link between manufacturing facilities and machine tool builders. To do their jobs well, distributors need to use a variety of relationship-building and sales-boosting tools. The most powerful and underused tool in the modern distribution landscape is data.
Industry Expansion Continues With Meltio U.S. Partnership, Big Daishowa’s Tools for Schools, and New Distribution Agreements
AMT Member News is your source for updates on major promotions, new appointments, facility inaugurations, and other noteworthy developments within the manufacturing technology community. Stay informed and join us in recognizing the achievements of your fellow members.
AMT NOW: Forecasting 2026 From the 2026 AMT Winter Economic Forum and More
This is a published version of the AMT NOW newsletter. You can sign up to get AMT NOW in your inbox here. Forecasting 2026 From the 2026 AMT Winter Economic Forum While manufacturing technology order values have hit record highs, unit numbers have not. Learn what the experts at the AMT Winter Economic Forum expect for 2026. Accelerating Success for Tim Thiessen Okuma’s senior vice president of sales, Tim Thiessen, leverages AMT membership to strengthen relationships and drive long-term growth.
Accelerating Success for Tim Thiessen: AMT Membership Fuels Growth for Okuma America
Moving from applications to sales was a natural progression for Tim Thiessen, now the senior vice president of sales for Okuma America Corp. A graduate of Berea College with a degree in industrial management and technology, Thiessen joined Okuma early in his career and has held various roles during his more than 30-year tenure. “When I first started as an applications engineer, I got to see all kinds of parts and learned exactly how they were being made,” Thiessen recalls.
Supreme Court Strikes Down Reciprocal Tariffs
In a significant ruling today, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 6-3 to reject the Trump administration’s argument that reciprocal tariffs could be imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). These country-specific tariffs, announced on April 2, had been central to U.S. trade negotiations. The administration has indicated it may explore other statutory authorities to maintain the tariffs.
AMT NOW: $814.3 Million in Metalworking Machinery Orders, and More
This is a published version of the AMT NOW newsletter. You can sign up to get AMT NOW in your inbox here. Manufacturing Technology Orders Set Record in December 2025 New orders of metalworking machinery totaled $814.3 million in December 2025, the highest monthly order value on record. Executive Insights and the Al Moore Legacy: Honoring Harry Moser at The MFG Meeting AMT will award Harry Moser, a champion of U.S. manufacturing, with the Albert W. Moore Leadership Award at The MFG Meeting 2026.
Executive Insights and the Al Moore Legacy: Honoring Harry Moser at The MFG Meeting
Leadership is not passive. It requires decisive action, informed judgment, and the courage to shape the future of your business and your industry.
MFG Momentum: Lyndex-Nikken Debuts Website, America Makes Awards $8M, and Industry Events Take Shape
AMT Member News is your source for updates on major promotions, new appointments, facility inaugurations, and other noteworthy developments within the manufacturing technology community. Stay informed and join us in recognizing the achievements of your fellow members.
Insights and Sunshine: Soak Them Up at The MFG Meeting
Who understands manufacturing technology better than anyone? You – and your peers. The leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives who manage the companies that make, sell, service, and support manufacturing technology know the industry inside and out. Hosted by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, The MFG Meeting will bring these influential leaders together on March 10-12, 2026, in sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to gain insights, share ideas, and make connections.
Pedal to the Metal
From replicators on “Star Trek” producing cups of hot chocolate out of seemingly nothing to Mega Man’s Mega Buster arm cannon drawing energy from thin air, science fiction has long imagined a world where matter bends to our whims – where anything you need simply appears when you need it.
Visitor Hotel Reservations Now Open for IMTS 2026
DOWNLOAD FULL PRESS RELEASE McLean, Va. (February 5, 2026) — IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show has announced that visitor hotel reservations for IMTS 2026 are now open. IMTS runs Sept. 14-19 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
Between Blockbuster Events, You’re Not Cut Loose From Insights
“Where’s the beef?” became a famous line following its first use in a 1984 advertisement where confused burger patrons were presented with a minuscule beef patty in a comically oversized bun. The ad was created by the burger chain Wendy’s to show how they offered customers more beef per sandwich than their competitors. In addition to steering hungry consumers toward Dave’s Classic Single, the phrase seeped into the American consciousness and, arguably, even helped secure a presidential nomination.
Advancing and Engaging the Future
No one in our industry is surprised by the events and challenges that are coming together now and demanding more of us than at any time since the COVID shutdowns in 2020 – or even since the Great Recession. For one thing, as many as 2.2 million baby boomers have exited the workforce in the past year. Some of your long-time employees have likely left the building, taking valuable know-how and talent with them. For another, manufacturing doesn’t attract young workers.
Advancing Means Getting Ahead
Between headlines touting the latest artificial intelligence achievements, new legislation and policies aimed at stimulating growth in manufacturing, and a dearth in skilled job applicants, more and more manufacturers are turning to advanced technologies to solve their challenges and seize opportunities. But what solutions are setting up long-term success for them – and you?
AMT NOW: Metalworking Machinery Order Trends and More
This is a published version of the AMT NOW newsletter. You can sign up to get AMT NOW in your inbox here. After a Better-Than-Usual November, 2025 Orders Beat 2024 in 11 Months New orders of metalworking machinery totaled $437.9 million in November 2025. This represented a 19.6% decrease from October and nearly equaled the orders in November 2024. Orders through November 2025 have increased 17.8% over the first 11 months of 2024.
Stronger Together: Rollomatic Finds Growth Through AMT
Manufacturing is unique and unlike any other industry. We all know that. But being a machine tool builder in a world full of wholesalers, financial advisors, and service providers can be lonely. There is no reason to do it alone, though. Joe Kane, the CEO of Rollomatic, a Swiss-based builder of high-precision CNC multiaxis grinding machines, explains it well: “We are in a very niche area within manufacturing, but manufacturing, in general, is a niche field.
D25 Meeting Helps Distributors Operate at Peak Efficiency
When a business model works for a century, it’s due to a combination of the strength of its core principles and its ability to adapt to economic, technological, and cultural changes to maintain relevance across multiple generations. One such model is using distributors to connect manufacturing technology buyers with builders, which began with the creation of the American Machine Tool Distributors Association (AMTDA) in 1925.
Share Your Input: Section 232 Investigation on Robotics & Industrial Machinery
As of Sept. 26, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce has opened a Notice of Request for Public Comments on the Section 232 National Security Investigation of Imports of Robotics and Industrial Machinery. On Sept. 2, 2025, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick initiated a Section 232 investigation to determine the effects on the national security of imports of robotics and industrial machinery.
AMT Member News: Award Winners, Acquisitions, Upcoming Events, and More
The definitive source for updates on major promotions, new appointments, facility inaugurations, and other noteworthy developments within the manufacturing technology community. Stay informed and join us in recognizing the achievements of your fellow AMT members.
Members See Strategic Growth Through New Centers, Talent, and Recognition
The definitive source for updates on major promotions, new appointments, facility inaugurations, and other noteworthy developments within the manufacturing technology community. Stay informed and join us in recognizing the achievements of your fellow AMT members. AWARDS & RECOGNITION Okuma America Corp. Names Morris Group Inc.
Opinion: Why clean energy and national security go hand in hand in Alaska
Solar and wind are the cheapest sources of electric generation in the world, which is why 90% of energy generation installed last year was from these sources. These happen to be clean energy sources, and that is upsetting to the Republicans in Washington who are working to tilt energy policy in favor of dirtier, more expensive sources.
Developing Next-Gen Manufacturing Through R&D
The United States is full of opportunities to develop new technologies, applications, and a next-gen Smartforce. However, growth for a single company is difficult because of risks, time, and technological capability. Why not partner with an entity that can supplement what you don’t have? Technology development partners can take multiple forms. These include universities, Manufacturing USA institutes, the Department of Energy’s national laboratories, and AMT’s research and education affiliates.
The Workforce ‘Problem’
Whether you poll a trade group or chamber of commerce meeting about the biggest problem they face, the people there – including yourself – will invariably answer the same: workforce. Attracting people. Retaining people. Despite all the changes in the last 50 years – technological, economic, political, social – workforce issues are consistent. People complained about it in 1975. They will probably do the same in 2075.
Rocking the Manufacturing Ecosystem
Music has always been a uniting force, but who would have ever thought the workforce development ecosystem would connect Metallica, community colleges, educational institutions, and a budding automation technician in Illinois? Metallica, the world’s most popular heavy metal band with more than 125 million albums sold, has been rocking the manufacturing community through its Metallica Scholars Initiative scholarship program.
Future Faces: How Unexpected Paths Elevate New Talents in Manufacturing Technology
"Future Faces" examines unconventional career paths in manufacturing and tech. Colin Barnes transitioned to industrial engineering, while Kaio Dutra transformed his love for computers into a new interest in semiconductors. Kaio Dutra: From Tinkering to Programming Not every career path is a straight line. Have you ever taken a detour that led to something greater? That’s exactly what Kaio Dutra did.
From First Day to Future Leader: Mackenzie’s Manufacturing Path
Mackenzie Zanello Haug started her career in manufacturing in a big way – at IMTS, the largest manufacturing trade show in North America, owned and operated by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology. After landing a role as the Midwest sales representative with MP Systems – a leading provider of high-pressure coolant systems and accessories – Haug found herself at IMTS on her very first day in the industry. She hadn’t even met her coworkers yet.
AMT Member News
The definitive source for updates on major promotions, new appointments, facility inaugurations, and other noteworthy developments within the manufacturing technology community. Stay informed and join us in recognizing the achievements of your fellow members.
MFG Meeting 2025: Crafted for Executives, Optimized for Engagement
You can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep — and you will find no better company than at the MFG 2025 Meeting, a unique event curated for manufacturing executives and future leaders who want to exchange insights with their peers and drive company growth. Created by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology in collaboration with NTMA, MFG Meeting 2025 will be held from February 19-21 at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort & Spa in San Antonio.
Productivity Path: How Increases in Automation Support Manufacturing Productivity
Technology By Stephen LaMarca | Dec 04, 2024 Alloys are constantly evolving to meet new demands and incorporate the latest developments. New technologies can even create new possibilities for old(er) materials – like additive manufacturing and Inconel.
Community Connections
Maybe more than any other industry, manufacturing is often rooted in small-towns and close-knit communities. From equipment suppliers to job shops, it is common for manufacturing facilities to have decades worth of history in the cities and counties they call home. A long-time member of AMT-The Association For Manufacturing Technology, National Machinery, is a true community success story.
The Democratization of Technology
At IMTS 2024, Barbara Humpton and Tim Shinbara highlighted how automation, AI, and digital twins empower manufacturers and drive local production, innovation, and sustainability. At IMTS 2024, the IMTS+ Main Stage featured a forward-thinking conversation between Barbara Humpton, CEO of Siemens USA, and Tim Shinbara, chief strategy officer at BlueForge Alliance.
Inclusive Faculty Hiring: Promising Practices for Increasing Higher Education Faculty Diversity
Adams, R., & Lowry, M. (2022). What’s good for women is good for science: Evidence from the American Finance Association. The Review of Corporate Finance Studies, 11(3), 554–604. https://doi.org/10.1093/rcfs/cfac013 Beasley, M.A., & Fischer, M.J. (2012). Why they leave: The impact of stereotype threat on the attrition of women and minorities from science, math, and engineering majors. Social Psychology of Education, 15(4), 427–448.
The Manufacturing Mandate: Leading the Charge in Manufacturing Innovation
DOWNLOAD THE FULL, UPDATED MANUFACTURING MANDATE Advanced manufacturing is the cornerstone of national security, technological leadership, and economic strength. Investing in innovation, ensuring a stable tax, trade, and regulatory environment, and reinforcing the U.S. industrial base will build a stronger, more resilient manufacturing industry and a forward-thinking, globally competitive economy.
A Human Charging Station: AMT Member Lounge at IMTS 2024
For members only: Rest and regroup in this private space at IMTS 2024. Open daily from Sept. 9-14. We have to keep our phones, laptops, and tablets running at all times. We carry portable batteries and cords. We’ll even sit on the floor to be near an outlet. But do you know what else needs to be charged? You! IMTS 2024 is proud to host the AMT Member Lounge, the human charging station exclusively for AMT Members. Open daily from Sept.
Ralph H. Hegman III Receives AMT Albert W. Moore Leadership Award, Recognized for Lifelong Leadership Commitment
AMT honored Ralph “Hap” Hegman with its Albert W. Moore AMT Leadership Award on April 24-26 at The MFG Meeting 2024 in Orlando, Florida. “Giants of the industry have received this award. I don't know if I measure up, but I am so thrilled, I am so blessed,” Hegman said during an interview. Despite his humility, Hegman is a natural choice for the award, thanks to his lifelong dedication and constant leadership within manufacturing technology.
Speaking Your Language: Bowers Joins AMT as Vice President of Research
Excited. Waku Waku. About to hit cycle start. No matter how you say it, you know the sensation of anticipation —maybe even jubilation —when something great is about to happen. That’s what Kevin Bowers is feeling as he joins AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology in his new role as vice president of research. Bowers is fluent in English, Japanese (Waku Waku), manufacturing, and data, and he is ready to accelerate growth for AMT members with data-centric products and services.
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