This is a published version of the AMT NOW newsletter. You can sign up to get AMT NOW in your inbox here.
The World According to Mike Huggett: Production Wins
Mike Huggett shares a production‑floor perspective on what’s working right now in manufacturing, from operational discipline to the mindset shifts required to stay competitive in a volatile market. The piece underscores how manufacturers are balancing speed, quality, and resilience as production expectations rise.
Turn Manufacturing Data Into a Competitive Advantage
Data is becoming the differentiator between reactive decision‑making and strategic manufacturing leadership. Explore why manufacturers that effectively collect, connect, and act on data are better positioned to improve performance, manage risk, and gain a competitive edge in today’s fast‑moving market.
What You Need To Know: Challenges Escalate Over Section 122 Tariffs
The legal battle over Section 122 tariffs is intensifying as lawsuits move forward, adding new uncertainty to the trade landscape for U.S. manufacturers. This update outlines where the challenges stand and why the outcome could have meaningful implications for costs, supply chains, and long‑term planning.
News You Can Use
Short, tactical insights manufacturers can act on.
Into the Spotlight: Automation at IMTS 2026 With a wide range of solutions to improve manufacturing productivity, flexibility, and resilience, automation will be front and center at IMTS 2026, from robotics and autonomous systems to integrated automation strategies built for real‑world shop environment.
Risks and Rewards: A Path to Manufacturing Success Learn how manufacturers can weigh strategic risk against long‑term opportunity, and gain perspectives on growth decisions, operational tradeoffs, and navigating uncertainty in today’s market.
Organic Opportunities for Manufacturers in Advanced Biomanufacturing Regenerative medicine and biomanufacturing develop engineered tissues and cell-based therapies to repair biological functions – and may lead to an alternative to donor organs one day. Can manufacturers capitalize on this opportunity?
By the Numbers
Overall measures of industrial activity improved in April 2026, but the capacity utilization rate for machinery manufacturing has been on a fairly steady upward trend since September 2024. As IMTS 2026 prepares to open in 102 days, the industry should assess its ability to take on additional orders without dramatically increasing delivery times, as happened in the recovery from the COVID-19 recession.Be sure to register for AMT’s Summer Economic Webinar on Thursday, July 16, and save the date for the annual MTForecast conference held Oct. 14-16 in Schaumburg, Illinois, in order to get a better handle on these dynamic market interactions.
Upcoming Events
June 4, 2026: AMT Meetup in Minneapolis, Minnesota
July 16, 2026: 2026 AMT Summer Economic Forum in Whitestown, Indiana, or Online
September 14-19, 2026: IMTS 2026 in Chicago, Illinois
Oct. 14-16: MTForecast in Schaumburg, Illinois
Member News
Leadership and Growth News From SCT, BISON, Ellison, and More
QualiChem joins OMIC R&D, and Scientific Cutting Tools expands its regional presence. Plus, leadership changes at Ellison Technologies, Nidec, and Xometry, and America Makes announces $1.7 million in additive awards. Read more in AMT Member News.
This is a published version of the AMT NOW newsletter. You can sign up to get AMT NOW in your inbox here.
