08/01/2026
I was there!
An event that drew worldwide interest and participation took place in my backyard this week. It was the Advanced Manufacturing Expo in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
I got to scratch my engineering itch, get up to speed on the latest advancements and lingo in manufacturing, hear what manufacturers think about all of it, and surface some potential collaborations. The learner in me had so much fun! So did the entrepreneur and the social butterfly.
One theme kept showing up across nearly every session I attended. It was that data is no longer simply a byproduct of manufacturing, but rather a competitive advantage if captured and used properly.
Whether the discussion was AI, Industry 4.0, traceability, automation, or workforce challenges, the message was consistent:
✅ Manufacturers need connected, reliable data before AI can deliver real value.
✅ The next frontier isn’t more dashboards. It’s better decisions through predictive intelligence.
✅ Increasingly, customers expect real-time visibility and traceability.
Companies that can provide it compete on value. Those that can’t often end up competing on price.
Perhaps the most important takeaway: AI isn’t replacing people. The most successful applications are helping operators, supervisors, and leaders make faster, better-informed decisions.
As one speaker noted, the goal isn’t more information. It’s greater clarity.
Manufacturers that invest now in data collection, digitization, and governance are laying the foundation not just for AI adoption, but for long-term competitiveness.
What’s the biggest obstacle your organization faces in turning data into better business decisions?
