Newsletter Number 62 092525

September 25, 2025

Posted By: Harold King in Newsletters, CI News,

The Monthly Newsletter of the Council of Industry

September 25th, 2025

Council of Industry Updates

What's Happening in Your Association

Council Manufacturing Day Events Feature Live Broadcast From Ulster BOCES' New Career & Tech School at iPark 87

We’re counting down to Manufacturing Day 2025 - just one week away on Friday, October 3rd!

This year’s celebration will feature exciting activities across the Hudson Valley, including student facility tours, a live radio broadcast, and the ribbon cutting for The Ulster BOCES Career Pathways Academies, and Sustainable Ulster Workforce Innovation Center, and the Ulster BOCES Career & Technical Center at iPARK 87.

There's still time to participate:

If your company, school, or organization would like to host or attend a local Manufacturing Day event, the Council of Industry is here to help. Contact us at info@councilofindustry.org, and explore other events at www.mfgday.com.

Click here to learn more about the broadcast and other Manufacturing Day events!

Council of Industry Welcomes Ciara McEneany as Member Services Coordinator

The Council of Industry of Southeastern New York is pleased to announce the appointment of Ciara McEneany as its new Member Services Coordinator. In this role, Ciara will support the Council’s mission to strengthen and connect the region’s manufacturing community by enhancing services and engagement opportunities for its member companies.

Ciara brings a strong background in communications and relationship building to the position. She previously worked as a reporter for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where she covered a range of topics and developed a reputation for clear, effective communication. A graduate of the University of Vermont, she is excited to bring her skills and enthusiasm to serving the Council’s membership.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ciara to our team,” said Johnnieanne Hansen, CEO of the Council of Industry. “Her professional experience and strong communication skills will help us better serve our members and continue to grow the manufacturing sector here in the Hudson Valley.”

Read the full Press Release

Council’s Annual Luncheon and Expo Will Be Held November 21^st at the Grandview in Poughkeepsie.

Join us on Friday, November 21st at the beautiful Grandview on the Hudson River, in Poughkeepsie NY, for our annual Luncheon & Member / Associate Member Expo.

Keynote Speaker:

Maribel Cruz-Brown - Vice President, Economic Development & Key Account Management at the New York Power Authority (NYPA) - will speak about programs that the NYPA runs to help businesses and manufacturers.

Programs include Recharge NY, which offers businesses a discounted power allocation if they commit to job creation or retention in New York State.

Maribel will also discuss how the NYPA aims to partner with businesses to find workable solutions moving forward, and what that looks like on the day-to-day.

We will also recognize the Fall 2024 and 2025 recipients of the Certificate in Manufacturing Leadership.

The Member/ Associate Member Expo will precede the luncheon from 11:00 - 12:15. Lunch will follow at 12:15 p.m. There is no charge to be part of the expo, but we require participants to purchase two seats.

Pricing:

Individual Ticket: $85.00

Table of Ten: $800.00

There are plenty of Sponsorship Opportunities available!

Click here to learn more

Council Partners With RIT and DCC to Deliver Lean Manufacturing Training this Fall!

Lean Simulation & Overview

This full-day Lean Foundational course, led by Vin Buonomo from RIT Center for Qualtiy and Applied Statistics (CQAS) provides a comprehensive introduction to Lean principles, tools, and methodologies.

Through a combination of instruction and simulation exercises, attendees will explore the differences between traditional batch manufacturing and Lean manufacturing, gaining practical insights they can apply immediately.

Location:

DCC Fishkill - 461 US-9, Fishkill, NY 12524

Dates:

October 28, 8:30-4:30

Full Program Cost:

Individual Attendee: $325

Two or More Attendees: $300

To learn more contact Emma Olivet eolivet@councilofindustry.org

Lean Six Sigma: Yellow Belt

Participants will learn a short history of each approach and how they can complement each other. They will be introduced to the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control improvement process and some of the tools associated with each stage.

The following topics will be focused on during the training:

Resistance to Change
5-S and Visual Controls
Team Building
Problem Solving Process
Statistical Thinking

Instructor Vinnie Buonomo from The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).

Location:

DCC Fishkill - 461 US-9, Fishkill, NY 12524

Dates:

November 12, 13 & 14 - 8:30-4:30

Full Program Cost:

Individual Attendee: $600

To learn more contact Emma Olivet eolivet@councilofindustry.org

Insight Exchange On-Demand Video Series:

Episode 10: OBBB: One Big Beautiful Bill - Presented by RBT

In this episode of Insight Exchange, Steve Howell, Davide DiGenova, and Nick Watkins from RBT take a deep dive into the newly released One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB)—a nearly 900-page piece of legislation that will have wide-ranging effects on manufacturers, business owners, and tax planning strategies.

About RBT

RBT CPAs is one of the largest public accounting firms in the Hudson Valley, serving clients with audit, tax, and advisory services. With a dedicated team of experts, RBT helps businesses navigate complex legislation, minimize risk, and identify opportunities for growth.

Learn More

RBT: rbt.com

For more info, visit www.councilofindustry.org

Watch Video Here

If you are interested in sharing your knowledge and expertise, please reach out to Johnnieanne Hansen at info@councilofindustry.org.

Insight Exchange Playlist

Environment Health & Safety Newtork Re-Launching with Workshop Presented by Walden Engineering

The Council of Indusry and Walden Environmental Engineering will present the Workshop - Identifying and Assessing Gaps in Your Environmental Health and Safety Program.

The Workshop will be held October 7th from 8:30 - 11:30 at iPark Fishkill.

Presented by Walden Environmental Engineering’s President Joseph M. Heaney P.E. and EHS Director David Garner, CSP, CHMM this workshop is for company leaders, facility operators, and EHS leads who know that risks can cost far more than fines — impacting employee morale, disrupting production, and damaging a company’s reputation.

In this interactive session, attendees will learn how to identify compliance blind spots, drive cultural EHS growth, and make safety a core value in their facility.

This workshop is the first step in a relaunch of a network for manufacturers executives responsible for, or interested in, environmental, saftey and health.

For decades, the Council of Industry has supported workplace safety and EHS leaders through training, resources, and advocacy. Now, we’re taking that commitment a step further with the launch of our Safety & Health Sub Council—a peer-to-peer network designed for manufacturing safety professionals - and those who share responsibilities for employee safety.

Meeting three times a year on-site at member facilities, each session will feature topical presentations from subject matter experts and the opportunity to share challenges, solutions, and best practices.

If you’d like to be included in the invitation list, let us know and we’ll make sure you’re among the first to hear the details. Contact Us

Manufacturing Industry News

PwC Survey Says The Next Industrial Revolution Is Near. Is Your Company Ready For It?

A survey of more than 500 manufacturing executives found that 93% believe the world is on the brink of the next industrial revolution and must reinvent how their companies operate in order to survive, according to PwC’s new Future of Industrials report. Industrial leaders are looking to reimagine their operations with an emphasis on supply chain resiliency, modular manufacturing, energy independence and autonomous systems as major shifts in technology, policy and global competitiveness take place.

PwC surveyed industrials and C-suite leaders across aerospace and defense, automotive, chemicals, engineering and construction, oil and gas and energy. About 73% of the respondents agreed the companies that fail to embrace industrial realignment will be irrelevant within a decade. Considering the fast advancements in artificial intelligence and the move away from supply chain globalization to geopolitical sovereignty, “those who don’t change … I think do face a level of irrelevance,” said Ryan Hawk, an industrial products and services leader at PwC.

This Event is Made Possible With Your Support

Sponsorship Information

When: Friday, November 21st, 11:15 - 2:00 pm

Where: The Grandview, Poughkeepsie, NY

Cost: $80 per person, $800 for a table of ten

Annual Luncheon Information

Thank You to Our Sponsors to Date

To register to become a sponsor, click here.

Manufacturers Need to Prepare for Increased Immigration Enforcement

The government’s crackdown on immigration labor isn’t just a concern for the hospitality and agriculture industries. Manufacturing plants have been targeted by ICE as well. If manufacturers haven't started getting ready for possibly Immigration Customs Enforcements visits yet, they need to prepare. “Those $30 billion in enforcement [dollars] are going to be spent. Among the spending, approvals were 10,000 ICE agents to be able to deal with ICE audits and ICE raids,” said Jorge Lopez, chair of the Immigration and Global Mobility Practice Group at Littler.

“Right now, [we’re in] a bit of a lull because the budget just got approved, but funding is getting allocated. I think that by the end of the third quarter, if not the first part of the fourth quarter of this year, we’re going to start seeing more activity,” He added. Lopez discussed the scope of the increased enforcement actions, what manufacturers should be doing to prepare for possible immigration site visits or raids and how to be compliant without opening up operations to more risk and scrutiny.

Integration of IT, OT Leads To Cybersecurity Vulnerability

The air gap that once shielded our industrial systems is disappearing, and with it, a vital layer of security. In the drive to cut costs and streamline efficiency, companies are wiring their operational technology (OT) systems directly into corporate IT networks. The tradeoff is stark, environments that once ran in isolation, from manufacturing plants to energy grids, are now exposed to the same attack paths that breach IT networks. What once required a nation-state to disrupt can now begin with a single phishing email, cascading from an office inbox to a factory floor, a pipeline, or even a hospital ward.

Physical separation once kept OT obfuscated from most cyber threats. Now, integration is giving attackers a direct line into critical infrastructure. In response, governments are scrambling to mandate protections and pass legislation aimed at limiting the potential negative impact of having those systems so closely intertwined. In fact, the National Security Agency (NSA) has joined the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)and other organizations to publish guidance that helps OT owners and operators integrate security when selecting OT products. But legislation and frameworks are just paper shields if organizations aren’t ready to fight back. Real defense comes down to three things:

The skills we forge.

The systems we lock down.

The unity of our teams on the front lines.

How CEOs Can Turn Massive Disruption Into Growth Opportunities

As CEOs navigate the complexities of the modern business landscape, prioritizing growth is far from straightforward. Leaders must juggle competing demands—delivering immediate efficiency gains, positioning their organizations for long-term growth, innovating at scale, and transforming their workforce—all while avoiding costly mistakes. It’s a high-pressure balancing act, but leaders who succeed have embraced a bold mindset. To win in this environment, CEOs should:

Make intentional risk-taking a priority: By embracing AI and taking smart risks, leaders can deliver success, even in uncertain times.

Prioritize innovation that delivers outcomes: Ignore the hype and focus on using AI to drive real business value.

Get rid of “good enough”: Inspire teams to think bigger with bold ambitions. Set goals that are so sharp that everyone understands them—and silos must crumble to meet them.

For information on advertising in this and other CI publications contact Harold King (hking@councilofindustry.org )

A New, 'Quiet' Tax Provision Benefits Manufacturers

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act generated considerable attention for extending 100% bonus depreciation for new assets, but manufacturing executives should focus on a quieter provision that could prove far more transformative: Qualified Production Property (QPP). This new section creates an entirely distinct property class eligible for immediate 100% expensing—but only for companies willing to own and build their manufacturing facilities from the ground up or acquire existing property that has not been used as a manufacturing facility since 2021.

While bonus depreciation affects all qualifying personal property, QPP specifically targets manufacturing, production and refining activities with a clear message: America wants to incentivize domestic manufacturing growth, not just equipment purchases. Traditional manufacturing tax planning focuses heavily on equipment and machinery through bonus depreciation and Section 179 expensing. QPP breaks new ground by treating qualifying areas within manufacturing buildings as Section 1245 property eligible for immediate expensing—a designation previously reserved for personal property like equipment.

How Cobots Are Powering Faster, Smarter Builds

As electronics continue to shrink in size and grow in complexity, companies face growing pressure to build with speed, precision and consistency. This has only intensified the importance of streamlining production methods with advanced technologies like collaborative robots (cobots). Cobots bring precision, consistency and 24/7 uptime to tasks that are difficult, repetitive or time-consuming for human operators. In fact, cobots accounted for 11 percent of all industrial robots installed in 2023, highlighting their growing role in modern manufacturing environments.

RiverSide Integrated Solutions (RIS) is utilizing cobots to help customers meet increasing demand. They allow RIS to scale production while maintaining the high standards their customers expect, especially in the manufacturing of electronic and electromechanical assemblies. But this technology isn't replacing our people. Instead, RIS cobots work alongside their skilled workforce to streamline complex processes, improve product quality and reduce lead times. Here are just two examples of how RIS is using cobots to drive better results for customers:

Tariffs & the Factory: What Plant Leaders Can Do to Fight Back – Machine Metrics

Growing Metal For Batteries On Farms – Nature Biotechnology

How Curiosity Can Help You Change Opinions And Win Arguments – Smart Brief

Hyundai Says It Will Spend $2.7 Billion to Expand Raided Plant - Manufacturing Business Technology

The Rise Of The Gig Engineer In Heavy Industry – Interesting Engineering

How The Migrant Crackdown Threatens American Business – The Economist

Watch Robert Redford's Most Memorable Ads – AdWeek

Hess Toy Gas Trucks to Stick Around – IndustryWeek

The Lighter Side

The Microscopic Robotic Arms Race

In laboratories around the world, engineers are racing to shrink robotics into microscopic proportions, many examples of which take the form of small animals. Inspired by the design and locomotion of insects, fish, and other small creatures, these machines are not merely curiosities or pet projects, but rather, serious projects with military applications. That’s why agencies like DARPA, with a long history of secretive, heavily-funded, high-risk, high-reward programs, have been investing in microrobots as a prospective next-generation tool with military applications.

One animal-inspired micro robot is the RoboBee, a device weighing less than a tenth of a gram, developed at Harvard’s Wyss Institute. The RoboBee’s wings beat hundreds of times per second—much like a real insect—thanks to piezoelectric actuators that convert electrical energy into tiny wing flaps. Of course, the technical challenges of fielding such microscopic robots are significant. Power supplies and autonomous control at such a small scale are notoriously difficult operations. Yet, prototypes have proven the concept, demonstrating lifelike agility, suggesting it’s only a matter of time before fly-sized robots are ready for the field.