Council of Manufacturing Associations
Connect with the resources and experts you need to succeed.
The NAM's Council of Manufacturing Associations
The network where manufacturing’s associations lead together
With a membership including 260 national manufacturing trade associations representing 130,000 companies worldwide, the CMA creates partnerships across the industry, amplifies manufacturers’ voices and connects members to experts and trade association executives. Guided by three strategic objectives — Advocacy, Industry Leadership and Operational Excellence — CMA members gain insights, share perspectives, form coalitions and ensure manufacturers have a strong voice in national policy.
A powerful network for the industry that powers America:
Figures: CMA membership (NAM, 2026); manufacturing employment and economic contribution — 2025 CMA Annual Report.
Partnerships that produce
Where CMA partners moved the needle in 2025
2025 required agility in every sense — a new administration, shifting regulatory expectations, a challenging trade environment and a fast-moving technology landscape. CMA partners turned that uncertainty into coordinated action.
A Historic Tax Victory
Nearly 100 trade associations joined the NAM in calling for passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1). All 10 of manufacturers’ tax priorities were secured — plus a bonus 11th: a new deduction for constructing or expanding a manufacturing production facility.
Sensible Regulations
Through the Manufacturers for Sensible Regulations coalition — powered by the CMA — more than 100 organizations delivered a regulatory roadmap of three dozen day-one actions to boost manufacturing growth, then kept members ahead of every major rulemaking.
Trade & Tariffs
CMA kept associations informed and aligned on tariff developments, put an interactive tariff impact data tool to work and gathered member input on proposals such as a U.S. Manufacturing Investment Accelerator to strengthen domestic production.
AI & Energy Dominance
Building on the NAM’s “Manufacturing’s Roadmap to AI and Energy Dominance,” CMA translated AI from buzzword to practical problem-solving — pro-innovation rules, affordable energy, modernized permitting and AI as a tool for people, not a replacement for them.
IP & Right to Repair
CMA coordinated member engagement on National Defense Authorization Act provisions that would have mandated disclosure of privately developed intellectual property — underscoring the risks to innovation, safety, cybersecurity and the defense industrial base.
Legal Advocacy
Together with CMA members, the NAM Legal Center notched amicus wins at the U.S. Supreme Court — including Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County and San Francisco v. EPA — and continues the D.C. Circuit challenge to unworkable PFAS drinking-water standards.
A year of agile navigation
When manufacturing's associations speak with one voice, Washington listens
"In a year where the ground seemed to shift every few weeks, our greatest strength was each other. CMA partners showed what agile navigation really looks like — from sharing intel and playbooks instead of guarding them, to moving quickly without losing sight of our values and speaking with a unified voice on the issues that matter most to manufacturers." — Alison Bodor, President and CEO, American Frozen Food Institute, and 2025 CMA Chair
Source: 2025 CMA Annual Report, Council of Manufacturing Associations in 2025.
2025 in action
Convening leaders across the network
From high-level strategy sessions to focused workshops and new digital communities, CMA programming reflected the same agile navigation it asks of its members.
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January 2025
The Winter Leadership Conference in Baltimore launches the Agile Navigation theme — and the first-ever Forum for America’s Manufacturing Associations brings national, state and regional association leaders together around a shared narrative for the industry.
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April 2025
CMA CEOs gather for a workshop on rethinking membership models — a candid, peer-level look at aligning dues structures and value propositions with evolving member needs.
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June 2025
A pop-up workshop equips association staff with practical tactics for staying agile: piloting new offerings, sunsetting low-impact activities and using data and feedback loops.
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July 2025
Congress passes the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) — “a manufacturers’ bill, through and through” — and CMA members convene at the Summer Leadership Conference in Nashville to build on the momentum.
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Throughout 2025
38 Weekly Updates, the CMA 2025 Compensation Survey (nearly 70 participating organizations), the Women CEOs’ Networking Group and new CMA LinkedIn communities keep the network connected year-round.
CMA member benefits
Benefits that can't be found anywhere else
Members of the Council of Manufacturing Associations receive a range of exclusive benefits.
Lead the Industry
The CMA is where the top minds in manufacturing come together to solve the industry’s toughest challenges. Members gain exclusive insights and engage with executives who are driving transformation.
Advocacy That Gets Results
As part of the National Association of Manufacturers, the CMA puts you on the front lines of policymaking. Tap into the power of the NAM’s expert policy team and collaborate with peers to influence legislation that impacts manufacturing. Your membership fuels real change, delivering results that matter.
Achieve Operational Excellence
The CMA provides the resources and expertise to take your organization to the next level. From cutting-edge HR strategies to innovative workplace policies, CMA members are setting the standard for operational success.
Professional Development
Engage with other association leaders while accessing valuable professional development opportunities, and share knowledge and expertise through CMA leadership conferences and events.
Newsletters & Alerts
Be among the first to know when news impacting the manufacturing sector breaks. Timely publications, reports, alerts and briefs, like the Monday Economic Report, provide the vital information you need to lead your association today and into the future.
Events
Get access to experts and programming that can help ensure your association’s future and positively impact your bottom line.
Upcoming events
Save the date
CMA members gather throughout the year — the Summer Leadership Conference, the Annual Winter Leadership Conference, member webinars and policy briefings. Upcoming CMA events appear below automatically; the full webinar library, past and upcoming, lives on the CMA Webinars page.
CMA Insights: Association AI Strategy & Benchmarking Discussion
Join the NAM for a discussion on energy policy, permitting reform and congressional priorities affecting manufacturers.
CMA Winter Leadership Conference
The CMA Winter Leadership Conference convenes association CEOs and senior executives to unpack the trends and technologies shaping manufacturing, set the agenda for the year ahead and strengthen the peer network at the heart of the…
Lead your industry with the strength of the whole
CMA members and the NAM are among the most trusted and respected advocates for manufacturing among policymakers, the public and the media. Bring your association into the network shaping the future of manufacturing. Questions or highlights for the CMA Weekly Update? Email [email protected].
