Sept. 15 event at Cobb Galleria Centre expected to bring together 500 industry professionals, including 300 manufacturing leaders from across Georgia
— Jason Moss
ATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES, August 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — After a six-year hiatus, the Georgia Manufacturing Summit will return Sept. 15 at the Cobb Galleria Centre, bringing hundreds of manufacturing leaders together to address workforce, automation, technology and other challenges reshaping Georgia’s manufacturing industry.
Hosted by the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance (GMA), the Summit is expected to draw approximately 500 industry professionals, including a targeted 300 manufacturing leaders and 200 industry partners from across the state.
The event marks the return of a Summit that grew from approximately 150 attendees when it launched in 2015 to more than 850 attendees in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the event.
“The biggest problems manufacturers are dealing with aren’t being solved in isolation,” said Jason Moss, founder and CEO of the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance. “Somewhere in Georgia, another manufacturer has probably dealt with the same workforce problem, production challenge or growth issue you’re facing right now. The Summit is about getting those people in the same room so we can learn from each other, build relationships and make Georgia manufacturing stronger.”
The manufacturing environment has changed significantly since the last Summit.
Companies are competing for skilled employees while investing in automation, artificial intelligence and connected production systems. Manufacturers are also navigating cybersecurity risks, legal exposure, margin pressure, leadership development and changing customer and supplier relationships.
Those issues have shaped the 2026 Summit program.
Automation Takes the Morning Stage
Brandon Seadorf, Director of Manufacturing at PAI Manufacturing, will deliver the morning keynote, “Automation in Manufacturing: From Cages to Collaboration.”
Seadorf will examine how manufacturers are using robotics and automation to improve efficiency, process consistency, quality and ergonomics while moving employees from repetitive tasks into higher-value roles.
Statewide Workforce Forum Replaces Traditional Afternoon Keynote
GMA has dedicated the afternoon general session to one of the industry’s most persistent challenges: finding and developing skilled people.
The Georgia Manufacturing Workforce Forum — Building the Workforce We Need will bring manufacturing, workforce and technical education leaders together for a candid discussion about attracting, developing and retaining Georgia’s manufacturing workforce.
Travis Almy of TRC Talent Solutions will moderate the Forum and provide current workforce data.
Confirmed participants include Tyson Baker of Infinity Building Solutions and Mark Peevy, Chief of Staff for the Technical College System of Georgia. Additional senior manufacturing leaders are being finalized.
The Forum will examine what manufacturers are experiencing, where workforce pipelines are succeeding, where gaps remain and how industry, education and workforce organizations can work together more effectively.
Practical Issues Facing Manufacturers
Additional Summit sessions will address financial performance and business value, operational technology and cybersecurity, legal risks, leadership development, operational excellence, Lean and continuous improvement, and the changing role of sales and marketing in manufacturing.
The “Legal Landmines in Manufacturing: What Georgia Leaders Need to Know Now” session will address patents, intellectual property strategy, workplace safety and litigation. The session will be facilitated by Russ Dunlap, with Micah Dickie of Fisher Phillips providing workplace safety and litigation perspectives.
Other sessions will examine how manufacturers can strengthen margins and cash flow, protect connected production systems and use relationships, video, digital visibility and artificial intelligence to generate new business.
Focused on Putting Manufacturers in the Room
GMA is intentionally targeting 300 manufacturers among the Summit’s 500 attendees rather than simply maximizing overall attendance.
“You can find information anywhere today,” Moss said. “What is harder to find is the right person who has already solved the problem you’re working on. That’s why getting manufacturers together face-to-face still matters.”
GMA traces its roots to NetworkingMFG, founded by Moss in 2008 to help Georgia manufacturing professionals build relationships and find local resources. The organization became the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance in 2011 and today connects manufacturers through plant tours, educational programs, networking events, Women of GMA and other statewide initiatives.
The Georgia Manufacturing Summit launched in 2015 and grew to more than 850 attendees by 2019. The Sept. 15 event will be the first Summit since the pandemic.
“We’re not trying to build the biggest event we can build,” Moss said. “We’re trying to put the right people in the room. If a manufacturing leader walks away with three relationships that help solve a problem, open a door or make their company stronger, that’s where the real value of the Summit is.”
2026 Georgia Manufacturing Summit
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026
Time: 7 a.m.-4 p.m.
Location: Cobb Galleria Centre, 2 Galleria Parkway SE, Atlanta
Expected Attendance: 500 industry professionals
Target Audience: 300 manufacturing leaders and 200 industry partners
Registration includes breakfast, lunch, keynote and general sessions, educational sessions, exhibits and networking.
Manufacturing leaders interested in attending are encouraged to register in advance as GMA is limiting attendance to maintain the event’s manufacturer-to-industry-partner balance.
Registration and information: GeorgiaManufacturingAlliance.com
About the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance
Founded in 2008, the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance is a statewide organization dedicated exclusively to Georgia’s manufacturing community. Through plant tours, educational programs, networking events and industry partnerships, GMA helps manufacturing leaders connect with peers, share best practices and build stronger relationships throughout the state.
Media Contact
Jason Moss
Founder & CEO
Georgia Manufacturing Alliance
770-338-0051
[email protected]
GeorgiaManufacturingAlliance.com
High-resolution photographs, logos, speaker headshots, event graphics and interview opportunities are available.
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Jason Moss
Georgia Manufacturing Alliance
+1 770-338-0051
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Originally published at https://www.einpresswire.com/article/935083316/georgia-manufacturing-summit-returns-after-six-year-hiatus-as-industry-confronts-workforce-automation-challenges