Executive Summits · by the Future of Manufacturing Alliance
Predictive Maintenance & Reliability Summit for Manufacturing Plants
Meet the plant leaders still finding out a bearing failed when the line stops.
Each summit is capped at 20 sponsors. Talk to Joe before it fills.
Who’s coming so far
21 manufacturers have confirmed they will send people. The target is 100+ plant leaders in the room by each summit.
- Honda
- GE Aerospace
- General Motors
- Stellantis / Jeep
- Procter & Gamble
- Cleveland-Cliffs
- Whirlpool
- Goodyear Tire & Rubber
- Parker Hannifin
- Swagelok
- Crown Equipment
- Lincoln Electric
- Sherwin-Williams
- + 8 very large manufacturers, not named at their request
Two days with maintenance, reliability and plant engineering leaders from Midwest manufacturers moving from run-to-failure and route-based checks to condition monitoring, lubrication programs and planned repairs. Pre-scheduled 1-on-1 meetings. No expo hall.
The people who sign the PO for reliability projects.
Invited from plants across Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Kentucky. Every delegate is screened by title and plant.
1,470plant leaders from 495 manufacturers have come to past FMA summits.1,033 of them pick the vendor, own the budget or sign off.
Who decides a plant purchase, and how many came
- Step 1287Find the problem, write the specEnergy Engineer, Facilities Engineer, Environmental Engineer
- Step 2560Pick the vendorFacilities Manager, Environmental Manager, Energy Manager
- Step 3337Own the budgetDirector of Engineering, Director of Operations, Director of Manufacturing
- Step 4136Sign offPlant Manager, General Manager, President
Who we invite to this summit
Each title, and what that person owns.
- Maintenance & Reliability ManagerOwns uptime and PMs
- Reliability EngineerPicks the critical assets
- Plant ManagerSigns off on the program
- Maintenance PlannerTurns alerts into jobs
- Plant Engineering DirectorRotating equipment standards
Where past delegates worked
Plant leaders at past FMA summits, by industry.
Industries we are inviting to this summit: Automotive and parts (presses, conveyors, paint lines) · Metals and steel (mills, gearboxes, fans) · Food and beverage (24/7 lines, washdown motors) · Chemicals and materials (pumps, agitators, compressors) · Paper, packaging and plastics (dryers, extruders, molding).
Counts are past FMA delegates, each counted once. They show who this audience is; they are not 2027 attendees.
Past speakers and delegates, by industry
Food and beverage
12 speakers · 161 delegates
Automotive
10 speakers · 192 delegates
Machinery, equipment and electronics
7 speakers · 209 delegates
Chemicals, plastics and rubber
6 speakers · 120 delegates
Steel and metals
2 speakers · 82 delegates
Aerospace, pharma, building and consumer products
29 speakers · 667 delegates
They came back.
Past FMA sponsors, and how many summits each one sponsored, from the printed programs.
- 2FacilityConneXPredictive maintenance · 2 summits
- 18US LED18 summits
- 17Kaeser Compressors17 summits
- 14Covanta14 summits
- 14Solution Dynamics14 summits
- 10Advanced Power Technologies10 summits
- 8Smardt Chiller Group8 summits
- 7BASF7 summits
- 7EQUIDEX Energy7 summits
- 7LG Electronics7 summits
- 6AgriPower6 summits
- 6Greenstar Recycling6 summits
See the other 102 companies that sponsored two or more FMA summits
3M 2 · Acuity Brands 4 · Advanced Green Technologies 3 · Advantix Systems 8 · AERCO International 5 · Air Balance 2 · AmbiRad 3 · Ameresco 2 · Armstrong Fluid Technology 5 · Badger Meter 2 · Be Power Tech 2 · Bio-Reaction Industries 2 · BLUEFIN 4 · Bosch Thermotechnology 2 · Burns & McDonnell Engineering 3 · Camfil 2 · Capstone Turbine 2 · Chelsea Group 2 · Cleaver-Brooks 4 · ConDex Energy 2 · Constellation Energy 5 · Control Instruments 2 · CopperTree Analytics 3 · Cushman & Wakefield 2 · Cypress Envirosystems 5 · Doosan Fuel Cell America 3 · DTE Energy Services 2 · Dyson 4 · Eaton 3 · EcoSafe Zero Waste 2 · EDF Renewable Energy 2 · Edison Energy 2 · Emerson Climate Technologies 2 · Energy Management Systems 4 · Energy Source 2 · EnerNOC 2 · Enertech Global 2 · EnterSolar 2 · Environmental Resources Management 2 · ERS International 3 · ETwater Systems 2 · Every Watt Matters 2 · Eye Lighting International 3 · Facility Solutions Group 2 · Fellon-McCord & Associates 3 · GDF SUEZ Energy NA 2 · GE Distributed Power 2 · GE Solar 2 · Gexpro 3 · GI Energy 2 · Green Ballast 2 · Greenworks Energy Solutions 3 · Harris Lighting 2 · Heritage Interactive Services 2 · Hurst Boiler & Welding Co. 2 · IBM 4 · ICETEC Energy Services 2 · ICONICS 3 · Invensys Operations Management 2 · JLL 4 · Jorgensen Facilities Services 5 · K+S Services 2 · KDC Solar 2 · KERAMIDA 2 · Knauf Insulation 2 · KVAR Energy Savings 3 · LEDtronics 2 · Lutron Electronics Co. 3 · MaxLite 2 · MCEnergy 2 · MEP Associates 2 · MPC Energy 5 · Munters 2 · Newton Distributing Company 2 · Nortec 3 · North America Power Partners 2 · North American Roofing 2 · OAKLEAF 4 · Optimum Energy 2 · Orion Energy Systems 2 · OSRAM SYLVANIA 5 · Pfister Energy 2 · PowerSecure 5 · Rinnai America 2 · Rockwell Automation 2 · ROXUL 2 · Rubicon Global 2 · SAP America 2 · Schneider Electric 6 · Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure 5 · Sloan 2 · Solar UV Solutions 3 · Solatube International 3 · Steril-Aire 2 · Synergy Investment 6 · The Dow Chemical Company 2 · Thermal Energy International 3 · Trane 2 · Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance 2 · Viridity Energy 2 · Wahaso - Water Harvesting Solutions 2 · Zurn Industries 2
In writing, from past delegates.
Their words, not ours.
“Every year we are able to find new partners to develop breakthrough projects”
Breitner MarczewskiDirector of Energy Engineering, General MotorsRead the whole quote
“FMA Summit has been a very friendly business event for General Motors. Every year we are able to find new partners to develop breakthrough projects”
“We will be partnering with a couple of the presenters at the Summit”
Read the whole quote
“…The expertise represented at this Summit (solar, lighting, etc.) was impressive and very informative. We will be partnering with a couple of the presenters at the Summit…”
Scott CullenAmericas Environmental Compliance Manager, Bostik“…full of opportunities to network with vendors I was interested in”
Read the whole quote
“I found the experience well organized and full of opportunities to network with vendors I was interested in.”
Warren VoughtCorporate Facilities Manager, Archer Daniels Midland“…FMA is an extremely flexible, and very accommodating group. It’s been outstanding after I gave my presentation, the enthusiasm of the people, the questions continue even now, people wanting to know more details. It’s that sharing between people and myself. I’ve learned a lot myself so that’s been a great aspect of being here. The people that have come and I had interaction with have been the right kind of people I want to talk to.”
Kevin ButtGeneral Manager and Chief Environmental Officer, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.See 8 moreShow fewer
“The presenters were very knowledgeable and did a great job of communicating during the one on one time during breaks. I look forward to the site visits so we can learn more about what each company has to offer.”
John ShewmakerFacility Maintenance Manager, Hitachi Automotive Systems“Very well organized! Great topics and great speakers. Spoke to vendors regarding current initiatives and met vendors regarding their initiatives and how they can provide guidance and services to UniFirst…”
Carrie BertolinoEnergy Analyst, UniFirst Corporation“I am always skeptical with conferences whether they will be worth my time. This Summit was a very good blend and balance of solutions and testimonials. I will recommend this seminar to others in my company…”
Larry GlaserAVP, Director of Operations Support, OSI Industries“…Enjoyed the Summit and met some good contacts.”
Russ DelozierDirector of Sustainability, J+J Flooring Group“Great Summit to attend and see the diversity of industry and government. Several vendors presented new ideas to problems we all face in the industry.”
Ed HagerstromDirector EHS, Refresco Beverages US Inc.“…We enjoyed attending your event and definitely appreciated presenting our LEED gold plant and our sustainability programs. … We definitely learned some things as well.”
Gregory ClarkDirector of Construction & Facilities Management, White Castle Management Co.“I feel that a Summit like this adds to the tools needed to elevate my abilities and my company, to enable a better building/company.”
Reed GibsonFacilities Manager, Pall Corporation“I very much enjoyed participating in the summit…”
Kurtis JetselDirector - Facilities/ESH, Lockheed MartinWhat sponsors closed, and what buyers said.
Past sponsors on the business that came from an FMA introduction, and past buyers on the vendors they met there.
Set up Wednesday. Two full days of meetings. Home Friday afternoon.
Same schedule in Columbus and Detroit.
- Wednesday afternoonSponsors set up their exhibits. Everyone checks in.
- ThursdayThe full day: plant case studies, booked 1-on-1s, the reception and dinner.
- FridayMorning case studies, more 1-on-1s, closing lunch. On the road by mid-afternoon.
The hour-by-hour plan and the venues
| Time | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00 AM | Breakfast at your company table | Breakfast at your company table | |
| 8:00–10:00 AM | Plant case studies | Plant case studies | |
| 10:00 AM | Coffee and shop talk in the exhibit room | Pre-booked 20-minute 1-on-1s at your table | |
| 11:00 AM | Plant case studies | Plant case studies | |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch with your booked 1-on-1 meetings | Closing lunch with your booked 1-on-1 meetings | |
| 1:00 PM | Plant case studies | Plant case studies, then head home | |
| 2:00 PM | Sponsor setup and check-in | Pre-booked 20-minute 1-on-1s at your table | |
| 3:00 PM | Sponsor setup and check-in | Coffee and shop talk in the exhibit room | |
| 3:30 PM | Sponsor setup and check-in | Plant case studies | |
| 5:00–7:00 PM | Sponsor setup and check-in | Reception and dinner, with more 1-on-1s |
The full package's 15 pre-booked 20-minute 1-on-1s run Thursday and Friday: in the meeting blocks above, at lunch, and at the reception. Each is with a plant leader who asked to meet you, at your company table. You get your meeting schedule before you arrive, and the delegate list, with names, titles and companies, 30 days before the summit.
Venue photos via Wikimedia Commons: Hilton Columbus Downtown by Ɱ (CC BY-SA 4.0); Renaissance Center by Crisco 1492 (public domain).
The program: plant leaders come to hear how other plants fixed it.
The program is built from projects plants actually finished, presented by the plant and the company that did the work. Every predictive maintenance category has room for more. If you've solved a problem like these, your story belongs on this program.
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Condition monitoring & predictive maintenanceInvited
From monthly vibration reports to live alerts at Buzzi Unicem USA's cement plants
Wireless monitoring, tested first at Stockertown, Pennsylvania, helped avoid more than 600 hours of unplanned downtime, saving around $1 million in production losses and emergency repairs; one fan catch at Alamo Cement in San Antonio avoided eight hours of downtime (as reported by Waites, citing the cement manufacturer's own figures; period not stated).
The problem: Monthly third-party vibration analyses left long gaps without data, so maintenance stayed reactive and unplanned downtime kept happening.
Published result: Wireless monitoring, tested first at Stockertown, Pennsylvania, helped avoid more than 600 hours of unplanned downtime, saving around $1 million in production losses and emergency repairs; one fan catch at Alamo Cement in San Antonio avoided eight hours of downtime (as reported by Waites, citing the cement manufacturer's own figures; period not stated).
Invited: Waites, with Buzzi Unicem USA · Read the published case
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Lubrication & oil analysisInvited
How oil analysis added years to gearboxes at Worthington Steel in Delta, Ohio
A lubricant change and a Beta 1000, 10-micron filter took the gearbox from 46% faster than normal wear to 41% slower than normal, an estimated three more years of life; oil analysis has added an estimated 12.5 years of cumulative life across the plant's assets (estimated; Worthington Steel confirms the gearbox result; as reported by AssetWatch).
The problem: Vibration data alone missed contamination, and a critical bridle gearbox was wearing out much faster than it should.
Published result: A lubricant change and a Beta 1000, 10-micron filter took the gearbox from 46% faster than normal wear to 41% slower than normal, an estimated three more years of life; oil analysis has added an estimated 12.5 years of cumulative life across the plant's assets (estimated; Worthington Steel confirms the gearbox result; as reported by AssetWatch).
Invited: AssetWatch, with Worthington Steel · Read the published case
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Ultrasound & thermographyInvited
Bearings that last a year instead of three months at Johnsonville's sausage plants
Greasing guided by ultrasound took the bearings from failing in under three months to lasting over a year, more than four times the life, ended the quarterly replacement cycle, and saved an oven motor that had been headed for replacement (as reported by UE Systems; no dollar figures given).
The problem: In a harsh washdown area, all 160 bearings on the link cutters were replaced every three months and still failed without warning.
Published result: Greasing guided by ultrasound took the bearings from failing in under three months to lasting over a year, more than four times the life, ended the quarterly replacement cycle, and saved an oven motor that had been headed for replacement (as reported by UE Systems; no dollar figures given).
Invited: UE Systems, with Johnsonville · Read the published case
See all 7 stories, in 4 categories, and how a session runs
- 1The problemWhat was happening at the plant.
- 2The costEnergy, maintenance, downtime or lost output.
- 3The decisionThe options they weighed, and why this one.
- 4The workWhat changed, how long it took, what went wrong.
- 5The resultsMeasured before and after. Achieved, estimated or identified, said plainly.
- 6The lessonsWhat another plant should check first.
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Condition monitoring & predictive maintenance
3 stories invited · 1 open slot-
Invited
From monthly vibration reports to live alerts at Buzzi Unicem USA's cement plants
Wireless monitoring, tested first at Stockertown, Pennsylvania, helped avoid more than 600 hours of unplanned downtime, saving around $1 million in production losses and emergency repairs; one fan catch at Alamo Cement in San Antonio avoided eight hours of downtime (as reported by Waites, citing the cement manufacturer's own figures; period not stated).
The problem: Monthly third-party vibration analyses left long gaps without data, so maintenance stayed reactive and unplanned downtime kept happening.
Published result: Wireless monitoring, tested first at Stockertown, Pennsylvania, helped avoid more than 600 hours of unplanned downtime, saving around $1 million in production losses and emergency repairs; one fan catch at Alamo Cement in San Antonio avoided eight hours of downtime (as reported by Waites, citing the cement manufacturer's own figures; period not stated).
Invited: Waites, with Buzzi Unicem USA · Read the published case
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Invited
Catching pump failures early at Ingredion in North Kansas City, Missouri
Vibration sensors with AI diagnostics delivered $1.0M in production savings, $223,000 in maintenance savings and 168 hours of avoided downtime at a single facility, and Ingredion is scaling it across its plants (as reported by Plant Services; period not stated).
The problem: The plant runs around the clock, but hard-to-reach assets slowed inspections and early alignment and bearing problems went unnoticed.
Published result: Vibration sensors with AI diagnostics delivered $1.0M in production savings, $223,000 in maintenance savings and 168 hours of avoided downtime at a single facility, and Ingredion is scaling it across its plants (as reported by Plant Services; period not stated).
Invited: Tractian, with Ingredion · Read the published case
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Invited
How US Farathane moved its injection molding plants off emergency repairs
After KCF's SMARTdiagnostics went live across its molding plants in 2025, US Farathane saw a 3× increase in realized value from the second half of 2025 to the first quarter of 2026, with less unplanned downtime and longer time between failures (as reported by KCF Technologies; no dollar figure given).
The problem: Maintenance was largely reactive, and major equipment failures kept pulling teams into emergency responses and costly downtime.
Published result: After KCF's SMARTdiagnostics went live across its molding plants in 2025, US Farathane saw a 3× increase in realized value from the second half of 2025 to the first quarter of 2026, with less unplanned downtime and longer time between failures (as reported by KCF Technologies; no dollar figure given).
Invited: KCF Technologies, with US Farathane · Read the published case
- Open slot
Your customer's story goes here.
Solved a plant problem in this category? Propose it for the program.
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Ultrasound & thermography
1 story invited · 1 open slot-
Invited
Bearings that last a year instead of three months at Johnsonville's sausage plants
Greasing guided by ultrasound took the bearings from failing in under three months to lasting over a year, more than four times the life, ended the quarterly replacement cycle, and saved an oven motor that had been headed for replacement (as reported by UE Systems; no dollar figures given).
The problem: In a harsh washdown area, all 160 bearings on the link cutters were replaced every three months and still failed without warning.
Published result: Greasing guided by ultrasound took the bearings from failing in under three months to lasting over a year, more than four times the life, ended the quarterly replacement cycle, and saved an oven motor that had been headed for replacement (as reported by UE Systems; no dollar figures given).
Invited: UE Systems, with Johnsonville · Read the published case
- Open slot
Your customer's story goes here.
Solved a plant problem in this category? Propose it for the program.
-
-
Lubrication & oil analysis
3 stories invited · 1 open slot-
Invited
How oil analysis added years to gearboxes at Worthington Steel in Delta, Ohio
A lubricant change and a Beta 1000, 10-micron filter took the gearbox from 46% faster than normal wear to 41% slower than normal, an estimated three more years of life; oil analysis has added an estimated 12.5 years of cumulative life across the plant's assets (estimated; Worthington Steel confirms the gearbox result; as reported by AssetWatch).
The problem: Vibration data alone missed contamination, and a critical bridle gearbox was wearing out much faster than it should.
Published result: A lubricant change and a Beta 1000, 10-micron filter took the gearbox from 46% faster than normal wear to 41% slower than normal, an estimated three more years of life; oil analysis has added an estimated 12.5 years of cumulative life across the plant's assets (estimated; Worthington Steel confirms the gearbox result; as reported by AssetWatch).
Invited: AssetWatch, with Worthington Steel · Read the published case
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Invited
Eight years without an oil change on a one-of-a-kind brewery gearbox
After switching to a high-performance gear oil, with breathers, sampling and filtration, the gearbox ran eight years and 25,000 hours with no oil change, saving $18,518 in replacement oil and 620 gallons of waste oil (as reported by Lubrication Engineers; customer not named).
The problem: Oil analysis showed the original gear oil wearing badly at 2,500 hours on a hard-to-replace lauter tun gearbox.
Published result: After switching to a high-performance gear oil, with breathers, sampling and filtration, the gearbox ran eight years and 25,000 hours with no oil change, saving $18,518 in replacement oil and 620 gallons of waste oil (as reported by Lubrication Engineers; customer not named).
Invited: Lubrication Engineers · Read the published case
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Invited
Finding the lubrication problems behind machine faults at a railcar parts maker
In a vibration-and-lubrication pilot, the customer confirmed that 38% of all flagged issues were directly linked to lubrication; a gearbox failure was prevented and oil sampling now runs every two months (as reported by KCF Technologies; customer not named; savings described only as tens of thousands of dollars).
The problem: Lubrication was breaking down unseen in grinders, compressors, motors and blowers, and one grinder gearbox was heading for failure.
Published result: In a vibration-and-lubrication pilot, the customer confirmed that 38% of all flagged issues were directly linked to lubrication; a gearbox failure was prevented and oil sampling now runs every two months (as reported by KCF Technologies; customer not named; savings described only as tens of thousands of dollars).
Invited: KCF Technologies and FUCHS Lubricants · Read the published case
- Open slot
Your customer's story goes here.
Solved a plant problem in this category? Propose it for the program.
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Reliability services & APM software
Open: no story invited yet
"Invited" means invited: none of these companies has confirmed. Results are as published by the supplier; we ask every presenter for dates, baseline costs and verified results before the program is final.
Real FMA Summit rooms. No stock photography.
Get in front of the decision makers, not the crowd.
Full package
- 15 guaranteed pre-scheduled meetings
- A 20-minute case-study session
- A fully furnished exhibit
- Your corporate dining table
- Three people at full access
Add meetings up to 40 at $1,500 each.
- Any booked meeting that doesn’t happen is added to your next summit, written into your sponsor agreement.
- Each summit is capped at 20 sponsors, each solving a different problem for the people in the room.
Want the category to yourself? Each summit is capped at 20 sponsors. To talk about your category, .
- Plant leaders ask to meet you. We seat the ones who asked at your table.
- Your booked meeting schedule arrives before the summit.
- Any booked meeting that doesn't happen is added to your next summit: miss 3, and you get 15 plus 3. It's written into your sponsor agreement.
- You get the delegate list 30 days before the summit: names, titles and companies.
- Three people are included with full access. Extra passes are $2,900 each.
Or pick only what you wantMeetings from $15,000, talk $15,000, exhibit $15,000, dining table $10,000
One category, one summit. Prices in USD. Whatever you pick includes three people with full access. Meetings are booked on an opt-in basis before the summit; any booked meeting that doesn't happen is added to your next summit.
No vendor walks the show. Solution providers attend only as sponsors. A vendor that has not sponsored cannot register, attend or work the room, so the plant leaders you meet are not being chased by your competitors in the hallway.
The ten questions every sponsor asks.
Past sponsors answer all ten in one 5-minute film. Pick a question and the film jumps to its answer.
Now ask your own questions.
Answered on camera by past FMA sponsors. Recorded at past FMA summits.
Who's behind it.
Started FMA in Montreal in 2007 and has run every summit himself: 35 of them, 17,000+ meetings. Capped at 20 sponsors per summit, meetings booked before anyone arrives, and no vendor walks the show.
Read the full story
Predictive maintenance sponsors were in 2 of the 35 summits. Every sponsor and speaker, as printed.
Open any programCapped at 20 sponsors per summit. The reliability leaders are in one room.
Twenty minutes with Joe Piazza: who is coming to your summit, where your company fits among its 20 sponsors, and what the agreement says. The sponsor brief has the delegate profile, the full agenda and the itemized pricing.
35 summits since 2007. Joe Piazza, who founded FMA, runs every summit himself. The videos on this page are from past summits.