National Association of Manufacturers

The National Association of Manufacturers, known as NAM, is the largest manufacturing industry trade association in the United States, founded in 1895 and headquartered in Washington. The organization represents over fourteen thousand member companies spanning all manufacturing sectors including aerospace and defense, automotive, chemicals, electronics, food and beverage processing, industrial machinery, metals, pharmaceuticals, plastics, and textiles. Member companies range from small family-owned factories to Fortune 500 industrial conglomerates, collectively representing over twelve million manufacturing employees across all fifty states. The association advocates on policy issues including tax reform, regulatory reform, energy policy, workforce development and skills training, infrastructure investment, trade policy, and intellectual property protection. Through its Manufacturing Institute, the organization runs workforce development programs including the Heroes MAKE America initiative connecting transitioning military service members with manufacturing careers, and the Creators Wanted campaign aimed at inspiring the next generation of manufacturing professionals. For manufacturers navigating federal regulations and trade policy, membership provides legislative advocacy, regulatory compliance resources, and benchmarking data on manufacturing costs and productivity.