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If you’ve spent more than ten minutes around manufacturing conversations, you’ve probably heard at least one of these terms: Lean. Six Sigma. Industry 4.0. They sound important. They sound technical. They sound like something you’re supposed to understand. But here’s the truth. At their core, they’re just different ways of saying, “Let’s make this work better.” That’s it. The problem isn’t the concepts. The problem is how they’re often explained. So let’s strip the jargon awa

Starting a manufacturing company can feel like standing at the bottom of a mountain staring up at the clouds. There’s equipment to buy. Space to secure. Suppliers to find. Customers to win. Processes to design. It’s easy to freeze. But here’s the truth: no strong manufacturing company was built in one giant leap. They were built step by step. If you try to sprint to the factory floor without laying the groundwork, you risk building something expensive and fragile. If you mov

There’s a moment every future manufacturer experiences. You have an idea. Maybe it’s a product you wish existed. Maybe it’s something you already make on a small scale. Maybe you see a gap in the market and think, “Why isn’t anyone doing this here?” And then the big thought hits. “What if I started a manufacturing company?” It’s exciting. It’s bold. It’s also expensive. Manufacturing is not like starting a service business with a laptop and WiFi. Equipment costs money. Materi

If you’ve ever listened to manufacturers talk and felt like they were speaking another language, you’re not behind. You’re just new. Manufacturing has a way of sounding bigger and more complicated than it actually is. Words get tossed around. Metrics get discussed. Acronyms appear out of nowhere. But underneath all of that, manufacturing operations are surprisingly simple. Manufacturing operations are just the way you turn materials into products in a repeatable way that make

When Senator Dan Sullivan’s team contacted AKMA to help organize a listening tour with local manufacturers, we saw an opportunity to do more than host a visit. We saw a chance to demonstrate what Alaska manufacturing looks like today—and what it is capable of becoming. Working closely with AKMA members in the Mat-Su Valley, we coordinated six manufacturing facility tours in a single day, each located within ten minutes of the next. The goal was intentional: to show Senator Su

Alaska’s food system has always been shaped by distance, weather, and logistics. Most of what we eat still arrives by barge, truck, or plane, often traveling thousands of miles before it reaches a shelf. That reality is why small-scale growing efforts across Alaska are getting renewed attention. Recent reporting highlights increased support for small-scale and controlled-environment growing in Alaska — greenhouses, season extension, and indoor systems designed to work in cold

Alaska is back in the national conversation around critical minerals. Graphite, copper, zinc, and other materials essential to batteries, defense systems, and energy infrastructure are increasingly being framed as supply-chain priorities for the United States. Several recent articles highlight this shift, including coverage of Graphite One’s domestic graphite strategy, renewed attention on the Ambler Mining District, and ongoing operations like the Greens Creek Mine near June

Sustainable Aviation Fuel, or SAF, has been popping up more often in industry news lately. It can sound far away from day-to-day manufacturing in Alaska — futuristic, expensive, or years out. But a recent partnership announcement involving Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, Par Hawaii, and Pono Energy is worth a closer look. Not because SAF is “about to arrive” in Alaska, but because of how this supply chain is being built — and what that approach signals for places like

If you’ve been hearing more chatter about the Alaska gasline lately, you’re not imagining it. Over the past couple of weeks, several stories have surfaced at the same time — some outlining new efforts to move the project forward, others raising serious questions about cost, timing, and who ultimately pays. For AKMA members, this can feel distant or overly political. But energy reliability and energy cost are not abstract issues. They show up directly in manufacturing operatio

If you’ve been hearing more about artificial intelligence (AI) in manufacturing and thinking, “That’s not us,” you’re not alone. Most Alaska manufacturers are focused on very real, very immediate issues: workforce, freight costs, energy prices, equipment, and getting product out the door. AI can feel far removed from that reality. But a recent announcement from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is worth paying attention to — not because you need to ad

Marketing and branding are powerful tools for any business — and for many founders, they are essential parts of growing a product line, building trust, and telling a compelling story. But what I’ve learned working with makers and manufacturers across Alaska is this: Not everyone wants to be the face of their brand, and that’s okay. You can build real, sustainable momentum even if you don’t want to show up constantly online or center your personality in your marketing. Marketi

A new breakthrough coming out of Alaska could change how we build in cold climates — and it starts with fungus. Researchers have developed an eco-friendly insulation made from mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms, combined with locally sourced wood pulp. The result? A lightweight, compostable, and fire-resistant alternative to petroleum-based foams — one that could transform the way we approach housing, packaging, and energy efficiency in northern regions. “This is exact

On October 6, the Trump administration approved new oil and gas drilling leases inside the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) — one of Alaska’s most debated and least developed regions. The announcement reversed Biden-era restrictions and re-opened the door to potential exploration across millions of acres of the 19.3-million-acre refuge. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said the decision “restores Alaska’s energy independence and creates jobs,” while environmental a

The Ambler Road project just took a major step forward. On November 3, the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) voted to commit an additional $50 million toward advancing the 211-mile industrial access road through the Brooks Range — a move that could reshape how materials, freight, and equipment move across Alaska in the coming decade. This brings AIDEA’s total investment to $85 million, with the funds earmarked for permitting, design, and early constru

Every summer, Alaska becomes a magnet for travelers chasing midnight sun and bucket-list adventures. But behind every packed cruise ship, tour van, and roadside café lies an unseen story — one powered by Alaska’s manufacturers. A recent article in Travel and Tour World called Alaska “the state poised to transform the U.S. travel economy.” That transformation doesn’t stop at tourism. It ripples outward — into logistics, packaging, food production, retail goods, and the small

When Typhoon Halong tore through the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta this fall, it didn’t just destroy property — it wiped out freezers full of smoked fish, berry caches, and dried meat that families depend on through the winter. For many Alaska Native communities, those losses aren’t just about food. They represent centuries of knowledge, tradition, and self-reliance. As the Alaska Native Heritage Center and Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium stepped up to organize relief — collec

When most people think of Alaska manufacturing, they picture seafood, metals, or construction materials. But Mike Williams of EagleSong Peony Farm is proving that innovation can bloom from the soil itself. Featured in Alaska Business Magazine’s November issue, Mike’s story highlights how Alaska’s peony industry—once known mainly for its stunning cut flowers—is now pushing into value-added production and bio-manufacturing. “We’re looking beyond the bouquet,” Williams says. “

Last week, AFCO Distribution, a division of Skagit Farmers Supply in Washington, announced it has acquired Alaska Mill & Feed, the longtime Anchorage-based manufacturer and supplier of feed, garden, and pet products. The company will retain its employees and continue operations under its familiar name — a sign that larger regional players see real value in Alaska-made production. For Alaska’s manufacturing community, this is worth watching. The move strengthens regional feed

We’re thrilled to share that the Alaska Manufacturing Association (AKMA) is featured in the November 2025 issue of Alaska Business Magazine ! The piece, “Manufacturing Connections: A New Trade Association, Fresh from the Assembly Line,” captures how Alaska’s manufacturing community is coming together—makers, producers, fabricators, builders—to build something bigger than any of us could do alone. “Manufacturing is an untapped economic engine in Alaska,” AKMA Co-Founder Megan

The State of Alaska is asking for public input on several major programs that directly impact small businesses, local producers, and manufacturers — including the Made in Alaska program.