We’re well into summer and the holiday is right around the corner. Just in case you have a little time to relax and catch up on reading, we’ve collected this year’s best stories so far. Whether you missed them the first time or want another look, here's your summer reading list.

The year's most-read stories reflect an industry focused on building stronger organizations as much as stronger plants. Readers gravitated toward practical leadership advice, smarter maintenance planning, and realistic approaches to digital transformation, while also exploring how AI is beginning to solve everyday operational challenges like spare parts management. The list rounds out with guidance on high-efficiency motor selection, underscoring the growing importance of balancing reliability, sustainability, and energy costs. These articles show that manufacturing excellence depends on combining people, processes, and technology.

Top 2026 content (so far)

Seven leadership practices that transform manufacturing culture one week at a time

True culture is shaped by what leaders tolerate, inspect, and improve every day.

Case study: How Nestlé USA used AI to improve spare parts search and inventory visibility across its network of factories

By applying an AI-powered tool to spare parts data, SAP search accuracy improved and teams could manage inventory more efficiently.

Six reasons why you haven't earned Maintenance 4.0 yet 

Most organizations can't fully take advantage of Maintenance 4.0 concepts, not because the technology is not real, but because they lack a foundation to support it.

Plant managers sabotage their planners

A strong planning function is the key to maximizing maintenance labor capacity, but too many senior leaders ignore this fact.

A short guide to high efficiency motor selection for system designers

Abandon the “one-size-fits-all” approach in favor of balancing motor sizing, energy loss, and operational cost factors to find the most productive fit for your application.