It’s a given that women are the backbone of the home, but the role they’ve played in the economy and the success of manufacturing is often understated and rarely recognized. Throughout history, women have, a number of times, been the saving of the sector, which is once again becoming a possibility with the transition to Industry 4.0.

When it comes to liquid-filled distribution class transformers, the name VanTran Transformers is synonymous with quality, manufacturing speed, and agility. The company’s bespoke design, manufacturing, and service capabilities are standalone in the market and bring peace of mind and results to customers around the globe.

Taking great pride in workmanship is a top priority for ASI, a company with more than 35 years of experience in specialized drying, curing, and cooling solutions for both the U.S. and overseas.

When talking about Vexos, one phrase inevitably comes to mind: Technology leader in EMS. With innovative custom materials and manufacturing capabilities, Vexos serves customers around the world from its manufacturing facilities in the USA, Canada, Vietnam, and China. It is, therefore, no surprise that the company is exceeding even its own expectations with a swift growth trajectory.

Fasteners Direct of Webster, New York, carries everything relating to industrial and construction fasteners. The company was founded by Herb Parr in the 1990s and has always embraced being a family business.

Vector Controls and Automation Group (Vector CAG) is an established representative, distributor, service and solution partner for several manufacturers. The company was born on March 6, 2013 from a concept that took two years to fully realize after President and Managing Partner Jared Boudreaux, having worked for Endress+Hauser, working with their leadership and consultants to consolidate representatives in the market and geography.

With cutting-edge industrial facilities that include two buildings with 60,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space each and more than five acres of property, Edmonton, Alberta-based LJ Welding Automation has been providing high-quality welding equipment to the Canadian and international welding and fabrication industry for decades.

Talbert Manufacturing, Inc. was founded in 1938 by Austin Talbert, a man who brought innovation and customer service to the forefront of the heavy haul trucking industry by addressing the needs of his customers time and again. By manufacturing trailers and equipment that set the standard for safety and performance, the name Talbert became synonymous with quality.

Since it was formally established in June of 2015, Raise3D Technologies, Inc. has grown to become one of the world’s leading designers and manufacturers of large-format 3D printers. With its U.S. headquarters in Irvine, California and offices in The Netherlands and China, Raise3D and its innovative team are committed to clients, increasing their competitive advantage through additive manufacturing.

Arshon Technology Inc. Founder and CEO Mazi Hosseini was struck with a groundbreaking idea while on a cruise in the Mediterranean Sea. “We had no connection whatsoever to outside of the cruise,” he remembers. The lack of cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity posed a problem when his family wanted to find one another on the sprawling ship. “I could not talk to my son or my wife. We didn’t know where we were. The cruise was significantly large. We had to find each other just by walking around.”

There’s a fine line between inventor and innovator, between not only finding a niche that needs filling, but creating the very solution that changes lives for the better. Inventors have the unique ability to think creatively and produce original ideas that have made vast differences for humanity over the years, and even though throughout history some of the most notable inventions to date have been made by women, men have been credited and recognized for their creations much more often.