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Celebrating Supply Chain Excellence: LeanDNA's 2026 APEX Awards Finalists Announced

LeanDNA, a front runner in intelligent supply chain execution, recently announced the finalists for its 2026 APEX Awards. This marks the second annual ceremony, which aims to honor outstanding achievements in the manufacturing sector through innovation and effective supply chain management. The awards ceremony will take place during the LeanDNA Manufacturing Excellence Summit from October 28-30, 2026, in downtown Austin, Texas.

This year, LeanDNA has expanded the awards program from four categories to six. Notably, two new categories have been introduced: the APEX Architect Award and the APEX Synergy Award. The APEX Architect Award is designated for an individual who has demonstrated advanced expertise in utilizing LeanDNA's latest capabilities, while the APEX Synergy Award honors a team that has successfully integrated APEX within their organization to foster better communication and collaboration across departments.

The finalists for the 2026 APEX Awards include a diverse group of companies and individuals, representing a broad spectrum of manufacturing and supply chain excellence. Under the Peak Performance Award – Account category, four companies have been recognized for their impressive performance based on measurable metrics. The finalists include:

• - Daikin
• - Johnson Controls
• - Spirit AeroSystems
• - Current Lighting

In the Peak Performance Award – Site category, the finalists are:

• - MSA Safety (USM1)
• - Safran Cabin Marysville
• - Mercury Systems (Hudson)
• - Modine (Lawrenceburg 2)
• - Cirtec Medical Corp (NC1)

The APEX Impact Award, intended to recognize organizations that have made considerable contributions to supply chain evolution, features:

• - Husky
• - Astec
• - Ingersoll Rand Haskel Europe Ltd. (Sunderland)
• - MSA- The Safety Company

For the Trailblazer Award, showcasing individuals leading transformative projects, the following nominees have been selected:

• - Vatsal Gandhi from Ford
• - Praveen Kanagaraj from Daikin
• - Patrick Quade from Enjet
• - Meagan Long from Stanadyne
• - Tej Savant from Carrier

New entrants into the awards, the APEX Synergy Award, recognizes teams that work collaboratively to utilize APEX for integrated supply chain solutions. The finalists in this category are:

• - Carrier Montilla SA
• - Johnson Controls
• - Safran Electronics & Defense
• - Siemens

Lastly, the APEX Architect Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional skill in employing LeanDNA's APEX capabilities, with finalists including:

• - Eduardo Cardoso, Carrier
• - Gladys Maziarz, Ford
• - Max Denton, Husky
• - Homero Garza, Daikin

LeanDNA's Chief Marketing Officer, Jordan Slabaugh, expressed excitement about the accomplishments of its customer community, stating, “This year's APEX Awards reflect just how far our customer community has taken supply chain transformation, and how eager they are to celebrate it alongside each other.” He emphasized the importance of recognizing those who strive to shift organizational culture, not just implement software solutions.

LeanDNA continues to empower manufacturers across various sectors, including aerospace, automotive, and medical, through its AI-driven platform that enhances supply chain transparency and decision-making capabilities. Major players in the manufacturing sector, such as Caterpillar and Siemens, leverage LeanDNA for orchestrating their supply chains, aiming to achieve optimized inventory levels and improved delivery timelines.

The anticipation for the APEX Awards event is palpable as LeanDNA prepares to honor the impactful contributions of these finalists, setting a high standard for performance and innovation within the supply chain industry.