Manufacturing Month 2025: Leading by Example

Each October, Manufacturing Month celebrates the innovation, precision, and people that keep America’s industries moving. At Infinity Industrial Controls, that celebration hits close to home.

As a UL508A-certified manufacturer of industrial control panels and automation systems, Infinity plays a vital role in powering facilities across the nation. Under the leadership of CEO Lynette Barry, Infinity inspires the next generation. She is changing what modern manufacturing leadership means. The company reaches out to students learning about automation and veterans looking for their next career step.

Inspiring the Next Generation

This month, Lynette hosted students from a local Florida high school. They took an exclusive tour of Infinity’s Clearwater panel shop. The students got a first-hand look at the exciting world of industrial automation and control panel manufacturing.

Students learned how creativity, technology, and teamwork work together. They saw this in CNC-machined enclosures and PLC-driven control systems. These skills are important for industries like water treatment, energy, and transportation.

Her message was simple yet powerful: the future of manufacturing needs you. We need about 3.8 million manufacturing workers in the next eight years. It is very important to introduce students to high-tech, hands-on jobs in industrial automation.

Earlier this month, Lynette joined other industry leaders for the CEO Manufacturing Breakfast. They connected with peers focused on workforce development and diversity. These initiatives support the national goals of Manufacturing Month. They help create a skilled workforce for automation in the future.

Women & Veterans in Manufacturing: A Powerful Partnership

Infinity also participated in the Women and Veterans in Manufacturing Panel, hosted by Veterans Metal and organized by Saltmarsh and the Bay Area Manufacturers Association (BAMA).

The event underscored how two vital groups — women and veterans — are helping close the industry’s widening talent gap. Women are now the fastest-growing segment of the veteran population, projected to make up 18% of veterans by 2040. Women veterans have skills in leadership, precision, and safety training. This makes them well-suited for success in industrial manufacturing and automation. These fields require teamwork and problem-solving every day.

As Lynette shared during the discussion,

“Manufacturing offers a tangible path to purpose — building something real, solving problems that matter, and creating progress you can see.”

Why Women Leaders Matter

While women currently make up 29% of the manufacturing workforce and only 26% of leadership roles, research shows that gender diversity drives innovation and business success. Women bring collaborative leadership styles, communication strengths, and a solutions-oriented mindset — all vital in today’s fast-evolving automation and engineering industries.

Lynette’s example proves that technical excellence and leadership go hand-in-hand. As the CEO of a UL508A-certified industrial control panel manufacturer and UL891 switchboard producer, she represents the kind of leadership shaping modern manufacturing — clean, data-driven, and future-focused

Building the Future of Manufacturing

From custom UL508A control panels and UL891 switchboards to engineering and CAD design, industrial control systems integration, retrofitting, and 24/7 service, Infinity’s success depends on a skilled and diverse workforce.

Manufacturing Month reminds us that progress isn’t just about technology — it’s about people. At Infinity Industrial Controls, we’re proud to stand at the intersection of innovation, leadership, and opportunity, proving that the future of industrial automation is not only bright but inclusive.