This week’s Manufacturing Minute highlights CMTA members leading the way with major investments and advancements in workforce development, U.S. manufacturing, and pharmaceutical innovation. https://youtu.be/jMnlk4-ZJrk Watch the latest Manufacturing Minute episode in...
News & Insights
We’re changing the narrative of the manufacturing industry one story at a time. CMTA’s award-winning storytelling team showcases California’s 30,000 manufacturers by uplifting the voices of our makers. Find industry news and the stories from those “Making California” below.
Manufacturing in the News: April 2025
Scroll through CMTA's round-up of manufacturing-related news and updates from April 2025. The articles below don’t reflect the views of the manufacturing industry or CMTA. They are a collection of the latest industry news from this past month. Latest Industry...
First Major Tankless Brand Assembled in U.S. Joins CMTA
Sacramento, Calif. – The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) welcomed new member Rinnai to the organization. Rinnai America Corporation, a subsidiary of Rinnai Corporation in Nagoya, Japan, was established in 1974. With a global perspective to...
Manufacturing Minute: California’s First New Steel Mill in 50 Years Begins Construction
This week's Manufacturing Minute brings attention to significant developments in steel manufacturing, electrical products, and workers' compensation solutions for California manufacturers. https://youtu.be/8VbyGGXGdgk Watch the latest Manufacturing Minute episode in...
Porsche Consulting Joins CMTA’s Member Network
Sacramento, Calif. – The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) welcomed new member Porsche Consulting to the organization in March. The consulting firm is a leading management consultancy from Germany with offices located around the world. It...
Schneider Electric Joins CMTA
Sacramento, Calif. – The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) welcomed new member Schneider Electric to the organization today. Schneider Electric is a global industrial technology leader and a powerhouse of energy distribution, industrial...
Largest Flexible Packaging Manufacturer for Produce Joins CMTA
Sacramento, Calif. – The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) welcomed new member Emerald Packaging to the organization today. For 60 years, Emerald Packaging has been reinventing produce packaging and is the largest flexible packaging...
As Seen On TV: Women in Manufacturing California-Made Products
California-made products were recently featured on ABC10, CBS Sacramento, and Fox40, highlighting the creativity and innovation driving the state’s manufacturing industry. These TV segments lead up to CMTA’s 4th Annual Women MakingCA Conference on Thursday, March 13,...
Leading Developer in Energy Storage Solutions Joins CMTA
Sacramento, Calif. – The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) welcomed new member Convergent Energy and Power (Convergent) to the organization today. Convergent is a leading provider of energy storage solutions in North America. The...
CMTA Celebrates Black History Month by Exploring Current and Past Innovators of Manufacturing
In honor of Black History Month, we're highlighting the lasting contributions of African American leaders in manufacturing. These trailblazers broke racial barriers and shaped the modern manufacturing landscape through their innovation and resilience. Their legacies...
Press Release
Digital Consultancy Firm Hitachi Digital Services Joins CMTA

Sacramento, Calif. – The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) welcomed Hitachi Digital Services to the organization today.
Hitachi Digital Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd., is an edge-to-core digital consultancy and technology services provider helping organizations realize the full potential of artificial intelligence-driven digital transformation.
The company is partnering with CMTA to provide informational webinars on AI to California’s manufacturers. Dr. Chetan Gupta, head of AI research, will host Hitachi Digital Services’ first webinar on June 11, 2024, and it will explore AI’s transformative impact on manufacturing.
“Embracing the digital era in manufacturing, we eagerly anticipate bringing forward new associate member Hitachi Digital Services as an expert in AI to our members,” said CMTA’s CEO & President Lance Hastings. “Empowering our members to navigate future challenges will fortify our small and medium-sized manufacturers.”
Hitachi Digital Services leans on its parent company’s 110-year history in manufacturing and over 60 years in IT expertise to help shape the industry’s digital strategies and increase manufacturing velocity.
The company uses industrial AI and machine learning within the manufacturing sector to enhance operational performance by pinpointing factors affecting quality, identifying critical failures in infrastructure, and reducing human errors.
The company provides digital consulting for various industries, including manufacturing and aerospace and defense through its Smart Factory Solutions.
“Hitachi is honored to join the CMTA and collaborate with industry leaders, and policymakers to help drive innovation and advancement of manufacturing in California and the United States,” said Nicholas Wojciak, Industry Leader Western United States for Hitachi Digital Services. “Together, we can drive economic growth, foster innovation, and build a more resilient, environmentally sustainable competitive manufacturing industry.”
Through a technology-unified operating model for cloud, data, and IoT, Hitachi Digital Services’ end-to-end value creation for clients is established through innovation in digital engineering, implementation services, products, and solutions. Information Services Group (ISG) recently named Hitachi Digital Services as a “Product Challenger” for manufacturing services and solutions in its latest research report.
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About CMTA
The California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) has advocated for pro-growth laws and regulations before the California legislature and administrative agencies since 1918. The total output from manufacturing in California is $300 billion per year, roughly 10 percent of the total economic output of the state. Manufacturers employ 1.3 million Californians paying wages more than $25,000 higher than other non-farm employers in the state. For more information, visit CMTA’s website.
About Hitachi Digital ServicesHitachi Digital Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd., is an edge-to-core digital consultancy and technology services provider helping organizations realize the full potential of AI-driven digital transformation. Through a technology-unified operating model for cloud, data, and IoT, Hitachi Digital Services’ end-to-end value creation for clients is established through innovation in digital engineering, implementation services, products, and solutions. Built on Hitachi Group’s more than 110 years of innovation across industries, Hitachi Digital Services helps to improve people’s lives today and build a sustainable world tomorrow. For more information, visit https://hitachids.com/.