Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance

08/14/2026

This week, the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance brought together U.S. Representative Stephanie Bice and manufacturers from across central Oklahoma for a congressional roundtable hosted by Morrison Cup Solutions.

The discussion focused on how decisions in Washington affect day-to-day operations and long-term growth at companies across the state. Participants covered tariffs and trade, workforce needs, capital investment, technology adoption, federal contracting, cybersecurity and continued support for the MEP National Network.

Following the conversation, the group toured Morrison's plant for a firsthand look at its cup production, in-house printing and distribution capabilities. Morrison is a fourth-generation Oklahoma family business with roots dating to 1912 and today serves customers across the country.

These ongoing roundtables help bring factory-floor experience into the federal policy conversation and give Oklahoma manufacturers a direct voice with the people representing them in Washington.



𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚.

08/13/2026

The Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance has named Chris Benge president, bringing many years of public policy and state leadership experience to the organization’s executive team.

Benge will focus on business growth and external engagement, working with state leaders, Native Nations, education institutions, economic development organizations and other partners to broaden opportunities for Oklahoma manufacturers. He also will help communicate industry priorities, cultivate new alliances and connect companies with programs that support innovation, talent needs and long-term competitiveness.

“Chris understands how public policy, workforce preparation and economic development come together to influence the success of Oklahoma companies,” said Roger Kelly, OMA chief executive officer. “His statewide relationships and ability to bring people together will help OMA reach more manufacturers, develop productive collaborations and identify new ways to serve industry.”

A Tulsa native and citizen of the Cherokee Nation, Benge began his career in a family-owned painting and construction business. He later served 12 years in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, including three years as chairman of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee and two years as speaker of the House.

His public service also includes roles as an adviser to Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett, Oklahoma secretary of state, secretary of Native American affairs and chief of staff to Gov. Mary Fallin. Benge previously was senior vice president of government affairs at the Tulsa Regional Chamber, where he worked to support the economic development efforts of the organization.

He spent the past seven-and-a-half years with Oklahoma State University serving in senior leadership roles at the OSU Center for Health Sciences and OSU-Tulsa. Most recently, Benge served as vice president of operations and director of workforce partnerships at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology in Okmulgee. In that capacity, he helped advance technical education and career pathways designed to address employer needs and prepare Oklahomans for well-paying jobs.”

“Manufacturing is essential to Oklahoma’s future, and continued progress will require close coordination among employers, policymakers, tribal governments, educators and local communities,” Benge said. “I believe Oklahoma is well positioned to play a significant role in the U.S. effort to expand the manufacturing capabilities of our nation and compete in a 21st century economy. At OMA, I look forward to bringing those groups together and creating opportunities that benefit manufacturers, their employees and communities across the state.”

Benge has represented Oklahoma on diplomatic missions to South Korea and Taiwan and has worked throughout his career to strengthen the state’s visibility and economic relationships.

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚.

08/12/2026

08/12/2026

A historic building in Atoka is preparing for a new chapter in Oklahoma manufacturing.

Achapa Beverage, a Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma-owned beverage co-manufacturing company, has announced plans for a $30 million production facility that will combine rehabilitation of the 1936 Atoka Armory with new construction. The project is expected to create up to 40 jobs and serve beverage brands across a seven-state region.

The operation will specialize in canned, nonalcoholic beverages for midsize brands. Achapa describes the facility as vertically integrated, with turnkey co-packing services, lower minimum-order quantities, shorter lead times and the flexibility to handle multiple packaging formats. The company says the Atoka plant is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2027.

Modern production technology will be a key part of the investment. Plans call for Krones canning equipment, bringing industrial-scale filling and packaging capabilities to the southeastern Oklahoma community. Krones produces integrated systems for beverage processing, filling, packaging and material handling used by manufacturers around the world.

The project also gives new purpose to one of Atoka's distinctive landmarks. Built in 1936 as a Works Progress Administration project, the native-sandstone armory is recognized for its craftsmanship and Art Deco influences. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The City of Atoka has voted to donate the property to Achapa for rehabilitation and conversion to modern production use.

Led by CEO Cynthia Convery, Achapa says the facility will be the nation's first Native woman-owned beverage co-manufacturing plant. Its original funding came from the MoonSoon Fund, a Navajo woman-owned investment fund focused on Native women entrepreneurs. The name Achapa means “partner” in Choctaw, an appropriate connection for a company whose business model centers on helping other beverage brands bring products to market.

For Oklahoma, the project adds another form of advanced production to the state's industrial base while bringing private investment and skilled employment to a rural community. It is also an example of how manufacturing can combine new technology, entrepreneurship and local assets to create economic opportunity across the state.

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚.

08/11/2026

Artificial intelligence is moving quickly from concept to practical tool on the factory floor. On Tuesday, Aug. 18, the Central Oklahoma Manufacturers Association will bring together industry leaders for a breakfast discussion on real-world AI applications, challenges and measurable results.

OMA Director of Technical Services Rajesh Krishnamurthy, Ph.D., will join Travis Dollar of Ditch Witch and Gunnar Hood of WSI AI World for the panel discussion. Krishnamurthy leads OMA’s work in areas that include robotics and automation, process engineering, efficient factory design and advanced manufacturing technology.

The morning's conversation will look at how manufacturers are putting AI to work today to improve productivity, streamline operations and identify practical opportunities for better performance.

Register: https://lnkd.in/gM6wRA9i

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚.

08/10/2026

Blue Arc Metal Specialties is making room for its next chapter in Claremore.

Following a recent groundbreaking, construction is set to begin on a $5.5 million expansion at the company’s Claremore Industrial Park campus. The project will add about 60,000 square feet and is expected to create 30 to 40 jobs as Blue Arc responds to increasing customer demand.

For an Oklahoma manufacturer with deep roots in metal fabrication, aviation and defense, the investment is about more than square footage. Blue Arc supports customers including AXH air-coolers and L3Harris Technologies, while its FAA-certified Part 145 repair station allows repaired aircraft components to be approved for return to service.

Founded in 1998, the locally owned, family-operated business has developed capabilities that span precision welding, CNC plasma cutting, aircraft repair and specialized fabrication. Its work reaches aviation, defense, energy and other industrial markets.

The Claremore project also illustrates the value of reinvestment by established Oklahoma companies. Additional production space can create skilled career opportunities, increase the ability to serve customers and reinforce supply-chain connections among manufacturers operating in the same region.

That is particularly important in Claremore, where a growing concentration of fabrication, aerospace and other industrial companies continues to demonstrate the depth of Oklahoma’s manufacturing sector.

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚.

Source: Claremore Progress. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ge2avw4M

h/t Claremore Economic Development

08/10/2026

08/07/2026

This week, the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance brought together Congressman Kevin Hern and manufacturers from across eastern Oklahoma for a discussion on federal issues affecting their companies, employees and ability to grow.

The conversation covered many of the challenges manufacturers are navigating today, including tariffs and trade policy, workforce development, capital investment and technology, federal contracting, cybersecurity requirements and continued support for the national Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP).

These roundtables are designed to create direct conversations between Oklahoma manufacturers and the people representing them in Washington. Good policy starts with understanding what is happening on the factory floor. These OMA-sponsored gatherings give manufacturers an opportunity to explain how federal policies translate into real-world decisions involving investments, hiring, supply chains and growth.

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚.

08/06/2026

The Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance Board of Directors has named Roger Kelly as the organization’s new chief executive officer. Kelly succeeds Dave Rowland, who retired after 11 years at the helm.

Kelly has served as OMA’s chief operating officer for the past three years, directing the statewide team of specialists who help manufacturers improve performance through technology adoption, business alignment and strategic planning. He has also played a central role in coordinating OMA’s resources and ensuring its services remain responsive to industry needs.

“Roger combines broad manufacturing experience with a detailed understanding of our organization and the companies it serves,” said John Griffin, chairman of OMA’s board of directors. “He has earned the trust of our staff, partners and clients through his practical approach and commitment to measurable results. The board is confident he will continue moving the organization forward while keeping its focus on Oklahoma industry.”

Kelly brings extensive private-sector experience in engineering, plant operations, sales and business development. He earned a degree in industrial engineering from the University of Arkansas and an MBA from Southern Nazarene University. Kelly is also certified in Lean manufacturing and holds a Six Sigma Green Belt.

As CEO, Kelly will guide OMA’s statewide efforts to help manufacturers increase productivity, strengthen their workforce, address supply chain challenges and adopt advanced technologies. He will also oversee the continued development of OMA Technical Services, registered apprenticeship programs, Strategic Sourcing, the Advanced Manufacturing Center and the Advanced Manufacturing Mobile Lab.

“Oklahoma manufacturers are constantly adapting to new technologies, workforce demands and competitive pressures,” Kelly said. “OMA has an exceptional team with the experience and technical knowledge to help companies respond to those challenges. I am honored to take on this role and look forward to building on the strong foundation already in place.”

Supported by the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST), OMA contributes to the agency’s broader mission of fostering innovation and strengthening the state’s industrial base. OMA also serves as Oklahoma’s NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership Center, connecting companies to the expertise and resources of MEP's National Network.

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚.

08/05/2026

Two major developments at FISTA Innovation Park are expanding the infrastructure needed to design, evaluate and build advanced aerospace and defense systems in Oklahoma.

Advanced Navigation and Positioning Corporation broken ground this week on a new Lawton hub for finished-product manufacturing. ANPC supplies transponder-based precision approach guidance and airspace surveillance technology for civil and military aviation. Its deployable systems are designed for remote or terrain-challenged airfields, as well as environments where GPS service is unavailable or unreliable. The company serves customers on all seven continents.

According to information released with the groundbreaking, ANPC expects its Oklahoma operations to represent a $19 million investment during the next five years. The company plans to employ more than 30 people by the end of 2027, with positions in manufacturing, program management and engineering.

ANPC also intends to conduct system trials at several locations across Oklahoma, including Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport, the Choctaw Nation’s Daisy Ranch, Infinity One Oklahoma Spaceport and the Oklahoma National Guard’s Camp Gruber. Daisy Ranch operates as an advanced aviation technology and unmanned aircraft test site, while the newly renamed Infinity One facility at Burns Flat is Oklahoma’s FAA-licensed spaceport.

At the same event, FISTA marked the opening of a new anechoic complex developed in collaboration with Epirus. The facility includes two shielded, low-reflection chambers for specialized radio-frequency and high-power microwave evaluations. The larger space, approximately 2,800 square feet, can accommodate vehicles, radar systems and other oversized equipment. A 600-square-foot chamber is intended for rapid assessment of subsystems, electronics and payloads.

Read and see more here: https://lnkd.in/gfgUQkQY

And here: https://lnkd.in/gncMfimp

Epirus is also supplying a high-power RF instrument that will give FISTA an in-house capability to characterize waveforms and measure effects on sophisticated electronic targets. The complex will support government research, academic collaboration and defense industry development.

This type of specialized infrastructure can shorten the distance between an initial concept and a field-ready product. FISTA provides secure, adaptable office, laboratory and manufacturing space near Fort Sill, bringing technology companies, engineers, researchers and military users into the same regional ecosystem.

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐤𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚.