American Manufacturing Hall of Fame Announces ARTEMIS II-Themed 2026 Hall of Fame Induction Class

Senator Richard Blumenthal Inducts Henkel Corporation, Ensign Bickford Aerospace & Defense, Two First Robotics Teams and NASA Invention Finalist at CT Manufacturing Innovation Forum

Senator Richard Blumenthal, Kirti Patel, Deputy Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development, Fox 61’s Jim Altman and Tim Lammers, and special guest “GIO” the robot dog, joined more than three dozen 2026 American Manufacturing Hall of Fame Honorees and Sponsors on the stage at the 2026 Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Forum, September 1, 2026, at the Connecticut Convention Center.

Hartford, CT (September 8, 2026) — For more than 350 years, New England has been the birthplace of innovation—from deep dives of the first submarine in 1776 to innovations that soar—more than 190 New England manufacturers were suppliers of the historic ARTEMIS II moon mission this past April. To honor this legacy, the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame (AMHoF) inducted five ARTEMIS-themed Honorees into the 2026 American Manufacturing Hall of Fame. The Induction Ceremony was hosted by the State of Connecticut’s 2026 Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Forum on September 1 at the Connecticut Convention Center and was presented by the Connecticut Office of Manufacturing.

The theme of the 2026 Ceremony was ‘Celebrate Those Who Soar, ’ said Katy Toburen, 2026 Induction Chair. “

“This year’s Ceremony had a definite out-of-this-world vibe,” said 2026 Honorary Induction Chair Senator Richard Blumenthal.

AMHoF’s 2026 Inductees, both ARTEMIS suppliers, were Henkel Corporation of Rocky Hill, CT, and Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense of Simsbury, CT.

The 2026 Youth Innovator Honoree, sponsored by Trumpf Inc, is the Avon High School Engineering & Manufacturing Pathway program as NASA’s “HUNCH” program finalist.

“At TRUMPF, we believe innovation starts with investing in people, and we are honored to celebrate these young makers and the exciting future they represent," said Heidi-Melanie Maier, Vice President, Technical Services, TRUMPF Inc.

AMHoF’s newest category, Youth Robotics, celebrated the next generation’s work in robotics. The Youth Robotics Honorees were the Blue Dragon Robotics Team from Middletown High School and the Aces High Robotics Team from Suffield and Windsor Locks High Schools.

Senator Richard Blumenthal presents Senate Citations to 2026 Youth Innovator Hannah Chiu and to members of Avon High School’s 2025-26 Engineering & Manufacturing Pathway program—NASA’s 2026 HUNCH Design and Prototype Lunar Sample Collector Finalists.

After presenting the Youth Innovators with their Senate Citations, Senator Blumenthal noted, “The next generation of NASA scientists may be standing on our stage today.”

Celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, Henkel Corporation is a global leader in adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings. With its North American headquarters in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, Henkel contributed to the Artemis missions in advanced materials technology for demanding spaceflight applications.

“Our exceptional team of colleagues in manufacturing, product development, commercial, and other functions plays a role in making space exploration possible by advancing aerospace innovations and manufacturing technologies that help enable some of the world’s most ambitious missions and shape the future of space exploration,” said George Thomas, Senior Vice President of Industrials North America at Henkel.

George Thomas, Senior Vice President of Industrials North America at Henkel Corporation, 2026 AMHoF Inductee.

The American Manufacturing Hall of Fame was formed in 2014 by a passionate group of manufacturing stakeholders with the mission to “Celebrate, Innovate, Educate.” Each year, AMHoF selects inductees to celebrate manufacturing’s storied innovation while bolstering manufacturing’s future through education. Since our inception 12 years ago, AMHoF has inducted and celebrated 43 companies, 15 Manufacturing Leadership/Innovators and has provided over $300,000 for scholarship and educational programs.

“Connecticut’s manufacturing legacy is built on decades of investment, innovation, and ingenuity that provide solutions for complex challenges,” said Kirti Patel, DECD Deputy Commissioner and CT Chief Manufacturing Officer. “The accomplishments of this year’s American Manufacturing Hall of Fame honorees showcase the incredible technical talent and capabilities across our state, which continues to inspire the next generation to pursue careers and opportunities in Connecticut’s advanced technology and manufacturing sector.”

Ensign-Bickford pioneered the first mining safety fuse in 1836. Today, out of an historic Simsbury factory, Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Design continues to soar as a key ARTEMIS II supplier.

"Generations of talent have brought ingenuity, craftsmanship, and commitment to Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense - and today, EBAD’s work supports some of the most demanding and critical missions in the world. We are incredibly proud of our Connecticut roots, proud of the legacy we've built here, and excited about what comes next," said Lisa Brown, Ensign-Bickford Aerospace and Defense Market Segment Director for Launch Vehicles.

As members of Avon High School’s 2025-26 Engineering & Manufacturing Pathway program, three seniors, Reese Montminy, Keshav Kamathia, and Hannah Chiu, engineered a 3D-printed lunar sample container designed to help ARTEMIS astronauts safely collect and transport moon rocks. Out of thousands of entries nationwide, Reese, Keshav and Hannah were NASA’s 2026 HUNCH Design and Prototype Lunar Sample Collector Finalists.

Connecticut is home to 300 First Robotics teams, which is a state-funded partnership overseen by Ready CT. AMHoF honored its first two First Robotics teams for excellence. Blue Dragon is a six-member robotics team of juniors and seniors from Middletown High School. They are Tournament Champions at two First Robotics events this past year. Aces High Robotics team is comprised of students from both Windsor Locks and Suffield High Schools and qualified for the 2026 FIRST Championship.

“CLA is honored to be a founding sponsor of the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame and to participate in acknowledging the achievements of this year’s distinguished honorees in the field of manufacturing,” said Brett Bushnell, Principal at CLA.

“Our sponsors RBC Bearings, Founding Sponsor CLA, Trumpf Inc., Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense, Collins Aerospace, Raymond James and Connecticut Office of Manufacturing help support AMHoF’s important outreach programs designed to cultivate our next generation of makers,” said Toburen.

CONTACT: Jay Sloves / 860-930-0775 or jay@elkinsonsloves.com