AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- LeanDNA, a leading intelligent supply chain execution platform, today announced the winners of its second annual APEX Awards, selected from 26 finalists across six categories. The winners were revealed live on stage at the 2026 LeanDNA Manufacturing Excellence Summit in Austin, recognizing manufacturers and individuals who are driving measurable supply chain transformation through people, process, and technology.

Named after LeanDNA's AI-powered expert execution platform, the APEX Awards honor customers and teams who have moved beyond fragmented, reactive supply chain management toward proactive, AI-driven decision-making. This year's program grew to six categories, adding APEX Architect, APEX Synergy, and The First Ascent awards. It also opened nominations to LeanDNA's customer community for the first time, in addition to its own employees.

"This year's APEX Awards winners demonstrate just how much is possible when customers activate all of the capabilities of the LeanDNA APEX platform to take their supply chain and materials orchestration to the next level," said Jordan Slabaugh, Chief Marketing Officer at LeanDNA. "We introduced a one-time category this year, the First Ascent Award, to recognize someone who has helped shape LeanDNA from the outside in: Eric Blanton and the team at MSA Safety haven't just adopted our platform — they helped us ensure we are advancing the supply chain profession and professionals moving it forward. Congratulations to every winner and every finalist who optimized their inventory and materials orchestration with LeanDNA."

The 2026 APEX Award categories and the winner in each category are:

The APEX Architect Award - Max Denton, Purchasing Team Lead, Global Supply Chain – Machines, Husky Technologies.

Honors the leader who uses APEX daily to save the day, preventing a massive line-down situation or uncovering a hidden inventory goldmine. This award celebrates a strategic doer who uses APEX to its fullest potential.

The APEX Synergy Award - Johnson Controls

Recognizes a company that has broken down silos between departments by proactively managing change, overcoming adoption hurdles, and using APEX as their single source of truth. It honors the collective effort of a team that didn't just install software, but evolved their entire culture to work in total sync.

The Trailblazer Award - Praveen Kanagaraj, Sr. Director, Digital Supply Chain & Quality, Daikin Applied

Nominated by LeanDNA customer success-focused teams, this award honors a person who consistently pushes boundaries, champions new capabilities, and partners strategically to drive value from LeanDNA. It celebrates a true innovator and collaborator who's not afraid to pave a new path.

The APEX Impact Award - Astec

Nominated by customer-facing teams, chosen by LeanDNA leadership. This award honors a customer who exemplifies the spirit of LeanDNA, creating measurable business value, empowering teams, and transforming supply chain from cost center to strategic driver.

The Peak Performance by Site Award - Cirtec Medical, NC1 site

Awarded to the site that has shown the most significant measurable improvements across key metrics in LeanDNA over the last 12 months. It celebrates the customers who have truly climbed to new heights in supply chain performance using LeanDNA.

The Peak Performance by Company Award - Daikin Applied

Awarded to the company that has shown the most significant measurable improvements across key metrics in LeanDNA over the last 12 months. It celebrates the customers who have truly climbed to new heights in supply chain performance using LeanDNA.

The First Ascent Award - Eric Blanton and the MSA Safety team

A new, one-time recognition honoring a customer partner of more than four years whose candid feedback has shaped LeanDNA's platform, and whose team became the first LeanDNA-certified organization after committing to the pilot cohort of LeanDNA Academy's certification program.

Congratulations to all of this year's winners and finalists. LeanDNA thanks its customer community and team for the great teamwork behind every result.

Related Links:

• LeanDNA Announces 2026 APEX Awards Finalists, Expanding to Two New Customer-Nominated Categories
• LeanDNA to Host Third Annual Manufacturing Excellence Summit (2026)
• LeanDNA Announces Inaugural APEX Award Winners (2025)

About LeanDNA

LeanDNA powers the world's discrete manufacturing with a single source of truth for factory-first materials orchestration and inventory optimization. APEX, the AI-powered expert execution platform from LeanDNA, transforms data into optimized decisions and action. LeanDNA empowers manufacturers in aerospace, HVAC, industrials, automotive, and medical to improve on-time delivery and working capital levels. Leading manufacturers including Caterpillar, Daikin Applied, Radius Aerospace, and Siemens use APEX for supply chain orchestration to gain visibility into current and incoming materials, take action based on inventory criticality, collaborate in real time with suppliers, and track progress toward inventory optimization goals. Learn more at LeanDNA.com.

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SOURCE LeanDNA Inc