Lots of manufacturers grabbed headlines in the latest IndustryWeek’s Weekly Review, which showcases the most-consumed content over the previous seven days. Honda, Rivian and GE Appliances captured the attention of IW’s manufacturing community, as did Boeing. Other topics of interest include ESOPs, hoshin kanri, EBITDA valuations and more.

Honda Will Build $3 Billion Hybrid Plant in Ohio: The new manufacturing facility is expected to employ more than 2,000 people when it is fully operational.

Manufacturing Employees Perform Better—and Stay Longer— When They Own a Piece of the Company: At an electrical equipment manufacturer in Idaho, an ESOP makes all the difference in culture, engagement and productivity.

Rivian Nears Automotive Profit Landmark: Also: Harley’s electric spinoff says it is in serious trouble.

GE Appliances Created a Virtual Maker Space for AI: Freeing employees’ hands to create new AI-based systems leads to innovation and ultimately efficiency.

Humans in the Lead, Not the Loop: the Future of Manufacturing R&D: While AI and digital fluency are included in the list, they are not at the top.

EBITDA Valuations for Manufacturing Companies Aren't What You Think: The headline multiple everyone's citing this year is real. It's also probably not yours.

Hoshin Kanri: Without Alignment, This Lean Tool Is Bound to Fail: Organizations typically have too many priorities, all competing for the same people, time and resources. As the maxim goes, if everything is priority, nothing is priority. Hoshin kanri, also known as strategy deployment or policy deployment, aims to wrangle this conundrum into a plan the entire organization can get behind. In this episode of Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement, hosts John Dyer and Dr. Mohamed Saleh discuss the key role alignment plays in making hoshin kanri successful.

October Jobs Report: US Adds 165,000 Jobs as Unemployment Falls Slightly to 4.1%: Manufacturing employment increased by 19,000 jobs last month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics report.

Boeing to Cut 5% of Commercial Plane Staff on Slower Ramp-Up Plans: Boeing executives had previously signaled slower plans to raise plane output, saying in a late October conference call the company would no longer meet its target for 2026 deliveries.

Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA): Focus on the Learning: Why you should use Plan, Do, Check, Act as a learning cycle for solving problems, rather than as a checklist for implementing solutions.