Sandvik Coromant Salesperson Receives Women in Manufacturing STEP Ahead Award

The Manufacturing Institute is counting Sandvik Coromant’s Danielle Allen among the recipients of the seventh annual Women in Manufacturing STEP Ahead Award. STEP stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Production. The award honors women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers and represent all levels of the manufacturing industry, from the factory floor to the C suite, says the Manufacturing Institute.

Ms. Allen says, “I’m very happy to be a STEP Ahead award honoree. For my sales area, I focus on attracting women to manufacturing as part of our sustainability outreach. This award allows me to support and advocate for women in manufacturing and to pay it forward to other women, so that they have the same opportunities as I have had. Breaking down stereotypes as a STEP Ahead Honoree allows me to do just that by making an impact and instilling change into our organization and the industry.”

“Danielle's dedication and devotion to her customers and colleagues is distinguished by a willingness to explore solutions that need to be ‘designed’ rather than just ‘assigned’ which is a vital skill set for our innovative organization,” says Veronica Messersmith, vice president of sales and award honoree. 

The STEP Ahead Awards are part of the STEP Ahead initiative launched to examine and promote the role of women in the manufacturing industry through recognition, research and leadership. According to Keira Lombardo, chair of STEP Ahead and executive vice president of corporate affairs and compliance for Smithfield Foods, women are the single largest pool of untapped potential talent within the manufacturing industry. “We must continue to do everything we can to promote gender diversity within this field,” she says. 

Women totaled 47 percent of the U.S. labor force in 2016, but only 29 percent of the manufacturing workforce, and less than 16 percent of the machining sector. 

“Providing more opportunities for women in manufacturing is more than just the right thing to do. At a time when manufacturers face a workforce crisis, and with women still constituting less than a third of manufacturing workers, it’s clearly critical to the future of our industry and the economy,” says Carolyn Lee, executive director of the Manufacturing Institute.