This Executive Summary is the first installment of a series of report sections that, when brought
together, will describe a framework for Smart Process Manufacturing and a consensus-based
Operating and Technology Roadmap that reflects priority areas of attention and transition. The
report reflects the consensus of a national cross-section of industry leaders involved with planning
the future of the process industry, vendors that supply technology solutions for manufacturing
operations and academic researchers engaged in a range of associated systems research. The
information forming the basis of this report was generated during a workshop held in April 2008
and a number of subsequent discussions.