Enterprises are the mainstay of both the market economy and technological innovation, as well as a critical carrier for promoting the high-quality development of manufacturing. Advanced manufacturing clusters are industrial ecosystems featuring enterprise agglomeration and coordinated development. Strengthening the principal role of enterprises and fostering world-class advanced manufacturing clusters provides key support for advancing the construction of a manufacturing powerhouse. From three perspectives, namely leading enterprises, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and advanced manufacturing clusters, this study reviews and analyzes the major achievements in advancing the construction of a manufacturing powerhouse with enterprises as the main body, and discusses the key development tasks of leading enterprises, SMEs, and world-class advanced manufacturing clusters. In the process of building a manufacturing powerhouse, the overall strength of the enterprise system in China has been continuously enhanced. The leading manufacturing enterprises have seen a significant improvement in their scale, strength, and international competitiveness, playing a leading role in achieving breakthroughs in key core technologies and the organization of industrial chains. The gradient cultivation system for SMEs has gradually improved, and SMEs represented by specialized and sophisticated "small giant" enterprises and single-item champion enterprises in the manufacturing sector have markedly strengthened their professional capabilities in segmented fields and key links. With accelerated layout, national advanced manufacturing clusters and characteristic industrial clusters for SMEs have become an important spatial carrier for the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry. Looking ahead, it is suggested to concentrate factor resources to support the capacity building of enterprises as the main body, cultivate leading enterprises with control over the global industrial chain, promote the integrated development of large, medium, and small enterprises, accelerate the digital transformation of SMEs and the cultivation of "AI+" application scenarios, and continuously enhance the competitiveness of national advanced manufacturing clusters, thereby consolidating a solid micro-level foundation and meso-level support for building a manufacturing powerhouse.