Blockchain technology provides secure, reliable and transparent solutions to different challenges arising from the growing need for connectivity presented nowadays. Recent developments in industrial processes sets fertile ground for the application of this technology. Aiming to understand the state of the art of blockchain technology application in the manufacturing industry, this study presents an investigation of relevant publications on the subject, including also bibliometric and systemic analyzes. 30 articles of major relevance were selected from a portfolio of 1432 publications, presented between 2015 and 2019. Thus, it was possible to identify research trends and opportunities.