Today's Manufacturing Pulse
Stellantis to pour $1.08B into next‑gen EV line at Mulhouse plant
President Emmanuel Macron announced Stellantis will invest more than €1 billion (about $1.08 billion) to build a next‑generation electric‑vehicle production line at its Mulhouse facility, slated to start in 2029. The investment is part of France’s push to electrify its auto fleet and boost domestic manufacturing capacity.
Also developing:
By the numbers: TIEA Connectors raises $8M Series A
Industrial Production Rises by Most in Over a Year
U.S. industrial production jumped 0.7% in April, the strongest rise in more than a year, surpassing Bloomberg economists' forecasts. Manufacturing output, which makes up roughly three‑quarters of total industrial activity, increased 0.6%, driven by a 3.7% surge in motor‑vehicle and parts production. Capacity utilization climbed to 75.8%, the highest level since September, while utilities rebounded 1.9% and mining slipped 0.1%. Defense and space equipment output continued its fifth straight month of growth, reflecting sustained federal spending.
In the Digitalization Race, China Leads, U.S. Accelerates, and Europe Lags
Industry 4.0 Barometer 2026 shows the United States and China have accelerated industrial digitalization, reaching 69% and 72% respectively, while Europe’s DACH region stalls at 57%. Adoption of AI, digital twins, and software‑defined manufacturing is markedly higher in the U.S. and China,...
SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG Q1 Profit Falls 22% as Revenue Drops 12% Amid Production Setbacks
SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG posted a 22% drop in first‑quarter profit to €1.8 million ($2.0 million) and an 11.7% revenue decline to €34.12 million ($37.2 million) versus a year earlier. The downturn reflects ongoing bottlenecks in its fuel‑cell production lines, raising concerns for...
MIT, Mecalux Develop an AI-Based Simulator to Optimize Inventory Across Warehouses
MIT and Mecalux have unveiled GENESIS, an AI‑driven simulator that optimizes inventory distribution across multiple warehouses. Leveraging a genetic algorithm, the platform evaluates thousands of possible stock‑level and replenishment scenarios in minutes, delivering recommendations on optimal inventory balances, inter‑warehouse transfers,...
Fujiyama Power Commissions 2GW Solar Module Manufacturing Plant
Fujiyama Power has commissioned the first phase of a 2 GW solar‑module manufacturing plant in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, delivering an initial 1 GW capacity. The facility will eventually produce 2 GW each of solar modules, batteries, and inverters, with full‑capacity utilisation targeted for...
Industrial Robotics Market Report: Why Intelligent Automation Is Redefining Global Manufacturing
The industrial robotics market, valued at $34 billion in 2024, is projected to reach $70.6 billion by 2030, reflecting a 13% CAGR. Growth is fueled by labor shortages, volatile supply chains, rising wages, and the need for faster, higher‑quality production. Convergence of...
WIRobotics Raises USD $68M in Series B Funding to Develop Humanoid Robotics Platform
South Korean robotics firm WIRobotics announced a $68 million Series B round led by JB Investment, aimed at expanding its humanoid platform ALLEX beyond its wearable robot roots. The capital will fund development of human‑level object manipulation, deepen collaborations with Nvidia and...
ONERugged Advances Smart Manufacturing with Rugged Tech
ONERugged, a specialist in rugged computing, unveiled an integrated smart manufacturing portfolio aimed at accelerating industrial digital transformation. The suite combines NFC‑enabled digital signage, fanless panel PCs, Android handheld scanners and AI‑powered laptops to deliver edge‑computing, real‑time visibility and predictive...
Emerson Updates AspenTech Inmation OT Data Fabric
Emerson has refreshed the AspenTech Inmation OT Data Fabric, positioning it as the foundational data layer of the AspenTech Inmation Data Platform. The upgrade introduces a distributed node‑based architecture that streamlines deployment, scaling and security across edge, on‑premise and cloud...
Ford Launches Shipping Equipment Design and Test Center to Boost Part Protection
Ford Motor Co. opened a dedicated Shipping Equipment Design and Test Center in Dearborn, where engineers simulate potholes, crane drops and rail impacts to protect engines, panels and transmissions. The move targets lower recall rates, higher JD Power scores and smoother...
Kioxia Holdings' FY Profit More than Doubles to $3.6B on AI‑driven Memory Demand
Kioxia Holdings Corp. posted a fiscal‑year net profit of ¥554.5 billion ($3.6 billion), a 104% jump from the prior year, driven by soaring AI‑related memory chip sales. Revenue rose 37% to ¥2.34 trillion ($15.1 billion), and the firm forecast a further 113% profit surge...
EU March Industrial Output Up 0.8% Yet Still 1% Below Year‑on‑Year, Pressuring Euro Stocks
Eurostat's first‑estimate shows EU industrial production grew 0.8% month‑on‑month in March, but remains 1% below March 2025 levels. The mixed sectoral performance—gains in capital and intermediate goods offset by a 1.5% drop in energy output—has heightened uncertainty for manufacturers' stocks...
Xometry Streamlines Data Center Supply Chain, Offering Single-Platform Sourcing for Critical Infrastructure Components
Xometry, the AI‑native manufacturing marketplace, has launched a single‑platform solution to source custom‑engineered data‑center components. The service taps a vetted global network offering CNC machining, sheet‑metal fabrication, injection molding and additive manufacturing, all backed by real‑time quoting and supply‑chain visibility....
Study Maps Reuse Paths For SLS Waste Powder
Researchers published a study in Physchem outlining practical pathways to valorize waste powder from Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). The paper details two main routes: restoring the powder for further additive manufacturing through sieving, blending or reactive extrusion, and diverting aged...
FLEETWERX Launches FLEET-X to Test How Critical Parts Can Be Made and Delivered in the Field
FLEETWERX is piloting the FLEET‑X experiment at Camp Roberts during JIFX 26‑3 to demonstrate rapid, field‑based manufacturing and unmanned delivery of critical military parts. The live exercise links the Naval Postgraduate School’s CAMRE consortium with industry partners such as Re:3D, Fieldmade,...
System-Level BESS Manufacturing Defects Cause ‘Hidden Risk’ for Developers, Intertek CEA Says
Intertek CEA’s 2026 Global Energy Storage Manufacturing Quality Report shows system‑level defects dominate BESS quality issues, rising to 75% of findings in 2025. While cell and module manufacturing remain highly automated, manual integration processes generate most defects, especially in balance‑of‑system...
Self-Upgrading 3D Printer Transforms Into Mini Factory
This Self-Upgrading #3D Printer Turns Into a Mini Factory by @lukas_m_ziegler #3Dprinted #Technology #Innovation #EmergingTech #TechForGood https://t.co/xjECC7aryN
Hexagon and Fill Maschinenbau Partner to Advance Manufacturing Autonomy Using Humanoids
Hexagon Robotics and Austrian automation specialist Fill Maschinenbau have teamed up to pilot Hexagon’s AEON humanoid robot in a real‑world manufacturing setting in Gurten, Austria. The collaboration will test AEON across machine‑tending, inspection and data‑capture tasks, integrating it with Fill’s existing...
Apollo Automobil’s Dragon Skin Exhaust Pushes Hypercar AM Forward
Apollo Automobil has introduced the Dragon Skin exhaust, a fully 3D‑printed, single‑piece titanium system for its track‑only EVO hypercar. The exhaust, printed in 123 hours using laser powder bed fusion and aerospace‑grade TA15 alloy, features a ceramic coating that tolerates...
Stellantis, Dongfeng Strike $1.18 Billion Deal to Produce Peugeot and Jeep Models in China
Stellantis and state‑owned Dongfeng Motor have sealed an 8 billion yuan (≈ $1.18 billion) agreement to produce new‑energy Peugeot and Jeep models at Dongfeng’s Wuhan plant. Stellantis will invest €130 million (≈ $150 million) to launch two Peugeot NEVs and two Jeep off‑road EVs beginning in 2027,...
Canon Offers Desktop Plastic Identification Device
Canon U.S.A. introduced the TR‑A100 Raman desktop plastic analyzer across North America. The device uses non‑destructive Raman laser spectroscopy to identify a wide range of plastics, including hard‑to‑detect black polymers. By scanning multiple samples on a tray and minimizing heat,...
China to Produce Jeep and Peugeot Cars Under €1bn Dongfeng Deal
Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor Group has signed a deal with Stellantis to produce Jeep and Peugeot vehicles in China. The partnership, valued at under €1 billion, will see Dongfeng assemble both internal‑combustion and electric models at its plants. Production is expected...
Opinion: China's Deepening Presence in Europe’s Tech and Manufacturing Sectors
Chinese companies are shifting from a pure export model to embedding themselves within Europe’s tech and manufacturing sectors, according to Collabrium Partners’ Adam Zhang Yu. The strategy involves acquisitions, joint ventures, and local R&D centers to secure supply chains and...
U.S. Secures Long‑Term Cobalt Supply From Congo, Arizona Refinery Plans Advance
EVelution Energy LLC, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s state‑owned Enterprise Générale du Cobalt and commodity trader Trafigura signed a memorandum of understanding in Madrid to channel Congolese cobalt hydroxide to a new U.S. refinery. The project aims to meet roughly...
TSMC Starts Mass Production of Largest CoWoS with 98%+ Yield, Surpassing Intel and Samsung
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) announced today that it will mass‑produce the world’s largest 5.5‑times mask CoWoS (Chip‑on‑Wafer‑on‑Substrate) with a yield exceeding 98%. The move, revealed at the Taiwan Technology Forum, is positioned as a decisive edge over rivals Intel...
Tesla to Open 1 Million‑Unit Humanoid Robot Factory in Fremont, Targeting Mass Production
Tesla announced that its Fremont plant will be converted into a large‑scale humanoid robot factory with an initial design capacity of 1 million units per year. A parallel effort at the Texas Gigafactory aims for 10 million units annually, signaling a shift...
Figure AI's Helix-02 Robots Run Full 8‑Hour Shift at Human Speed
Figure AI’s Helix-02 humanoid robots completed an eight‑hour, fully autonomous shift on a package‑sorting line on May 13, 2026, processing barcoded parcels at speeds comparable to human workers. The test, run entirely on‑board without cloud support, showcases a major leap...
6K Additive Names Brandon Davis COO to Accelerate Metal‑Powder Growth
U.S.-based metal‑powder maker 6K Additive announced the appointment of Brandon Davis as chief operating officer. Davis will oversee production, supply‑chain and go‑to‑market functions as the company seeks to capture rising demand for metal additive manufacturing. The move underscores the sector’s...
Mind Robotics Secures $400 Million to Deploy AI‑Powered Factory Robots
Mind Robotics, the industrial‑robotics spin‑out founded by Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe, announced a $400 million funding round led by Kleiner Perkins. The capital will accelerate deployment of AI‑powered robots that can handle complex, judgment‑based tasks on factory floors, marking the startup’s total...
Australia Hedges US Missile Supply Risk Through Local Deal with Norway
Australia and Norway have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to produce Kongsberg’s Naval Strike and Joint Strike missiles domestically in Australia. The agreement integrates Australia into a supply network serving roughly ten nations that rely on the high‑speed, subsonic precision...
Autonomous Resource Corporation, ORNL Partner to Accelerate AI-Enabled Defense Manufacturing
Autonomous Resource Corporation (ARC) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) signed an MOU to launch the Exascale Foundry, a public‑private partnership that merges ORNL’s exascale supercomputing and advanced manufacturing assets with ARC’s AI‑driven, distributed production platform. The collaboration will install...
Celestica To Build $876M Electronics Manufacturing Campus For Data Centers In AllianceTexas
Toronto‑based electronics manufacturing services firm Celestica announced a $876 million investment to construct a more than 1 million‑square‑foot advanced manufacturing campus in the AllianceTexas development near Fort Worth. The facility, slated to house two buildings—Alliance Center North 4 and North 6—will generate roughly 1,700...
Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc. Brings CNC and Robotics Expertise to Machine Tending
At IMTS 2026, Mitsubishi Electric Automation will demonstrate two pre‑engineered robotic machine‑tending solutions—LoadMate Plus™ and ARIA—designed to automate CNC mills and lathes. The systems promise faster spindle uptime, consistent processing, and the ability to run lights‑out or extended‑hour production, helping manufacturers...
Canadian Solar Expands Texas Factory to 10 GW Capacity
Canadian Solar to boost Texas panel factory to 10-GW capacity #energysky -- via Solar Power World: https://t.co/FBgoafYXWK
Issue 59, 2026
AutomationDirect’s Issue 59, 2026 showcases a suite of new hardware and application stories that underline the shift toward Industry 5.0 and more accessible motion control. Highlights include the launch of STRIDE PRO Unmanaged+ Ethernet switches with IGMP snooping, the Schmersal PROTECT PSC1 safety controller, and a...
Easy EtherCAT Connectivity
EtherCAT is gaining traction in North America as a high‑performance alternative to PROFINET and EtherNet/IP for motion‑control and automation projects. The protocol delivers deterministic cycle times under 1 ms, supports linear, ring, star and tree topologies, and can connect thousands of...
Found Industries Aims to Strengthen America’s Industrial Supply Chains
Found Industries, originally founded as Found Energy, is launching a new division called Found Metals to extract the critical metal gallium from aluminum refinery streams. The move addresses U.S. reliance on China, which supplied 99% of global gallium in 2024,...
Canadian Solar to Boost Texas Panel Factory to 10-GW Capacity
Canadian Solar announced it will double the capacity of its Mesquite, Texas panel plant to 10 GW by the second half of 2026, while its new Indiana cell factory is slated to produce 2.1 GW of heterojunction cells this year and reach...
Symbotic Moves More than 2B Cases as Physical AI Demand Accelerates
Symbotic announced that its autonomous mobile robot fleet traveled more than 200 million miles and processed 2.23 billion cases in 2025, marking a significant scale‑up of its physical AI platform. The company reported a 20% rise in miles per robot and a...
Opinion: Why Industrial AI Must Be Trained on Physics, Not Prompts
Industrial manufacturers are increasingly tempted by prompt‑based AI, but the technology’s lack of physical reasoning can cause costly line stoppages and safety incidents. The article argues that true factory‑floor intelligence must be grounded in physics—understanding force, torque, friction, and material...
This Company Wants to Make 1,000 Satellites a Year
Quantum Space, led by former NASA chief Jim Bridenstine, aims to launch its first Ranger Prime satellite next year and eventually scale to produce 1,000 satellites annually. The company is expanding a Tulsa, Oklahoma facility from 25,000 to 40,000 square...
Plastic Packaging Converters Raise Red Flags over Iran War Impact
The Iran‑Israel war has sent polyethylene and polypropylene prices soaring, with ICIS reporting a 115% jump in resin costs since February. North American packaging converters are feeling the squeeze, prompting Emerald Packaging to raise flexible‑pack prices by 8%—its largest monthly...
Fugro Strengthens Offshore Safety with New ROV Test Pool Facility in Singapore
Fugro has commissioned a new remotely operated vehicle (ROV) test pool in Singapore, expanding its in‑house capability to conduct controlled testing, verification, and validation of offshore equipment and procedures. The facility allows engineers to perform functional testing, system integration, and...
EM Systems Co. Posts $1 M Profit After 86% Earnings Drop, Revenue Down 25% in 2025
EM Systems Co. announced a full‑year profit of ¥155 million ($1 million), an 86% plunge from the prior year, while revenue slid 24.9% to ¥5.039 billion ($32.5 million). The decline reflects softer demand for electronic manufacturing services and raises concerns for the broader EMS...
Eco Material Technologies Opens Pilot Processing Center
Eco Material Technologies, a CRH subsidiary, inaugurated a new pilot processing center and expanded its AASHTO‑ and CCRL‑accredited testing laboratory at the Materials Testing and Research Facility in Taylorsville, Georgia. The 16,400‑sq‑ft hub combines advanced research, pilot production, and technical...
Ai2 Releases Open Robotics Model Designed for Real-World AI Automation
The Allen Institute for AI unveiled MolmoAct 2, an open‑source robotics foundation model that dramatically speeds up robot decision‑making and expands out‑of‑the‑box manipulation capabilities. The new architecture uses Action Reasoning to reason about 3‑D environments, cutting inference latency from 6.7 seconds to...
Bipartisan Bill Would Create Federal Tax Credit for Industrial Water Reuse Projects
A bipartisan bill, the Advancing Water Reuse Act, proposes a 30% federal investment tax credit for industrial water reuse projects. The credit targets manufacturing, food processing, data centers, and municipal recycling systems that capture and treat wastewater, stormwater, saltwater, or...
Canadian Solar Begins Trial Production at Flagship Indiana HJT Solar Cell Factory
Canadian Solar has begun trial production at its flagship heterojunction (HJT) solar cell factory in Jeffersonville, Indiana, with Phase I delivering 2.1 GWp of capacity. The plant is slated for commercial operation in July 2026, and a second phase will add another 4.2 GWp...
IEEE Explores Future of ‘Networked AI’ Where Robots Learn Collectively
The IEEE Signal Processing Society has launched a special issue on networked AI, calling for papers on autonomous and evolutive optimization in connected robotic systems. Researchers aim to shift AI from isolated machines to collaborative, distributed learning across fleets of...
Breaking It Down: Kiwa PVEL Expands Test to Failure Methods for Assessing Module Breakage Risk
Kiwa PVEL has upgraded its Product Qualification Program with two test‑to‑failure methods: a Static Mechanical Load Test‑to‑Failure (SML‑TTF) and a Hail Test‑to‑Failure (Hail‑TTF). Both expand sample sizes to five units and progressively increase stress until glass breakage, delivering precise load...