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) in a next‑generation electric‑vehicle production line at its Mulhouse facility, slated to start in 2029 as part of France’s push to electrify two‑thirds of new cars by 2030.
Also developing:
By the numbers: TIEA Connectors raises $8M Series A
How Food Manufacturers Are Rethinking Product Assortments
Food manufacturers are trimming product assortments, cutting low‑velocity SKUs to focus on high‑margin items that drive growth. Large corporations are accelerating SKU reductions, while smaller firms remain cautious due to uncertainty about opportunity costs. Executives highlighted the distinction between "good" complexity that adds revenue and "bad" complexity that creates waste, prompting strategic inventory buffering and more sophisticated commodity hedging. Buffer stock is now concentrated on long‑lead, hard‑to‑replace inputs, with tighter limits on perishable, fast‑moving goods.
Meet ‘Alex’: A Disaster-Response Humanoid Challenging China’s Robotics Rise
The Institute for Human Machine Cognition (IHMC) unveiled Alex, an 85‑kg humanoid robot that forgoes legs and is 15 kg lighter than its predecessor Nadia, featuring upgraded manipulation, perception and teleoperation for disaster‑response tasks. Backed by a multimillion‑dollar, multi‑year grant from...
Hyundai Recalls Nearly 47K Palisade SUVs for Third-Row Seat Belt Issue
Hyundai Motor America announced a recall of nearly 47,000 2026 Palisade SUVs after discovering a wiring harness defect that can falsely indicate the driver‑side third‑row seat belt is buckled. The problem is limited to Limited and Calligraphy trims, including hybrid...
Ceasefire Offers Little Relief to Indian Plastic Makers
Indian plastic converters are facing sharply higher feedstock costs as the US‑Iran ceasefire fails to ease supply constraints. Polypropylene raffia prices have jumped 49% to $1,300‑$1,400 per ton and low‑density polyethylene is up 54% to $1,600‑$1,700 per ton since late...
HRS Aluglaze Bags ₹27-Crore Order
HRS Aluglaze secured a total of ₹27 crore in new work orders across real‑estate and infrastructure clients, highlighted by a ₹10 crore contract with Safal Goyal Realty and ₹7 crore deals with KEC International and Aaryan Build Projects. The company also acquired Geotrix...
Axalp Technologies Advances iSurface Composites Impact Monitoring Technology
Axalp Technologies has finished the main R&D phase of its iSurface composite health‑monitoring project, collaborating with Munro Technology, Z Prime and FHNW. The iSurface system embeds a conductive fiber interleaf and AI‑driven analytics to spot barely visible impact damage (BVID) in...
Video: How Naval Group Builds FDI Frigates so Quickly
French shipbuilder Naval Group showcased its Lorient shipyard’s rapid production line for the new Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention (FDI) frigates. After a major upgrade, the yard can complete a vessel in three to four years and launch two ships...
Stellantis Italy Output up 9.5% but Recovery Still Fragile
Stellantis reported a 9.5% year‑on‑year rise in Italian vehicle production in Q1 2026, delivering 120,366 units, with passenger‑car output jumping 22% thanks to the hybrid Fiat 500 and the new Jeep Compass. The recovery is uneven; the Cassino plant saw a 37.4%...
Slack & Parr Metering Pumps Commissioned for Carbon Fibre Plant in India
UK pump maker Slack & Parr has supplied 21 acrylic metering pumps for a new carbon‑fibre production line in India. The pumps, offered in three sizes (1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 cc/rev), feature bespoke drive units with special couplings, gearboxes and electric brakes. They...
Open-Source 6-DoF Robot Accelerates Curved FFF
Researchers have released an open‑source six‑degree‑of‑freedom (6‑DoF) robotic system that integrates FFF 3D‑printing with advanced kinematics and a low‑cost control stack. The robot achieved a deposition speed of 128 mm/s—44% faster than a conventional three‑axis printer—while cutting idle travel by up...
Alianza Team Spends $36M to Open First US Plant
Colombian lipids manufacturer Alianza Team opened a $36.4 million processing facility in Goldsboro, North Carolina, its first U.S. plant. The 2024‑built plant blends refined fats and oils, aiming to produce over 13,120 metric tons annually by 2029 and serve the Northeastern market....
Page Industries Inaugurates Rs. 750 Crore Manufacturing Unit in Odisha
Page Industries, the exclusive Indian licensee for Jockey and Speedo, opened a Rs 750 crore ($81.33 million) 650,000‑sq‑ft apparel plant in Ramdaspur, Odisha. The facility houses a raw‑material warehouse, a men’s inner‑wear line, and dedicated sock and elastic units. On the same day...
Tuurny Deploys AI Robotics to Harvest RAM Chips, Tackling US Chip Shortage
Tuurny unveiled its Nantul robotic cell, capable of pulling up to 300 RAM integrated circuits per hour from domestic e‑waste, and secured a six‑figure contract with UK processor Areera. The system promises a new on‑shore source of memory chips while...
Plus One Robotics Surpasses 2 Billion Picks and Celebrates 10 Years of AI-Powered Warehouse Innovation
Plus One Robotics announced it has surpassed 2 billion successful picks across its global fleet, marking a milestone achieved in just two years after reaching 1 billion. The milestone coincides with the company’s 10th anniversary and reflects rapid adoption of its AI‑driven...
German Industrial Production Falls Unexpectedly, Signaling Eurozone Manufacturing Slowdown
Germany's industrial production unexpectedly declined in February, according to Destatis data, raising alarms about a slowdown in the Eurozone's manufacturing sector. The drop comes as German exports rebounded 3.6% month‑on‑month, highlighting a puzzling divergence between output and demand.
Japan’s Mighty Carmakers Are in Serious Trouble
Japanese automakers are confronting a crisis, highlighted by Honda’s announcement that it will record its first net loss since 1957 for the fiscal year ending March 2026. CEO Mibe Toshihiro took personal responsibility, slashing his own salary and that of...
HRL’s T3L 40nm GaN-on-SiC Technology Achieves Manufacturing Readiness Level 6
HRL Laboratories announced that its 40 nm T3L gallium‑nitride on silicon‑carbide (GaN‑on‑SiC) technology has attained Manufacturing Readiness Level 6, confirming production‑grade manufacturability under U.S. Department of War standards. The milestone paves the way for high‑volume manufacturing through a partnership with MACOM Technology...
Zebra Technologies Showcases Solutions at MODEX 2026 to Accelerate the Supply Chain
Zebra Technologies will showcase its Connected Factory ecosystem at MODEX 2026 in Atlanta, featuring the new WS501‑R hands‑free RFID wearable and AI‑enhanced TC501 and TC701 mobile computers. The solutions aim to boost frontline productivity and real‑time supply‑chain visibility through on‑device AI...
Pratt & Whitney Secures $6.6 Billion F135 Engine Contract
Pratt & Whitney secured a $6.6 billion contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to supply F135 engines for Lots 18 and 19 of the F‑35 Joint Strike Fighter program. The award, which combines a $3.8 billion 2026 modification with a prior $2.88 billion award,...
BigRep Launches ONE.5X 1-Metre-Cubed 3D Printing System Ahead of RAPID + TCT
BigRep unveiled the ONE.5X, an upgraded 1‑metre‑cubed industrial 3D printer, introducing full automation for setup, job queueing, and bed leveling ahead of the RAPID + TCT trade show. The system adds XYZ auto‑calibration, auto‑sequential printing, adaptive mesh leveling and a relay mode...
Cylib to Take Part in Sodium-Ion Battery Recycling Project
Aachen‑based Cylib has joined the 25‑partner SIB:DE Entwicklung consortium to create market‑ready large‑format sodium‑ion battery cells and develop recyclable solutions. The three‑year project, funded with €14.5 million (about $15.8 million) by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Research, will run from March 2026 to February 2029. Cylib...
Innovent’s CDMO Gets Green Light to Make Biologics at Large Chinese Plant
Innovent Biologics’ CDMO, Altruist Biologics, received its first 20,000‑liter biologics production license from China’s NMPA for the Hangzhou plant, marking the country’s inaugural facility of this scale. The site, equipped with four 20,000‑liter bioreactors, will be expanded to 172,000 liters, complementing...
Cyngn Accelerates Autonomous Vehicle Adoption in 2026
Cyngn reported a surge in commercial activity as its autonomous vehicle platform moves from isolated pilots to multi‑vehicle, multi‑workflow deployments across enterprise sites. In 2025 the company tripled DriveMod Tugger bookings and added customers such as G&J Pepsi, Coats and Vann...
Light House, Infina Technologies Partner on Construction Site Plastics Recycling Production Run
Light House and Infina Technologies completed the first production run of InfinaNet, a structural system built from plastics recovered on construction sites. The pilot Construction Plastics Initiative captured waste from eight Vancouver projects, converting it into recycled pellets via Plascon...
Green Cubes Supports Emerging Innovator USAMR with Advanced Lithium Battery Systems for AMRs
Green Cubes Technology is providing its industrial lithium‑ion battery systems to USAMR for use in automated mobile robots (AMRs) that transport goods in warehouses and factories. The swappable battery packs feature lithium‑iron‑phosphate chemistry, high energy density, and integrated battery‑management to...
EBV Elektronik Unveils MOVE Platform to Accelerate Next-Generation Robotics Development
EBV Elektronik, an Avnet company, launched the MOVE platform to streamline development of next‑generation robotics. MOVE aggregates a network of more than 20 embedded technology partners, offering a central gateway to processors, AI accelerators, sensors, motion‑control and connectivity solutions. The...
China: A Composite Material 26% Stronger for Drones, Planes and Rockets
Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in partnership with HKUST and Stanford, have created an AI‑enhanced tool that streamlines the design of fibre‑reinforced composite laminates. By employing balanced layer patterns—double‑balanced and triple‑balanced—the method delivers uniform properties while simplifying manufacturing....
Mediterranean Regional Feeder Networks Feeling the Strain Again
The east‑west Mediterranean feeder network is under renewed strain as Middle‑East tensions force ships to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, turning container circulation into the primary bottleneck. Reliance on West‑Mediterranean hubs such as Algeciras and Tanger Med has surged,...
Ease.io Unveils 2026 Champions for Quality, Honoring Standout Manufacturing Leaders
Ease.io announced the winners of its eighth annual Champions for Quality Awards, highlighting leaders across six public‑nominated categories and four data‑driven categories based on EASE platform usage. Winners span the globe, from Kevin Keane in the UK to Great Dane in...
Trelleborg Sealing Solutions in India Breaks Ground on Expanded New Manufacturing Facility in Bengaluru
Trelleborg Sealing Solutions announced a greenfield expansion in Bengaluru, India, creating a 50,000‑square‑meter campus slated for completion in 2027. The new site will boost production capacity by 30% and house manufacturing, R&D, testing labs, a Customer Solutions Center, supply‑chain hub...
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Alva Industries announced the SlimTorq™ STM-190-35, a larger‑size, high‑torque motor in its frameless, slotless portfolio. The new motor targets precision direct‑drive applications such as electro‑optical platforms, gimbals, and robotics, offering a favorable inner‑to‑outer diameter ratio and compact axial length. It...
JE Dunn Launches Offsite Manufacturing Arm
JE Dunn has created Form Off‑Site Solutions, an off‑site manufacturing subsidiary that will produce metal, wood, building‑skin, and multi‑trade assemblies. The unit offers end‑to‑end services from product planning and design through engineering, fabrication, shipping and logistics. Leveraging five years of...
How to Delaminate End-of-Life Solar Modules with Ultrasonic Cavitation
A German‑Turkish research team introduced a solvent‑free ultrasonic cavitation process to delaminate end‑of‑life crystalline‑silicon photovoltaic modules. The technique fully separates the glass from the front EVA layer and partially releases silicon fragments, achieving an 82.2% mass‑based delamination efficiency. Laboratory tests...
ITM Power Wins £86.5m UK Backing for Sheffield Hydrogen Electrolyser Factory
ITM Power secured £86.5 million from the UK government and Great British Energy to expand its Sheffield electrolyser factory, targeting a 1 GW production capacity. The investment will add a new production line and create over 400 jobs, positioning the site as...
Planet-Friendly Logistics
In February the U.S. government repealed the EPA’s 2009 Endangerment Finding, stripping the agency of authority to regulate greenhouse‑gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. Despite this policy reversal, the logistics sector—particularly maritime shipping—continues to pursue decarbonization, with the International...
One Year In: How Medtech Companies Are Coping with Tariff Challenges
One year after the Trump administration’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, medtech firms are still feeling the cost impact, with annual hits of $200 million to $500 million for large players. While the sector has not pursued large‑scale reshoring, companies are absorbing costs, seeking...
When Robots Build Robots, Bottlenecks Shift Upstream
Robots building robots. It sounds futuristic, but it’s becoming a real direction. Once humanoids can assemble components, handle tools, and operate in human-designed environments, manufacturing starts to change fundamentally. You don’t just automate tasks. You automate the creation of the systems themselves. That has implications: Faster...
Eliminate Davis‑Bacon to Unblock the CHIPS Act
Great detailed piece on how Davis-Bacon was a problem for the CHIPS Act, as some of us predicted it would be. But the obvious answer is to get rid of Davis-Bacon entirely, which is not the recommendation for some reason....
Samsung to Invest $4 Billion in Chip Packaging Site in Vietnam
Samsung Electronics announced a $4 billion investment to build a chip‑packaging plant in Thai Nguyen province, northern Vietnam. The project will roll out in multiple phases, with an initial $2 billion tranche slated to start construction soon. The facility aims to boost Samsung’s...
Politics Derails US EV Industry, Leaving Factories Idle
With big losses mounting, big investments getting canceled, and big factory sites sitting empty, EVs have quickly become a case study in how politics thwarts US industrial policy. My latest @opinion piece surveys the very predictable wreckage: /1 https://t.co/SkFZCTtenA
Unitree Launches World's Cheapest Humanoid Robot Globally
Unitree to debut cheapest humanoid robot globally via Alibaba The international launch of the company’s cheapest humanoid robot next week is expected to cover North America, Europe, Japan and Singapore https://t.co/RHCUHGkTdh via @scmpnews
Epson Adds Compact UV Flatbed Printer for Sign Shops
Epson has launched the SureColor V4000, a compact UV flatbed printer aimed at sign shops and custom‑gift producers. The machine offers a 27.5" × 38.5" print area, three PrecisionCore Micro TFP heads, and a 10‑color UltraChrome UV ink set that includes red,...
GigaDevice Names ACP Distribution Partner for Brazil
GigaDevice, a leading semiconductor maker, has appointed ACP Componentes Eletrônicos as its strategic long‑term distribution partner for Brazil. ACP will handle the full GigaDevice portfolio—including flash memory, specialty DRAM, 32‑bit MCUs, sensors and analog products—across all 26 Brazilian states. The...
How to Bypass the Strait of Hormuz with a Trucking Landbridge
The Loadstar interviewed Gaurav Biswas, CEO of TruKKer, about the surge in over‑land trucking routes that bypass the closed Strait of Hormuz. Since the US‑Israel‑Iran conflict began, TruKKer’s freight volumes have jumped roughly 30%, straining smaller Gulf ports that were...
Q&A: As Thailand Bets on EVs, What Will Happen to the Spent Batteries?
Thailand is positioning itself as a regional EV hub, with Chinese manufacturers like BYD establishing large plants and a national target that 30% of new vehicles be electric by 2030. The rapid rollout will generate roughly 200,000 tonnes of spent...
Damen to Build 13 SAR Vessels for Turkish Coast Guard
Dutch shipbuilder Damen has secured a contract to deliver 13 SAR 1906 search‑and‑rescue vessels to the Turkish Coast Guard under an EU‑funded program. The aluminium, 19.5‑metre craft will be built at Damen’s Antalya yard and delivered through 2027‑2028. Capable of...
How LECO Process Could Push TOPCon Solar Cell Efficiency Beyond 26%
Researchers at UNSW and Chinese specialist Laplace have demonstrated that laser‑enhanced contact optimization (LECO) can lift industrial TOPCon solar cell efficiency beyond 26%. By applying intense laser pulses to under‑fired contacts while maintaining a reverse bias, LECO dramatically lowers contact...
Visibility Alone Doesn't Equal Supply Chain Control
Most companies think visibility = control. It doesn’t. If disparate silos still react separately, you don’t have a digital supply chain network. You just see the problem faster. More here: https://t.co/vhFhiPXRze #DigitalSupplyChain #SupplyChainStrategy https://t.co/ih2LgLHrZx
Lion Energy Takes Equity Stake in American Battery Factory Aimed at Securing Domestic Battery Supply
Utah‑based Lion Energy has taken an undisclosed equity stake in American Battery Factory (ABF) to lock in a domestic supply of lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) cells. The partnership gives Lion over 4.5 GWh of offtake from ABF’s planned 5.5 GWh Tucson gigafactory for the...
‘Self-Healing’ Supply Chains on the Horizon, Driven by Disruption, Says Flexport
Flexport announced that AI‑driven "self‑healing" supply chains are moving from concept to reality. The company outlined three stages of autonomy: unified data, zero‑touch execution, and automated problem resolution. It highlighted ongoing development of a single source of truth, digital routing...