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
LinkWorx & Bivocom: A Parternership for Robust Industrial IoT
LinkWorx announced a strategic partnership with Bivocom, integrating its Multi‑SIM (MSIM) technology into Bivocom’s industrial wireless portfolio. The combined solution delivers automatic carrier selection and failover, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity for IoT and M2M devices in harsh environments. Targeted sectors include utilities, energy, water management, and oil & gas, where remote operations demand constant data flow. The collaboration leverages Bivocom’s presence in over 90 countries to broaden the reach of resilient, high‑performance industrial IoT networks.
The World's First 9-Speed Automatic Transmission Was Plagued With Problems
The ZF 9HP nine‑speed automatic, launched in early 2013, promised unprecedented fuel‑efficiency and smooth performance by packing nine gears into a compact housing. Within months, owners reported delayed shifts, harsh gear changes, and mechanical failures such as faulty wiring harnesses...
Courts Signal Path for Manufacturers to Reap Billions in IEEPA Tariff Refunds
The U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that all importers of record subject to IEEPA duties are eligible for refunds after the Supreme Court struck down those tariffs. Courts have ordered Customs to begin issuing refunds, and more than 900...
Matrix 830 - Matrix 930 - Highest Throughput Delivered with Simplicity
Datalogic unveiled the Matrix 830 and 930 series, the only 2D area imagers capable of scanning conveyor belts up to one metre wide with a single device. Featuring a 28‑megapixel sensor and PackTrack™ technology, the scanners handle speeds of up to...
Warehouses Lack Agility—And Are Paying the Price
Recent Lucas Systems research of 114 U.S. supply‑chain executives reveals that 51% of warehouses consider their automation systems unprepared for unforeseen disruptions, while 77% admit that at least half of their hardware or software is too rigid. The lack of...
Terran Orbital Appoints Kwon Park as Senior Director of Manufacturing Operations
Terran Orbital, a Lockheed Martin company, announced Kwon Park as senior director of manufacturing operations. Park brings more than 20 years of aerospace and defense manufacturing experience, including leadership of a $300 million aerospace site. He will oversee manufacturing execution, production...
TPM26: War a Problem for Container Shipping, but Not ‘Pandemic-Scale’: Analyst
Analyst Lars Jensen told the TPM 26 conference that the Middle‑East war, which has shut the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, poses a problem for container shipping but falls short of pandemic‑scale disruption. He emphasized that while the conflict will...
AI, Analytics, and Automation: The New Currents in Maritime Operations
Maritime operations are shifting from paper‑based, manual processes to integrated, data‑driven platforms powered by AI, analytics, and automation. The global maritime digitization market, valued at $176 billion in 2023, is projected to more than double to $361 billion by 2030, driven by...
GTT Receives Samsung Heavy Industries Order for LNG Carrier Tank Design
GTT announced that Samsung Heavy Industries has placed an order for the design of a new LNG carrier’s cryogenic tanks in Q1 2026. The vessel will carry 180,000 m³ of LNG and will use GTT’s Mark III Flex membrane containment system. Delivery of the...
Global Change Award Names 20 Startups Targeting Fashion’s Next Tech Frontier
The H&M Foundation announced the 20 finalists for its 2026 Global Change Award, selecting them from 450 submissions across 81 countries. The cohort spans materials science, AI‑driven design tools, microbial dyes, seaweed‑based elastane and circular business models aimed at reducing...
Panel’s Message: In Order to Survive Tough Trucking Market, Don’t Overlook Data
At the TCA annual convention, mid‑size carrier executives emphasized that data and benchmarking are essential to survive the current freight recession. They praised the TCA Profitability Program (TPP) for delivering granular cost insights, from lumper payments to driver‑level profit statements....
Windward Daily Brief March 5: Conflict Reaches Indian Ocean as Hormuz Remains Shut
The Strait of Hormuz remained effectively shut on March 4, with only five vessels recorded, while traffic through Bab el‑Mandeb surged to 23 crossings, outpacing recent averages. Suez Canal activity fell to 23 transits, below trend levels, and diversions around the...
Beef Prices Spur Senate Drive to Split Meat Giants
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer introduced legislation that would require meatpackers to process only a single type of protein and impose tighter limits on beef market concentration. The bill also restores FTC antitrust authority over meatpacking and targets foreign‑owned firms...
OM in the News: Bringing Mac Mini Production Stateside
Apple announced a major expansion of its Houston manufacturing hub, moving Mac mini production to the United States for the first time. The plan also scales AI server output at the Texas site and launches an Advanced Manufacturing Center to...
RELEX Report: 86% of Supply Chain Leaders Impacted by Tariffs and Economic Pressures as Companies Split on Pricing and Inventory...
A RELEX survey finds 86% of supply‑chain leaders say recent tariffs and broader economic pressures have already disrupted operations. More than half of respondents have raised consumer prices, while 24% are shifting sourcing away from affected regions. Companies are split...
Honored with ISCEA Top 10 Influencer Award
Thank you very much, @ISCEA - International Supply Chain Education Alliance, for honouring me with the ISCEA Top 10 Influencer Award 👉 https://t.co/M2FGbFLBge Congratulations to respected thought leaders Yossi Sheffi, @RaduPalamariu , @Lora Cecere, Richard Wilding OBE (Professor), @mvollmer1 ....
Boom Launches 200k‑sqft Denver Plant for 1‑2 GW/Year Turbines
Boom is building a 200,000sqft factory in Denver where we will build 1-2GW/year of turbines from raw materials. First equipment arrived today. https://t.co/HijqLgjsBL
More Than 20 States Challenge Trump's New Tariffs
Around two dozen Democratic‑led states have filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s new 15% global tariffs imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. The states argue the president exceeds his authority, noting that Section 122 was designed for narrow...
Reformation Taps Into ZDHC’s Chemical Management Tools
Reformation has joined the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) initiative as a Signatory Friend, granting the brand access to ZDHC’s chemical‑management tools. The company already routes 85% of its products through facilities certified by OEKO‑TEX Standard 100 or Bluesign and...
Syensqo Advances Circular Carbon Fiber Composite Recycling Partnership with Fairmat
Syensqo and Fairmat have signed a multiyear industrial partnership to recycle carbon‑fiber composite waste from Syensqo’s Östringen plant in Germany. The recycled fibers will be re‑introduced into Fairmat’s markets, including sports, mobility, construction and energy, while preserving high technical performance....
Seafarers Maintain the Right to Refuse to Sail Through Mideast Gulf Region
Seafarers can now refuse to sail through the Middle East Gulf after the threat level was raised to its highest, according to the International Transport Workers’ Federation and the International Bargaining Forum. The agreement allows crew to decline voyages in...
Plug-and-Play GMSL Camera Adapters Turn NVIDIA Jetson Orin Dev Kits Into Rugged Multi-Camera Vision Platforms
oToBrite unveiled plug‑and‑play GMSL2 camera adapters that convert NVIDIA Jetson Orin developer kits into rugged, multi‑camera vision platforms. The kits support four or eight GMSL2 cameras via standard FAKRA connectors and include driver bundles with JetPack 6.2 for immediate testing. Designed...
Zelensky's Hometown Steel Giant Shuts Next Plant, Signals Deeper Industrial Woes
ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih announced the shutdown of its Foundry‑Mechanical Plant (LMZ) in Zelensky’s hometown, effective end‑May. The closure will displace more than 2,400 workers and underscores the cumulative strain on Ukraine’s metallurgy sector after four years of conflict. Escalating energy...
We Reshored Long Before Tariffs and Never Looked Back
Titan Abrasive Systems chose to reshore all components and assembly to the United States in 2013, well before tariff regimes or supply‑chain shocks emerged. The move raised production costs but delivered full visibility, rapid problem resolution, and uninterrupted delivery for...
Nickel Nationalism Holds Back Indonesia’s Clean Tech Ambitions – by Riandy Laksono (East Asia Forum – March 5, 2026)
Indonesia’s 2020 ban on raw‑nickel exports sparked a surge in domestic smelting and processing, positioning the country as a textbook case of resource‑based industrialisation. Yet its clean‑technology ambitions remain modest: EV exports totaled only US$12 million in 2024, dwarfed by Thailand’s...
Manufacture Quality Homes Directly in Desired Neighborhoods
Even more novel idea: Use manufacturing to build NICE housing in the places people want to live https://t.co/gmQAr9C8Ap
Hellmann Appoints Bhasin as Automotive Logistics VP
Hellmann Worldwide Logistics has named Rahul Bhasin as global vice president of its Automotive Logistics division. Bhasin, who boasts over 15 years of strategic leadership across Asia‑Pacific, the Middle East and Europe, will steer the unit toward sustainable, customer‑centric growth....
NVIDIA Stops China-Focused H200 "Hopper" GPU Production
NVIDIA has halted production of its China‑focused H200 Hopper GPU at TSMC, leaving roughly 250,000 units in inventory awaiting U.S. export clearance and Chinese import permits. The pause follows export‑control constraints that limit the chips to non‑security‑sensitive applications. NVIDIA plans...
Triarchy Launches Crowdfunding Campaign
Sustainable denim label Triarchy announced a CAD 500,000 equity crowdfunding round on FrontFundr, targeting a May 20 deadline. About 44.5% of the capital will fund next‑generation materials and its patented digital dye process that uses algae‑based pigments, slashing water consumption by over...
Why Warehouse Insight Is the Go-To Mobile WMS Solution for Dynamics 365 Business Central Users
Warehouse Insight is a native mobile WMS add‑on for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central that brings real‑time inventory visibility, barcode scanning, and offline capabilities to the warehouse floor. The solution offers a drag‑and‑drop App Designer, a free WMS Express tier...
SONAR Launches New Geopolitical Alert and Fuel Dashboards to Help Supply Chains Navigate Iran Conflict Volatility
SONAR introduced two platform enhancements—a Geopolitical Alert on its Executive Dashboard and a Fuel Dashboard within Truckload Insights—to give logistics professionals real‑time visibility into Iran‑related conflict risks and energy price swings. The Geopolitical Alert supplies immediate context, curated resources, and...
Sensing Your Way to a Smoother Supply Chain
Supply chain management is being transformed by rapid advances in sensor technology, with the logistics sensor market projected to grow from $10.5 billion in 2024 to $25.8 billion by 2033. Ambient IoT, exemplified by Wiliot’s battery‑free Pixel tags, is giving Walmart item‑level...
Food, Beverage Companies Lagging on Addressing Forced Labor Risks: Report
A new Business and Human Rights Centre benchmark of 45 leading food and beverage firms shows an average forced‑labor mitigation score of just 15 out of 100, a decline from the previous assessment. Only two companies – Australia’s Coles and...
Training in the Real System: How Immersive Projects Prepare the Next Generation of Supply Chain Professionals
A recent operations management course compared textbook case projects with an industry‑based immersive project at a material recovery facility. Students embedded in the live system achieved higher post‑course scores across four learning domains, most notably a 14% gain in applying...
Supply Chains Must Prioritize Flexibility Over AI Solutions
6 years of upstream supply chain disruption. From covid thru the global unpredictability of President Trump with trade wars and actual war. The continuing takeaway is the need for a new supply chain with flexibility and adaptability. It goes...
Singapore Petrochemical Firm Cites War, Declares Force Majeure
I said before that force majeure could be the result of the war. Here we go. Singapore petrochemical firm declares it. More to come. Add shipping contracts. And other areas.
WOMEN in ROBOTICS 2026 Awarded by International Federation of Robotics
The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) recognized eleven women in 2026 for their contributions to robotics, highlighting the growing role of female talent in the sector. Global industrial robot installations are expected to exceed 700,000 units by 2028, driven by...
Software Streamlines Manufacturing for Defense, Space, Energy, Automotive
Software that helps hardware companies in the defense, space, energy and automotive industries streamline their manufacturing processes. Nominal's @CameronLMcCord and FF's @traestephens join us on the show today.
TI Accelerates the Next Generation of Physical AI with NVIDIA
Texas Instruments announced a partnership with NVIDIA to accelerate safe humanoid robot deployment. The collaboration merges TI’s real‑time motor control, sensing, radar and power technologies with NVIDIA’s Jetson Thor compute and Holoscan ecosystem. A sensor‑fusion solution using TI’s IWR6243 mmWave radar...
South Korea's LNG Reserves Hover at Critical Nine‑day Minimum
South Korea. Supply of LNG at critical. Impact on people and manufacturing. The regional Middle East war is becoming a global supply chain risk.
Dexterity's World Model, Foresight, Delivers a Big Leap for Physical AI Powered Truck Loading
Dexterity unveiled Foresight, a physics‑consistent world model and 4D packing agent that powers its dual‑arm robot Mech for autonomous truck loading. The system evaluates up to 400 placement options per box in under 400 ms, optimizing density, stability, reachability and parallelism....
How Software Licensing Transforms Industrial OEM Revenue: From Hardware Complexity to Recurring Profits
Industrial automation OEMs are abandoning costly hardware variants in favor of software‑driven product differentiation. By consolidating devices onto core platforms and licensing features, manufacturers can slash component, production, and support expenses. Modular licensing—flat‑rate, usage‑based, or hybrid—lets OEMs toggle capabilities, creating...
PTC Adds Cloud-Native MBD Tools to Onshape Platform
PTC has embedded cloud‑native Model‑Based Definition (MBD) capabilities into its Onshape CAD and PDM platform, allowing engineers to attach manufacturing data directly to 3D models. The new tools include 3D GD&T annotations, a filterable PMI inspection panel, shareable URL‑based MBD...
Trimble Roadworks Adds GPR Sensor for Asphalt Compaction Data
Trimble announced that its Roadworks paving control platform will integrate GSSI’s PaveScan RS ground‑penetrating radar sensor. The integration delivers real‑time asphalt compaction metrics, mapping dielectric profiles and air‑void percentages on each pass. Trimble and its SITECH dealer network will also...
Orizon Aerostructures Deploys Flexxbotics to Power Data-Driven Autonomy at Scale in Aerospace Manufacturing
Orizon Aerostructures has deployed Flexxbotics’ autonomous manufacturing platform to create a data‑driven, closed‑loop control environment across its aerospace production lines. The integration links CNC machines, FANUC robots, and enterprise PLM systems, feeding multimodal sensor streams into industrial AI for real‑time...
ElasticStage: The On-Demand Vinyl, CD Revolution for Indie Artists
ElasticStage launches an on‑demand vinyl and CD service that lets independent musicians sell physical releases without upfront manufacturing costs or minimum order requirements. The UK‑based platform ships to over 90 countries, producing each record in 10‑15 days using an eco‑friendly...
Manufacturers Spending More On Cybersecurity Yet Cyberattacks Only Account for 5% of Downtime, Research Reveals
Manufacturers are boosting cybersecurity budgets, yet a new Macrium‑Newton X study finds cyber incidents account for just 5% of production downtime. The bulk of costly outages stem from internal operational failures—mis‑planned maintenance, configuration errors, and network glitches—creating a widening "recovery gap."...
BMO Upgrades This Plastics Manufacturer as Middle East Conflict Disrupts Global Supply
BMO Capital Markets upgraded Westlake Corp., a U.S. plastics and construction‑materials maker, to Outperform and raised its price target to $127, implying roughly a 20% upside. The upgrade follows the Middle East conflict that has shut down the Strait of...
Punjab Attracts US $ 82 Million Textile Investment as Yarn Maker Ganga Acrowools Expands Operations
Ganga Acrowools Limited announced a Rs 750 crore (US $81.85 million) expansion in Punjab, marking the state’s largest recent textile investment. The project will add more than 1,500 jobs to the company’s existing 5,600‑strong workforce and focus on specialised yarns for knitting, weaving, carpets...
Call for Textile Park in Shivamogga Ahead of Karnataka Budget
Chairman Chetan K. Gowda of Karnataka State Textile Infrastructure Development Corporation has pressed the state government to announce a dedicated textile park in Shivamogga during the upcoming budget. He met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on March 2, submitting a memorandum that highlights...