Today's Manufacturing Pulse
Algoma Steel invests $987M CAD to electrify blast furnace, slashing emissions
Algoma Steel is spending $987 million CAD (≈$730 million USD) to replace its coal‑fired blast furnace with electric‑arc furnaces, a move that could cut emissions by up to 70 percent. The upgrade triggers a higher carbon tax, with Q1 fees rising to $6 million CAD under Ontario’s new intensity‑based pricing. The investment underscores a shift toward greener steel production in Canada.
Also developing:
By the numbers: TIEA Connectors raises $8M Series A
Tampa General Hospital Adopts LIBERTY Endovascular Robotic System
Tampa General Hospital has become the first health system in Florida to adopt Microbot Medical’s LIBERTY Endovascular Robotic System, following the device’s FDA 510(k) clearance. LIBERTY is a single‑use, remotely operated robot designed for peripheral endovascular procedures, promising greater precision while lowering radiation exposure and ergonomic strain for physicians. Microbot cites the adoption as early post‑clearance momentum in a U.S. market that sees roughly 2.5 million such procedures each year. The company plans a full market release at the Society of Interventional Radiology conference in April 2026.
34th Annual Study of Logistics and Transportation Trends: The Great Disconnect—Bridging the Knowing/Doing Gap in Logistics
The 34th Annual Study of Logistics and Transportation Trends uncovers a pronounced "Great Disconnect" between what logistics leaders know and what they actually implement. Respondents across people, process, and technology pillars acknowledge AI, talent development, and digital tools as critical,...
Align AI Adoption with Climate Goals
AI adoption is rapidly expanding across supply chains, yet sustainability considerations remain marginal. APQC reports that only 30% of AI initiatives factor in environmental impact, despite most firms targeting Net Zero by a median of 2040. Energy consumption is split...
Wabash Parts Network Swells as Manufacturing Plants Are Idled
Wabash Corp. is expanding its parts and service‑center network while idling two manufacturing plants as trailer demand stays weak. The company opened a new Phoenix facility with Ready‑to‑Mount capabilities, adding to existing centers in California, Texas, and the Midwest. In...
TPM26: Iran Conflict Puts New Risk on US Economic Growth: Yellen
Former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned that the Iran‑Israel conflict threatens to choke oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, sending crude futures to their highest level in over a year. Higher energy prices could lift inflation and undermine the...
Hunting the Elusive Snipe
End users in process industries are abandoning legacy distributed control system (DCS) tools as support dwindles and upgrade costs rise. The article follows Cassia’s struggle with an unsupported alarm‑management suite and the loss of a single point of accountability from...
Decision Velocity: The New Operating Advantage for Supply Chain Leaders
Supply chain leaders must shift from merely detecting disruptions to acting on them at unprecedented speed. The concept of decision velocity—rapidly converting data signals into confident decisions and coordinated actions—emerges as a critical capability. The article outlines three practical domains...
Veeco Books Multi-System Lumina and Spector Orders for InP Datacom Laser Manufacturing
Veeco Instruments announced that a leading optical‑communications laser manufacturer placed multi‑system orders for its Lumina metal‑organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) tools and Spector ion‑beam sputtering (IBD) coating systems. The Lumina will serve as the production‑tool‑of‑record for indium phosphide (InP) epitaxy,...
Switch Maritime, Incat Crowther Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Electric Ferry Hits Design Stage
Switch Maritime and Incat Crowther have entered the detailed design phase for New York’s first hydrogen fuel‑cell‑electric ferry. The 28‑meter vessel will carry 150 passengers at 25 knots, powered by 720 kg of compressed hydrogen, offering a full‑day range without shore‑side charging....
Why TSN Is Automation’s New Baseline
Time‑sensitive networking (TSN) is emerging as the new baseline for industrial automation by delivering guaranteed, deterministic packet delivery across shared Ethernet links. Built on IEEE 802.1 standards, TSN separates high‑priority control traffic from lower‑priority data such as video, preventing network‑induced delays...
Nvidia Backs Coherent with $2B, Fuels Optical AI Race
$COHR just landed a $2B equity investment from @NVIDIA plus a multi-year, multi-product supply agreement with a multibillion-dollar purchase commitment. The framework runs through 2030, with revenue contribution starting in CY27. 5 things that matter: 1.This is about co-packaged optics and advanced...
SCANGRIP Introduces Danish-Made Work Lights for Trade Professionals
SCANGRIP, the Danish LED work‑light leader, launched three new models—AREA 10 CONNECT, NOVA 10 CONNECT and VEGA 4 CONNECT—in North America. The fixtures deliver 4,000‑10,000 lumens at 6,000 K, feature IP65 protection, Bluetooth dimming via the SCANGRIP app, and a compact reinforced‑plastic build. A key innovation is...
Tariffs Turned UK Manufacturers Away From the US Market in 2025
British manufacturers have sharply reduced their focus on the United States in 2025 due to President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariff regime, according to the UK Trade Barometer survey of 2,000 firms. Export activity migrated to Asia and Europe, with China,...
Witron Breaks Company Order Intake Record
WITRON announced a record-breaking order intake, fueled by new contracts with major food retailers such as REWE, Tesco, Walmart and Ahold Delhaize. The company also completed a transition to a dual‑foundation governance model, reinforcing its independence and long‑term stability. Parallel to...
Study Finds Gaps in Visibility and Execution for Supply Chain Operators
Sage’s 2026 State of Supply Chain Report, based on a survey of over 200 retail and wholesale operators, reveals that many small and mid‑size businesses lack the visibility and execution capabilities needed to handle ongoing disruptions. Only half of the...
Brain-Like Chips and LIDAR Sensors May Enable Safer Human-Robot Teamwork
Fraunhofer researchers unveiled NeurOSmart, a system that fuses high‑resolution LIDAR sensing with neuromorphic AI chips to enable safe human‑robot collaboration. The LIDAR sensor uses MEMS mirrors with AlScN material to create a 3‑D view, while AI algorithms pre‑process data directly...
German-Norwegian Partnership Launches Dedicated Offshore Wind Working Group
Norwegian Offshore Wind and the German‑Norwegian Chamber of Commerce have launched a dedicated offshore wind working group to deepen cross‑border collaboration in the North Sea. The initiative follows the Hamburg North Sea Summit where energy ministers pledged 300 GW of offshore...
CollPlant Targets Formulation Bottleneck with New DLP Bioprinting Kit
CollPlant has introduced BioFlex, a ready‑to‑print DLP bioprinting kit built on recombinant human collagen and a biodegradable polymer. The kit includes pre‑validated photo‑active agents and detailed formulation guidelines, aiming to cut bioink development time for tissue‑modeling and organ engineering. By...
First Solar Asks US to Review Alleged TOPCon Patent Infringement by 10 Competitors
First Solar has filed a Section 337 investigation with the U.S. International Trade Commission against ten crystalline‑silicon panel makers, alleging infringement of its tunnel‑oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) patent (U.S. 9,130,074). The patent was validated by the USPTO at the end of 2025...
Robotic Arms Deliver Unmatched Consistency in Motor Coil Winding
Robotic arms winding coils for motor manufacturing. Have you ever watched a robotic arm wind a coil? It's one of those processes most people never think about, but it's at the heart of every electric motor on the planet. Coil...
Iran War Shakes Up Global Shipping Routes
The U.S.-Israeli strike on Iranian targets and Tehran's retaliatory actions have caused a sudden shutdown of maritime traffic in the Gulf of Oman, especially the Strait of Hormuz. Ship groundings and heightened naval alerts have crippled oil tanker movements and...
EV Batteries and Solar Panels versus Climate Change
A University of Michigan study published in Nature Climate Change finds that recent advances in EV battery chemistry largely neutralize the extra degradation expected from a 2 °C warmer climate. Batteries built between 2019‑2023 would see average lifetime reductions of only...
FACC Achieves Highest-Ever Annual Revenue, Significant EBIT Increase in 2025 Review
FACC reported record 2025 revenue of €984.4 million, an 11.3% increase over the prior year, while EBIT surged 49.4% to €42.3 million, lifting the margin to 4.3%. The gains stem from the CORE efficiency program and the newly operational Croatia plant, which...
Honda Flips Script by Exporting Two Vehicles to Japan
Honda Motor Co. will begin exporting two U.S.-built models—the Acura Integra Type S and the Honda Passport TrailSport Elite—to Japan in the second half of the year. The move follows a new U.S.-Japan trade accord that streamlines safety inspections and reduces...
3DQue Introduces Lifetime Licensing Option for AutoFarm3D
Vancouver‑based 3DQue announced a lifetime licensing option for its AutoFarm3D print‑farm management platform. The service, previously sold as a per‑printer subscription at $10 /mo for Lite and $30 /mo for Standard, will now be available as a one‑time perpetual license. Pricing has...
ASML Plans to Expand Beyond Chip Lithography Into Advanced Packaging
ASML, the sole supplier of EUV lithography machines, announced plans to move into advanced packaging, a technique essential for AI chips and high‑bandwidth memory. The company will spend the next 10‑15 years researching equipment for chiplet stacking, bonding, and larger‑die...
MSC Downgrades India-Europe/Med Network Amid Transshipment Cargo Lift Woes
Mediterranean Shipping Company announced a downgrade of its India‑Europe and Mediterranean services, cutting vessel capacity on the Himalaya Express (HEX) from roughly 14,000 TEU to about 9,000 TEU. The IPAK service, run with the Shipping Corporation of India, will also...
US Navy SPY-6 Approaches FRP with Raytheon Already Having “a Hot Production Line”
Raytheon says its SPY‑6 radar family is already operating on a hot production line and is poised to shift into full‑rate production once the U.S. Navy grants final approval. Low‑rate initial production is nearing completion after extensive testing across the...
EnergyBin Report: Most Solar Panels on Secondary Market Are for Residential Market
EnergyBin and Buckstop’s fifth PV Module Price Index shows the secondary solar market is dominated by 400‑525 W crystalline‑silicon panels, 98% of which target residential installations. From 2020‑2025, more than 8.7 million modules were listed for resale, with 98% being new, all‑black,...
Tratos Group Signs Agreement with Exel Composites to Support Grid Modernization
Tratos Group of Italy has signed a four‑year, £22 million framework agreement with Finland’s Exel Composites to supply carbon‑fiber composite conductor cores for grid modernization projects through 2029. The partnership gives Tratos secure access to high‑performance, corrosion‑resistant cores that enable higher...
Indian Rocket Startup Agnikul Completes Static Fire Test of Three-Engine Cluster
Indian private launch firm Agnikul released a 40‑second static‑fire video of its three‑engine cluster for the Agnibaan orbital rocket. The engines, fully 3D‑printed and driven by electric‑motor pumps, were calibrated to synchronize six pumps, six motors and six control algorithms....
Why Novo Nordisk's Ireland Expansion Is Key to Fighting Off Eli Lilly
Novo Nordisk announced a €432 million ($506 million) investment to expand its Athlone, Ireland facility, increasing capacity for oral products such as the newly launched Wegovy pill. The expansion is intended to secure supply outside the United States and help the company...
IATA Flags Growing Risks Despite January’s Air Cargo Demand Growth
IATA reported that global air‑cargo demand rose 5.6% year‑on‑year in January 2026, while capacity increased 3.6% to a record‑high ACTK level. Africa led with an 18.2% demand jump, whereas the Americas saw a sixth consecutive month of decline. Asia‑Pacific capacity...
Group With Global Ties to EPR Legislation Chosen to Implement California’s Responsible Textile Recovery Act
California’s CalRecycle has appointed Landbell USA as the Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) to implement SB 707, the Responsible Textile Recovery Act. Landbell, a subsidiary of the global Landbell Group, brings three decades of extended producer responsibility experience and operates 42 PROs...
ISM Prices Hit 70.5, Steel and Aluminum Costs Surge
ISM prices surged by 11.5 pts to 70.5, highest since Jun 2022. ISM said higher px for steel & alumin drove px index. That is unsurprising & has been evident in PPI data since Liberation Day. For manufacturers, the cost...
Strait of Hormuz Crisis Halts Traffic, Tankers Brace
Strait of Hormuz Enters Active Crisis: Five Ships Hit, Traffic Collapses, Tanker Markets Brace for Historic Shock https://t.co/QozOvFyHte
TSMC Urging Customers to Apply for N2 Node Allocation as It's Almost Full Until 2027
TSMC is urging its customers to submit applications for the N2 process node as most capacity is already booked through the end of 2027. Remaining slots carry a six‑quarter lead time, and even allocated customers face up to twelve months...
Hybrid Bonding Crucial for Multi-Die Assemblies, Needs Refinement
Why this technology is so essential for multi-die assemblies, and how it can be improved. https://t.co/dYLFJAgBBD #hybridbonding #semiconductor #HBM #3DDRAM #advancedpackaging #3DNAND
US Manufacturing Grows, Input Costs Surge to 2022 Levels
"US manufacturing expanded in February but input prices soared at the fastest pace since 2022, stoking fears of an inflation resurgence even before this weekend’s attacks on Iran." https://t.co/eB5YwfWkhb https://t.co/qeDvw5frvv
‘It’s Not Just All the Big Companies’: Warehouse Robotics Use Expands
Warehouse robotics are moving beyond Amazon and Walmart as subscription‑based models lower entry barriers. A 2025 MHI study shows robot usage in warehouses jumped to 48%, with 64% of respondents adopting robotics‑as‑a‑service (RaaS) or SaaS solutions. Mid‑size firms like Superior...
ISM Manufacturing Prices Misleading; Soft CPI Ahead
Some focus given to ISM Manufacturing Prices back in 70. In my opinion very misleading for now (and solely based on energy). But the jury is obviously out. I expect a couple of incredibly soft CPI reports coming up.
Trump's Iran Attack Sparks Trade Uncertainty and Logistical Disruption
Trump. Uncertainty. Disruption. No equilibrium. What would that mean to trade, supply chains, and logistics?
(PR) NanoIC Launches Advanced Interconnect PDKs for Chip-to-Chip Designs
NanoIC, the imec‑coordinated European pilot line, announced the release of two advanced interconnect process design kits – a fine‑pitch redistribution layer (RDL) and a die‑to‑wafer (D2W) hybrid bonding kit. The RDL PDK supports line widths and spaces down to 1.3 µm...
Russian Rail Freight Plummets, Flagging Economy Amid War
Russian rail freight. Drops. Sign of economy. Exports. Russian Railway. Large employer. What comes next? For economy. For Ukraine war.
Asia's Tanker Demand Spikes Amid Middle East Conflict
Tanker demand. To rise for alternative suppliers for Asia. Tanker rates were high before the war. And now…
Voting Is Open for the 2026 Plant Engineering Product of the Year Program
Plant Engineering has opened voting for its 2026 Product of the Year program, inviting qualified print and online subscribers to select the most innovative products across manufacturing and non‑manufacturing sectors. The voting window runs until April 30, 2026, and nominees are showcased...
Memory Shortage Persists in ISM Manufacturing Survey
Memory shortage reported back to back months in the ISM Manufacturing Survey. I suspect this will be with us for a while.... https://t.co/RUpjKtiOJ6
Flatbed Truckloads Surge 61% on Manufacturing Demand
YoY truckload volumes, by mode: Flatbed +61% Reefer +17% Van +3% Flatbed volumes are at all time highs, led by manufacturing and heavy industry, not housing https://t.co/qst2cb1rhu
SolidSail Mast Factory Starts Production of CFRP Masts for Wind Propulsion
SolidSail Mast Factory (SMAF) in Lanester, France, launched full‑scale production of carbon‑fiber‑reinforced polymer (CFRP) masts on 12 February 2026. The plant, a joint venture between Chantiers de l’Atlantique and five regional composite specialists, will fabricate masts up to 70 metres long, supporting sails...
Dedicated Trucking Comes of Age
Dedicated, or contract, trucking is maturing into a $100‑150 billion market within the broader $541 billion private‑dedicated segment. Major carriers such as Werner and A. Duie Pyle rely on dedicated contracts for 5 % and 18 % of revenue respectively, highlighting the model’s profitability. E‑commerce growth...