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
Large-Scale 3D Metrology Enables Reconstruction of Critical Agitation Component
Buffalo Metrology was hired to reverse‑engineer an 8‑foot clarifier cover used in wastewater treatment after a fracture damaged the component. Using the Shining 3D FreeScan Trak Nova, the team captured the entire geometry in a single day and processed the data with PolyWorks to extract critical bearing, weld and taper dimensions. The scan data fed a fully parametric CAD model, allowing engineers to design a reinforced carbon‑steel replacement without original drawings. The project demonstrates how portable 3D metrology can accelerate heavy‑industry retrofits.
President Mnangagwa Signals End of Raw Mineral Exports
President Emmerson Mnangagwa told Zimbabwean exporters that raw mineral shipments are effectively ending, insisting that value‑addition must occur domestically. The Finance Act now imposes a 10% export tax on unbeneficiated lithium and chrome, with chrome also subject to a 5%...
AMGTA Expands Manufacturing Collaboration as MTDG Becomes Principal Member
The Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA) has promoted the Manufacturing Technology Deployment Group (MTDG) to Principal Member status, expanding its leadership role within the global additive‑manufacturing community. The elevation brings Dean Bartles onto AMGTA’s Board of Directors effective 1 February 2026, reinforcing...
UNSW Turns Peanut Shells Into Sustainable Graphene in Manufacturing Advance
Researchers at UNSW Sydney have devised a method to turn discarded peanut shells into high‑quality graphene using a rapid flash‑joule heating process. The technique heats pre‑treated shell char to roughly 3000 °C for milliseconds, yielding single‑layer graphene at an estimated energy...
LSB Industries Inc (LXU) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
LSB Industries reported a strong fourth‑quarter 2018, posting $94.7 million in revenue, a 31% year‑over‑year increase, and adjusted EBITDA of $23.3 million versus $1 million in the prior year. The improvement stemmed from higher fertilizer pricing, robust ammonia and UAN volumes, and plant...
Chord Energy Corp (CHRD) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Ichor Holdings reported fourth‑quarter 2025 revenue of $223.6 million, slightly down sequentially but above the midpoint of its outlook, and finished the fiscal year with $948 million in revenue, a 12% year‑over‑year increase driven by strong etch and deposition sales. Gross margin...
Skywater Technology Inc (SKYT) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
SkyWater Technology reported Q4 2024 revenue of $75.5 million with a 26.6% gross margin, beating guidance and delivering a positive EPS of $0.04. Full‑year revenue reached a record $342 million, up 19% year‑over‑year, driven by strong ATS growth and record...
Hayward Holdings Inc (HAYW) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Hayward Holdings reported a 7% rise in Q3 net sales to $244 million, driven by price gains and modest volume growth, and lifted its full‑year outlook to 4‑5.5% sales growth and a 5‑7% increase in adjusted EBITDA. Gross margin expanded to...
Astec Industries Inc (ASTE) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Astec Industries reported a strong Q4 2025, with adjusted EBITDA climbing 55.7% year‑over‑year to $27.1 million and net sales up 20.1% thanks to robust demand for asphalt and concrete plants and the TerraSource acquisition. The company’s backlog expanded to $449.5 million, including...
What’s Behind Shein’s $1.4B China Bet
Shein announced a 10 billion‑yuan ($1.4 billion) investment to build a smart supply‑chain system in Guangdong, China. The plan includes digital factory tools, a shared innovation center, and tighter integration of design, production, and logistics to keep its two‑to‑three‑week turnaround. By anchoring...
Thailand: Smart Innovation for a Future-Ready Industrial Ecosystem
Thailand’s Industrial Estate Authority (IEAT) and the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) have signed an MOU to accelerate AI, IoT and robotics adoption across industrial estates, turning SMEs into Smart Factories. The partnership will launch pilot projects in...
First Solar Gets Access to Oxford PV Perovskite Patents
First Solar has signed a non‑exclusive licensing agreement with Oxford PV, granting access to the UK firm’s extensive perovskite patent portfolio and pending applications. The deal enables First Solar to develop and potentially manufacture perovskite‑based thin‑film photovoltaic modules for U.S....
Legislation to Kill Double Brokering Hits Senate Floor
The Senate has placed the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act on its calendar, restoring the FMCSA’s authority to levy civil penalties for unauthorized brokerage activities after a 2019 court decision stripped that power. The bill mandates a physical business...
Florida Carrier with 57 Drivers Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Standard Freight Logistics Inc., a St. Augustine‑based over‑the‑road carrier with 57 drivers and 49 power units, filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition in the Middle District of Florida. Court records list assets between $100,000 and $500,000 and liabilities from $500,000...
UV LED Prices Rising by 5% in Q1 Due to Increased Material and Labor Costs
TrendForce reports UV LED prices up 5% QoQ in Q1 2026 due to higher precious‑metal, raw‑material and labor costs. Customized UV‑A products see up to 5% quarter‑on‑quarter price gains. The market is projected to reach $215 million in 2026, delivering at least...
Additive Business Update: Formlabs, Materialise, Meltio, and More
The additive manufacturing sector shows cautious optimism in Q1 2026, highlighted by several strategic moves. Formlabs appointed former Cognex CEO Rob Willett to its board while longtime director Carl Bass stepped down. Hawk Ridge Systems expanded its portfolio by adding...
Showcase Your Certifications: How an Updated Thomas Profile Connects You With the Right Buyers
ThomasNet has upgraded its supplier platform to make certifications a searchable attribute, allowing buyers to filter results by standards such as ISO, CMMC, FDA, and EPA. Suppliers can add credentials via the Company Profile Manager, choosing to upload certificates, link...
Report: Warehouse Automation Order Intake up by 7%
A new Interact Analysis report shows warehouse‑automation order intake rose 7 % in 2025 despite a weak macro environment, driven largely by inflated project values from rising steel and labor costs and large‑scale investments by retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Tesco....
India Is Conducting Exercise for Mapping Import Reliance
India’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has launched an exercise to map import reliance by cataloguing goods that lack domestic manufacturing across all ministries. The initiative will compile five‑year public procurement data, targeting the $650 billion import...
Cadence Closes on Nastran, Adams, and More From Hexagon
Cadence has completed its €2.7 billion acquisition of Hexagon’s design and engineering business, securing MSC Software’s flagship simulation tools Nastran and Adams. The deal also brings AMendate, Romax, CADLM and CAEfatigue into Cadence’s portfolio. By adding these multiphysics and AI‑driven analysis...
Europe Aligns on CE Marking and Design Rules for GFRP Reinforcement
In January 2026 the European Rebar Association reaffirmed that CE marking via European Technical Assessment (ETA) is the reference route for placing GFRP reinforcing bars on the European market. The Italian CNR DT 203 R1 guideline now explicitly recognises CE‑marked GFRP as...
RXO: TL Market Seeing ‘Biggest Structural Change’ Since Deregulation
Freight broker RXO reports truckload spot rates outpacing contract rates as capacity tightens, marking the most significant structural shift in the U.S. carrier market since the 1980 deregulation. Its proprietary spot‑rate index rose 5.2% year‑over‑year in Q4 and is up...
Okibo Announces General Availability of Robotic BLASTER Technology for Construction Industry
Okibo has launched the general availability of its BLASTER gun, a dual‑nozzle airless spray system designed for the EG7 and EG7+ autonomous construction robots. The technology can coat a four‑foot board width and up to 24 feet in height in just...
Avio to Build $500 Million Facility in Hurt, Virginia
Italian rocket builder Avio announced a $500 million solid‑rocket‑motor manufacturing complex in Hurt, Virginia, pending approval by the Virginia General Assembly. The 860,000‑square‑foot facility, financed by a €400 million capital increase, will create more than 1,000 jobs and may receive a $97.7 million...
CSX CEO: Flat Industrial Results Holding Back Railroad Freight Growth
CSX Chief Executive Steve Angel told investors that flat industrial production worldwide is the primary reason railroad freight volumes have stagnated. He noted that China’s growth engine has faded, Europe never delivered growth, and emerging markets lack the scale to...
Expeditors Numbers Reflect Difficult Ocean Freight Market in 4Q
Expeditors International reported a weak fourth quarter 2025, with ocean freight tonnage down 6% year‑over‑year and revenue slipping 3% to $2.86 billion. Operating income fell 17% to $250.9 million and net income dropped to $200.7 million, while salaries and other expenses rose 6%....
SONAR Launches 30-Day Free Trial of Blue to Blue iOS App for First-Time Users
SONAR, a leading freight market intelligence platform, announced a limited‑time promotion that gives first‑time users a 30‑day free trial of its Blue to Blue iOS app. The trial runs through March 31 2026 and provides full access to lane‑level spot rates, custom...
New Report Confirms Business and Economic Benefits of Using Green Chemistry
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation announced a $93.4 million, seven‑year Green Chemistry Initiative, the first chemistry‑focused effort in its 25‑year history. A new report, Green Chemistry in America 2026, surveyed 300 R&D leaders and 3,000 consumers, revealing strong industry support for...
How Rokbak Haulers Maximize Uptime and Cut Lifecycle Costs
Rokbak concentrates exclusively on articulated haulers, positioning itself as a niche expert for mining and quarry operations. Its RA30 and RA40 models achieve high physical availability by integrating robust structures, proven components, and low warranty claim rates. The company extends...
Unlock the ROI of Mobile Robots: Roboteon Launches New Complimentary Robotics Investment Impact Analysis
Roboteon has introduced a free Robotics Investment Impact Analysis that leverages its vendor‑independent simulation platform to model warehouse automation scenarios. The service promises detailed insights into robot‑human staffing, cost per pick, throughput, and ROI within a 2‑3 week timeframe. It...
Pharmaceutical Executive Daily: Novo Nordisk Announces Price Reductions for GLP-1 Products
Novo Nordisk announced steep price cuts for its GLP‑1 diabetes and obesity drugs, aiming to broaden patient access amid intensifying pricing scrutiny. AbbVie is committing $380 million to expand API manufacturing capacity, reinforcing supply‑chain resilience. Bora Pharmaceuticals and GSK sealed a...
Mitsubishi Electric US Announces Structural Reorganization in the US
On February 5, 2026, Mitsubishi Electric US announced a structural reorganization that consolidates Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc. (MEAU) and Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America’s (MEAA) operations under Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc. (MEUS). The automation business becomes the Industrial Automation Division of...
Prusa Details XL Roadmap, Prices, And Toolheads
Prusa Research announced a $200 price reduction for the assembled Original Prusa XL, positioning it as the most affordable multi‑material tool‑changer in its lineup. The XL retains its active tool‑changing architecture, supporting up to five full heads, while the newer INDX...
Powerful New Royal Navy Warship Programme Advances as Milestones Reached for Two Ships
Two of the Royal Navy’s new Type 31 frigates, HMS Active and HMS Bulldog, have reached critical production milestones at Babcock’s Rosyth yard, with Active rolled out and Bulldog’s steel‑cut ceremony held. The programme sustains roughly 2,500 jobs across shipyards and the UK...
The Age of Physical AI: Inside Oshkosh’s Blueprint for an Autonomous Future
Oshkosh Corp., led by EVP Jay Iyengar, is championing a "moments of autonomy" strategy that embeds physical AI into high‑value, repetitive or hazardous tasks rather than pursuing full automation. The company is rolling out autonomous jet‑bridge docking systems that align...
Mastercam 2026.R2 Delivers GPU-Accelerated Simulation and AI-Powered Assistance
Mastercam unveiled its 2026.R2 update, the second release in a new semi‑annual cadence, delivering GPU‑accelerated simulation and an AI‑driven Copilot assistant. The GPU engine reduces verification times from roughly 90 minutes to just over 22 minutes while preserving accuracy. Copilot...
Red Bull Ford Powertrains Uses Hexagon Technology to Ensure Performance
Hexagon’s high‑precision metrology tools have been integral to building Red Bull Ford Powertrains’ new 1.6‑liter V6 turbo‑hybrid unit for the 2026 F1 rule changes. The company’s Leitz PMM‑C CMMs, Leica Absolute Scanner AS1 and QUINDOS/Q‑DAS software deliver sub‑micron tolerances across thousands of...
Don’t Let Innovation Overtake You
The article links ISO 9001:2015 Clause 6.1’s risk‑opportunity focus to the broader concept of waste, arguing that hidden wastes often outweigh visible quality defects. It warns that neglecting innovation—whether AI, quantum computing, or disruptive processes—can render entire business models obsolete. Examples range...
Conformity Assessment Is Not Enough
The article argues that traditional conformity assessments—focused on documented procedures and checklists—provide a false sense of security because they only prove a system exists, not that it works. It introduces impact assessment as the next‑generation audit, measuring real performance, consistency...
GelSight Introduces GelSight Mobile 4.3 Software
GelSight has launched GelSight Mobile 4.3, a software update that adds a high‑performance 3D rendering engine and expands defect detection to curved surfaces. The release also introduces custom 3D cropping, circular roughness profiling, and a suite of automation tools such as...
UK to Remove Turkish HDG Quota Exemption
The UK Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) plans to strip Turkey of its developing‑economy exemption for hot‑dip galvanised (HDG) steel, moving Turkish shipments into the capped “other countries” quota. The move follows Tata Steel’s complaint that Turkish imports surged to 58,030 t...
Further Delay to Alstom Norwegian EMU Fleet
Norway's state‑owned rolling‑stock lessor Norske Tog has called Alstom senior managers to Oslo after the French manufacturer halted local testing of its N05 EMU due to suspected bogie fatigue faults. The contract, signed in 2021 for up to 200 trains, includes...
Industrial Sector Hits 30‑year Valuation Peak Amid Optimism
S&P 500 Industrials’ forward P/E, at 26.5X, matches sector P/E in 2021, when earnings were impaired by the pandemic, and at 1.24X the index, is higher than at any point in the last 30 years. EV/Forward EBITDA, Price-to-Sales and Price-to-Book...
Edge Computing Brings Millisecond Decisions to Critical Industries
When decisions depend on milliseconds, moving data closer to where work happens matters. Edge computing and edge AI are reshaping manufacturing, energy, healthcare, and smart infrastructure, where latency, autonomy, and reliability are critical. More: https://t.co/0MYapoejKN @TMobileBusiness Partner
Dyze Design Patents Modular Motion Control For AM
Dyze Design has filed a patent proposing a modular motion‑control architecture that separates command streams into priority queues and splits telemetry into real‑time and archival channels. The design adds edge‑processing modules for sensors, stepper and BLDC drives, and even a...
Tariffs Boost Steel Jobs, Undermine U.S. Manufacturing
"Trump’s Tariffs Are Adding Steel Mill Jobs, and Crushing American Factories" https://t.co/EdQKmnKPzv You guys will never believe this, but heavily taxing a vital manufacturing input isn't good for manufacturing. https://t.co/6IRvgAXzPH
VCs Misuse Dual‑use Hype; Stop Relying on Grants
Certainly GTM is very different. And there are supply chain issues in current environment. Would add: NOT doing dual use is not an excuse to rely on grants and research money, stuff becoming too expensive, and not being able to...
Siemens to Deliver Industry-Leading PCB Test Engineering Solutions
Siemens announced the acquisition of ASTER Technologies, a specialist in PCB test and reliability solutions, to bolster its electronic design automation (EDA) portfolio. ASTER’s design‑for‑test, design‑for‑manufacturing, and design‑for‑reliability tools will be integrated into Siemens’ end‑to‑end digital‑thread platform, enabling earlier validation...
Europe Must Block Chinese‑Made Cars From Flooding Market
Good points from Thorsten Brenner -- The "car bosses" are tempted to use their Chinese factories to supply the European market. Deindustrializing Europe isn't their concern. European policy makers need a policy framework that makes this impossible...
Minke Marine Air Lubrication System Receives Second ClassNK AiP
Minke Marine A.L. LLC has obtained a second Approval in Principle (AiP) from ClassNK for its patented air lubrication system (ALS), following a prior DNV endorsement. The company is now receiving verified performance data from its first ALS installation on...