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Know What's Happening in Manufacturing
Manufacturing Pulse
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Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
EngineAI Robotics lands $200M Series B, valuation tops $1.4B
EngineAI Robotics Technology Co. closed a $200M Series B round, lifting its valuation above 10 billion yuan (≈$1.4B). The round was co‑led by Henan Investment Group’s Huirong Fund and Luxshare Precision, with participation from state‑backed platforms and family offices. Henan plans to use its provincial supply‑chain network to accelerate EngineAI’s regional expansion.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Ara Partners invests up to $500M in waste‑management firm Sedron
Japanese foodservice equipment maker Hoshizaki is migrating its legacy, heavily customized ERP to IFS Cloud, a standardized SaaS platform, to support over 700 users across two production sites. The move consolidates order management, production planning, manufacturing execution and inventory control into a single system, reducing customization and lowering maintenance costs. Partnering with NEC, Hoshizaki will run IFS Cloud on a Japan‑based data center (IFS Cloud Kaname) to satisfy data residency and security requirements. The new platform is designed to provide a clean data foundation for industrial AI applications such as predictive maintenance and planning optimization.
The global transformer shortage, exacerbated by COVID‑induced supply‑chain disruptions, has pushed lead times for high‑voltage units to three‑plus years and driven up costs. Startups are moving in, with Ayr Energy standardizing component designs and leveraging under‑utilized Indian factories to slash...
After six decades in Alberta’s architectural millwork market, Madsen’s Custom Cabinets migrated from a legacy on‑premise Epicor system to the cloud‑based Epicor Kinetic. The move consolidated fragmented data sets, enabled employees to work from any location, and set the stage...
Neo Performance Materials announced that its solvent‑extraction line at the Silmet facility in Estonia has begun producing heavy rare earth oxides, specifically terbium and dysprosium, at name‑plate capacity. The new line complements Neo’s 2,000‑tonne‑per‑year sintered‑magnet plant in Narva, creating Europe’s...
Novvia Group, an industrial packaging distributor, completed 14 Epicor ERP implementations across 17 of its businesses within 18 months. Six S Partners guided the rollout, emphasizing unified core processes and a single source of truth. The project leveraged automation to...
Morgan Stanly on Apple custom ASIC for cloud/hybrid compute (chip code-named Balta): "Apple is materially ramping SoIC capacity at TSMC, pointing to a major push in Apple silicon for AI servers. TSMC (covered by Charlie Chan) is expanding its SoIC (System...
Hybron Technologies closed an oversubscribed $25 million seed round led by Marque Ventures, with participation from a slate of venture firms and angel investors. The company says its carbon‑fiber process can produce composites up to 100 times faster and at a fraction...
Amorim Cork Solutions unveiled ETP058, a cork‑based engineered composite designed to manage thermal‑runaway events in electric‑vehicle and stationary‑energy‑storage battery packs. The material delivers a low thermal conductivity of 0.054 W/m·K and achieves a UL94 V‑0 flammability rating for samples thicker than...
Air China, China Eastern and China Southern have collectively signaled a demand for 33 COMAC C919 jets in 2026, more than double the 15 aircraft delivered in 2025. Since the program’s launch, COMAC has shipped only 32 C919s, meaning the...
At ConExpo, Caterpillar unveiled a prototype of its C3.6 diesel engine that delivers 173 hp, a substantial jump from the current 74‑hp and 142‑hp variants. The twin‑turbo unit incorporates a forged‑steel crankshaft, larger injectors, piston‑cooling galleries and other reinforced components to...
Lyten, a U.S. battery maker, has obtained a key partial permit to begin construction of a battery‑cell factory in Heide, Germany, reviving a project once led by insolvent Swedish firm Northvolt. The plant will be scaled down to about 1,000...
Chef Robotics, a San Francisco‑based food robotics firm, has extended its AI‑driven automation platform to tray assembly for meatpacking. The system can pick, orient and place raw, frozen and precooked proteins—such as pork loins, chicken breasts, steaks and sausage links—onto...
Chinese robotics firm Unitree Robotics will debut its R1 humanoid robot internationally next week via Alibaba’s AliExpress, pricing it at roughly $4,300. The 123‑cm, 25‑kg machine boasts sport‑grade agility, performing cartwheels and downhill runs, and is already selling in China...
Hong Kong‑based Epic Group will inaugurate its first Indian manufacturing unit on 29 April in Khurda, Odisha, a 40‑acre site at the IDCO Industrial Estate. The plant represents an investment of roughly $27 million (₹220 crore) and is designed to be net‑positive in...
Stratasys announced a suite of updates spanning hardware, materials and software to push additive manufacturing beyond prototyping into production parts and medical devices. The new J850 Core printer delivers low‑cost PolyJet functionality for engineering teams, while the P3 MED Silicone 25A material...
The U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran is not yet derailing solar manufacturing projects in the Middle East, but it is creating logistics uncertainty. Analysts note that container shipping schedules are becoming unpredictable, leading exporters to reroute cargo around the Cape of...
Devion, a specialist in intelligent automation for airline catering, will debut its new Rivo platform at the World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE). The showcase highlights RivoLoad, a modular trolley‑loading system derived from a decade‑long partnership with KLM...
Delta Air Lines’ ownership of a Pennsylvania refinery, purchased for $150 million in 2012, is now delivering measurable cost advantages as jet‑fuel prices have roughly doubled since February. The higher crack spread lets Delta offset fuel cost spikes, saving $785 million in...
Asian athletic footwear manufacturers saw shipment growth slow in March 2026 as tariff pressures intensified. Feng Tay Enterprises reported a 7.7% year‑over‑year revenue decline to NT$6.6 billion (≈US$206 million), while Yue Yuen Industrial posted an 11.5% shipment drop and March revenue of...
South Korean aerospace firm INNOSPACE announced a laser powder‑bed fusion (LPBF) process that prints titanium parts without any support structures. By applying advanced process‑control techniques on existing Eplus3D metal printers, the company claims a 2.5‑times reduction in build time and...
TotalEnergies reported that one of the two processing trains at Saudi Arabia's 460,000‑barrel‑per‑day Satorp refinery was damaged during an overnight incident on April 7‑8, prompting a precautionary shutdown. The Saudi government linked the incident to Iranian attacks on energy facilities, though...
The Georgia Ports Authority will launch the Gainesville Inland Port in May, a $134 million rail terminal that can handle 200,000 containers a year and links directly to the Port of Savannah’s 40 weekly ship calls. The facility targets roughly 330...
The British government has approved a £380 million (about $510 million) subsidy for Tata Group’s new battery plant in Somerset, England. The facility will supply Jaguar Land Rover EVs, lock in 4,200 direct jobs and generate thousands more in the supply chain,...
Extreme heat is emerging as a critical supply‑chain risk for apparel makers, especially in heat‑prone regions such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Türkiye. Sedex CEO Jon Hancock notes that more than 70% of the global workforce is exposed to severe...
Boeing won a $101.29 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to provide repair parts and support services for its KC‑46 tanker program. The one‑year deal, funded through FY 2026‑27, underscores the aerospace giant’s focus on steady defense revenue and the logistical...
Advanced Intralogistics announced a strategic partnership and reseller agreement with Top Hat Engineering at MODEX 2026. The deal makes Advanced Intralogistics a verified reseller of Top Hat's AI‑driven warehouse optimization software, including the newly launched ClarityWOS SaaS platform. Together they...
Master Boat Builders launched Saturn, the first H500 vessel in the Rapport 3000 escort tug series for Suderman & Young Towing. The 98‑foot tug delivers over 90 metric tons of bollard pull with 7,000 hp, cruising around 13 knots and carrying 44,342...
Faraday Future unveiled a demonstration where its FX Aegis quadruped robot autonomously completed a food‑delivery task, highlighting the platform’s real‑world capabilities. The robot now incorporates OpenClaw, an open‑source framework that lets users program skills through no‑code or low‑code conversational commands...
Miebach and OMP announced a joint showcase at MODEX 2026, highlighting how their combined expertise can bridge the gap between supply‑chain planning investments and actual performance. Miebach contributes operating‑model design and transformation services, while OMP brings its AI‑driven Unison Planning™...
Ebatco has released a comprehensive white paper that outlines more than 30 advanced analytical and testing techniques for additive manufacturing (AM) materials, processes, and products. The company emphasizes its ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited laboratory services, covering everything from raw material inspection to...
Lowry Solutions is showcasing its connected asset‑tracking and enterprise‑mobility platform at MODEX 2026 in Atlanta, demonstrating real‑time visibility across warehouses, manufacturing and distribution. The booth will feature live demos of RFID‑driven shipment verification, barcode capture, GPS tracking and IoT sensors unified...
Sora Fuel announced a $14.6 million financing round co‑led by Spero Ventures and Inspired Capital. The Boston startup will use the capital to build a pilot facility that captures CO₂ from air and water, aiming to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)...
Tyre wear is emerging as a major source of particulate emissions, prompting regulators to target it under upcoming Euro 7 rules. Continental and Michelin have developed onboard vacuum devices that capture and differentiate tyre‑derived particles from brake and road dust in...
The United States is rolling out new tariffs on imported pharmaceutical products, affecting an estimated $200‑$250 billion in annual trade. Because 70‑80% of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production is concentrated in India and China, manufacturers face limited flexibility and longer lead...
Industrial bodies in Surat announced a coordinated plan to recall nearly 250,000 migrant workers as energy costs fall and gas supplies improve. The drop in global crude‑oil prices and a state‑led resolution of commercial‑gas shortages have reduced production expenses for...
Manufacturers are investing heavily in digital transformation—ERP, MES, and BI layers—but many projects stall because the underlying data environment remains unfinished. Without clear KPI ownership, reconciled metric definitions, and validated inputs, shop‑floor teams distrust system outputs and revert to spreadsheets....
SVT Robotics unveiled Softbot Intelligence, a platform that captures and contextualizes real‑time execution data from robotics, software, and enterprise systems. By correlating events with millisecond precision, the solution creates a high‑fidelity data backbone that AI can consume for accurate predictions...
BlueBotics, the Swiss leader in autonomous navigation, will showcase its ANT platform and new SmartPass obstacle‑avoidance technology at MODEX 2026 in Atlanta. The company will co‑host a seminar with Kohler titled “The Power of One,” highlighting the advantages of standardizing fleet‑manager...
New robotic worker 'Digit' paves way for new generation of robots in the workplace https://t.co/Tlk3BDqsFb via @YouTube #humanoidtech #humanoid #robot #Robotics #AI #TechRevolution #TechInnovation #ArtificialInteligence #PhysicalAI @AlbertoEMachado @Eli_Krumova @postoff25 @Khulood_Almani @anand_narang @NutritiousMind @baski_LA @TanyaSinha_ @devaang @AlAmadi1 @jeancayeux @enilev @efipm @mvollmer1 @Nicochan33 @RagusoSergio...
China’s Dark Factories: So Automated, They Don't Need Lights | WSJ https://t.co/N4Cy1Fj6wz via @YouTube #darkfactory #factory #automation #robot #robotics #warehouse #ecommerce #onlinesales @lexfridman @KirkDBorne @Ronald_vanLoon @erikbryn @antgrasso @sallyeaves @Nicochan33 @HaroldSinnott @mvollmer1 @marcusborba @CatherineAdenle @vinod1975 @YuHelenYu @ingliguori @fogoros @ylecun @TerenceLeungSF @SourabhSKatoch @wil_bielert...
The Kremlin is drafting a decree that would bar major foreign container carriers—CMA CGM, Maersk, OOCL and X‑Press Feeders—from calling at Russian ports. The move comes after years of sanctions‑driven pull‑outs, leaving MSC as the sole major liner with two services...
"Shipments of defense-related capital goods surged 26.1% YoY in February—the fastest pace since 2010" -Larry Adam, Raymond James
There are so many supply chains impacted. And the length and complexity of those supply chains. Tiers of disruptions, both supply and price, ahead.
Above the Fold: Supply Chain Logistics News (April 10, 2026) - https://t.co/mdfTP8V6kz @freightpipes @amazon #StraitofHormuz #IranWar #TehranTollBooth #agenticAI @MagayaSoftware #trucking #transportation #supplychain #logistics
Prices going higher for roofing, siding, paint, gypsum, insulation, fiberglass, foam, hardware, metal, and steel products. Great rundown of cost increase announcements rippling through housing this spring. https://t.co/liiQC0xAUu
Plastics is another supply chain affect from what is happening. The US and global supply chain impact of the war will be larger and more significant than the price of oil.
TIL Steve Jobs decided to use glass for the first iPhone *after* announcing it and noticing his plastic screen was scratched. He convinced @Corning to resurrect an invention they made in the 1960’s, convert a factory, and produce millions of screens...
Hassett: Strait can be opened in two months. Really. Based on what? Is the Strait back to open transit? Or controlled by Iran? The impact on supply chains of even this time frame?
Sumitomo Electric to boost tungsten output 50%, reducing China dependence Japanese materials supplier will build $100m plant and bolster recycling efforts https://t.co/shDv57HEVs via @NikkeiAsia
The weekly Reverse News is out with news about John Deere, Shein, recycled resins, a new reverse logistics association and more. https://t.co/SVQwKB0SJu
