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
Sky Industries Plans US $5.15 Million Gujarat Textile Unit, Signs MoU with State Government
Sky Industries Limited announced a ₹49 crore ($5.15 million) investment to build a technical textiles and apparel manufacturing unit in Gujarat, formalized through a facilitative MoU signed on May 2, 2026. The agreement, while not binding, secures state assistance for approvals and positions the new facility under its subsidiary Skytech Textiles, which focuses on neoprene fabrics. The move expands the company beyond its core hook‑and‑loop tape business into higher‑margin technical fabrics. Sky reported FY 2025 revenue of $9 million and a 4.44% YoY rise to $2.25 million in Q3 FY 2025‑26.
Hyundai Presses Boston Dynamics for Tens of Thousands of Atlas Robots by 2029
Hyundai Motor Group has asked Boston Dynamics to deliver tens of thousands of Atlas humanoid robots for its automotive plants, targeting a 30,000‑unit annual capacity. The demand coincides with leadership upheaval at Boston Dynamics and a broader push by Kia...
SEMI: Global Silicon Wafer Shipments Jump 13% on AI Demand
Global silicon wafer shipments surged 13.1% year‑on‑year in Q1 2026, reaching 3,275 million square inches. The growth is driven primarily by AI‑related data‑center demand, spanning advanced logic, memory and power management devices. While industrial semiconductor segments helped absorb excess inventory, smartphone...
OM Podcast #49: An Interview with the CEO of the Florida Semiconductor Engine About Reshoring
In the latest Heizer Render Munson OM Podcast, Barry Render interviews Dr. Ron Piccolo, CEO of the Florida Semiconductor Engine, about the strategic importance of reshoring semiconductor capabilities. The discussion highlights that while high‑volume chip fabrication will stay global, advanced...
Volkswagen Reportedly Developing New Production System
Volkswagen is developing a new production system called “Gamechanger” at its Wolfsburg plant to slash costs and accelerate electric‑vehicle output. The initiative, overseen by board members Christian Vollmer and CFO Arno Antlitz, is tied to the upcoming SSP electric platform...
Remembering Norm Bodek, 20 Years After Episode #1
In July 2006 Norm Bodek partnered with Lean Blog founder to record the first episode of what became a landmark lean‑focused podcast. Over the next seven years Bodek produced fourteen episodes, sharing insights from Toyota, Henry Gantt and frontline plants, while championing...
Japan Reopens NEDO Perovskite Solar Call with Single-Junction Focus
Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has launched a supplementary call for proposals to scale up single‑junction perovskite solar cell manufacturing. The five‑year Green Innovation Fund program runs from fiscal 2026 through 2030 and seeks to match...
Welcome to the Great American Satellite Age
Basalt Space, led by CEO Max Bhatti, assembled its first small satellite in a San Francisco apartment and delivered it to SpaceX for an April 1 launch on a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg. The startup plans to let customers lease or own private...
Data Intelligence Drives Total Cost of Ownership in Industry 4.0
Manufacturers are confronting heightened supply‑chain uncertainty, prompting a shift of Industry 4.0 beyond the shop floor to procurement and engineering. The article argues that fragmented data and siloed tools leave 60% of procurement teams overpaying, while real‑time component intelligence is essential...
GWM Unveils World Class Safety and Testing Facilities
GWM unveiled its new global safety and testing complex at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show, investing roughly $71 million in a 57,000 m² facility that forms the core of a near $1.4 billion testing ecosystem. The complex features a $42 million climatic wind tunnel,...
TSMC Seeks Approval for Advanced Fab in Expanded Hsinchu Science Park
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) has filed for government approval to build an advanced wafer fab in the Longtan Campus of Hsinchu Science Park. The proposal, part of the park’s third‑phase expansion, targets "angstrom‑class" 0.1 nm process technology to meet rising...
Crack-Free Ti-Modified 6063 Aluminum TPMS By LPBF
Researchers have engineered a titanium‑microalloyed 6063 aluminum alloy that can be printed by laser powder‑bed fusion without hot cracking. Using this alloy, they produced crack‑free triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) lattice structures, which are known for high stiffness and adjustable...
Study Finds ‘Relatively Good’ Agreement in Worldwide Solar Cell Calibrations, but Flags Key Differences in Testing Methods
An interlaboratory comparison involving nine metrology institutes evaluated solar‑cell calibrations under the World Photovoltaic Scale. The study found generally good agreement, with short‑circuit current values aligning within –2.2% to 3.5% and most measurements falling inside expanded uncertainties. Nonetheless, discrepancies up to...
What FMCG Can Learn From Ferrari About Switching Lanes
FMCG supply chains face extreme pressure from high SKU counts, thin margins and rapid turnover, prompting firms to look for incremental improvements within the industry. Peter Jones of Prological Consulting argues that true step‑change innovation comes from borrowing ideas outside...
Dude, Where’s My Stuff? Sonaria Answers that Question with RFID
In this episode of the New Warehouse Podcast, Kevin Lawton interviews John Werthlin of Sonaria (a Lowry company) about their RFID‑based shipment verification solution. They discuss how Sonaria tailors RFID technology to specific business outcomes, offering a simple, operator‑centric UI...
Albany Engineered Composites Receives Pratt & Whitney Engine Component Contract
Albany Engineered Composites (AEC), a segment of Albany International, secured a long‑term contract from Pratt & Whitney, an RTX subsidiary, to supply composite structural components for the GTF engine. The award marks AEC’s first volume‑production program with Pratt & Whitney and broadens...
JetZero Embarking on Home Facility Revamp
JetZero Inc. is renovating its 32,000‑square‑foot headquarters at Long Beach Airport, with Mark Odom Studio leading the redesign. The modernized campus will feature flexible workspaces around a central hangar to accelerate decision‑making and foster innovation. The upgrade follows a $175 million...
Primoco UAV Reports Strongest Q1 in Its History: Robust Performance, New Contracts and Infrastructure Expansion
Primoco UAV posted its strongest first‑quarter ever, generating roughly $4.5 million in revenue and $2.7 million EBITDA. The company now holds a $38 million backlog of 30 aircraft, including a rapid one‑month delivery to Spain’s Guardia Civil. It is expanding infrastructure with a new...
Schlam Expanding in Response to Global Opportunities
Load‑and‑haul attachment maker Schlam is expanding its global operating model by adding new bucket and ground‑engaging tool product lines and appointing a Chief Commercial Officer. The company will launch broader bucket ranges, high‑quality ground engaging tools and installation kits for...
Cemtech Europe 2026 Announced for Paris
Cemtech Europe 2026 has been confirmed for October 7‑9 at the Hyatt Regency in Paris. The conference, themed “Innovation and manufacturing excellence,” will convene cement producers, equipment suppliers, technology innovators and policymakers. Sessions will spotlight decarbonisation tactics such as calcined...
Sea‑Inspired Robots Redefine the Future of Robotics
#Robots Inspired by Sea Creatures: Biomimetic Machines Shaping the Future of #Robotics via @ZappyZappy7 #MachineLearning #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology #ML https://t.co/qruoJMSKMU
Caribbean Cement Co Clarifies Production Performance
Caribbean Cement Co clarified its 2025 production performance, noting that a $42 million kiln expansion and debottlenecking project forced a 55‑day shutdown that cut output by 167,500 t. The plant also faced severe weather, with Hurricanes Beryl, Rafael and Melissa disrupting operations...
Iraqi Cement Producers Association Tackles Market Stability and Green Innovation
The Iraqi Cement Producers Association held its second regular board meeting on April 23, 2026, emphasizing tighter coordination to balance supply and demand amid a weakening domestic market. The board approved Dabin Cement Industry Co Ltd as a new member,...
Boeing’s Long Arc From Disciplined Rework to Distributed Chaos
Boeing’s change‑incorporation process, which pushes pre‑production aircraft into the line before FAA certification, has repeatedly backfired. A 30‑airplane cockpit rework on the 767 and a supplier‑driven configuration scramble on the 787 illustrate how rushed integration drives costly delays. The company’s...
Spain April Manufacturing PMI 51.7 vs 49.5 Expected
Spain’s HCOB manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index jumped to 51.7 in April, well above the 49.5 consensus and up from 48.7 in March. The reading signals the first sustained expansion in the sector since early 2024. The surprise strength reflects renewed...
Middle East Crisis Strains Cement Sector
Bangladesh’s cement sector faces a sharp output decline as the Middle East conflict disrupts imports of clinker and limestone, driving production costs up 30‑40%. A concurrent diesel shortage worsens logistics, while weak domestic demand prevents price passes. Output has fallen...
ENC Hosts Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco at California Production Facility
U.S. bus maker ENC welcomed the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco to its Jurupa Valley plant on May 1. The tour showcased a 227,000‑sq‑ft, ISO‑9001‑certified facility that produces Buy America‑compliant transit buses in multiple configurations and powertrains. ENC, recently acquired...
Toray Announces Preceramic Resin System at SAMPE
Toray Advanced Composites unveiled TC1810, an ultra‑high‑temperature polysiloxane‑based pre‑ceramic resin system at SAMPE. The resin can cure as low as 225 °C and operate from 260 °C up to 1,000 °C with minimal weight loss. It is co‑curable, compatible with hand lay‑up and...
China Leads Plastic Production as Costs Surge
China is the world's largest plastic maker and costs are rising. I'm biased but this story also has some great graphics showing how you get from a barrel of oil to supermarket shelves. https://t.co/gXHPjqwIp9 https://t.co/rY8LtlebXX
Taiwan Weighs Stricter Air Pollution Rules that Could Force Factory Shutdowns
Taiwan lawmakers have introduced draft amendments that would shorten air‑pollution permit validity to two years and require renewal reviews within two months, with non‑compliance potentially forcing factories to shut down. The proposal also empowers local governments to revise permit conditions...
Bajaj Auto Sales Rise 40% in April on Export Surge; Buyback Ahead
Bajaj Auto posted a 40% year‑on‑year rise in April sales, moving 513,000 units, driven largely by an 83% jump in exports to 265,000 units. Export growth was powered by a 125% surge in three‑wheelers and a 78% rise in two‑wheelers,...
Manufacturing Shrinks in April as Costs Surge on Mideast War
Indonesia's manufacturing sector contracted in April, with the PMI slipping to 49.1 from 50.1 in March, the first sub‑50 reading in nine months. The drop reflects surging raw‑material costs and supply disruptions tied to the Middle‑East conflict, leading to the...
KISA Partners with Hyundai and Kia to Strengthen Automotive Supply Chain
The Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) has entered a formal partnership with Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation to embed cybersecurity across their multi‑tiered automotive supply chain. The agreement expands KISA’s protective framework beyond the OEMs to include component...
Australia–Japan Deal Targets Manufacturing Growth Through Critical Minerals Cooperation
Australia and Japan announced a deepened critical‑minerals partnership during a Canberra summit, earmarking up to $1.3 bn (about $860 m USD) in financing for joint projects. The deal expands the 2022 partnership, targeting on‑shore processing of gallium, nickel, graphite, rare earths and...
Indian Private Sector New Order Growth Quickens in April but Remains Slowest in 4 Years: PMI Survey Shows
India’s private‑sector manufacturing PMI rose to 54.7 in April, up from 53.9 in March, indicating modest expansion as the new fiscal year began. The improvement was driven by stronger new orders and output, with export orders hitting a seven‑month high....
Germany Has Overtaken US in Ammunition Output
Rheinmetall says its ammunition output now exceeds that of the United States, with artillery shell production climbing from roughly 70,000 to 1.1 million rounds a year and medium‑calibre rounds jumping to four million. The surge, sparked by Ukraine’s war and European...
Driving Quality Through Manufacturing Intelligence
Manufacturers are moving from reactive, end‑of‑line inspections to a continuous, data‑driven quality regime powered by manufacturing intelligence. By linking metrology data with IIoT connectivity and advanced analytics, firms can detect deviations in real time and shift toward predictive quality control....
Metrology Driven Speed Monitoring for Safer Industrial Environments
Westcotec introduced the Automatic Speed Watch Camera (ASWC), a system that merges radar, ANPR and high‑resolution imaging to monitor vehicle speed in industrial zones. The camera, built around IDS Imaging’s uEye LE sensor, captures speed, licence‑plate and vehicle details, feeding data...
Sandvik Coromant Sensorized Turning Adapter Provides Real-Time Insight for Turning Operations
Sandvik Coromant introduced the CoroTurn Plus sensorized turning adapter, which captures cutting forces, vibration, chatter and incut status in real time. The data streams to CoroPlus Viewer for passive visualization or to CoroPlus Connected for active machine‑level protection. By flagging...
Fabs & Labs: Spectrum Control
Spectrum Control announced the opening of its new Marlboro facility, a 150,000‑sq‑ft campus that merges RF design, testing and semiconductor fabrication under one roof. The site features cleanrooms, anechoic chambers, high‑speed signal labs and $45 million of cutting‑edge equipment. By consolidating...
Beverage Operations Turn to Customized Conveyor Systems to Meet Evolving Trends
Beverage manufacturers are rapidly upgrading to customized conveyor systems that can adapt to ever‑changing packaging formats, higher line speeds, and tighter changeover windows. Industry leaders from AMMEGA, Dematic and Swisslog note that flexibility, low‑friction belting, tighter roller spacing and seamless...
Starrett Digital Comparator Streamlines Part Inspection
Starrett introduced the HDV250 digital comparator, replacing traditional projection screens with a high‑resolution camera, LED‑ring illumination and fully digital traceability, delivering micron‑level accuracy and easier training for small‑to‑mid‑scale shops. Mitutoyo launched the Crysta‑Apex V Plus CMM, which adds real‑time temperature...
WEBINAR: From Machine Data to Guided Action: How Modern Shops Are Closing the Execution Gap
MachineMetrics hosted a webinar titled “From Machine Data to Guided Action,” highlighting how manufacturers can close the execution gap that separates real‑time machine data from actionable decisions. The session featured Product Manager Josh Fish and Pindel Global Precision’s Thomas Deslongchamps,...
Hexapod Robot Adapts Terrain with Switchable Locomotion Modes
Multimodal Hexapod #Robot Switches Locomotion Modes to Adapt to Any Terrain via @ZappyZappy7 #Robotics #EmergingTech #Technology #Innovation #TechForGood https://t.co/kNNP4WSY78
A.H. Beard Enters Voluntary Administration as Manufacturing Sector Faces Mounting Pressure
A.H. Beard, a fifth‑generation Australian mattress maker with more than 125 years of history, has entered voluntary administration. The move highlights mounting cost pressures and fierce import competition that are straining the broader Australian manufacturing sector. The Australian Made Campaign...
Practical Failure Modes in Remote IO Systems
The article outlines the most common failure modes in remote I/O systems, including network communication loss, power‑supply instability, harsh environmental exposure, and neglect of built‑in diagnostics. It explains how each issue manifests—timeouts, voltage dips, component drift, or silent faults—and why...
Conifex Takes Mackenzie Mill Offline Again — 25M Board Feet Stripped
Canadian lumber producer Conifex announced a seven‑week shutdown of its Mackenzie sawmill in northern British Columbia starting May 19, removing roughly 25 million board feet of Western SPF from the market. The curtailment stems from limited log inventory and fibre availability...
Northrop Grumman, Australia Move Toward Sovereign Rocket Motor Manufacturing Capability
Northrop Grumman has been chosen by the Australian government for structured engagement to develop a sovereign solid‑rocket motor (SRM) manufacturing capability. The partnership will involve detailed discussions with government and industry to define requirements, production pathways, and integrate Australian suppliers...
Electrolux and Midea Launch Three Joint Ventures to Revamp North American Appliance Production
Swedish appliance giant Electrolux and Chinese rival Midea announced three new joint ventures in North America, covering refrigerator sales, the takeover of Electrolux’s Juarez assembly plant, and the operation of its Anderson, South Carolina factory. The partnership will temporarily shut...
Chinese Court Bars AI‑Driven Layoffs, Citing Worker Rights
China's Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court ruled that a tech firm cannot dismiss an employee simply because an AI system replaced his duties, ordering compensation. The decision underscores a legal limit on using automation as a pretext for layoffs, a move...