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) to build a next‑generation electric‑vehicle production line at its Mulhouse facility, slated to start in 2029. The investment is part of France’s push to electrify its auto fleet and boost domestic manufacturing capacity.
Also developing:
By the numbers: TIEA Connectors raises $8M Series A
Awery Scoops a Fifth Hackathon Win
Awery Aviation Software clinched its fifth IATA ONE Record hackathon title by unveiling Voyager, a tool that delivers real‑time visibility of cargo shipment milestones. The Hong Kong‑based competition challenged developers to build solutions that integrate with the ONE Record data‑sharing standard, and Awery’s QR‑based acceptance checks and AI‑driven temperature forecasts stood out. Voyager links airlines, handlers, forwarders and shippers through API connections and instant messaging alerts, tackling fragmented data that often delays cargo handling. The win underscores the practical power of industry‑wide data standards.
Plastic Ingenuity Using PureCycle Resin in Coffee Lids
PureCycle Technologies has teamed up with Plastic Ingenuity to embed its PureFive polypropylene resin into coffee lids, offering recycled content levels between 25% and 100%. The partnership gives food‑service brands a high‑performance, food‑safe alternative to virgin plastic while advancing circular‑economy...
Autonics CT Series Counter/Timers From AutomationDirect
AutomationDirect has added the Autonics CT series counter/timers to its catalog, offering a fast‑setup solution for counting, timing and batching tasks. The units can be programmed directly from front‑panel pushbuttons, with select models supporting RS‑485 communication through Autonics DAQMaster software....
IronHorse ES1 AC Drives From AutomationDirect
AutomationDirect has launched the IronHorse ES1 series of AC drives, targeting 0.75‑to‑2 hp three‑phase motors while accepting a single‑phase 120 V or 230 V input. The drives are built in the USA, feature a hardware‑only setup with trim pots for speed, current limit,...
Equipment Fraud: The Scams Targeting Food and Drink Manufacturers
Equipment fraud is emerging as a hidden threat for food and drink manufacturers, exploiting urgent maintenance and procurement processes. The most common schemes involve inflated or duplicate invoices, payment‑detail diversion scams, and conflicts of interest that can trigger Bribery Act...
Nomad Foods to Close Factory in Switzerland
Nomad Foods announced it will close its Rorschach manufacturing plant in Switzerland by year‑end, impacting 45 full‑time staff. The shutdown is part of a €200 m ($233 m) operational savings program targeting 2026‑2028, focusing on procurement, logistics and overhead efficiencies. Production of...
Robotics Development Platform Links EBV Ecosystem for System Design
EBV Elektronik launched MOVE, a robotics development platform that aggregates processors, AI accelerators, sensors, motion control, connectivity, memory, power and display components into a single resource hub. The platform targets engineers designing next‑generation robots across industrial automation, logistics, healthcare, agriculture...
South Korea Offers Shippers a Helping Hand with Freight Rate Discounts
South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) have launched a three‑pronged support scheme that offers 10‑20% discounts on full‑container‑load sea freight, LCL discounts on more than 20 routes via Samsung SDS, and...
Decoupling Inventory: Protecting Orders With Strategic Supplies
In this episode of the MRP Easy Manufacturing Podcast, host(s) explain decoupling inventory—a strategy of placing buffer stock of sub‑assemblies and work‑in‑process between production stages to absorb equipment failures, supplier delays, or demand spikes. They differentiate it from safety stock...
UK Robotic Construction Company All3 Raises $25M in Seed Round Funding
All3, a UK‑based construction robotics startup, closed a $25 million seed round led by RTP Global to accelerate its AI‑driven building platform. The company combines site‑specific AI design, off‑site robotic factories, and autonomous on‑site robots—chiefly the four‑legged Mantis—to fabricate and assemble...
General Mills Faces Setback in Supply Chain Sustainability Push
General Mills reported a slowdown in its supply‑chain emissions reductions for fiscal 2025, cutting total greenhouse‑gas output by 14% versus a 19% decline the prior year. The dip stems from a 3% rise in operational emissions after adding electricity use...
Geely Taps Volvo’s EU Plants to Propel Regional Expansion
Geely announced it will expand production of its brands at Volvo Cars' European factories rather than build new plants, leveraging spare capacity in Sweden, Belgium and Slovakia. The move addresses China's severe automotive overcapacity and avoids the 28.8% import tariffs...
Gulf Crisis a Blip in India’s Airfreight Growth, Claim Bullish Stakeholders
India’s international air‑cargo volumes fell 6% YoY in April as Gulf airport closures disrupted routes, but the sector still posted a 5.4% annual increase for FY 2025‑26. Chennai Airport led the surge with a 12% freight rise, while Ahmedabad logged a...
Fincantieri and KAYO Launch JV to Build and Maintain Albanian Navy’s Fleet
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and Albanian firm KAYO have signed a joint‑venture agreement in Tirana, creating a 51‑percent/49‑percent partnership to build and maintain naval vessels for the Albanian Navy. The JV will use the Pashaliman shipyard near Vlora as its primary...
Charter Market Benefits From Tonnage Shortage in ‘Fully Employed’ Box Ship Fleet
Container shipping remains effectively at full employment despite the Gulf conflict, with commercially idle capacity dropping to 0.7% of global tonnage. Alphaliner reports that at least 58 containerships, representing roughly 310,000 TEU, have been diverted or sheltered, tightening supply further....
Shahi Exports to Scale Cotton Pre-Treatment Technology
Shahi Exports, one of India’s largest garment manufacturers, has teamed up with US‑based Innovo Fiber to commercialize a low‑impact cotton pre‑treatment process. Pilot trials demonstrated roughly a 25% reduction in water usage and a 49% cut in steam consumption. The...
DSV’s Q1 Air Volumes See Continued Boost From Schenker Takeover
DSV reported 518,000 tonnes of airfreight in Q1 2026, a 55% year‑on‑year increase driven primarily by the Schenker acquisition and strong demand from technology and semiconductor customers. Air revenue rose to DKK 20.2 bn (≈ $2.8 bn), up 48%, while the Air & Sea...
Shahi Exports, Innovo Fiber Scale Tech for Low-Impact Cotton Processing
Shahi Exports has teamed with Fibre52, the biotech arm of Innovo Fiber, to launch the world’s largest industrial‑scale deployment of a low‑impact cotton pretreatment system. The drop‑in, low‑temperature process replaces caustic soda with ZDHC MRSL v3.1 and OEKO‑TEX‑approved chemistries, preserving...
The Strategic Investments Expanding CDMO Capabilities for HPAPIs and ADCs
Contract development and manufacturing organisations (CDMOs) are accelerating investments to meet soaring demand for highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients (HPAPIs) and antibody‑drug conjugates (ADCs). The focus is on backward integration, high‑containment infrastructure, and advanced processing such as chromatography and lyophilisation...
LONGi Sets New World Records: 28.13% Cell and 26.4% Module Efficiency
LONGi Green Energy announced on April 29, 2026 that its Hybrid Interdigitated‑Back‑Contact (HIBC) solar cell achieved a certified 28.13% conversion efficiency and its HIBC‑based modules reached 26.4% efficiency, the highest ever for crystalline silicon. The breakthroughs, certified in Germany and...
Aerios Teams up with Wiremind to Tackle Cargo Loadability Issues
Aerios has integrated Wiremind Cargo’s Skypallet optimisation tool into its charter quoting app, enabling real‑time cargo loadability checks. The system flags size, weight and density issues at the quotation stage, eliminating manual hand‑offs between sales and loadmaster teams. By delivering...
Alvieva Apparel: Rebuilding Trust in Apparel Sourcing Through Human Verification
Alvieva Apparel is positioning trust, not speed or cost, as the cornerstone of global apparel sourcing. The company advocates a model built on human verification, structured sourcing frameworks, and direct production oversight. By embedding hands‑on checks throughout the supply chain,...
Giant Humanoid Robot Revolutionizes Japan’s Railway Maintenance
A New Humanoid Giant Is Transforming Railway Maintenance in Japan by @CyberRobooo #Robotics #Engineering #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/o6CFudzxMb
A Beginner’s Guide to the Semiconductor Industry in India
The guide breaks down the fundamentals of semiconductors and maps the global chip ecosystem, then zeroes in on India’s emerging role. It outlines government incentives, current manufacturing capacity, and the skill sets needed for design, fabrication, and testing. Salary ranges,...
ABB Teams with Alcemy to Deploy AI for Cement Quality and Emissions Cuts
ABB announced a partnership with AI specialist Alcemy to embed artificial intelligence into cement and concrete production. The joint effort combines ABB's automation hardware with Alcemy's real‑time analytics to boost product consistency, cut energy use and lower carbon emissions, a...
I've Covered Robots for Years. This One Is Different
Eka, a Cambridge‑based robotics startup, unveiled a new generation of manipulators that combine lifelike dexterity with large‑language‑model intelligence. In live demos the robot gently grasped a raspberry, chased a rolling light bulb, and screwed it into a socket without human...
How IFS Softeon Plans to Use AI to Help Manage Stock Within the Warehouse and Beyond
Industrial software vendor IFS completed its acquisition of warehouse‑management specialist Softeon, bringing AI‑enhanced WMS capabilities into the IFS Cloud. CEO Jim Hoefflin says the combined suite will link real‑time inventory visibility with distributed order management, allowing dynamic allocation, SLA‑aware routing...
ATMA Seeks Policy Support to Address Supply Chain Worries
India’s Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA) has asked the government to broaden customs‑duty relief for key tyre inputs as volatile crude prices and shipping bottlenecks push costs higher. The association welcomed a temporary exemption on synthetic rubber and certain resins...
Czechs Seek Supplier for 33 New Trains
České dráhy has issued a framework tender for up to 33 new multiple‑unit trains—20 battery‑powered and 13 electric—to support the Hradec Králové regional rail contract starting December 2031. The tender requires the two train types to be compatible for coupled operation, enabling...
GDWN Foundry Extension Approved, Completion Set for August
#GDWN foundry extension planning approved…unanimously I hold & this is great news …building is scheduled to complete in August https://t.co/dp6OTU3JDO
Syensqo Strengthens Partnership with Avio Through New Long-Term Space Materials Agreement
Syensqo and Avio have signed a new long‑term supply agreement for ablative materials, RTM resins and adhesives used in space launch systems. The deal expands Syensqo’s role in Avio’s Vega‑C program and other launch‑vehicle projects, ensuring a steady supply of...
Free Webinar Explores Additive Manufacturing From Design to Flight
Free #engineering webinar, RAeS Structures SG Webinar: Additive Manufacturing - from Design to Flight, 6 May, #avgeek #3Dprinting https://t.co/a42bK0hEYA https://t.co/Rb2hCoOpwh
Robots Create Digital Twins of Dm Stores at Night
Nighttime #Robots Build #Digital Twins of dm-Drogerie Markt Stores by @lukas_m_ziegler #Robotics #ML #EmergingTech #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/WWrYcf32qZ
SVAB and TERNA Systems Collaborate to Incorporate TERNA's Advanced Machine Control Into Joysticks
SVAB and TERNA Systems are merging SVAB's ergonomic joystick line with TERNA's TERNA3D machine‑control platform, adding haptic feedback that vibrates when the equipment nears predefined safety zones. The integration lets excavator operators manage the machine directly from the joystick, cutting...
Sandvik Gives Annual Award to Its Electric Train
Sandvik awarded its own “electric train” system the company’s annual sustainability prize. The fully integrated, electrified crushing and screening solution combines two all‑electric machines with a hybrid unit, delivering a 25% reduction in fuel consumption. The award, presented to the...
Honda’s Global Vehicle Output Falls 5% in March
Honda Motor Co. reported a 4.8% drop in global vehicle output in March 2026, producing 313,259 units versus 328,944 a year earlier. Production in Japan rebounded, rising over 9% to 66,750 vehicles, while overseas output fell 8% to 246,509 units....
Researchers Boost SLA Resin Conductivity With PEDOT:PSS
Researchers have formulated a UV‑curable SLA resin infused with the conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS and nano‑graphite, delivering measurable electrical conductivity while preserving the fine resolution and surface finish typical of stereolithography. The blend overcomes the usual light‑attenuation and viscosity penalties of...
The Danish Wind Group Upending Orthodoxy to Grow Its Business
Denmark’s KK Group is reshaping wind‑energy supply chains by introducing modular turbine retrofits and a performance‑based financing model, which the CEO says will slash installation time and cut costs. The strategy also includes vertical integration to reduce supply‑chain expenses and...
Locus Array: The Next Leap in Warehouse Fulfillment Automation
In this episode, Kevin Lawton interviews Kate Peterson of Locust Robotics about the Locus Array, a 10‑foot, fully autonomous fulfillment robot that handles picking, packing, put‑away, inventory counting, and re‑slotting without human intervention. The robot uses AI‑driven cameras, an omnidirectional...
“Our Nanofibre Coating Represents a Fundamental Shift”
Soarce, a 2021‑born materials‑innovation startup, won the Grand prize at JEC World 2026’s Startup Booster, highlighting its bio‑based nanofibre coating for composites. Backed by roughly $3.5 million in pre‑seed capital, the company converts biomass into high‑performance nanofibre additives that integrate into existing...
Schaeffler Partners with Vietnamese Humanoid Robot Manufacturer VinDynamics
Schaeffler has partnered with VinDynamics, the humanoid‑robot arm of Vietnam’s Vingroup, to supply high‑torque planetary gearboxes and co‑develop data‑driven actuator improvements. The collaboration includes joint collection of robot‑operation data to enable predictive‑maintenance services and accelerate real‑world robot deployments. It marks...
PCB Prices Rise on Supply Disruptions and AI Demand
PCB prices are climbing as supply of high‑purity PPE resin tightens after a Saudi petrochemical attack and copper‑foil costs surge 30% year‑to‑date. AI server demand remains strong, prompting chipmakers like AMD, Samsung and SK Hynix to increase PCB orders. Daeduck Electronics...
Interview with the CEO of Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories: ‘Uncertainty in the Real World’
Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories (MERL) CEO Anthony Vetro says the biggest hurdle for robotics is the gap between controlled labs and unpredictable real‑world environments. MERL is advancing perception, force control, predictive sensing, and “physical AI” to embed physics into AI...
US Battery Startup Builds Factory in China After Nixing Kentucky Plant
EnerVenue, a Silicon Valley battery startup, abandoned a planned $264 million Kentucky factory and redirected $300 million of new funding to build a manufacturing line in Changzhou, China. The company claims its nickel‑hydrogen batteries can deliver 30,000 cycles, superior fire safety, and...
Cement Exports From Bangladesh Are Booming
Bangladesh’s cement exports surged in the first nine months of FY25‑26, with export earnings climbing 16.2% year‑on‑year to $11.98 million. The nine‑month period also saw month‑on‑month growth, though full‑year FY24‑25 revenue slipped to $14.33 million from $18.42 million the prior year. India’s northeastern...
Metallurgical Coal Has Finally Been Classed a Critical Mineral
The United States has officially classified metallurgical (coking) coal as a critical mineral, recognizing its indispensable role in blast‑furnace steel production. Over 70 % of global steel still relies on coke made from this high‑grade coal, which cannot be replaced without...
AIDN: NIOA Cites Sovereign Manufacturing Gains in Defence Strategy Update
Australian defence prime NIOA has praised the government’s updated National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program, saying it reinforces sovereign manufacturing of missiles and munitions. CEO Robert Nioa highlighted the strategy’s focus on long‑range strike, missile defence, autonomous systems and...
Starship Passes 10 Million Deliveries as Autonomous Delivery Moves Toward Mainstream Adoption
Starship Technologies announced it has completed over 10 million autonomous deliveries using more than 3,000 sidewalk robots deployed in 300+ locations across eight countries. The fleet has logged 22 million kilometres, crossed 200 million roads and now performs roughly 125,000 road crossings per...
Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) Expands Houston-Area Manufacturing Footprint
Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) announced on April 17, 2026 that it will add two adjacent buildings in Pearland, Texas, expanding its Houston‑area manufacturing capacity by roughly 388,000 square feet. The new space joins a 210,000‑square‑foot plant under development near its Sugar...
ABB Robotics’ Autonomous Mobile Robot Wins Prestigious Design Award
ABB Robotics announced that its Flexley Mover P603 autonomous mobile robot has been awarded the 2026 iF Design Award. The P603 combines AI‑driven Visual SLAM navigation, a compact footprint and load‑sensing capability for up to 1,500 kg, eliminating the need for...