Know What's Happening in Manufacturing
Know What's Happening in Manufacturing
Goodyear launches $320 million expansion of its Lawton plant
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced a $320 million, four‑year expansion of its Lawton, Oklahoma facility, boosting capacity by nearly 30 % and adding the ability to produce an extra 10 million tires annually (about 120,000 per day). The upgrade targets higher‑margin, larger‑rim tires for electric vehicles.
Also developing:
By the numbers: BlackRock acquires 5% stake in Samsung Heavy Industries
VLCC charter rates surged to a record $424,000 per day after the U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran, as the Strait of Hormuz was officially closed to traffic. Spot rates for Middle‑East‑to‑China voyages jumped well above $400,000, dwarfing the recent $100,000‑plus benchmarks. The closure forced tankers onto longer routes, tightening supply and driving day rates to historic highs. Parallel spikes were seen in LNG carrier rates, up 40%, as Iranian threats curbed Qatar's export capacity.
Manufacturing is finally reviving, but core PPI just jumped 0.8% in a month when economists expected 0.3%. Services inflation refuses to budge. 🔒 Members-Only https://t.co/4QiEXL6LgZ
#WhosNext? Sweet Potato packers? Thanks to #Automation the packaging of Sweet Potatoes has become a lot easier and a lot more predictable. (Eshet Eilon) #Robotics https://t.co/i11AbtXK0Y
Australian print manufacturers are accelerating automation and digital inkjet adoption to counter chronic labour shortages, tighter turnaround expectations, and rising job complexity. Jet Technologies reports a structural shift toward production lines with fewer human touchpoints, leveraging connected digital platforms beyond...
"Tariffs Force Down Heavy Equipment Sales and Jobs" https://t.co/gAxfFeOvbe "it is more economical to build a forklift overseas, import it and pay the tariff" "multiple layers of tariffs on inputs have made it even more expensive to build machinery on American soil"...
The Western Australian Government announced a new WA Workforce Strategy aimed at bolstering priority sectors such as advanced manufacturing, defence, clean energy, construction, tourism, hospitality and the care economy. Six industry‑focused roundtables and an online consultation running until 30 April 2026 will...
The Australian Government’s 2025 edition of Australia’s Identified Mineral Resources (AIMR) highlights a surge in critical mineral reserves and production, reinforcing the nation’s role as a reliable supplier for high‑tech manufacturing, defence and clean‑energy sectors. Eleven critical minerals, including fluorine,...
Victoria's government introduced the Advancing Antimony Grants, offering up to $1 million to develop a state‑of‑the‑art antimony processing hub. The program targets the state's sole operating antimony mine at Costerfield and recent exploration at Sunday Creek, aiming to boost local processing...
Chinese researchers have created a two‑dimensional titanium‑oxide membrane reactor that enables photocatalytic imine synthesis with unprecedented speed and selectivity. The flexible membrane, assembled via vacuum‑assisted layering, delivers 99.2 % conversion and 99.3 % selectivity in under seven seconds at room temperature, far...
Eriez will demonstrate its integrated tramp‑metal control and feeding solutions at CONEXPO‑CON/AGG 2026, targeting miners and aggregates producers. The portfolio combines vibratory feeders, magnetic separators, and MetAlarm® metal detectors to protect equipment and sustain high‑volume output. By removing ferrous and...
Johnson & Johnson announced a more than $1 billion investment to build a next‑generation cell and gene therapy manufacturing complex on a 154‑acre site in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Construction is slated to start in the second half of 2026, creating over...
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...
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,...
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 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...
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...
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...
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 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 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....
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...
$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, 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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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 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 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 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...
RoboCup 2026 introduces the Smart Manufacturing League (SML): a new unified league combining logistics, mobile manipulation, and intelligent industrial automation. 📝 TDP and a performance video ⏳ Deadline: March 20, 2026 🔗 https://t.co/oSq94PUdVO #RoboCup2026 #SML #Robotics https://t.co/pYWpgRMSpf
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...
The ships around the Strait of Hormuz include container ships. What does this do to global supply and freight rates?
Strait of Hormuz Enters Active Crisis: Five Ships Hit, Traffic Collapses, Tanker Markets Brace for Historic Shock https://t.co/QozOvFyHte
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 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 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...
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, 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...
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
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...
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...
"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
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 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 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....
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...
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.
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...
