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
Faster, Cleaner, More Sustainable: S1 Optimizes SLS Post-Processing at FORMRISE
FORMRISE, a German 3D‑printing service, adopted AM Solutions' automated S1 blasting system to streamline its selective laser sintering (SLS) post‑processing. The 2‑in‑1 cleaning and surface‑finishing solution cut batch cycle time by roughly 50% and slashed polybead consumption by over 60%, saving about €35,000 (≈ $38,500) annually. Energy, compressed‑air use and CO₂ emissions fell dramatically, with more than 12 metric tons of carbon avoided each year. The company now runs three S1 units, delivering faster, cleaner parts for automotive, aerospace and medical customers.
Optimized Warehouse Layout Turns Space Into Strategic Advantage
A well-optimized warehouse is more than just storage space—it's a strategic asset that drives efficiency, speed, and cost control across the supply chain. Successful warehouse optimization begins with detailed visual layouts that clearly map how space, inventory, and workflows interact. Key Elements...
Survey: US Industry Can’t Meet Global Munitions Demand
A recent survey of U.S. defense contractors reveals that the domestic munitions industry is unlikely to satisfy the soaring global demand for ammunition through 2025. Respondents cite a capacity shortfall of roughly 30 percent, driven by aging production lines, labor...
Survey: US Industry Can’t Meet Global Munitions Demand
A new industry survey reveals that U.S. munitions manufacturers are unable to keep pace with surging global demand driven by multiple conflicts. Production capacity gaps, especially for .50‑caliber rounds at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, are widening. Respondents cite...
Fandis Lumeis Enclosure Lights
AutomationDirect introduced the Fandis Lumeis series LED enclosure lights, delivering 600 lumens of uniform illumination while drawing less than 5 watts. The lights operate over a wide 20‑265 VAC/VDC range and feature screwless terminals, magnetic or screw mounting, and a 40° swivel...
Laumas Single Point Load Cells LE
AutomationDirect has added three Laumas single‑point load‑cell series—ALLUE, AZLUE and APLUE—to its catalog. The cells are manufactured in Europe, handle up to 600 kg (1,320 lb), and deliver 0.02% full‑scale accuracy with a 150% overload rating. They feature IP65‑rated aluminum housings, wide...
RHINO PSR Spring Clamp Power Supplies
AutomationDirect has launched the RHINO PSR series power supplies featuring tool‑free spring clamp terminals that lock without retorquing. The ultra‑slim units combine rugged metal or aluminum housings with high efficiency and power density, making them ideal for space‑constrained industrial panels....
AchieVe NEC2 Power Supplies
AutomationDirect introduced the AchieVe PSA series NEC Class 2 power supplies, offering a compact form factor with energy‑limited DC outputs for low‑voltage control and automation circuits. The units accept a wide 85‑264 VAC input range and provide selectable 5 V, 12 V, or 24 V...
Why Supplier Scorecards Rarely Improve Performance
Supplier scorecards are ubiquitous in procurement, but they function as lagging measurement tools that often fail to drive improvement. Because they are typically updated quarterly, they capture problems after they have already impacted production, inventory, or cost. The article argues...
CCTS to Keep Near-Term Costs Manageable but Raise Long-Term Pressure on Cement, Aluminium Firms: ICRA ESG
India’s newly launched Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) will keep short‑term compliance costs manageable for cement and aluminium producers, but it will tighten emission targets, creating larger credit deficits over the next two years. Under higher‑growth scenarios, cement firms could...
DHL Upbeat on Middle East Airfreight: Capacity Returns as Airspace Reopens
During a recent "navigating disruption" webinar, DHL Global Forwarding Middle East and Africa reported that Gulf airlines are steadily restoring air cargo capacity, with only Kuwait's airspace still closed. The company noted a modest softening in freight rates, though they...
Proposed Chinese Robot Ban Is Latest U.S. Tech Sovereignty Move
The bipartisan American Security Robotics Act, introduced by Senators Tom Cotton, Chuck Schumer and Rep. Elise Stefanik, would bar U.S. government use of Chinese‑made ground robots such as humanoids, quadrupeds and crawlers. The proposal follows the FCC’s recent crackdown on...
Mars Plans to Close Pet-Food Factory in Germany
Mars Pet Nutrition announced plans to shut its Minden, Germany dry‑pet‑food plant, affecting roughly 110 workers. Production would cease by late 2026, with output redirected to other European facilities. The closure comes as Mars rolls out a €1 bn ($1.18 bn) investment program...
AMA: Energy 2026: How Addept3D Sees the Gap Between AM Value and Industrial Adoption in Energy
Additive manufacturing (AM) is delivering measurable savings in the energy sector, exemplified by Equinor’s roughly $100 million cost reduction, yet large‑scale, high‑value components remain stuck in proof‑of‑concept stages. Tarun Chand of Addept3D explains that the primary barrier is cost – both...
Bambu Lab Discontinues the X1 Series After Four Years on the Market
Bambu Lab announced that production of its X1, X1 Carbon, and X1E 3D printers will cease on March 31, 2026, with after‑sales support guaranteed until March 2031. The X1 series, launched in 2022 via a $7 million Kickstarter, reshaped desktop printing by popularizing CoreXY...
AMT and GreatAmerica Turn Vapor Smoothing Into a Monthly Subscription
AMT and GreatAmerica have launched a bundled subscription for the PostPro SFX vapor‑smoothing system, charging North American manufacturers $999 per month. The all‑inclusive fee covers hardware, shipping, consumables, warranty and import duties, eliminating upfront capital outlay. The service is fulfilled from...
Scrap Labs Debuts Scrap 1 Metal 3D Printer at RMRRF 2026
Scrap Labs unveiled the Scrap 1, a low‑cost Laser Powder Bed Fusion metal 3D printer, at the Rocky Mountain RepRap Festival 2026. The kit is priced at $9,600 for a limited launch period, increasing to $14,200 after April 30, 2026, with fully assembled units...
SLICED: Latest News From the 3D Printing Industry
The additive‑manufacturing ecosystem saw several strategic moves in April. AMGTA promoted Michigan’s MTDG to Principal Member and added its CEO Dean Bartles to the board, while Materialise spun off its RapidFit division to sharpen its focus on software and medical...
Lincoln Electric at AM Strategies Conference: Turning Talk Into Industrial Reality
At the February 2026 AM Strategies Conference, Lincoln Electric demonstrated that its 130‑year‑old welding expertise now powers large‑scale metal additive manufacturing. By showcasing wire‑arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) integrated with robotics and in‑house finishing, the company proved a fully industrialized workflow from...
Fincantieri to Upgrade PPA Vessels with Combat Systems
Italy’s shipbuilder Fincantieri has secured a contract with European procurement agency OCCAR to upgrade the PPA‑class multipurpose combat ships to a full combat system configuration. The deal, part of a temporary consortium with Leonardo, allocates roughly $73 million (about €62 million) to...
A Steady First Quarter, but Port of Rotterdam Waits for Hormuz Ripples
Rotterdam handled 103 million tonnes in Q1 2026, a modest 0.7% dip from the same period last year, reflecting stable container volumes but weaker dry‑bulk traffic. Container throughput rose 0.3% in TEU terms while tonnage fell 3.2% due to a surge...
Komatsu Hits Autonomous Milestone
Komatsu announced it has commissioned its 1,000th autonomous ultra‑class haul truck, cementing its role as a pioneer in driverless mining equipment. The milestone centers on the company’s 930E‑5 electric haul truck, which can transport a 290‑metric‑ton payload. By reaching this...
Seasoned Broker ACS Steps in on Urgent Condiment Shipment
Air Charter Service (ACS) stepped in to prevent a Nicaraguan meat‑product plant shutdown by chartering an Airbus A330‑200F to move 18 tons of seasoning from Mexico. The client initially sought a next‑flight‑out (NFO) service, but ACS proposed a single 51‑ton charter...
What Does Trump’s Wartime Powers Flex Mean for Transformers and Other Grid Equipment Shortages?
President Donald Trump issued five Defense Production Act (DPA) determinations aimed at expanding domestic production of power‑grid equipment and fossil‑fuel infrastructure. The memo highlights severe shortages of transformers, high‑voltage components and other critical hardware, with backlogs now exceeding a year....
Everyone Has a Role to Play with Inventory By Tim Grant
In this 11‑minute episode, Tim Grant explains how inventory management has shifted from siloed functions to a collaborative, cross‑functional process that involves every department—from shipping and receiving to procurement, operations, production, sales, accounting, and senior management. He highlights how each...
Ajinomoto Creates New Tech to Replace One of Cultivated Meat’s Most Expensive Components
Japanese food conglomerate Ajinomoto has engineered a plant‑derived hinokitiol compound to replace transferrin, the most expensive ingredient in cultivated‑meat culture media. Transferrin accounts for roughly 95% of media costs, so the new iron‑binding molecule could slash production expenses dramatically. Hinokitiol...
Trump Tariffs Squeeze Small Seat Cushion Maker
Section 301 tariffs IEEPA tariffs Supreme Court Section 122 tariffs How President Trump's tariff policy is affecting one small manufacturing company in Fall River, Massachusetts that just wants to make your seat cushions. https://t.co/e3N2oQk6Ix
Accenture, Vodafone and SAP Pilot Humanoid Robotics in Warehouse Operations
Accenture, SAP and Vodafone Procure & Connect launched a pilot in Duisburg, Germany, deploying humanoid robots powered by Accenture’s “Robot Brain.” The bots were first trained in a digital twin of the warehouse using Nvidia‑backed simulation tools, then tasked with...
Storm Warning? Rivian's Real Test Is Not a Tornado
An EF‑1 tornado struck Rivian’s Normal, Illinois plant on April 19, damaging a parts‑storage building but leaving the main assembly lines for the R1T and R1S untouched. The disruption was confined to logistics for the upcoming R2 SUV, and the...
Costain Uses Robots to Print 90 Concrete Bases for Teesside Captured CO2 Pipeline
Costain, A E Yates and Hyperion Robotics are 3‑D printing 90 high‑strength concrete bases for a 1.3 km carbon‑capture pipeline across Teesside. The robotic process eliminates formwork, reduces concrete and steel use by 40% and cuts emissions up to 50%, while delivering bases...
German Chemists Regain Pricing Power Amid Iran Conflict
Good Morning from Germany where the Iran conflict just solved the German chemical sector’s biggest problem within 2 mths. 🧪With Asian rivals starved of naphtha, BASF and Wacker Chemie are reclaiming the pricing power they lost over the past 6yrs....
ArcelorMittal Gains Full Control of Italian Steel JV After Debt‑Equity Swap
ArcelorMittal will assume 100% ownership of the CLN Distribuzione Italia joint venture by converting the partner's debt into equity. The move ends a decade‑long partnership with CLN‑Coils Lamiere Nastri SpA and positions the steelmaker to streamline its automotive supply chain....
POSCO Holdings Shares Jump 8.2% After Low‑Carbon Iron Ore Project Wins WA Approval
POSCO Holdings' shares climbed more than 8% on the Korea Exchange after the company secured regulatory approval for a low‑carbon iron plant in Western Australia. The project, which will use hydrogen‑based reduction, is a cornerstone of POSCO's strategy to decarbonise...
Solx and Caelux Seal $3 GW Perovskite Solar Deal, Making Puerto Rico a New Manufacturing Hub
Solar startup Solx and California glass specialist Caelux have signed a five‑year, 3‑gigawatt strategic partnership to produce tandem perovskite‑silicon Aurora™ modules in Puerto Rico. The venture aims for 28% conversion efficiency and plans to scale to high‑volume roll‑to‑roll production by...
The Japanese Composites Research Centre Joins the European Rebar Council
The Innovative Composite Materials Research and Development Center (ICC) in Japan has joined the European Rebar Council (ERC) as a partner organization, extending the council’s network into the Asia‑Pacific region. The partnership underscores the growing global acceptance of glass‑fibre‑reinforced polymer...
C-Infinity Raises $16M to Close the Gap Between Product Design and Production
C-Infinity, an AI-driven manufacturing process‑planning startup, closed a $16 million Series A led by Canaan Partners, with participation from Inventus Capital, Bee Partners and Radius Capital. Its AutoAssembler platform automates the translation of CAD models into factory‑ready assembly plans, cutting weeks‑long manual...
Dassault Systèmes and OMRON Partner on IT/OT
Dassault Systèmes and OMRON have teamed up to merge information technology with operational technology, creating a unified platform that links 3D design, simulation and real‑world automation. The partnership combines Dassault’s 3DEXPERIENCE suite with OMRON’s Sysmac industrial automation system to deliver...
AMD Taps GlobalFoundries for MI500 Photonics as It Advances CPO Design
AMD is developing a co‑packaged optics (CPO) version of its Instinct MI500 accelerator, using photonic integrated circuits fabricated by GlobalFoundries and multi‑chip‑module packaging from ASE. The CPO approach aims to boost bandwidth and cut power consumption by placing optical links directly...
Top Drugs at Risk of Supply Shortages: Report
The U.S. Pharmacopeia’s new vulnerable medicines report flags 100 drugs—half of which depend on a single‑country key starting material—as prone to supply shocks. While only 30 of these are in active FDA shortage, the list highlights injectables, ICU sedatives, IV...
Texas Instruments Interview: The Hidden Engineering Challenges Behind Humanoid Robots
Texas Instruments is positioning itself as a critical enabler for humanoid robots, leveraging its analog and embedded‑processing portfolio to deliver deterministic real‑time control, sensor‑fusion, power efficiency, and functional safety. German Aguirre identified three core gaps—robust perception, low‑latency control, and system‑level...
Indonesia Turns to Paper, Glass Packaging as Plastic Prices Climb
Indonesia’s Industry Ministry is urging food‑and‑beverage firms to replace costly plastic with paper, glass, metal and recycled PET as global plastic prices surge. The push is framed as both a cost‑saving measure and a sustainability drive, leveraging the country’s robust...
MSC Air Cargo Targets APAC Growth with Shanghai Station
MSC Air Cargo officially opened a dedicated station at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, cementing its push into the Asia‑Pacific market. The move follows a 2025 partnership with China‑based parcel leader SF Express and Shanghai Airport Authority Logistics Development Co. (AVINEX) to...
The Eames Pavilion System for Prefab Housing Launches in Milan, and Other News.
The Eames Office and Kettal unveiled the Eames Pavilion System at Milan Design Week, a modular prefabricated housing kit that blends aluminum frames with interchangeable glass, wood and composite panels for scalable, customizable homes. Taschen released a new monograph on...
Voronoi Diagram-Based Volume Decomposition and Overhang Control in Topology Optimization for Multi-Axis Additive Manufacturing
The study introduces a Voronoi diagram‑based partitioning method for topology optimization tailored to multi‑axis additive manufacturing. By using a Softmax‑Heaviside projection, the approach guarantees full domain coverage and stable partitions controlled by a few seed points. Overhang constraints are integrated...
OM in the News: Understanding Manufacturing AI Terminology
Industry Week’s latest guide demystifies the AI buzzwords flooding manufacturing and supply‑chain meetings, from machine learning and large language models to copilots, agents, and embeddings. It outlines concrete use cases—demand forecasting, email summarization, ERP navigation, autonomous inventory actions—and warns that...
Bosch Sampling Third-Generation SiC Chips to Global Automakers
Bosch has begun sampling its third‑generation silicon carbide (SiC) power chips to automakers worldwide. The new chips deliver about 20% higher performance while being significantly smaller, enabling more chips per wafer and lower costs. Bosch has invested roughly $3.3 billion in...
Cargill Opens Regina Canola Facility With Capacity to Process One Million Metric Tonnes Annually
Cargill announced a comprehensive sustainability overhaul of its cocoa supply chain, spanning West Africa to Europe. The plan installs biomass boilers, solar farms, electric barges and circular packaging, aiming to cut supply‑chain emissions 30% per ton by 2030. Site‑level upgrades...
Shahi Scales Fibre52 Cotton Pretreatment
Shahi Exports, India’s largest apparel exporter, has teamed with US‑based Innovo Fiber to install the Fibre52 cotton pretreatment system across its integrated knit facilities. The rollout will cover roughly 3,000 tonnes of annual knit capacity, making it the biggest industrial‑scale deployment...
Volkswagen to Expand China-Made EV Exports to Emerging Markets
Volkswagen announced it will increase exports of electric vehicles built in China to emerging markets, leveraging lower production costs and locally developed technology. The plan follows a partnership with Xpeng and SAIC Motor to accelerate model development and comes as...
Aurrigo to Relocate Global Headquarters in Coventry
Aurrigo, the autonomous‑vehicle and mobile‑robotics firm, will move its global headquarters and core design and manufacturing centre to a new 130,000‑square‑foot campus at Power Park in Coventry. The site is more than three times larger than its current UK facility and...