Know What's Happening in Manufacturing
Know What's Happening in Manufacturing
Japan pours $6.3B into physical AI robotics to secure 30% global market share by 2040
Japan has launched a national initiative to dominate the emerging physical AI market, targeting a 30% share worldwide by 2040. A shrinking workforce and a 14‑year population decline have turned automation into a survival tool for factories and critical infrastructure. The government has earmarked roughly $6.3B to accelerate AI‑powered robotics.
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By the numbers: BlackRock acquires 5% stake in Samsung Heavy Industries
U.S. solar‑cell maker Talon PV has signed a long‑term supply agreement with German wafer producer NexWafe. The deal provides approximately 7 GW of NexWafe’s EpiNex silicon wafers through 2032 to fuel Talon’s planned 4.8‑GW TOPCon manufacturing facility in Baytown, Texas. The partnership includes wafer qualification at Fraunhofer ISE and aims to build a Western‑aligned, domestic supply chain for next‑generation photovoltaics. The collaboration positions Talon to scale high‑efficiency solar production while reducing reliance on imported silicon components.
Alloyed Ltd secured a £1 million grant from the UK ATI Programme to fast‑track the development of ABD®‑1000AM®, a nickel‑based superalloy engineered for laser powder‑bed fusion additive manufacturing. The project, run with ITP Aero and Cranfield University, aims to produce 3D‑printed jet‑engine...
ProEnergy Supply (PES) has launched an AI‑driven transactional gateway that integrates directly with OpenSolar’s new Shop platform, allowing solar designers to purchase equipment in real time. The solution connects live inventory to distributors’ ERP systems, reaching over 28,000 active solar...
The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Thermoset Division is hosting its fifth annual TopCon student poster competition at the Thermoset TopCon Conference in Madison, Wisconsin, on May 12‑13, 2026. Graduate and undergraduate students must submit abstracts by April 10, 2026,...
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is accelerating its defense and space programs by investing heavily in additive manufacturing, highlighted by the acquisition of a Velo3D Sapphire metal 3D printer and the launch of a CAMM materials‑characterization program. The company uses...
Roland DGA has introduced the Elevate Denture Solution, a digital denture kit that bundles Ivoclar Ivotion discs, hyperDENT CAM strategies, adapters and PMMA tooling for use with DGSHAPE DWX‑53 series mills. Developed with Ivoclar and FOLLOW‑ME! Technology, the solution offers...
DHL Group is expanding its dedicated air‑freight cold‑chain network, adding more than 30 GDP‑compliant aviation hubs and a new Brussels‑Cincinnati corridor. The rollout is part of a €2 bn investment in DHL Health Logistics and includes a dedicated Boeing 777 freighter painted...
L3Harris Technologies secured its largest full‑rate production contract to supply communications systems for 26 shipsets destined for the U.S. Navy’s Virginia‑class fast‑attack and upcoming Columbia‑class ballistic‑missile submarines. The award, granted by General Dynamics Electric Boat, spans production through 2033 and...
Nordlicht I’s first monopiles and transition pieces were finished ahead of schedule by EEW and CS Wind, marking a key milestone before offshore construction begins later this year. The 68 steel structures, up to 80.5 metres long and 1,290 tonnes heavy, position the project...
Additive Screen Printing (ASP) merges industrial screen printing with additive manufacturing to produce metal and ceramic components with micro‑precision at high volume. The process deposits material paste through precision screens layer‑by‑layer, cures each layer, then sinters the green parts to...
Swarm Aero inaugurated an 80,000‑square‑foot Advanced Manufacturing Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas, dedicated to large‑UAV production. The facility is designed to mass‑produce the Group 5 swarming UAV, which the company claims will cost less than the MQ‑9 Reaper while delivering comparable capability....
Stratasys has launched a multi‑material 3D‑printed dental anatomical model preset using its PolyJet technology, enabling realistic, customizable training devices. The preset defines material ratios and distribution patterns to consistently mimic bone, teeth, nerves, and soft tissue. Models can be personalized...
U.S. metal‑3D printer maker Velo3D has landed an $11.5 million multi‑year full‑rate production agreement with an undisclosed defense contractor for a sensitive national‑security program. The deal leverages Velo3D’s Rapid Production Solution, which couples large‑format laser powder‑bed fusion hardware with proprietary software...
Fourier analysis, implemented via Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) in Mahr’s MarWin software, is being promoted as a core tool for production metrology. By converting measurement profiles into frequency spectra, it reveals hidden vibrations caused by tool wear, unstable clamping, or...
Researchers at San Diego State University have used automated tow placement to 3D‑print pseudo‑woven continuous carbon‑fiber skins, called meta‑skins, for foam‑core composites. In low‑velocity drop‑tower tests (4.43 m/s), a monocoque configuration with a single skin absorbed nearly 100 % of the impact...
Master Bond introduced UV26DCMed, a single‑component, dual‑cure adhesive for medical device assembly that combines UV light for rapid fixturing with a heat bake for full polymerization. The formulation tolerates repeated sterilization methods—including steam autoclave, ethylene oxide, glutaraldehyde, and hydrogen‑peroxide—while meeting...
The episode reviews December 2025 robotics funding, highlighting 127 rounds that raised $2.74 billion, bringing the year’s total to roughly $35 billion. It notes a healthy volume of deals despite lower individual round sizes, with notable activity among humanoid, biotech‑robotics, construction, and...
Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas announced its 2026 Dealers of Excellence, honoring 17 top-performing dealers across North America. The award recognizes dealers that excel in selling and servicing Cat lift trucks, Mitsubishi forklifts, and Jungheinrich warehouse automation solutions. Recipients were selected for...
Kaiser Aluminum reported $3.4 billion in net sales for 2025, generating $1.5 billion in conversion revenue after $1.9 billion of alloy metal hedge costs. Total shipments fell 5% to 1.1 billion pounds, while packaging conversion revenue rose 11% thanks to a shift toward coated...
Onto Innovation reported Q3 2025 revenue of $218.2 million, surpassing the midpoint of its guidance, with a 54% gross margin and 21.1% operating margin. Advanced nodes contributed $54 million and are projected to reach $300 million for the full year, while specialty packaging...
Metallus Inc reported a sequential decline in fourth‑quarter shipments and net sales, resulting in a GAAP loss of $14.3 million and adjusted EBITDA of $2.4 million. Annual shipments rose 14% year‑over‑year, and the order book expanded over 50%, pushing lead times into...
Gentherm reported record $1.5 billion revenue for 2025, a 2.9% increase, and secured $2.2 billion of automotive new‑business awards, including $485 million in Q4. Adjusted EBITDA fell to $175 million (11.7% of sales) amid higher material costs, while operating cash flow rose 7% to...
Vicor reported Q4 2025 product revenue of $92.7 million, a 4.5% sequential rise and 15.3% YoY growth, while full‑year revenue climbed 4.1% to $350.3 million. Advanced‑product sales surged 26.6% YoY, pushing the advanced‑product share of total revenue to 58% despite a slight...
Garrett Motion reported $3.58 billion in 2025 sales and a $510 million adjusted EBIT, delivering a 14.2% margin despite a modest Q4 margin dip. The company converted nearly 80% of adjusted EBIT into free cash flow and returned $260 million to shareholders through...
The NextGen Supply Chain Conference 2026 has opened its speaker submission window, inviting senior supply‑chain leaders to present case studies at the event scheduled for Oct. 21‑23, 2026, in Nashville’s W Hotel. The conference’s theme, “Innovate. Upskill. Transform.”, signals a shift...
Allied Vision introduced the allPIXA neo 6k 10GigE line‑scan camera, engineered for high‑speed automated sorting. It features a 6144 × 4 pixel CMOS multispectral sensor, 5 µm pixel size, and can capture up to 105 kHz in color or 300 kHz in monochrome. The camera delivers...
North Aircraft Industries (NAI) has secured a partnership with New Horizon Aircraft to manufacture and test the composite wings for the Cavorite X7 VTOL, a novel aircraft whose wings open to expose twelve electric lift fans for vertical take‑off. The wing’s...
Aalberts Integrated Piping Systems (IPS) is approaching a century of U.S.-based valve manufacturing under its Apollo brand, highlighting a vertically integrated model centered in South Carolina. The company offers a broad portfolio that now includes advanced press‑fitting solutions such as...
Researchers at IMDEA Materials and the Technical University of Madrid have created interwoven, fabric‑like Nitinol structures using laser powder bed fusion, delivering superelastic metamaterials with unprecedented flexibility. By shifting focus from alloy composition to algorithmically designed geometries—such as tubular lattices...
Plastometrex has added a MultiScale capability to its PLX‑Benchtop system, enabling high‑resolution mechanical property mapping on parts as thin as 0.75 mm. The upgrade uses 1.5 mm indent spacing and interchangeable 250‑µm, 500‑µm, and 1000‑µm indenters to generate full stress‑strain curves in...
ABB announced its Automation Extended program, a strategic evolution of its distributed control systems that lets customers modernize without interrupting operations. The initiative builds on the long‑standing ABB Ability System 800xA platform, now released as version 7.0 with a separation‑of‑concerns...
The nova‑Institut report shows bio‑based polymers reached 4.5 million tonnes in 2025, representing about 1 % of total polymer output. Production is projected to grow at an 11 % compound annual growth rate through 2030, potentially doubling the market share to 2 %. Capacity...
The Link Institute of Composites Technology (LICT) has appointed Jonathan Stowell, senior director of composites at Future Materials Group, and Jean‑Pierre Cauchois, founder of Composites Expert and E‑Learning Composites Academy, to its advisory board. Stowell brings over 35 years of...
Continuous Composites secured a $1.25 million AFWERX Manufacturing Challenge contract to advance CF3D joining and stiffening techniques for aerospace structures. CF3D merges precise fiber steering, rapid UV curing, and computational design into a digitally driven, scalable production process. The 15‑month project...
Jetoptera is partnering with Walter E.C. Pritzkow Spezialkeramik (WPS) to integrate lightweight oxide ceramic matrix composite (OCMC) thrusters into its DARPA LIFT Challenge aircraft. The OCMC thrusters deliver 90 pound‑force of thrust while keeping the propulsion system light enough to meet...
Fenix Composites unveiled a carbon‑fiber‑reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) road‑bike frame that uses titanium lugs joined by induction heating, eliminating adhesives and fasteners. The reversible joint design allows defective components to be removed and replaced, extending the frame’s service life. Joint strength...
AutomationDirect has expanded its catalog with Weidmuller stripping, cutting and crimping tools, including the all‑in‑one STRIPAX PLUS 2.5 that merges cutting, stripping and ferrule crimping. The tools feature automatic ferrule feeding, adjustable stops, replaceable blades and specialty screwdrivers for tight‑space...
Plastometrex has launched a MultiScale capability for its PLX‑Benchtop system, allowing high‑resolution mechanical property mapping on thin, welded and complex parts down to 0.75 mm thickness. The feature adds 250 µm and 500 µm indenters, delivering stress‑strain data at 1.5 mm spacing via Profilometry‑based...
Wabash introduced TrailerHawk, an AI‑driven trailer system that combines computer vision, facial recognition, and digital seals to create an end‑to‑end chain of custody for freight. The solution issues real‑time alerts, geofenced lock controls, and automatically documents loading activities, integrating directly...
Michael Roeth warns that new trucking technologies often suffer a nine‑to‑one expectation gap between vendor hype and fleet reality. He cites research indicating a product must be roughly three times better than existing solutions to achieve market adoption. Roeth advises...
SHD Composites, now part of Cambium after its December 2025 acquisition, has commissioned new wide‑format unidirectional prepreg and advanced film coating lines. The equipment, built on SHD’s own machine designs, expands material width and accelerates high‑volume production for sectors such...
In this 17‑minute episode, the MRPeasy team walks listeners through the fundamentals of conducting effective stocktakes, covering preparation, execution, and post‑count reconciliation. They highlight common pitfalls—like missed components during peak seasons—and demonstrate how regular inventory counts can prevent costly production...
British Steel has landed an eight‑figure contract to supply 36,000 tonnes of 60E2 rail for Turkey’s new 599‑km Ankara‑İzmir high‑speed line. The order, backed by UK Export Finance, triggers 24/7 production at the Scunthorpe plant for the first time in...
In this episode, Kevin interviews Ken Byrne, founder of RedSky Europe, about the challenges and opportunities of European eCommerce fulfillment for global brands. Byrne explains how his experience as an eCommerce brand owner informs RedSky’s tech‑first, scalable approach, especially for...
Mativ Holdings reported Q4 2025 net sales of $463 million, a 1% rise year‑over‑year and 1.9% organic growth, while adjusted EBITDA climbed 19% to $53.5 million with margins expanding by 180 basis points. Free cash flow surged to $94 million, more than doubling...
Camtek reported record Q4 2024 revenue of $117.3 million, a 32% year‑over‑year increase, and full‑year revenue of $429 million, up 36%. Operating income rose 42% in the quarter to $36.3 million and 56% for the year, pushing operating margin to 30.9%. The company...
LCI Industries reported a strong fiscal fourth‑quarter, posting $933 million in net sales, a 16% year‑over‑year increase, and a GAAP net income of $19 million, more than double the prior year. OEM sales surged 18% to $737 million, driven by double‑digit growth in...
Clearwater Paper reported $1.6 billion in net sales for 2025, a 12% year‑over‑year increase driven by the full‑year operation of the Augusta mill and higher shipments. Adjusted EBITDA rose to $107 million, up $71 million from the prior year, reflecting aggressive cost cuts...
Nutrien reported adjusted EBITDA of $6.05 billion for 2025, a 13% increase, driven by record fertilizer sales of 27.5 million tonnes and disciplined cost management. Potash automation reached 49%, keeping controllable cash costs at $58 per tonne, while nitrogen volumes rose to...
Solstice Advanced Materials, newly independent after its October 2025 spin‑off from Honeywell, posted full‑year 2025 net sales of $3.9 billion, up 3% YoY (6% excluding opportunistic nuclear sales). Fourth‑quarter revenue rose 8% to $987 million, but adjusted EBITDA fell 20% to $189 million...
