DroneShield Launches EU Manufacturing Line to Scale Counter-UAS Systems
DroneShield has opened its first European Union manufacturing line to produce counter‑UAS systems, with deliveries slated for mid‑2026. The move partners with an established EU contract manufacturer to handle turnkey assembly, PCB production, precision machining and testing. It aligns with Europe’s ReArm Europe/Readiness 2030 initiatives, emphasizing sovereign capability and resilient supply chains. The new facility expands DroneShield’s global capacity from about $500 million in 2025 to an anticipated $2.4 billion by the end of 2026.
Slow Widebody Freighter Manufacturing Supply Chains Hamper Capacity
Widebody freighter capacity remains constrained in 2026 as manufacturers grapple with lingering supply‑chain disruptions. IATA’s director general Willie Walsh warned that OEMs are still struggling to stabilize production, pushing the Boeing 777‑8F launch to 2028 and delaying Airbus’s A350F entry...
SCG Halts Olefins Unit Following Hormuz Disruption
Siam Cement Group (SCG) has temporarily shut its Rayong olefins plant after the Strait of Hormuz closure disrupted shipments of naphtha and propane, essential feedstocks. The subsidiary Rayong Olefins declared force majeure, estimating a cost hit of about 150 million baht...
Broadwind Inc (BWEN) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Broadwind Inc. posted Q4 2025 revenue of $44.2 million, a 25% year‑over‑year increase, driven by strong heavy‑fabrication shipments and a surge in power‑generation orders. Total orders jumped 90% YoY to $44 million, with gearing orders up 260% and industrial‑solutions backlog reaching a...
Hong Kong: Metal 3D Printing Transforms Power Facility Maintenance
CLP Power Hong Kong and City University of Hong Kong have signed an MOU to explore metal 3D‑printing for power‑generation equipment. The collaboration targets on‑demand production of turbine, heat‑exchanger and other critical components, focusing on high‑temperature alloys and microstructure control....
Cisco Survey: Infrastructure Gaps Stall AI Adoption in Manufacturing
Cisco’s 2026 State of Industrial AI report, based on 350+ manufacturing leaders across 19 countries, reveals that infrastructure shortfalls are throttling AI rollout in factories. While 96% view reliable wireless connectivity as essential, 56% cite frequent outages that disrupt operations....
How Critical Are Critical Minerals in the Brazil-US Economic Relationship?
Policymakers and experts convened to examine how critical minerals shape the Brazil‑US economic partnership. Brazil’s abundant rare‑earth and battery‑grade mineral reserves are increasingly vital to the United States’ energy‑transition agenda. The discussion highlighted supply‑chain vulnerabilities, especially reliance on China, and...
Amazon Defrauded: Guilty Plea in $3M+ Fraud Involving Trailers
A Connecticut‑based freight operator, Ameer Nasir, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for submitting more than $3 million in false invoices to Amazon Logistics. Between December 2019 and February 2021, he created 23 phantom trucking companies and used a manual override in...
Theory of Constraints: Why Improving Everything Fails
The article warns that attempting to improve every process simultaneously leads to sub‑optimization, where overall performance barely shifts despite local gains. It introduces the Theory of Constraints (TOC) as a disciplined alternative that focuses improvement on the single bottleneck limiting...
Congress Wants to Put Driverless 80,000-Pound Trucks on the Road – Should Small Carriers Be Worried
The SELF DRIVE Act (H.R. 7390) would create a federal framework allowing fully autonomous 80,000‑pound trucks to operate commercially while under testing permits, expanding NHTSA authority and preempting state rules. The bill requires manufacturers to submit a safety case but...
175D Lands Repeat Order From Royal Canadian Navy
Group Ocean has placed a repeat order for four 12V175D‑MM high‑speed engines, each delivering 1,860 kW at 1,800 rpm and meeting IMO Tier III standards, to power two 24‑metre ASD harbour tugs for the Royal Canadian Navy. The tugs, based on Robert Allan...
Poultry Processing Robotics Advances with ChicGrasp
Researchers at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station unveiled ChicGrasp, a dual‑jaw robotic gripper that learns to grasp, lift, and hang chicken carcasses by imitating human motions. The system employs a diffusion‑policy imitation‑learning algorithm and camera perception, achieving an 81% success...
CDMO Neuland Labs Expects Commercial Production Facility to Be Operational by Summer
Neuland Laboratories announced that the first module of its new commercial peptide manufacturing facility will be operational by summer on its 17‑acre Bonthapally campus in India. The module adds 6,370 L of solid‑phase and liquid‑phase peptide synthesis capacity, ranging from 250 L...
Synopsys Launches Electronics Digital Twins for Software-Defined Vehicles
Synopsys unveiled its Electronics Digital Twin (eDT) Platform, a cloud‑based, open ecosystem that lets engineers create, deploy and manage digital twins of electronic systems. The platform is aimed at the automotive sector, promising up to 90% of software validation before...
Connecting the Factory Floor: Efficient Integration for Smarter Manufacturing
Smart factories rely on seamless industrial connectivity that links production equipment, PLCs, and sensor networks to centralized monitoring platforms. By transmitting high‑speed data via fiber‑optic infrastructure, manufacturers gain real‑time visibility into machine performance, output, and maintenance needs. Consolidating this data...
How Moving Mission-Critical Tech Requires a Different Approach to Freight Logistics
Freight carriers are now moving mission‑critical AI and semiconductor hardware, not just consumer electronics, turning each trailer into a multi‑million‑dollar asset. The dense, delicate nature of this cargo demands real‑time, sensor‑driven visibility that goes beyond standard GPS location data. Werner’s...
Sigmatex Signs Distribution Agreement with Link Composites at JEC World 2026
Sigmatex, a 40‑year‑old global carbon‑fibre textile maker, has signed a distribution agreement with India’s Link Composites at JEC World 2026. The deal makes Link Composites the official distributor of Sigmatex’s certified fabrics across India, covering aerospace, renewable energy, automotive, infrastructure...
Lenzing Pushes Biobased Fibers in EU Policy Debate
Lenzing Group hosted a Brussels roundtable to advocate for regenerated cellulose fibers as a fossil‑free alternative in Europe’s non‑woven market. The company argued that clear EU policy, especially updates to the Single‑Use Plastics Directive, would unlock investment and expand domestic...
MIT CTL and Mecalux Develop an AI-Based Simulator to Optimize Inventory Across Warehouses
MIT’s Center for Transportation & Logistics and warehouse‑technology firm Mecalux have launched GENESIS, an AI‑driven simulator that uses a genetic algorithm to evaluate thousands of inventory‑distribution scenarios across a multi‑warehouse network in minutes. The platform ingests demand forecasts, transport costs...
Truck Makers Debut Exterior Safety Camera Expansions
Truck manufacturers are expanding exterior camera offerings as construction season peaks in North America. Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) has begun factory‑installing a three‑view camera system—left, right and forward—on Freightliner and Western Star medium‑duty and vocational models, integrated with an...
JPMorgan Backs Clean Iron Startup Electra
Electra, a Colorado clean‑iron startup, secured a $30 million venture‑debt facility from J.P. Morgan to move toward its first commercial plant. The company’s low‑temperature electro‑refining process converts iron ore into 99% pure iron using renewable electricity, eliminating coal and high‑grade ore...
China, India Warn Carriers on Higher Pricing Tied to Middle East Conflict
Chinese and Indian transport ministries have publicly warned major container carriers, including Maersk and MSC, against imposing excessive surcharges linked to the Middle East war. The regulators highlighted concerns over service suspensions to the region and fee hikes running into...
Robot Hands so Sensitive They Can Grab a Potato Chip
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin unveiled FORTE, a tactile‑sensing robotic hand that can delicately grasp items as fragile as potato chips and raspberries. The soft‑robotic fingers use 3‑D‑printed air channels to detect pressure changes, providing real‑time slip...
Hawke’s Bay Firm Takes on New Zealand Prison Manufacturing, with a Plan to Cut Out Aussies
Patton Engineering has launched Patton Custodial in Whakatū, taking over prison‑related manufacturing from Sharp Edge Engineering and targeting contracts traditionally held by Australian firms. The new unit is one of only two New Zealand companies licensed to produce custodial products and...
Boeing Says Wiring Issue Will Delay Some 737 Max Deliveries
Boeing announced that a wiring problem discovered on several 737 Max jets will delay deliveries in the first quarter of 2026. The issue, traced to small scratches caused by a machining error, can be repaired within days and does not affect...
MRPeasy in Financial Times List of Fastest-Growing Companies in Europe
MRPeasy has been listed for the third straight year in the Financial Times 1000: Europe’s Fastest‑Growing Companies, ranking 148th in the IT & Software category. The cloud‑based manufacturing ERP now supports over 2,200 small manufacturers in 70 countries, with the United...
Roboticom Announces New Distribution and Innovation Partnership with Forged Path Automation
Roboticom announced a distribution and innovation partnership with Forged Path Automation to broaden U.S. market reach and develop turnkey process‑automation solutions. The deal leverages Roboticom’s ARPP® software, which reduces robot training from weeks to days, and its SandRob™ finishing robot...
DATA REVEALS U.S. MANUFACTURING FACES A 2 MILLION WORKER SHORTAGE
The Labor Shortages Report from MIE Solutions warns that 26% of the U.S. manufacturing workforce will retire by 2030, creating a gap of 1.5‑2 million unfilled roles. A new Job Posting Intensity score shows the national benchmark at 0.50, with 24...
Aurrigo International Signs £6.28m Deal to Manufacture 25 AGVs for Ultra Global
Aurrigo International has secured a £6.28 million contract to build an initial fleet of 25 autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) for Ultra Global, with delivery targeted for September 2027. The agreement calls for modernising existing platforms, swapping lead‑acid batteries for lithium‑ion packs, upgrading...
CSL Breaks Ground on $1.5B Illinois Immunoglobulin Plant Expansion
CSL‑Behring broke ground on a $1.5 billion expansion of its Kankakee, Illinois manufacturing complex, slated to be operational by 2031. The project will add at least 300 pharmaceutical positions and roughly 800 construction jobs, with the state offering more than $200 million...
Snowflake Intelligence for Manufacturing: Actionable Data Insights
Manufacturers are turning petabytes of connected‑product data into strategic assets, but fragmented systems hinder insight. Snowflake Intelligence offers a unified, AI‑ready data foundation that democratizes information across functions, enabling natural‑language agents to surface actionable recommendations. Toyota Motor Europe adopted the...
PPG Completes 200th Drydocking Using Electrostatic Coating Application
PPG has finished its 200th vessel drydocking using electrostatic marine‑coating technology, applying its silicone‑based Sigmaglide 2390 fouling‑release paint to Stena Line’s Stena Britannica at the EDR Antwerp shipyard. The electrostatic spray method directs charged particles onto grounded hulls, delivering uniform coverage...
Shippers ‘Despair’ as Carriers Hit Trade with Flurry of New Surcharges
Ocean carriers and airlines have announced a wave of new surcharges, prompting the Global Shippers Forum to warn that operating costs for exporters could more than double. An Australian exporter cited an additional $250,000 expense, which rose to $600,000 after...
Volatility in Trade Lane Rates After Tough Week
The TAC Index reported that the global Baltic Air Freight Index barely moved, edging up 0.2% for the week to March 9 and remaining 1% below its level a year earlier. Behind this modest aggregate change, lane‑specific rates showed sharp volatility,...
General Mills Taps Interim CSCO for Top Supply Chain Post
General Mills has confirmed Jonathan Ness as its permanent chief supply chain officer, effective March 16, after serving in an interim capacity since January. Ness, a 20‑year veteran of the company, will oversee manufacturing, logistics, sourcing and planning and report...
FDA Sets Scope for Attempt To Reduce Manufacturing-Related Approval Rejections
The FDA has defined the scope of pre‑submission facility meetings to curb manufacturing‑related complete response letters that delay drug approvals. It agreed to cover prior production‑site inspections, novel process elements and supply‑chain node strategies, while rejecting topics such as alternative...
Augury Names New Product and Engineering Leadership to Accelerate Progress in Industrial AI
Augury announced the appointment of Anoop Mohan as Chief Product and Technology Officer, bringing a former Google Cloud AI leader to steer its product and engineering strategy. Mohan will head a newly formed leadership team that includes veterans from Meta,...
Rethinking Customization in Warehouse Automation
Warehouse automation leaders warn that excessive customization can backfire, inflating costs, extending rollout times, and creating fragile systems. Exotec’s CEO Romain Moulin promotes a modular “Lego‑block” approach, using standardized hardware, software and robotics that can be re‑configured per facility. This...
ABB Plans $75 Million Manufacturing Expansion in India
ABB will invest roughly $75 million in 2026 to expand its Indian manufacturing and R&D footprint, adding to more than $35 million already committed for 2025. The expansion spans Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Nashik and Vadodara and targets its Electrification, Motion and...
EVOLVE Fabrication Links BIM Models to Shop Equipment
EVOLVE announced EVOLVE Fabrication, software that links BIM data from Revit and EVOLVE Electrical directly to shop‑floor CNC benders and printers. The platform automates conversion of conduit bend schedules into machine‑ready files, applying spring‑back and elongation corrections. By unifying modeling,...
Drone Strike Sparks Fire at ADNOC’s Ruwais Industrial Complex
Abu Dhabi’s state oil company ADNOC shut its Ruwais refinery after a fire broke out following a drone strike on the complex. The facility, which can process up to 922,000 barrels of oil per day and hosts major chemical, fertilizer...
Urban Outfitters Builds Out Second Phase of Automation in Kansas Facility
Urban Outfitters is launching the second phase of automation at its Nuuly fulfillment center in the Kansas City area, part of a $60 million, five‑year investment plan. The upgrade targets expanded capacity, faster delivery, and lower logistics costs as the Nuuly...
Niantic Spatial Partners with Coco Robotics to Accelerate the Future of Autonomous Delivery
Niantic Spatial announced a strategic partnership with Coco Robotics to embed its Visual Positioning System (VPS) into Coco’s autonomous delivery fleet. The collaboration aims to overcome GPS limitations in dense urban environments by delivering centimeter‑level localization using spatial AI and...
Strata Clean Energy Signs 1-GW FTC Solar Tracker Supply Agreement
FTC Solar has inked a five‑year, 1‑GW supply agreement with U.S. developer Strata Clean Energy, extending a prior 500‑MW deal that began in September 2024. The contract will see the first new project break ground in 2027 and includes delivery...
Newcastle Systems Set to Unveil Latest Hybrid Solution at MODEX 2026
Newcastle Systems will unveil its newest hybrid‑automation mobile workstation at MODEX 2026 in Atlanta, April 13‑16. The device combines on‑board scanning, printing and data access with ergonomic design to cut motion waste and fatigue. Positioned as a cost‑effective alternative to...
West Asia Conflict Disrupts Gas Supply to Maharashtra Industry; MNGL Invokes Force Majeure
Escalating conflict in West Asia has halted LNG vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Maharashtra Natural Gas Ltd. (MNGL) to invoke a force majeure clause. The disruption is forcing industrial consumers in Maharashtra to curb gas draw‑downs and seek...
Euler Motors Signals Hero MotoCorp Stake Raise as EV Maker Scales Capacity and Portfolio
Hero MotoCorp will invest an additional ₹275 crore in Euler Motors, raising its stake from 34.1% to roughly 36% on a fully diluted basis. Euler has unveiled a ₹300‑400 crore capital‑expenditure plan for the next 18‑24 months to add new production lines,...
Future Manufacturing: How to Solve the US Productivity Paradox
U.S. manufacturing has added 12‑15% more workers and new plants since 2010, yet real productivity has slipped, creating a paradox that threatens competitiveness. MIT researchers pinpoint risk‑averse technology spending, stagnant wages, dispersed geographic clusters, Chinese competition, and tariff fallout as...
New Collaboration Between ACS and FANUC Robotics Powers Single-Source Delivery of Facility Design and Automation Implementation
ACS announced its certification as a FANUC systems integrator, enabling the company to deliver fully integrated facility design and robotics implementation from a single source. The partnership merges ACS's engineering, controls, and construction expertise with FANUC's industrial robots, covering specification,...
XGSynBot Debuts Z1 Wheeled Robot, Targeting the "Last Mile" Of Industrial Embodied AI
XGSynBot unveiled the Z1 wheeled robot, featuring a modular quick‑change end‑effector system and proprietary high‑performance joint modules. The robot’s dual‑system central brain separates high‑level reasoning from 100 Hz real‑time motor control, enabling rapid task switching and millisecond‑level stability on factory floors....