Morrow Begins Battery Cell Deliveries to Proventia as Norwegian Production Scales Up
Norwegian battery maker Morrow Batteries has begun delivering lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) cells to Finnish industrial‑technology firm Proventia, marking the first shipments under a master supply agreement that runs through 2031. The prismatic LFP cells will be used in Proventia’s off‑highway and industrial battery modules, with the company planning its first customer deliveries in the first half of 2026. Morrow’s Arendal factory is scaling production capacity and optimizing processes to meet high‑quality, reliability demands, while the partnership includes technical cooperation and the option to add new chemistries later.
Advancements in Thermal Adhesives: Enhancing Battery Cell-to-Pack and Cell-to-Ribbon Performance for EVs
Parker Lord introduced CoolTherm TC-850, a thermally conductive acrylic adhesive that builds on its earlier TC-2002 product. The new formulation delivers four‑times higher elongation, stronger adhesion to plastics, and optimized 100 µm bondlines for lower thermal resistance. These advances target cell‑to‑pack...
Raytheon Wins $335m Contract Modification for Standard Missile-6
Raytheon secured a $335 million contract modification to produce Standard Missile‑6 (SM‑6) Tactical All‑Up Rounds, with funding drawn from the Navy’s 2025 and 2026 procurement budgets. Production will be split primarily between Tucson, Arizona and East Camden, Arkansas, each handling 35% of...
Food Exec Brief: A $255M Recall Hit, Tariffs in Court, and Agentic AI on the Clock
Nestlé’s Q1 earnings were hit by a one‑off $255 million recall cost from contaminated infant formula, underscoring how food‑safety incidents can instantly erode margins. A fast‑moving tariff lawsuit challenging the administration’s Section 122 authority could reshape import‑cost dynamics for the broader food...
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Longi, Trina Solar Report Losses
Longi Green Energy posted 2025 revenue of $10.3 billion, down 14.8% YoY, with a net loss of about $1.0 billion and margins hovering near break‑even. Trina Solar saw revenue around $9.8 billion, a 16.6% decline, and a widened net loss of roughly $1.1 billion...
Harley-Davidson Is Recalling 88,000 Motorcycles over a Blocked Engine Air Vent
Harley‑Davidson announced a recall of 88,039 motorcycles sold in the United States after a blocked breather port in the air‑box backplate was found to allow pressure to build in the engine crankcase. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued...
US Manufacturing Holds Up as Costs Gauge Hits Four-Year High
The Institute for Supply Management reported that its prices‑paid index jumped to 84.6 in April, a four‑year high, while the overall Manufacturing PMI steadied at 52.7, matching the strongest level since 2022. Input costs surged as the Iran‑Israel conflict and...
How to Avoid Supply Chain Issues as Drone and Robot Production Increases Exponentially
Researchers in Chem Circularity project that commercial drone output could grow tenfold and humanoid robot production could surge up to 100 times by the late 2030s. Their analysis of 18 critical raw materials shows most will remain manageable, but rare‑earth neodymium‑praseodymium...
Virgin Galactic Reveals New Ship, but It's Running Out of Time and Cash
Virgin Galactic unveiled its next‑generation suborbital spacecraft, moving it to the launch hangar for final integration and ground testing. The company’s cash balance has slumped from $982 million in February 2024 to $338 million after the latest quarter, tightening its financial runway....
Rising Stars: Maddie Dorish, Asset Manager at Boeing
Maddie Dorish, a 24‑year‑old asset manager at Boeing, leveraged a childhood hair‑tie business and a college supply‑chain class into a coveted internship that turned into a full‑time role on the aircraft‑modifications team. In her position she coordinates parts sourcing for...
Iran Conflict Hobbles Japanese Manufacturers
Japanese manufacturers are feeling the ripple effects of the escalating Iran‑Israel conflict, which has disrupted shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf and heightened insurance premiums for cargo. Companies reliant on components sourced from the Middle East are facing longer lead...
How GlobalFoundries’ “Virtual Fabs” Are Redefining Semiconductor Manufacturing
GlobalFoundries introduced Global Fab Engineering Services (GFES), a "virtual fab" model that extends engineering support, data analytics and process optimization beyond the physical wafer fab. Launched in 2015 with a hub in Bengaluru focused on yield analytics, GFES added a...
Indus Towers Flags Delays, Cost Pressures as LPG Supply Tightens Amid West Asia Conflict
Indus Towers, the Bharti Airtel‑owned tower platform, warned that the West Asia conflict is tightening LPG supplies, a critical input for steel‑coating processes, which could slow tower construction and lift costs. Fuel and power expenses, about ₹11,996 crore (~$1.44 billion), represent 37%...
Apple May Take "Several Months" To Catch up to Mac Mini and Studio Demand
Apple’s Mac mini and Mac Studio are facing prolonged shortages, with many configurations marked “currently unavailable” and some orders taking months to ship. CEO Tim Cook attributed the gap to unexpectedly high AI‑driven demand and limited capacity at TSMC’s advanced...
Software-Defined Vehicles Test Auto Supply Chains: Moody’s
Moody’s warns that software‑defined vehicles (SDVs) turn cars into updatable software platforms, exposing automakers to new cyber‑security and code‑integrity risks. The shift also drives higher demand for memory chips, as AI workloads compete for the same semiconductor capacity, pushing automotive...
Pilatus Breaks Ground on PC-12, PC-24 Aircraft Facility in Colorado
Bell Textron’s MV‑75 tilt‑rotor, now named Cheyenne II, has been officially designated by the U.S. Army under the Future Long‑Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program. The aircraft will replace the UH‑60 Black Hawk, offering speeds over 280 knots and a combat range of...
Inside A Fabricator’s Digital Reinvention
A mid‑size metal fabricator has overhauled its operations by embracing cloud‑based ERP, IoT sensor networks, and an integrated CAD/CAM suite. The digital shift trimmed order‑to‑delivery cycles by roughly 30%, cut machine downtime by a quarter, and lifted design throughput by...
Nissan Abandons Plans for US EV Plant
Nissan announced it will abandon a $500 million plan to convert its Canton, Mississippi plant to produce all‑electric vehicles. Instead, the 4.7‑million‑square‑foot facility will focus on gasoline and hybrid models, beginning with a new body‑on‑frame Xterra slated for 2028. The decision...
FARO Expands Lévis Service Center for Canadian Customers
FARO, an AMETEK business, is expanding its Lévis, Québec service center to cover the full FARO product line for Canadian customers, including articulated arms, laser trackers and laser scanners. The upgraded hub will act as the primary logistics entry point...
How ICT Ensures Energy Meters Secure Performance
In‑circuit testing (ICT) provides the deep electrical validation that traditional bench testing cannot, catching hidden PCB defects, measurement drift, and communication instability in smart energy meters. Global non‑revenue losses from inaccurate meters total $55‑110 billion, and MID 2014/32/EU non‑compliance can trigger fines...
Traffix Expects Double-Digit Rate Increases to Hold Through 2026
Traffix’s Q2 2026 Market Update shows freight rates climbing double‑digit percentages through 2026 as demand rebounds and capacity remains constrained. Spot and contract truckload rates are up roughly 30% year‑over‑year, while diesel prices have risen about 50% since early Q1 2026, adding...
Fleets Explained: How Carriers Can Beat Traffic Congestion
The American Transportation Research Institute’s 2024 Cost of Congestion report shows trucking congestion cost $108.8 billion in 2022, a 15% year‑over‑year rise. Congestion wastes more than 6.4 billion gallons of diesel, translating to $32.1 billion in fuel expenses, and adds over $7,500 per...
India’s Textile Industry Faces March Slowdown on Cost Pressures
India’s textile sector recorded a 3.6% contraction in March, with garment production plunging 14.6% year‑on‑year. Output of non‑knitted and knitted garments fell 14.9% and 11% respectively, while home textiles slipped 6.1%. Raw‑material costs surged sharply—cotton yarn up 20%, polymers 50%,...
2026 Parcel Express Roundtable: From Volume to Value, Parcel Carriers Are Rewriting the Playbook
The parcel market is moving from a volume‑driven model to a margin‑focused, competitive landscape. UPS and FedEx are cutting costs, consolidating networks and investing in automation, while Amazon, regional carriers and new last‑mile startups are eroding the Big 3’s share, which...
Global Logistics: Freight Forwarders Adapt and Grow in a Volatile Global Market
The global freight forwarding market is forecast to expand 2.9% in real terms by 2025, despite a backdrop of tariff volatility, geopolitical tensions and supply‑chain shocks. Forwarders are shifting from pure transportation execution to integrated risk‑management partners, leveraging diversified services,...
The Supply Chain Control Tower: Myth & Reality, Part II—The Rise of Intelligent Orchestration
Supply chain control towers are evolving from simple visibility tools into AI‑powered orchestration platforms. Leveraging machine learning, generative AI and advanced cloud computing, modern towers can simulate scenarios, prescribe actions and even execute decisions autonomously. Deloitte’s analysis highlights how these...
2026 Technology Roundtable: The Next Phase of Supply Chain Technology
The 2026 Technology Roundtable highlighted a pivotal shift in supply chain tech from mere visibility to actionable execution. AI is moving beyond dashboards to embedded decision‑intelligence that optimizes inventory placement, warehouse slotting, and transportation routing. Vendors are emphasizing orchestration software—integrating...
Warehouse Automation to Hit $120 Billion by 2034
The global warehouse automation market, valued at $23.97 billion in 2024, is projected to surge to $119.79 billion by 2034, driven by a 17.5% CAGR. Growth is propelled by expanding e‑commerce, labor shortages, and rising consumer expectations for rapid delivery. Companies are...
Making Self-Funding Supply Chains Real
Supply chains lag in digital maturity—only 36% overall and 21% for autonomous processes—making them costly and slow. Accenture proposes a self‑funding model that uses AI to target high‑impact cost drivers, capture early savings, and reinvest them for broader transformation. The...
Gulf Resolution Needed, Says DHL Chief Fearing for Asia-Europe Trade
DHL chief Tobias Meyer praised the rapid relocation of its Middle‑East express operations after the U.S./Israel strikes on Iran forced a seven‑week closure of Bahrain’s airspace. The company shifted its hub to Muscat and Riyadh, using over‑land trucking backed by...
Beyond the Buzz: Supply Chain Technology Gets to Work
The latest May Technology Issue highlights that supply‑chain technology is moving from buzzwords to tangible maturity. AI, automation, and digital twins are shifting from experimental concepts to practical tools that connect planning, execution, transportation, and warehousing. Freight forwarders are expanding...
Widebody Freighter Boost Could Reshape Cargo Flows Across Africa’s Copperbelt
NAC2000, the ground handler at Ndola’s Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport, has installed a widebody‑capable high‑loader, paving the way for a potential Boeing 787 freighter service linking Ndola, Lubumbashi and East Africa. The upgrade arrives as mining output and high‑value...
Microchip Expands Atomic Clock Production Capacity with New Alabama Facility
Microchip Technology has opened a 15,000‑square‑foot manufacturing plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to increase output of atomic‑clock products such as hydrogen masers and high‑performance oscillators. The new facility focuses on ultra‑stable timing solutions that support power‑grid management, 5G networks, satellite communications...
Figure AI Ramps Up Production to One Humanoid Robot Per Hour
Figure AI has accelerated output of its Figure 03 humanoid robot from one unit per day to one per hour, delivering over 350 robots in under four months. The ramp-up leverages dedicated assembly lines, custom software across 150+ workstations, and tighter...
India Needs More Scrap to Boost Green Steelmaking. Can It Find It?
India, the world’s second‑largest steel producer, wants scrap to supply half of its steel output by 2047, up from the current 23%. To meet a planned 400 Mt annual crude steel capacity, the country must close a projected scrap deficit of...
ABF Ingredients to Pump Close to £50M Into New Wisconsin Facility
Associated British Foods' Ingredients division is investing roughly £47.8 million (about $61 million) to build a new Ohly specialty‑yeast facility in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The plant will initially create around 30 jobs and sit alongside the existing Boyceville site, with space for future...
Box Lines’ Return to Suez Would Open ‘Release Valve’ to Overcapacity
Analysts warn that the container market’s current tightness is largely artificial, sustained by vessels rerouted around the Red Sea rather than genuine demand. A faster‑than‑expected return of box‑line ships to the Suez Canal could unleash a sudden capacity surge, acting...
DHL Has Fuel Security at Hubs but Faces Challenges Elsewhere
DHL says its dedicated fuel infrastructure at major hubs such as Leipzig, Cincinnati, Hong Kong and Bahrain shields it from jet‑fuel shortages, but many Asian spoke airports lack such safeguards. The carrier relies on spot pricing and can tanker‑in fuel...
Oman Secures $550m Worth of Industrial Investments
Oman announced $550 million in new industrial investments targeting its free‑zone hubs in Duqm, Salalah and Khazaen. The funding includes a $106.5 million commitment from Kuwait’s Alshaya Group for a steel‑mould plant. These projects aim to broaden the Sultanate’s manufacturing base and...
NatureWorks Opens Integrated Ingeo Facility in Thailand
NatureWorks inaugurated a fully integrated Ingeo biopolymer plant in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand, combining sugarcane‑derived lactic acid, lactide monomer and polymer production on one site. The facility can produce roughly 75,000 metric tons of PLA annually, covering the entire Ingeo grade...
Tata Power Arm to Invest ₹6,500 Cr to Set up 10 GW Ingot, Wafer Facility
Tata Power Renewable Energy, a subsidiary of Tata Power, announced a capital outlay of roughly $795 million (₹6,500 crore) to build a photovoltaic ingot and wafer manufacturing complex with up to 10 GW capacity. The plant will be rolled out in two 5 GW...
Ocean Minerals Are Becoming a Real US Opportunity
Congressional hearings this spring elevated deep‑sea mining from theory to priority, highlighting offshore minerals as essential for U.S. national security and advanced manufacturing. The Trump‑era Project Vault earmarks $10 billion to create a demand‑driven strategic reserve covering all 60 critical minerals....
Bosch Begins Delivering Hardware to Kodiak as Autonomous Trucking Moves Toward Production Scale
Bosch has started shipping critical sensors and actuation components to Kodiak AI, accelerating the company’s move toward a production‑grade autonomous trucking platform. Kodiak is already testing Bosch camera samples and integrating them into its proprietary SensorPod hardware modules. The partnership,...
Nissan Scraps EV Plans at Mississippi Plant in Favour of Hybrids
Nissan announced on May 1 that it will cancel production of two electric SUV models at its Canton, Mississippi plant, shifting the facility to conventional and hybrid powertrains. The move follows the September 2025 expiration of the U.S. $7,500 EV tax credit...
ABB Robotics Launches New Automated Surface Finishing Cell
ABB Robotics introduced the OmniVance Collaborative Surface Finishing Cell, its first fully automated sanding and polishing solution. The plug‑and‑play system pairs a GoFa collaborative robot with an intuitive tablet interface, eliminating the need for in‑house robotics expertise. It promises up...
Recycled Plastics Industry Gets Unexpected Boost From Iran War
The war with Iran has disrupted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, driving virgin plastic prices up 30‑40 % and reviving interest in recycled plastics, whose costs have remained stable. Analysts note rising demand for recycled resin across automotive, packaging...
Schaeffler and CiDi Join Hands for Truck Autonomy
German automotive supplier Schaeffler has signed a strategic agreement with Chinese autonomous‑driving firm CiDi to fuse Schaeffler's electric drive hardware with CiDi's autonomy software for mining trucks. The partnership designates each company as a strategic supplier and preferred customer, leveraging...
AF KLM Cargo Sees Volumes Rise but Revenues Fall in Q1
Air France‑KLM Martinair Cargo reported a 3.5% year‑on‑year drop in first‑quarter cargo revenue to €600 million (≈ $648 million) despite a 4% increase in tonnage to 234,000 t and a 3.8% rise in revenue‑tonne‑kilometres. Capacity grew 2.9% and the load factor edged up to...
UK Manufacturing at Four-Year High but Costs Rise at Pandemic Pace
The UK manufacturing sector posted a four‑year high in April, with the S&P Global Purchasing Managers Index climbing to 53.7 – its strongest reading since May 2022 and the sixth month above the growth threshold. Staffing levels rose for the...
Engine Trouble Ahead? How the Strait of Hormuz Standoff Threatens Luxury Auto Giants
A prolonged standoff in the Strait of Hormuz is choking the flow of Group III and Group IV base oils, the key feedstocks for high‑performance lubricants. Prices for these base oils have surged nearly 100% in northern Europe since the Iran‑U.S. conflict...