SUSE Launches Industrial Edge Platform Following Losant Acquisition
SUSE unveiled SUSE Industrial Edge, a cloud‑native, low‑code platform built on its Losant acquisition, targeting the industrial "tiny edge" market. The solution runs on SUSE Linux Micro and Kubernetes, supports 90‑95% of industrial protocols, and processes more than 1.2 billion workflow transactions each month. It consolidates fragmented IoT data from sectors such as maritime, power, manufacturing, and retail into unified dashboards and analytics. A partner‑led model with compliance‑as‑code security and open‑source ambitions positions SUSE to accelerate digital transformation across the industrial IoT ecosystem.
Scaling up Industrialization in Africa
The Iran war underscored Africa’s vulnerability to fuel imports, spotlighting Aliko Dangote’s refinery as a proof‑of‑concept for local processing. A new Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) report shows institutional capital on the continent has risen to over $2 trillion, largely from soaring...
Great Wall Motor Unveils "Return to Essence, Keep the Covenant", World's First Ethanol Plug-In Hybrid to Launch in Brazil Tomorrow
Great Wall Motor unveiled its new "Guiyuan" platform at the Beijing Auto Show, a modular architecture that can accommodate internal combustion, hybrid, plug‑in hybrid, pure electric and hydrogen powertrains with over 95% parts commonality. The platform underpins the refreshed Hi4...
‘Made in Europe’ Act: China Threatens Countermeasures Against EU Industrial Law
The European Union unveiled the draft Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) to boost domestic production, green technology adoption, and job creation, especially in strategic sectors like batteries and electric vehicles. The legislation would tie public procurement and subsidies to CO₂ and...
Brownfield Warehouse Automation: How to Modernize Existing Facilities Without Rebuilding
Brownfield warehouses—long‑standing logistics hubs—are turning to automation to stay competitive without costly rebuilds. Solutions such as vertical lift modules, VNA trucks, and advanced conveyor systems boost productivity, accuracy, and space utilization. Providers emphasize seamless integration with legacy warehouse management systems...
Australia Commits $535m for Next-Generation Bushmaster PMVs
The Australian Government has pledged A$750 million (≈$535 million) to fund 268 next‑generation Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles for the ADF, to be built at Thales Australia’s Bendigo plant. The contract sustains roughly 300 regional jobs and extends a two‑decade production run, while...
Tariff Costs Are Forcing Tough Choices for Auto Suppliers
A Dykema survey shows 79% of auto industry leaders cite tariff‑driven cost pressures as their top concern, up from last year. Fixed‑price contracts signed before recent tariff volatility force suppliers to absorb higher costs, sparking disputes over pricing and cost...
Roland DG Updates Connect Designer and VersaWorks 7
Roland DG announced upgrades to its software suite, expanding the cloud‑based Connect Designer with an Object Decoration Module, Visual Communication enhancements, and an AI Image Generation add‑on, while VersaWorks 7 RIP now includes the ColorMatch feature for consistent color across...
Evaluating Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy
In Budget 2025, Canada pledged roughly $80 billion CAD (≈$59 billion USD) to modernize its armed forces, including about $7 billion CAD (≈$5 billion USD) for a new Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS). The DIS was published three months after the spending announcement, prompting questions...
Trina Solar Claims World’s Highest Efficiency for Silicon Solar Cells with 28.0%-efficient Device
Trina Solar announced that its TOPCon‑compatible hybrid back‑contact (THBC) silicon cell achieved a certified 28.0% power conversion efficiency, the highest ever for a large‑area 210R crystalline silicon device. The result, validated by Germany’s ISFH, combines TOPCon passivation, HJT‑style surface treatment...
Implications of Cost Engineering on Industrial Supply Chains
The article argues that traditional, backward‑looking cost estimating can’t keep pace with today’s volatile, geopolitically fragmented industrial supply chains. Executives are turning to forward‑looking “should‑cost” engineering that blends 3D CAD, digital twins, and AI‑driven simulation to derive physics‑based cost baselines....
Honeywell Gives up on the Warehouse and Private Equity Is Betting It Shouldn’t Have
Honeywell is exiting the warehouse‑automation business, selling the Intelligrated‑Transnorm unit it built with nearly $2 billion of investment over the past decade. The deal, announced on Thursday, transfers the combined operation to a private‑equity firm at an undisclosed price. The move...
Industry Shipping Complexity Increases the Need for Integrated Shipping in Business Central
Manufacturers and distributors face rising cost pressure and logistics complexity, prompting a need for tighter shipping integration. Insight Works' Dynamic Ship app embeds carrier selection, real‑time rate shopping, label generation, and tracking within Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. The solution supports...
Sereact Taps Headline to Lead $110m Series B, Plots US Expansion
Stuttgart‑based robotics firm Sereact announced a $110 million Series B round led by Headline, with participation from Bullhound Capital, Felix Capital and Daphni. The funding brings total capital raised to over $140 million and will finance the development of Cortex 2, an upgraded vision‑language‑action...
Surat’s Textile Engine Drives Gujarat Growth Ahead of Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference
Surat’s textile industry, producing roughly 60 million metres of fabric each day, accounts for more than 25% of Gujarat’s GDP and 30% of global fabric output. The Gujarat government will host the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference on May 1‑2, 2026 in Surat...
Israel’s Elbit Systems Opens Drone Factory in Romania
Elbit Systems inaugurated its seventh production facility in Chitila, Romania, on April 27, 2026, dedicated to the Watchkeeper XR tactical drone. The new plant integrates manufacturing, testing, and maintenance, and the platform flew over Romanian skies the same day. The site...
Housebuilding Targets at Risk without Energy Support for Brick Manufacturers
Labour’s goal of building 1.5 million homes faces a bottleneck as brick manufacturers struggle with soaring energy costs. The GMB union warns that the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) excludes brick and tile producers, even though it supports mortar suppliers. Brickmakers...
Samsung Wafer Output Drops 58%, Memory Down 18% Amid Labor Dispute
Samsung’s South Korean wafer foundry output plunged 58% and memory production slipped 18% on April 23 after workers at the Pyeongtaek complex missed overnight shifts in protest. The dispute centers on pay and bonus structures; Samsung has offered a 6.2% base‑salary...
Power Semiconductor Lead Times Hit 30 Weeks as AI Drives 800V Shift
Rapid AI server expansion is forcing data centers to adopt higher‑voltage power architectures, with 800 VDC solutions gaining traction. Lead times for power semiconductors have stretched to roughly 30 weeks as demand outpaces capacity at mature process nodes. Suppliers such as...
#245 How Additive Companion Is Bringing Clarity to the Complexity of 3D Printing
Additive Companion, a new platform launched by architect and lecturer Jonathan Rowley, aims to demystify additive manufacturing (AM) by providing purpose‑driven case studies and technology‑selection guidance. Drawing on eight years of operating a London‑based 3D‑printing bureau, the service helps users...
Week in Review: Global Chaos Reshapes Opportunity for UK Fashion Makers
The Leicester Made conference underscored a growing appetite for onshoring garment production as global supply‑chain turbulence creates new incentives for UK fashion makers. Leicester’s historic clothing hub has collapsed from over 1,500 manufacturers in 2017 to fewer than 100 today,...
ICON Launches ICON Prime Defense Unit to Scale 3D Printed Construction for Military and Space Infrastructure
ICON has created a new defense‑focused unit, ICON Prime, to commercialize its large‑scale 3D‑printing construction systems for U.S. military and NASA space projects. Former CIA officer and Congressman Will Hurd was named president, tasked with expanding government partnerships. The unit already...
AMA Energy Insights: Lithoz and Evove Redefine Lithium Extraction with SeparonicsTM
Lithium demand is surging as EVs and grid storage expand, but traditional brine evaporation ponds are land‑intensive, slow, and environmentally taxing. Ceramic‑3D‑printing specialist Lithoz and UK water‑filtration firm Evove have teamed up to replace evaporation with modular ceramic membranes built...
The Microfibre Consortium, ZDHC Tackle Fibre Fragments in Wastewater
The Microfibre Consortium and ZDHC have launched Phase 2 of a global study to test whether Total Suspended Solids (TSS) can serve as a reliable proxy for fibre fragment emissions in textile wastewater. The pilot will sample 15 manufacturing sites across...
Leiden’s Sensor-Free Microrobots Move Like Living Organisms
Researchers at Leiden University have created soft, chain‑like microrobots that move and adapt without sensors, software, or external control. Each 5 µm segment is linked by 0.5 µm joints and powered solely by an electric field, allowing the robot’s shape to dictate...
AMUG Honors Six Additive Manufacturing Leaders with 2026 DINO Award
The Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) announced its 2026 DINO (Distinguished INnovator Operator) Award winners at the 37th annual conference in Reno, Nevada. Six individuals—Olga Ivanova, Daniel Landgraf, Brian Post, Chris Prue, John Thiell, and Annie Wang—were recognized for sustained...
K+N ‘Well Positioned’ to Manage Any Potential Jet Fuel Shortages
Kuehne+Nagel says it is "well‑positioned" to manage jet‑fuel shortages that could arise from a Strait of Hormuz closure. CEO Stefan Paul is scenario‑planning with large shippers, noting that Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand have the lowest fuel capacity, while China holds...
FedEx Partners with Viettel Post in Vietnam
FedEx announced a strategic partnership with Viettel Post to strengthen its presence in Vietnam’s fast‑growing e‑commerce market. The deal gives FedEx access to Viettel’s extensive domestic network, including more than 5,000 rural delivery points and integrated customs‑clearance capabilities. Both companies...
University of New Haven Launches US Supply Chain Resiliency Hub
The University of New Haven has partnered with i5 Services to launch a Supply Chain Resiliency Hub, integrating the CONNEX Marketplace with academic expertise. The hub will provide U.S. manufacturers with digital tools, supplier databases, and risk‑management services, aiming to...
EPG & Locus Robotics Announce Strategic Partnership
Ehrhardt Partner Group (EPG) has forged a strategic partnership with Locus Robotics, fully integrating Locus’s autonomous mobile robot (AMR) fulfillment solution into EPG’s ONE warehouse management system (WMS). The combined offering is now demonstrated at EPG’s Logistics Solution Center in...
Musk Teams with Intel for Terafab Plans
Elon Musk announced a partnership with Intel to build a series of advanced semiconductor fabs, dubbed “Terafab,” aimed at delivering a terawatt of AI processing capacity per year within the next decade. The initial phase involves a $25 billion investment in...
AMA: Energy Insights Nanoe Outlines Ceramic Additive Manufacturing Opportunities for New Energy Applications
Nanoe showcased its Zetamix filament platform, which enables ceramic 3D printing on standard FDM printers, at the AMA:Energy conference. The approach leverages widely available polymer printers and follows with chemical debinding and sintering to produce dense, high‑temperature parts for burners,...
First 777-8F Spotted at Boeing’s Factory
Boeing revealed the first near‑complete 777‑8F freighter at its Everett facility, a month after assembling the mid‑fuselage and composite wings. The aircraft, designated WG001 for launch customer Cargolux, follows the creation of the first wing spar and the start of...
DuPont Artistri Operations in Iowa Powered by 100 Percent Renewable Electricity
DuPont announced that its Artistri Digital Printing Solutions plant in Fort Madison, Iowa, now runs on 100 percent renewable electricity through Renewable Energy Certificates. The shift delivers a 61 percent cut in Scope 2 greenhouse‑gas emissions, advancing DuPont’s pledge to net‑zero carbon by...
Siemens Industrial Edge Ecosystem Strengthens Data and AI Integration
At Hannover Messe 2026, Siemens unveiled major upgrades to its Industrial Edge platform, adding a generally available Industrial AI Suite, decentralized SCADA capabilities, and version 2.0 of Edge Management with IEC 62443‑4‑2 certified security. The platform now supports bidirectional data sync via...
TotalEnergies Maximises Production at Major Refinery to Secure French Fuel Supply
TotalEnergies has pushed its Gonfreville refinery to full‑tilt, operating at 100% capacity to produce roughly 250,000 barrels of crude per day. The move safeguards France’s diesel and jet‑fuel supplies as the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked and tanker routes around...
Your Factory Floor Is Ready for AI, but Is Your Network?
Manufacturers are moving fast on AI, with 61% already in active deployment and many adopting agentic AI that autonomously manages production, supply‑chain, and quality tasks. The shift to edge computing means 75% of enterprise data will be processed at the...
The Power Problem Manufacturers Aren’t Tracking
Manufacturers are losing billions to voltage sags—brief drops in supply voltage that trip drives and reset PLCs—yet most plants don’t track these events. Siemens reports $1.4 trillion annual downtime for the world’s 500 largest manufacturers, but the hidden cost of sags...
EU RoHS Compliance in 2026: What to Expect
EU RoHS compliance in 2026 will focus on tightening lead exemptions, revised thresholds, and a wave of expiry dates. Delegated directives adopted in November 2025 become effective on 1 July 2026, requiring manufacturers to track exemption changes, submit renewals, or substitute restricted substances....
A Generational Shift to Fixing Supply Chain Disruptions
Supply‑chain leaders are moving beyond risk models toward AI‑driven execution, recognizing that the biggest gap lies in coordinating people, decisions, and actions during disruptions. Traditional playbooks often stall, leading to email‑filled chaos, as illustrated by the Hanjin bankruptcy case. AI...
LNG Tanker Orders Pick Up Despite Shipping Uncertainty
Global LNG carrier orders are rebounding, with 35 new builds contracted in Q1 2024, surpassing the 37 ordered in all of 2025. Shipyards in South Korea and China are seeing heightened demand despite a looming supply glut and rising construction...
The UK Has ‘Significant Opportunity’ to Lead Next Wave of Robotics Innovation
TechUK’s new "Seizing the Robotics Opportunity" report argues the United Kingdom can become a global leader in the next wave of robotics, provided it acts now. The paper highlights converging advances in AI, sensing, computing power and materials that are...
Harmonising Standards for Composites in Construction and Infrastructure
Fibre‑Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites are gaining traction in construction for their durability, light weight, and resistance to corrosion, especially in marine, bridge and chemical‑plant applications. Their non‑magnetic and non‑conductive traits also suit specialised rail infrastructure. Wider market penetration, however, hinges...
Rolls-Royce Unveils New Additive Manufacturing Development Cell at Defence Assembly & Operations Facility
Rolls‑Royce has inaugurated a 350 m² Additive Manufacturing Development Cell at its Defence Assembly and Operations site in Bristol, equipped with metal 3D‑printing machines from Nikon SLM Solutions. The facility, funded by the UK Ministry of Defence, operates under tightly regulated...
Packaging Under Pressure: European Investment Bank’s Deputy Ops Chief on War Shocks and Alt Plastics
European Investment Bank deputy director Elina Roine highlighted the fragility of Europe’s packaging supply chain, noting that while recycling rates have risen to about 42%, high energy costs and geopolitical tensions undermine competitiveness. She emphasized the bank’s role in financing sustainable...
Chinese Solar Exports Surge 125% in March on Policy Change Rush, Not Underlying Demand Acceleration
Chinese customs data show solar module exports surged 125% month‑on‑month in March 2026, reaching $3.61 billion in value and about 37 GW in volume. The spike stems from manufacturers front‑loading shipments before China ends its PV export tax rebates on April 1, aided...
When Semiconductor Materials Misbehave
The semiconductor industry’s shift to heterogeneous integration is exposing a widening gap between laboratory‑tested material specs and real‑world production performance. As advanced packaging stacks incorporate dozens of new dielectrics, metals, and polymers, cross‑domain interactions create failure modes that traditional simulation...
Eastern Province Cement Completes New Kiln Line in Khursaniyah
Eastern Province Cement Co announced the completion of a new 10,000‑ton‑per‑day clinker kiln line at its Khursaniyah plant in Saudi Arabia. The line was delivered under a turnkey contract with Chinese firm Sinoma CDI, signed in February 2024, and incorporates the...
Case Packing and Palletizing Automation in 2026: Adapting to SKU Growth and Tighter Labor Markets
Food manufacturers are confronting a surge in SKUs that strains traditional case packing and palletizing operations. Labor shortages at the end of the line are turning automation from a cost‑saving tool into a staffing necessity. Modern equipment from Pacteon’s Schneider...
What Is Crucial for the Future of Chip Production
The semiconductor sector’s surge in AI‑driven chips is driving unprecedented water consumption, with a single fab using 20‑38 million litres daily and TSMC alone consuming 101 billion litres in 2023. Around 40% of existing and newly announced fabs sit in regions projected...