Siemens and KION Partner to Digitalize Intralogistics
Siemens and KION have forged a strategic partnership to digitalize intralogistics using AI, automation and Siemens’ new Digital Twin Composer. The collaboration will capture sensor and camera data to build digital twins of machines and entire warehouses, enabling real‑time simulation of multiple processes. KION will be the first European customer to deploy the Composer toolkit, allowing it to test layout changes and optimize throughput before physical implementation. Both firms will share operational data to accelerate Siemens’ Industrial Foundation Model for broader AI adoption.
Viridi RPSLinkIN Energy Storage System Receives UL 9540 Listing
Viridi’s RPSLinkIN 480‑V battery system earned UL 9540 listing after passing the rigorous UL 9540A indoor residential test conducted by TÜV Rheinland. The 50 kWh pack met five performance criteria with no smoke, gas or fire, proving it can operate safely without additional fire‑suppression equipment....
Honeywell Aerospace Boosts US Defense Production with a $500M Agreement
Honeywell Aerospace has signed a $500 million multi‑year framework contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to expand domestic production of inertial navigation systems, missile actuation units and electronic‑warfare components. The funding will finance upgrades to Honeywell’s U.S. manufacturing plants, new...
Beyond the Digital Fax Machine: Moving Trucking From EDI to API
The trucking sector is abandoning legacy Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) for real‑time API standards, a shift likened to moving from a digital fax to a DoorDash‑style tracker. Industry bodies such as the Digital Standards Development Council (DSDC) and the Scheduling...
Danish Crown Plans Meatball Factory Closure
Denmark’s leading meat cooperative Danish Crown announced plans to move its ready‑to‑eat meatball production from the Aalborg plant, located in a dense residential area of Copenhagen, to its Vejle facility in southern Jutland. The 140‑employee Aalborg site is slated for...
Siemens, Nvidia and Humanoid Partner to Bring Physical AI Into Factory Operations
Siemens, Nvidia and UK‑based Humanoid announced a landmark test of the HMND 01 Alpha humanoid robot in Siemens' Erlangen electronics plant. The robot, built on Nvidia’s physical AI stack, autonomously handled logistics tasks, achieving 60 tote moves per hour, over 8 hours...
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amsight is hosting an open‑house event where visitors can meet its team and explore its digital quality platform. The showcase highlights a shift from spreadsheet‑driven quality evidence to a unified, data‑centric quality backbone. Designed for industrial and regulated production, the...
Hannover Messe: TeamViewer Highlights Agentless Access and AI-Supported Maintenance for Industrial Operations
At Hannover Messe 2026, TeamViewer unveiled major upgrades to its Agentless Access and Assist AR solutions, emphasizing zero‑trust remote control and AI‑driven troubleshooting for industrial environments. A new pre‑configured gateway from partner Bechtle lets firms deploy secure, plug‑and‑play OT access without installing software...
Belden Unveils World's First 5G Industrial Switch Powered by Qualcomm at Hannover Messe
Belden Inc. unveiled the BRS‑5G, the world’s first industrial switch that runs native 5G, powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X72 modem. The concept will be demonstrated at Hannover Messe from April 20‑24, 2026, showcasing a live conveyor‑belt system that communicates over a private 5G...
This Simulation Startup Wants to Be the Cursor for Physical AI
Antioch, a New York‑based simulation startup, raised an $8.5 million seed round that values the company at $60 million. The funding, led by A* and Category Ventures, backs a platform that builds high‑fidelity digital twins of robots with realistic sensor feeds. By...
Heavy Industry Could Cut Energy Use by 45% by 2050
A new report from the Energy Transitions Commission and Mission Possible Partnership finds that heavy‑industry sectors could cut energy use by 25‑45% by 2050 through improved energy productivity. Energy accounts for 30‑50% of costs in these sectors, so efficiency gains...
Snack Sector Shifts Drive Rethink of End-of-Line Automation Strategies
The global snack sector is seeing a surge in product formats and SKU counts, compelling manufacturers to redesign end‑of‑line lines for greater flexibility. Traditional long‑run setups are giving way to near‑continuous changeovers driven by seasonal launches and e‑commerce packaging. Automation...
Russian Shahed Drones Begin Falling Apart in the Air as Quality Worsens
Ukrainian forces have released video showing Russian Shahed‑type drones disintegrating in flight, with detached panels, bent wingtips and missing nose fairings. The footage points to systemic assembly failures at the Alabuga plant in Tatarstan, where unskilled migrant workers and low‑cost...
New ONE/HMM Med-West Africa Service a Boost for Algeciras Transhipment
Japanese carrier ONE and South Korean carrier HMM will launch a new Med‑West Africa service in July, deploying five 2,800‑TEU vessels on a rotation that includes Algeciras, Tanger Med, Dakar, Tema, Lekki and Abidjan. Marketed as MAX by ONE and MA2...
Dire Warning Issued for Europe’s Textile Industry
European textile trade group EURATEX warned that factory closures are accelerating across the continent as producers grapple with soaring energy costs, soft consumer demand, a flood of Asian imports, and tightening regulations. The confluence of these pressures threatens the sector’s...
Innovation Awards: CTC Also Recognised for Its LeiWaCo Lightweight Tank for Liquid Hydrogen in the Pipes, Tanks and Hydrogen Category
The JEC Composites Innovation Awards named CTC GmbH – an Airbus company for its LeiWaCo lightweight liquid‑hydrogen tank in the Pipes, Tanks and Hydrogen category. LeiWaCo tackles the long‑standing cryogenic microcracking problem by using a tough thermoplastic matrix, thinner laminates,...
Largest Chinese Composite Module Developed for Reusable Launch Vehicles
The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) has delivered a 5‑meter‑diameter composite propulsion cabin, the largest single‑piece composite structure in China for reusable launch vehicles, featuring over 60 % composite material and completing development in just seven months. In Italy,...
Rivalry Between Carriers and Forwarders Could Drive Gulf Rates Down
Drewry warns that rivalry between ocean carriers and freight forwarders could force Gulf container rates lower, even after recent spot rates doubled or surged up to four‑fold due to Strait of Hormuz disruptions. The analyst says any near‑term price spikes...
Expeditors’ Advisory – Damning Insight on Impact of War on T&L
Expeditors’ consulting arm, Onyx, released a stark advisory outlining how the US‑Iran‑Israel war is reshaping transport and logistics. The analysis highlights a $2 bn surge in shipping surcharges, freight‑rate spikes of up to 30%, and severe capacity constraints as the Strait...
PV Module Prices Continue to Rise Unabated
Photovoltaic module prices climbed for the fourth month in a row, rising 5.5% between March and April 2026, with all‑black modules posting the steepest gains. The increase occurs despite falling polysilicon costs and the removal of Chinese export tax credits,...
The Chocolate Tastes Bitter at Barry Callebaut
Barry Callebaut, the Swiss chocolate giant, reported a more than 7% revenue drop to CHF 6.75 billion (≈$7.4 billion) in the first half of its fiscal year, driven by supply‑chain disruptions linked to the war in Iran and excess cocoa capacity. Sales volumes...
America Makes and NCDMM Launch $14.5M Defense AM Qualification Push
America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining have launched two new project calls—Delta Qual 2.0 and GOTHAAM—totaling $14.5 million, funded by the DoD’s Manufacturing Technology Office. Delta Qual 2.0 receives $9 million to streamline qualification for laser powder‑bed‑fusion systems, while...
The Role of an Offset Striking Wrench in Modern Robotics
The offset striking wrench, a hand‑held impact tool with an angled head, is gaining prominence in modern robotics for assembly, maintenance, and heavy‑duty applications. Its design lets technicians deliver high torque in tight spaces where conventional wrenches cannot reach, ensuring...
Kiwa PVEL Updates Module Testing Programme, Aims to Tackle Glass Breakage, Frame Failures and Hail Damage
Kiwa PVEL has revamped its Production Qualification Program to include test‑to‑failure protocols for static mechanical load and hail testing, aiming to identify the maximum stress solar modules can endure. The updated hail test now evaluates five modules per round, focusing on...
Boeing Delivers Three 777Fs in March
Boeing delivered three new‑build 777F freighters in March 2026, raising the year‑to‑date total to eight. Two aircraft went to Emirates and one to MSC Air Cargo, adding to earlier deliveries for Silk Way West, CES Leasing, Qatar Airways and National Airlines....
BIFA Parts with Smart Freight Centre on Emissions Training
The British International Freight Association (BIFA) has partnered with Smart Freight Centre (SFC) to provide emissions‑reporting training for its members. The SFC Academy will offer discounted courses covering the GLEC Framework, market‑based measures, and road‑freight electrification. The collaboration responds to...
Eurobearings Integrates Meltio’s Wire Laser Technology to Cut Bearing Production Lead Times by Up to 50%
Eurobearings has integrated Meltio’s wire‑laser directed energy deposition (DED) system, cutting bearing production lead times by 30‑50 percent. The technology deposits babbitt and other alloys directly onto large components, slashing material waste from roughly 80 percent to under 20 percent....
TaiLan New Energy Launches Embodied AI Solid-State Battery Solution, First Batch Delivered
TaiLan New Energy unveiled its "Safe+" solid‑state battery solution for embodied AI robots, delivering the first batch of packs to leading Chinese robotics firms for multi‑scenario testing. The hybrid solid‑liquid cells operate from –40°C to 80°C and sustain 1C discharge...
Nippon Express and Nikon Sign SAF Agreement
Japanese logistics firm Nippon Express and camera maker Nikon have renewed a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) agreement for air cargo shipments, marking the second consecutive year of collaboration. The deal leverages Nippon’s NX‑GREEN SAF program to issue CO₂‑reduction certificates for...
Philippines Registers Solar Module Maker Targeting EU Export Market
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) has registered Genuine Renewable Energy and Eco‑Friendly Energy Network Corp. (GREEENC) as an ecozone enterprise to produce photovoltaic (PV) modules for export, primarily to the European Union. GREEENC will invest about PHP 370 million ($6.16 million) in...
Alquist Moves From Pilot to Production With A1 Series Launch
Alquist has launched its A1 Series robotic arm platform, shifting from pilot projects to full‑scale production. Fourteen units—twelve A1X models for contractors and two compact A1 units for education—were sold through a joint deal with equipment dealer Hugg & Hall...
USA Rare Earth Produces Initial Yttrium Metal
USA Rare Earth, via its subsidiary Less Common Metals, has begun commercial production of yttrium metal with 99‑99.5% purity at its Cheshire, UK facility, making it one of the few non‑Chinese sources of the material. Yttrium is a critical component...
NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) Turns to AI-Powered Robots to Power Industrial Revolution
NVIDIA showcased its latest AI‑robot initiatives at the GTC conference, unveiling Isaac GR00T, an open‑source model that lets robots interpret natural‑language commands, and Cosmos, a synthetic‑data engine for large‑scale robot training. These tools extend NVIDIA’s dominant GPU and software stack...
Japan Shipbuilding Slots Vanish Amid Order Surge
Japan’s shipyards are effectively booked through 2029, with a three‑and‑a‑half‑year backlog of orders, driven largely by bulk carriers. The Japan Ship Exporters’ Association reports that almost 75% of the pending work is bulk‑carrier construction, leaving virtually no capacity for new...
Cadence Collaborates with Google on AI-Driven Chip Design
Cadence has teamed up with Google to embed Google’s Gemini large‑language model into its ChipStack AI Super Agent, a cloud‑native platform for chip design and verification. The integration runs on Google Cloud’s elastic compute, delivering up to ten‑fold productivity gains...
US Automakers Fear EU Safety, Emissions Rules Endanger Tariff Deal
The American Automotive Policy Council warned that draft changes to the EU’s Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) rules could block U.S. pickup trucks such as the Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F‑150 and Ram 1500 from entering Europe, threatening the 2025 U.S.–EU tariff...
As Modex 2026 Closes, Attention Turns to ProMat 2027
Modex 2026 wrapped up in Atlanta, and the supply‑chain community is already looking ahead to ProMat 2027, which will run April 19‑21, 2027 at Chicago’s McCormick Place. The three‑day show promises over 700,000 sq ft of floor space, 1,100 exhibitors, four keynote speeches, 200 educational seminars...
From Selective Soldering to Inspection: How THT Processes Are Evolving
Through‑hole technology (THT) remains a staple in electronics manufacturing, but its processes are shifting from manual soldering toward selective soldering and automated inspection. Selective soldering offers repeatable, faster joints, especially when multiple pins are close together, while wave soldering still...
Renault Korea to Produce BEVs From 2028
Renault Korea announced that its Busan plant will begin local production of battery electric vehicles in 2028, following the launch of its first software-defined vehicle in 2027 equipped with AI‑based OpenR Panorama Level 2++ autonomy. The subsidiary plans to introduce a...
Toyota, Isuzu Agree to Co-Develop Hydrogen Fuel Cell Light Truck
Toyota Motor Corp. and Isuzu Motors have signed an agreement to co‑develop and mass‑produce a hydrogen fuel‑cell light‑truck based on Isuzu’s N‑series electric platform. The vehicle will use Toyota’s third‑generation fuel‑cell system and is targeted for commercial delivery use, where...
Raytheon Launches AMRAAM-ER Missile Full-Rate Production
Raytheon secured a $234.8 million contract to transition its AMRAAM‑ER missile into full‑rate production in Tucson, Arizona, with work extending through April 2029. The award includes $61.6 million in Foreign Military Sales funds for partners Hungary, Kuwait, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Taiwan....
Improving Magnetic Performance in EV Motors
Researchers at South Korea’s DGIST have merged spark plasma sintering with grain‑boundary diffusion to produce Nd‑Fe‑B permanent magnets that achieve uniform diffusion throughout the bulk. The new process creates a core‑shell microstructure, enabling near‑theoretical density and a post‑sinter heat treatment...
Heraeus, Sibanye-Stillwater Partner on Palladium-Based Glass Fibre Tech
Heraeus Precious Metals and Sibanye‑Stillwater have launched a two‑year joint R&D program to create palladium‑based glass‑fibre bushings using Heraeus’ dispersion‑hardening (DPH) technology. The effort aims to replace costly platinum bushings with cost‑efficient palladium alloys for E‑glass fibres used in reinforced...
Germany: Stadler to Supply 14 TINA Trams to Görlitz & Zwickau
Stadler secured a contract to supply 14 low‑floor TINA trams—eight for Görlitz and six for Zwickau—with commissioning slated for 2028. The order expands the TINA platform to eight European cities, underscoring its growing market footprint. Each 30‑metre vehicle features fully...
Volvo CE Starts Serial Production of A30 Electric and A40 Electric Articulated Haulers
Volvo Construction Equipment has started serial production of its A30 Electric and A40 Electric articulated haulers at the Braås plant in Sweden, becoming the first maker to mass‑produce battery‑electric machines in this size class. The A30 can haul 29 tonnes and...
Cadence and Nvidia Are Bridging the Simulation Gap That’s Slowing Down Robotics
Cadence Design Systems and Nvidia announced an expanded partnership to close the simulation gap that hampers robot deployment. The deal integrates Cadence’s high‑fidelity multiphysics engines with Nvidia’s Isaac AI training suite and Cosmos open‑world models. The combined workflow generates more...
Amrize Expands ‘Made in America’ Cement Offering
Amrize has broadened its “Made in America” cement label to four additional plants, bringing the total to nine U.S. facilities that meet the domestic‑sourcing criteria. The new sites include locations in Oklahoma, Michigan, Illinois and Ohio, joining the original five...
Stratasys Joins DoW Program as Defense Embraces Industrial 3D Printing
Stratasys Direct has been chosen for the U.S. Department of War’s JAMA IV Pilot Parts Program, a multimillion‑dollar effort to fast‑track 3D‑printed components on military platforms. The company already supports the Air Force’s C‑17 fleet, saving roughly $14 million in fuel each...
Panel-Level Packaging’s Second Wave Meets Engineering Reality
Panel-level packaging is gaining traction as wafer‑level economics falter under the growing size of AI and high‑performance computing modules. By switching to rectangular glass or organic panels, manufacturers can increase units per run, spreading fixed costs more efficiently. However, the...
Silicon Photonics Lights The Way To More Efficient Data Centers
Silicon photonics is emerging as a solution to the power‑intensive data‑movement problem in modern data centers, especially as AI workloads generate massive east‑west traffic. By replacing copper with optical links, photonic interconnects can dramatically increase bandwidth density while slashing energy...