Xenia Materials Introduces the High Modulus Upgrade
Xenia Materials has launched the High Modulus (HM) Upgrade, a new technology that boosts the stiffness of carbon‑fibre reinforced thermoplastic composites. The upgrade delivers roughly a 15% increase in tensile modulus, tensile strength and flexural modulus while preserving the material’s low density. Impact resistance can rise up to 20% depending on the polymer matrix. The HM Upgrade is compatible with the Xecarb® family across a wide range of polymers, from PA66 to PP, targeting aerospace, motorsport, industrial and sports applications.
Scientists Just Created Super-Strong Steel That Never Rusts. It'll Change Manufacturing.
Researchers at Purdue and the University of South China used an interpretable machine‑learning algorithm to design a new 3D‑printable steel alloy. By analyzing 81 physicochemical features, the team created Fe‑15Cr‑3.2Ni‑0.8Mn‑0.6Cu‑0.56Si‑0.4Al‑0.16C, which achieved roughly 1,713 MPa strength and over 15% elongation. The...
Reinventing Supply Chains With Gabi Gantus, CFO Of Mytra
Gabi Gantus, CFO of Mytra, is leading a push to overhaul warehouse automation with bots that move inventory in any direction, including vertically, promising higher density and throughput. Drawing on a decade at Tesla, she applies FP&A rigor and a...
MODEX 2026: GreyOrange Launches GreyMatter Foundry
GreyOrange unveiled GreyMatter Foundry at MODEX 2026, an AI‑driven simulation platform that unifies warehouse flow design, technology sizing, and layout planning in a high‑fidelity environment. The tool lets customers, integrators and fulfillment teams model heterogeneous robot fleets and human processes,...
MODEX 2026: Gartner Predicts Half of New Warehouses Built in Developed Markets Will Be Human-Optional Facilities by 2030
Gartner’s latest supply‑chain research predicts that by 2030 half of all new warehouses built in developed markets will be designed as robot‑centric facilities where human labor is optional. The forecast reflects mounting labor shortages and rising wage pressures that are...
Pharma Firms Accelerate Regional Capacity Building to Secure GLP-1 Supply and Mitigate Geopolitical Risks
Pharma companies are reshaping supply chains by regionalizing GLP‑1 manufacturing to mitigate geopolitical risks and meet soaring demand for metabolic therapies. Eli Lilly announced a $3 billion investment in China and a ¥20 billion ($126 million) upgrade of its Kobe plant in Japan, targeting...
Corvus Robotics Launches Corvus Trident, an AI Powered Device That Tracks Every Pallet From Dock Door to Departure
Corvus Robotics unveiled the AI‑powered Corvus Trident at MODEX 2026, a device that mounts on forklifts and other material‑handling equipment to automatically capture every pallet movement from dock to departure. The system uses onboard AI and industrial‑grade scanners to read multiple...
MODEX 2026: Dexory Unveils DexoryView Adapt for Warehouse Operations
Dexory unveiled DexoryView Adapt at MODEX 2026, adding an AI reasoning layer to its existing DexoryView digital‑twin platform. The new capability transforms real‑time warehouse sensor data into autonomous, evidence‑backed operational decisions. By linking robot‑collected signals, site‑specific rules, and a growing...
Lloyds Metals & Energy to Use Metso for Iron Plant Expansion
Lloyds Metals & Energy (LMEL), an Indian iron miner and steelmaker, has contracted Metso to deliver ten Larox fast‑opening filter presses for its iron beneficiation plants. The equipment will support LMEL's ongoing expansion of its pellet production capacity, though the...
Surging Traffic at Transhipment Hubs Hits Container Supply Chain Efficiency
Sea‑Intelligence Consulting’s latest study shows that the world’s biggest container transhipment hubs are eroding overall schedule reliability. By comparing un‑weighted regional averages with volume‑weighted figures, the analysis reveals a five‑point drop in Asia‑North Europe trade performance driven by congestion at...
AI-Enabled ETA Management Could Be the Key to Solving Port Congestion
Port congestion is worsening as megaships and trade volumes outpace infrastructure, driving higher costs, emissions, and supply‑chain delays. AI‑driven predictive ETA management leverages real‑time weather, vessel performance and traffic data to forecast arrival times with greater accuracy. By aligning berth...
Metyx CEO Uğur Üstünel Joins EPTA Board
Metyx CEO Uğur Üstünel has been appointed to the board of the European Pultrusion Technology Association (EPTA), a body that unites leading pultrusion firms to advance technology and standards. Metyx, operating in Europe and the United States, recently launched continuous filament...
Spain's Corrugated Cardboard Sector Posts €7.2 Billion in 2025, Holding Third Place in Europe
Spain’s corrugated cardboard industry posted €7.168 billion in 2025 (≈ $7.7 billion), cementing its position as the third‑largest producer in Europe behind Germany and Italy. The sector comprises 66 corrugating firms operating 89 factories, generating 5.94 billion m² of board and consuming 3.35 million tons of paper....
Why Execution Gaps, Not Technology, Are Draining Food Manufacturers
Food manufacturers have widely adopted digital quality tools, yet many still rely on manual record‑keeping and fragmented workflows. SafetyChain labels the hidden cost of this misalignment as the “Invisible QA Tax,” where teams spend hours reconciling data instead of acting...
Engineering Reliability in a Changing Rail Industry
FreightCar America argues that the future of freight rail hinges on engineering discipline that couples safety with manufacturing consistency. By embedding layers‑of‑protection into design and production, the company reduces error and variability, enabling scalable output even as demand fluctuates. Targeted...
Perspective: How True AI Changes the Cost of TMS Training
The trucking and logistics sector has long wrestled with costly, weeks‑long training for transportation management systems (TMS). While many vendors tout "AI," most solutions are merely automated workflows that still demand extensive user instruction. True generative AI, exemplified by large...
How Derome Erects Six-Storey Apartment Blocks in Three Days
Swedish timber maker Derome now erects a six‑storey, flat‑element apartment building in just three days, a speedup from one floor per week when the system launched 15 years ago. The acceleration stems from continuous, incremental refinements across product design, factory...
ACS UK Showcases Customized Premium Cabin Interiors with OMNIA at AIX 2026
ACS UK returned to Aircraft Interiors Expo 2026 to unveil OMNIA, a unified showcase of customized premium cabin interiors. The display highlights an adaptive galley worktop that doubles usable crew surface, an autonomous lighting dimmer for independent lighting control, and...
Vikram Solar Doubles PV Deployments to 10GW
Vikram Solar announced that it has doubled its cumulative solar module deployments to 10 GW within two years, equivalent to roughly 25 million modules, of which about 1.5 GW were exported. The Indian manufacturer now operates 9.5 GW of module capacity across West Bengal...
Kuka Outlines ‘Automation 2.0’ Strategy, Combining AI Software with Industrial Robotics
Kuka unveiled an "Automation 2.0" roadmap that blends artificial intelligence with its industrial robots, positioning the firm at the forefront of the emerging "physical AI" wave. The centerpiece is Kuka AMP, a software‑defined platform that layers AI‑driven decision‑making over existing hardware....
Chinese Automaker Chery Begins Selling Humanoid Robot to Consumers for $42,000 Each
Chinese automaker Chery has launched its self‑developed Aimoga humanoid robot for roughly $41,830 through JD.com, shifting the device from a showroom assistant role to a consumer‑available product. The robot, previously deployed in overseas dealership showrooms, can greet visitors, answer questions...
Taiwan Launches National Robotics Center with $629 Million Startup Funding Plan
Taiwan has inaugurated the National Center for AI Robotics (NCAIR) and unveiled a NT$20 billion ($629 million) funding program slated for 2026‑2029. The initiative targets the creation of at least three home‑grown robotics startups and aims to accelerate testing, talent development, and...
Could the USCG Icebreaker Requirement Open the Door for More Inland Shipbuilding?
On April 2, Fincantieri Marine Group, Fraser Shipyards and Donjon Marine announced the Fourth Coast Shipbuilding Alliance, a coalition aimed at bringing new shipbuilding programs to the Great Lakes region. The alliance’s first goal is to win a U.S. Coast...
Bizarre ‘Compleximers’ Break the Rules of Both Glass and Plastic
Researchers at Wageningen University have unveiled "compleximers," a new class of glassy materials that melt slowly like traditional glass yet absorb impacts like plastic. By swapping covalent crosslinks for long‑range ionic bonds, the material remains compact during heating and can...
Kubotek Kosmos Updates 3D Framework to Version 8.0
Kubotek Kosmos released version 8.0 of its 3D Framework, adding full support for STEP AP242 Edition 4, STEP XML Part 28, and QIF file import. The update introduces persistent identifiers for traceability, expanded saved‑view capabilities, and new API functions for cloning tolerance...
India’s Manufacturing Giants Are Embracing Agentic AI to Enhance Efficiencies
India’s manufacturing leaders are shifting from traditional automation to an Agentic Enterprise model where AI acts as a strategic teammate, handling decisions such as ordering and supply‑path selection. Executives like Uflex’s CIO emphasize that AI proficiency will become a core...
Kornit Digital Brings Global Apparel Leaders Together to Accelerate the Move Towards On-Demand Production
Kornit Digital gathered more than 500 leaders from the global apparel ecosystem at Konnections 2026 in Hollywood, Florida. The three‑day event highlighted the industry’s shift toward real‑time, on‑demand manufacturing and featured the debut of Atlas MATRIX, a platform that prints...
Siemens Expands Industrial Automation DataCenter with Edge AI and Cybersecurity
Siemens announced an upgraded Industrial Automation DataCenter that ships as a pre‑installed, AI‑ready turnkey solution for production environments. The platform combines NVIDIA GPUs and BlueField DPUs for edge AI acceleration with Palo Alto Networks Prisma AIRS delivering zero‑trust security. By integrating...
Avianca Cargo Adds Quito-Miami Flights Using Amazon Capacity
Avianca Cargo has added a new Quito‑Miami service, operating five flights per week. The flights use lift capacity provided by Amazon Air Cargo, extending the partnership that began in 2025 with Bogotá‑Miami. The route is aimed at meeting rising demand...
Why Chinese 'Knock-Down' Car Kits Could Spell Catastrophe for Canadian Automakers
Chinese electric‑vehicle makers are eyeing the Canadian market, but industry leaders warn that importing cars as complete knock‑down (CKD) kits could devastate local manufacturing. Auto‑parts chief Flavio Volpe estimates a full‑scale assembly plant generates roughly $2.1 billion USD in economic activity...
How Jabil Uses AI and Robotics to Bolster Its Decarbonization Agenda
Jabil is allocating $500 million in 2025 to revamp its factories with AI and robotics, part of a broader push to slash its carbon footprint. Since 2019, AI‑driven process changes have already cut operational emissions by 47%, positioning the contract manufacturer...
Protolabs Joins Space Foundation at Space Symposium
Protolabs announced its partnership with the Space Foundation ahead of the 41st Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, where it will exhibit its aerospace manufacturing capabilities. The company highlights its ITAR‑compliant, AS9100‑certified factories in the U.S. and Europe, emphasizing rapid, high‑mix,...
ROS 2: The Next Generation for Robust and Scalable Robotics Applications
ROS 2 is the next‑generation version of the Robot Operating System, redesigned for commercial robotics. It replaces ROS 1's centralized master with the decentralized Data Distribution Service (DDS), adding real‑time support, QoS controls, and built‑in security. The platform is gaining traction in...
Lufthansa Cargo Warns of Potential Delays as Pilots Strike
Lufthansa Cargo warned customers on April 13 that a two‑day pilots strike could delay shipments across its network. The strike, involving pilots from Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa Airlines and CityLine, is slated to end at midnight on April 14. While flights...
Agy and Saertex Combine Fibres with Multiaxial Fabric Configurations
Agy and Saertex have teamed up to merge Agy’s patented S‑2 glass fibre with Saertex’s engineered multiaxial non‑crimp fabrics. The hybrid material delivers higher tensile, impact and fatigue resistance while remaining lightweight and compatible with infusion, RTM, prepreg, compression and...
Beyond the Runway
Israel‑based eVTOL maker AIR has delivered the first production version of its heavy‑lift cargo aircraft, a 550‑lb (249 kg) uncrewed platform designed for vertical take‑off and landing. The aircraft, featuring fold‑able wings, advanced electric motors and a larger cargo bay, is...
Kornit Digital Acquires PrintFactory to Accelerate the Industry’s Transition to Digital, On-Demand Production
Kornit Digital announced the acquisition of Netherlands‑based PrintFactory, a cloud‑native workflow and color‑management software provider. The deal integrates PrintFactory’s automation platform with Kornit’s digital printing hardware, creating an end‑to‑end ecosystem that links demand generation, production workflow, and fulfillment. PrintFactory’s technology...
From AI Insights to AI Action: What’s Changing in Manufacturing
Artificial intelligence is transitioning from pilot projects to core manufacturing operations as firms grapple with supply‑chain disruptions, labor shortages, and margin pressure. AI now not only analyzes data but also takes action, automating workflows and adjusting production in real time....
Why Agentic AI Is Emerging as the Next Layer of the Modern TMS
Logistics teams are drowning in repetitive, high‑fatigue tasks such as shipment tracking, invoice reconciliation, and carrier performance monitoring. Shipwell’s new transportation management system (TMS) embeds agentic AI that automates these “invisible” workflows, delivering real‑time alerts and optimization suggestions while keeping...
Why Growing Manufacturers Are Rethinking the Systems Behind Their Operations
Manufacturers are accelerating product launches, e‑commerce expansion, and AI adoption, but legacy spreadsheets and siloed tools are fragmenting data and slowing fulfillment. Modern cloud‑based ERP systems consolidate orders, production, and shipping into a single source of truth, delivering real‑time visibility...
Axiom: Vendor Analysis — Marketplace and Tail Spend Platform Overview, Roadmap, Competitors, User Considerations, Analyst Summary
Axiom, a UK‑based tech firm founded in 2020, launched its enterprise‑grade marketplace and tail‑spend platform publicly in 2023. The solution layers onto existing ERP or source‑to‑pay systems to unify catalog, free‑text, and inventory‑driven purchases into a single managed marketplace. By...
Strategic Intermodal Integration: Efficiency, Visibility and the New Length-of-Haul
Intermodal freight is shedding its reputation as a slow, low‑visibility option as carriers like Werner Enterprises introduce GPS‑tracked containers and proprietary EDGE technology. These advances make regional rail‑truck combos competitive on 600‑ to 1,000‑mile lanes, delivering truck‑plus‑one‑day transit, end‑to‑end visibility,...
The Seal Strength Paradox: Why More Is Not Always Better in Sterile Barrier Packaging
The article explains why increasing heat, pressure, or dwell time in sterile barrier packaging can backfire, leading to over‑sealing that weakens overall seal reliability. A real‑world case showed that boosting sealing temperature to fix intermittent tears actually introduced new failure...
Building Resilient Supply Chains in an Era of Constant Disruption
Supply chain volatility has become the new normal for manufacturers, prompting a shift from reactive tactics to proactive resilience. Leading firms are embedding visibility, integrated processes, and cloud‑based technology into the product development lifecycle to anticipate risks before they materialize....
Saudi Arabia's First Mills Deploys AI Agent Platform in Food Production First
Saudi Arabia’s leading flour‑miller First Mills has become the first customer of Glasgow‑based AI startup Kodamai, installing its Kelvingrove platform – the world’s first mathematically verified autonomous‑agent system – across four production sites. The platform uses category theory, type theory and...
Satair Deploys ASRS in Singapore
Satair, an Airbus Services subsidiary, has commissioned an AutoStore automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) at its Singapore hub, marking the company’s third global deployment after Hamburg and Dulles. The Swisslog‑installed solution packs 23 robots and 60,000 bins into a...
Aligning Manufacturing Support Services with Retail Supply Chain Operations
Retail supply chains have become far more complex as e‑commerce, omnichannel buying and globally distributed sourcing raise delivery expectations. This complexity creates gaps in order accuracy, inventory positioning and fulfillment speed when manufacturing and retail operate in silos. Integrating manufacturing...
Smurfit Westrock Puts Paper on Rail Between Germany and Poland
Smurfit Westrock has launched a dedicated rail corridor linking its Hoya mill in Germany with packaging plants in Poland, replacing more than 1,400 truck trips each year. The service uses 600‑metre trains operated by PKP Cargo and Transwaggon, aiming to...
AESC and NEXTES Sign 1.5 GWh Strategic Supply Agreement, Marking Japan's Largest Energy Storage Cell Order of 2026
AESC and NEXTES have signed a three‑year agreement to supply 1.5 GWh of battery cells for grid‑scale energy storage, the largest single ESS cell order in Japan for 2026. The deal leverages AESC’s 14 gigafactories and its JIS, IEC and UL...
Metso to Deliver State-of-the-Art Filtration Tech to Lloyds Metals & Energy Operations
Metso has secured an order to deliver ten fully automatic Larox FFP 3512 filters for Lloyds Metals & Energy’s iron‑ore concentrate filtration plants in Ghugus, Manikgarh and Konsari, Maharashtra. The filters employ advanced membrane technology and hole‑less filter cloths to boost moisture...