Manufacturing News and Headlines
Manufacturing News and Headlines
RoboForce announced a $52 million oversubscribed funding round, bringing its total capital to $67 million. The investment, led by YZi Labs and backed by former Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang and Nobel laureate Myron Scholes, will fund the development of its physical‑AI foundation model and scale production of general‑purpose robots. The company is partnering with NVIDIA to leverage edge‑computing and simulation tools for a closed‑loop data flywheel. RoboForce aims to deploy robots across labor‑intensive sectors such as solar, mining, data centers and logistics.
Tekpak Automation will demonstrate its TD3/R Series pick‑and‑place robotic cell at interpack 2026 in Düsseldorf, offering a compact, three‑axis solution for food, beverage and pharmaceutical packaging. The system integrates with existing lines, fits tight spaces, and provides tool‑less changeovers for...
SEMI projects global 300mm fab equipment spending to rise 18% to $133 billion in 2026 and 14% to $151 billion in 2027. The surge is fueled by exploding AI chip demand for data centers and edge devices and by regional pushes for...
Canadian shippers will gain a new north‑south maritime link as CMA CGM adds the Port of Montreal to its Homere service, scheduled to call the Cast Terminal on April 5. The 1,713‑TEU vessel joins the carrier’s Cagema rotation, linking Montreal with Caribbean...
Intermodal traffic edged ahead in a flat week for U.S. railroads, with total weekly volume reaching 515,921 units, a 0.5% year‑over‑year increase. While carload freight slipped 0.8% to 233,833 units, intermodal containers and trailers rose 1.6% to 282,088. Petroleum shipments...
CompositesWorld has extended the deadline for its 2026 Top Shops Benchmarking Survey to April 10, giving participants an extra two weeks to complete the core questionnaire by March 31. Respondents who finish the core survey receive a customized benchmarking report, earn Top...
Shippers are increasingly turning to intermodal transport as over‑the‑road trucking faces a capacity crunch driven by stricter federal oversight and soaring diesel prices. Uber Freight reports spot OTR rates up 25% year‑over‑year and predicts intermodal rates will rise 3‑5% by...
Russia’s seaborne diesel and gasoil shipments slipped 3% in March, falling to roughly 3.06 million metric tons. The decline was driven by repeated Ukrainian drone strikes that disrupted loading at the key Baltic hub of Primorsk and the southern port of...
Amphenel RF has added a new HD‑EFI bullet tool to its line of insertion and extraction accessories. The tool is engineered for precise RF interface installations, helping engineers avoid damage while speeding up assembly. It works with both machined and...
Automakers are adopting no‑code automation platforms that let engineers build vehicle functions through visual workflows instead of traditional code. These policies, defined in kilobytes, can be pushed instantly to single cars or millions, slashing development cycles and validation costs. The...
Two bipartisan U.S. senators have asked the Commerce Department to launch a Section 232 national‑security investigation into heavy‑equipment imports from Mexico, arguing that offshoring erodes American manufacturing jobs. They cite recent plant closures and layoffs at Deere, Caterpillar and CNH...
Allied Vision introduced the allPIXA pro 6000px, a Camera Link® color linescan camera featuring a 6000‑pixel CCD RGB sensor and a 34 kHz line rate. The device spans a 400‑nm to 1000‑nm spectral range, enabling detection of sub‑millimeter defects and invisible material variations....
Indonesia’s 2025‑2029 economic roadmap hinges on manufacturing, which posted a 5.3% growth rate in 2025—slightly above the nation’s 5.0% GDP expansion. The sector now accounts for 19.07% of GDP and over 80% of exports, employing more than 20 million workers. Government...
Dematic will unveil its new Command Center analytics platform at MODEX 2026 in Atlanta, showcasing real‑time visibility and advanced warehouse insights. The vendor‑agnostic solution centralizes operational data, enabling faster, data‑driven decisions across supply‑chain networks. Alongside the platform launch, Dematic will...
Industry‑led non‑profit Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen) announced a CAD 79 million (≈ USD 58 million) investment to support 20 AI‑driven projects across Canadian manufacturers. More than CAD 50 million (≈ USD 36 million) comes from private partners, with the remaining CAD 29 million (≈ USD 21 million) supplied by the federal Pan‑Canadian AI Strategy....
The Institute for Supply Management’s March 2026 Manufacturing PMI rose to 52.7, the strongest reading since August 2022 and a modest gain over February. New orders slowed while production stayed robust, and the employment index remained in contraction territory. The...
The American Center for Manufacturing and Innovation (ACMI) has teamed up with Johns Hopkins University’s Whiting School of Engineering to create safety‑focused training and career pathways in energetics and advanced manufacturing. The collaboration will initially target ACMI’s National Security Industrial...
Novo Nordisk announced it will cut approximately 400 positions at its recently acquired Bloomington, Indiana manufacturing plant. The cuts follow FDA rejections of drug products from three contract companies that used the facility, citing manufacturing deficiencies. The issues stem from...
The MC Tech Days virtual workshop on April 22 will showcase high‑rate aerospace manufacturing tools and processes, featuring sponsors Toray Group and Composites One and presenters from leading material and aerospace firms. Meanwhile, Avel Robotics of France signed a development contract...
At the AMUG conference, Stratasys and Tronix3D highlighted the massive waste problem in powder‑bed fusion, where roughly 2.5 million kg of PA12 powder is discarded each year. Stratasys introduced its SAF ReLife software and firmware upgrade that lets the H350 printer use...
Researchers at the University of Delaware and Waters have created an automated text‑mining pipeline that extracts relationships between cell‑culture conditions and protein glycosylation with 88% accuracy. The extracted data are normalized and stored in a Bioprocess Knowledge Graph, enabling a...
Arceon B.V. successfully completed AFRL oxyacetylene torch testing of three Carbeon carbon ceramic composite samples, in partnership with Moog Inc. The materials endured sustained heat flux above 1200 °C in steady‑state and cyclic loading without meaningful structural degradation. Post‑test measurements showed...
Lucid Motors announced a recall of over 4,000 Gravity SUVs after discovering that second‑row seat‑belt anchors were not welded correctly. The defect stems from a seat‑belt supplier altering its manufacturing process without Lucid’s approval, prompting the automaker to revert to...
Xiaomi unveiled an upgraded CyberOne robotic hand that features full‑palm tactile sensing, artificial sweat‑gland cooling, and a 60 % smaller form factor matching human proportions. The hand can detect pressure, temperature, and slip across an 8200 mm² surface, enabling delicate manipulation such...
India’s Ministry of Ports & Shipping announced a six‑month postponement of the cabotage policy that would have ended foreign‑flag vessels’ right to operate coastal shipping routes. The original rule, introduced in 2018, aimed to force domestic operators to handle intra‑country...
Gene‑therapy manufacturers face a bottleneck when adding large volumes of AAV transfection complex to bioreactors within a narrow time window. Mirus Bio’s VirusGEN Transfection Complex Stabilizer, used with TransIT‑VirusGEN reagent, cuts the required complex volume from roughly five percent to...
US Modules has launched its first solar panel assembly line in College Station, Texas, capable of producing 400 MW of utility‑scale panels per year. Backed by Carey International Group, the 150,000‑sq‑ft facility can expand to 1.4 GW annual output, with a second...
Vertical Aerospace has put into operation a 15,000‑square‑foot battery pilot production line at its Vertical Energy Centre (VEC), featuring automated aerospace‑grade manufacturing that delivered up to 1.4 MW of peak power during flight tests. The line will assemble battery packs for...
Vitrek has launched the V10X, a high‑voltage safety tester delivering up to 30 kV AC output and 100 picoamp leakage resolution. The platform merges hipot, low‑resistance, and ground‑bond testing into one system, targeting automated production lines in sectors such as appliances, EV...
Volvo Group will launch production at its new 1.7‑million‑square‑foot Monterrey heavy‑duty truck plant in July 2026, a $700 million investment aimed at expanding North American capacity. Initial volumes will be modest because U.S. and Canadian demand remains soft, but the facility...
SEC Co. has completed development of the Semi‑Scan‑SW, an automated inline X‑ray inspection system for high‑bandwidth memory (HBM) production. The tool detects internal defects as small as 3‑5 µm across HBM stacking, through‑glass‑via (TGV) and wafer‑level packaging (WLP) processes. SEC will...
BF Global Logistics has chosen IFS Softeon’s warehouse management system as its core platform for European facilities, partnering with Lanark for implementation. The advanced WMS offers integrated billing, labour management, and AI‑driven visibility, aiming to boost performance, scalability, and customer...
U.S. manufacturing showed unexpected strength in March as the ISM Manufacturing index rose to 52.7, the highest level since August 2022 and above consensus forecasts. Production accelerated to 55.1, buoyed by a solid backlog of new orders, while new‑order sentiment...
FIATA has issued a practical guide to help freight forwarders adopt the Electronic FIATA Multimodal Bill of Lading (eFBL), a digital counterpart to the paper bill of lading that complies with UNCTAD/ICC rules and UCP 600. The guide details onboarding steps,...
Thailand is seeking additional LNG supplies from Malaysia to offset disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict, which currently provides about 5%‑10% of its imports. The country receives two to three LNG vessels from the region each month, and officials...
FedEx announced a multi‑year push to embed artificial intelligence into physical assets such as RFID sensors, robotics and automated trailer unloaders. By 2028 the carrier aims to have AI driving more than half of its core operational workflows, from first‑mile...
AutomationDirect announced the launch of two new AchieVe mechanical pressure switches – the LPPS series and the S18‑1C model – aimed at rugged industrial applications. The LPPS line handles pressures up to 3,000 psig and delivers a 5 A SPDT relay output,...
AutomationDirect has added di‑soric ultrasonic proximity sensors in 8, 12, 18 and 30 mm tubular sizes plus a 12 mm rectangular model. The sensors deliver contactless distance measurement up to 6,000 mm, feature rugged nickel‑plated brass construction, IP67 protection, and IO‑Link connectivity with...
Lucid Motors announced a recall of more than 4,000 Gravity SUVs built before Feb. 14, 2026 due to improperly welded second‑row seat‑belt anchors. The defect was discovered during unrelated safety testing in January and could prevent the belts from restraining passengers in...
Cavotec has secured a $15.11 million contract to supply its MoorMaster automated vacuum mooring systems for a specialized North American application. Deliveries are slated between October 2027 and March 2028. The MoorMaster technology promises safer, faster vessel handling while cutting emissions. This deal...
BMW Group has deployed PTC’s Codebeamer application‑lifecycle‑management platform to replace dozens of legacy requirements tools with a single, unified data model. The move consolidates mechanical, electrical and software requirements into one system, improving traceability and digital continuity. Codebeamer now underpins...
The U.S. Army awarded Global Military Products a four‑year contract to operate and expand the Quad Cities Cartridge Case Facility in Rock Island, Illinois. Under the deal, the contractor will continue producing brass and steel cartridge cases while adding a...
Agile Robots completed the acquisition of thyssenkrupp Automation Engineering’s assets, rebranding the unit as Krause Automation. The deal gives the Munich‑based AI‑robotics firm a strong presence in Europe and North America and adds over 75 years of engineering heritage. By...
EnerVenue closed a $300 million Series B extension led by Full Vision Capital, adding a new investor to the round. The funding will finance rapid expansion of its high‑volume nickel‑hydrogen battery plant in Changzhou, China, and accelerate supply‑chain development. The company also...
India’s major oil refiners, long buoyed by cheap Russian crude, are now grappling with tighter supply and falling margins as the Gulf war disrupts the Strait of Hormuz. The closure of this key shipping lane has choked the flow of...
A trio of companies are tackling steel’s carbon footprint by replacing traditional coke‑based reduction with electricity‑driven or greener chemical processes. Two firms have built pilot‑scale electro‑reduction plants that melt iron ore directly using renewable power, while a third adapts conventional...
China's Cosmx, the world’s second‑largest smartphone battery‑pack supplier, has formed a joint venture with Chennai‑based Munoth Industries to source lithium‑ion cells in India. Cosmx will acquire a 26% stake in Munoth’s newly approved cell‑manufacturing facility and begin sourcing cells for...
Ryder System and International Motors have launched a joint autonomous trucking pilot on a 600‑mile daily route between Laredo and Temple, Texas. The pilot uses a factory‑integrated International LT equipped with PlusAI’s SuperDrive Level 4 software, with a safety driver on...
Logistics Management’s 2025 Top 50 trucking list highlights carriers that combine long‑term strategy, strong culture, and disciplined execution to thrive in a $1 trillion U.S. freight network. The report separates the 25 largest truckload firms from the 25 leading less‑than‑truckload (LTL) operators,...
Insight Works announced that its Warehouse Insight app now leverages Microsoft’s 2026 Wave 1 Dynamics 365 Business Central updates to streamline inbound warehouse operations. The solution adds real‑time barcode scanning, license‑plate creation and on‑the‑spot quality inspections via mobile devices, cutting receiving cycle...
