VinFast scales EV deliveries and launches $500M plant in India
VinFast delivered 3,520 electric vehicles in a single 24‑hour period in Vietnam, showcasing its production and logistics capabilities. The company is breaking ground on a $500 million plant in Tamil Nadu that will support a 150,000‑vehicle‑per‑year capacity and serve as a regional export hub for right‑hand‑drive markets. Its next logistical test will be expanding into India and Indonesia.
Also developing:

French rail operator SNCF Voyageurs has launched the O2D programme, modernising the first TGV INOUI trainset and targeting 104 high‑speed trainsets for life‑extension. The €600 million investment aims to stretch operating life from 34 to up to 50 years, adding roughly 15 % more capacity and preserving about 22,100 seats through 2034. Refurbishment of 26 trainsets begins this year, with another 23 slated for 2027, while double‑deck units receive a 10‑15‑year extension. The initiative also cuts CO₂ emissions by 6.7 million tonnes, about 5 % of France’s transport sector output.

The Czech Railway Administration (SŽ) will begin a sweeping organisational overhaul in April, eliminating more than 120 positions—mostly administrative—and centralising dispatch functions under two control centres in Prague and Přerov. The restructuring, driven by new Director General Tomáš Tóth, targets...
The Zimbabwe export ban seems to be due to transfer pricing, ie producers understating grade/value of exports. Similar to what we saw from the Chinese company that operated Bald Hill in Australia a few years ago. On my calcs, average Zimbabwe...

In this episode, Argus Brazil editor Renata Cardarelli and fertilizer specialist Gisele Augusto review how Brazil and the Southern Cone fertilizer markets have evolved a month after the Fertilizer Latino-Americano (FLA) conference. They note a sharp slowdown in RIA deals,...

The Port of Tilbury has secured outline planning consent from Thurrock Council for the Tilbury3 (T3) expansion, allocating 143 acres for port operations and ecological mitigation. The project will create a high‑capacity, rail‑connected multi‑modal hub with direct road links and...

Brazil’s Suape Industrial Port Complex signed two MoUs with Malaysia’s Westports and Northport at Port Klang, establishing a permanent communication channel between the two port groups. The agreements aim to launch new long‑distance maritime routes and expand logistics links, potentially...

UPS’s Worldport hub at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport has overtaken FedEx’s Memphis super‑hub to become the world’s largest express air‑cargo hub by daily flights and tonnage capacity, according to the Chaddick Institute’s Global Cargo Hub Review. The Louisville hub...
Fabrinet reported record fourth‑quarter revenue of $753.3 million, a 15% year‑over‑year increase, and posted a new high EPS of $2.41. The board approved an additional $139.5 million share‑repurchase program, underscoring confidence in cash flow. Analysts upgraded the company to a Zacks Rank...

Swiss performance brand On has inaugurated its second automated footwear factory near Busan, South Korea, featuring 32 robots. The new plant, together with the Zurich site, is projected to boost global production capacity by 30 times in 2026, shifting the...

Manufacturers are accelerating digital transformation, but internal expertise often lags, driving demand for third‑party process automation services. The article highlights five leading providers—Malisko, Emerson, ABB Group, ATS Automation, and Yokogawa—each offering distinct strengths from IoT integration to turnkey solutions. These...

The 2026 Year of the Fire Horse marks the 60th anniversary of the world’s first VLCC, Idemitsu Maru, and has sparked a surge in supertanker charter rates, with spot prices topping $200,000 per day and rumors of a one‑year deal...

Polish manufacturer Newag unveiled its first hybrid multiple‑unit for PKP Intercity, a train that combines electric and diesel power to operate on both electrified and non‑electrified lines. The units can reach 160 km/h on electrified tracks and 120 km/h on non‑electrified routes, with...

Boeing reported a 40% drop in quality rework hours over the past year, attributing the improvement to stronger collaboration with its 1,200‑plus suppliers. Senior Vice President Ihssane Mounir highlighted expanded engineering support and a heightened focus on defect prevention as...
Wio Bank PJSC has teamed up with UAE fresh‑food retailer Kibsons to embed digital banking services into the grocery ecosystem. The deal provides supply‑chain finance that improves liquidity and cash‑flow visibility across Kibsons’ import, distribution and e‑commerce operations. From now...
Enterprises must first secure master data, integrate applications via open APIs, and modernize processes before chasing generative‑AI projects. Proven technologies such as adaptive robotic process automation, predictive analytics, and point‑based neural networks deliver reliable, low‑risk outcomes. Talent acquisition and continuous...

Predictive maintenance robotics leverages AI and machine‑learning to shift industrial upkeep from fixed‑schedule preventive care to condition‑based, data‑driven actions. Continuous sensor streams—vibration, acoustic, thermal, electrical—are analyzed in real time to spot anomalies and forecast component failures. The approach integrates with...

Software development is now the backbone of AI robotics, enabling machines to perceive, decide, and act in real‑world environments. Frameworks such as the Robot Operating System (ROS) and edge‑AI hardware like Nvidia Jetson streamline sensor fusion, simulation, and real‑time control....

Nvidia CFO Colette Kress told analysts that the current shortage of graphics chips and cards for gaming rigs will persist for the next few quarters. The tight supply stems from Nvidia’s aggressive allocation of fab capacity to higher‑margin AI accelerators....

GB Railfreight has announced a March auction of its older diesel fleet, featuring ten Class 60 heavy‑haul locomotives, three Class 47s and several Class 08 shunters. The disposal is part of a broader renewal programme that will replace legacy diesel with bimodal Class 99...
Africa’s trade potential hinges on overhauling its digital infrastructure, not just fixing ports or roads. Current IoT systems rely on permanent roaming SIMs and single‑core networks that crumble at borders, inflating costs and risk. Surveys show operators are shifting to...
Co‑op announced the appointment of Andy Wilmot as group supply chain and logistics director, effective April 2026. Wilmot, a veteran of A.F. Blakemore and DHL, replaces Derek Furnival, who is retiring after three decades. The hire is positioned to accelerate Co‑op’s operational...

DMG MORI has launched Adaptive Drilling Control (ADC), a sensor‑driven cycle that standardises deep‑hole and gun drilling on universal machining centres. By monitoring pressure, flow and spindle load in real time, ADC continuously adjusts coolant delivery and feed rates, turning a...

Belgian shipowner CMB.TECH has secured five five‑year charters for its capesize bulkers, adding $304 million in revenue and lifting its contract backlog to roughly $3.05 billion. The deals, which start in the coming months, include vessels built between 2014 and 2018 and...

The New South Wales government has allocated more than $1 million to 22 early‑stage companies through the first round of the 2025‑26 MVP Ventures Program. The grants target priority sectors such as housing, manufacturing, energy, health and digital technologies, helping firms...

Hartman Seatrade is equipping its newest vessels with two Liebherr LS 250 ship cranes, each capable of lifting 250 tonnes and reaching 36 metres. In tandem mode the pair can handle lifts up to 500 tonnes, expanding the fleet’s heavy‑lift and project‑cargo capabilities. The...

Kennametal has launched a global "Machinist of the Year" program to honor long‑term customers who excel in machining. Regional marketing teams in the Americas, EMEA, APAC and India will each select a winner based on video submissions that showcase tool...

La Force International (LFI) has launched LFI Asia Pacific Pty Ltd in Newcastle, marking its first overseas entity outside the United States. The new hub will serve Australia, Singapore and the broader Asia‑Pacific market, targeting mining, aerospace, advanced manufacturing and...
SONAR is having the best quarter in years. One of my board members asked if I were concerned about the rise of AI and if it would be a drain our data business. I told her that we are seeing...

Australian firm Nutrafruit is converting bruised or sun‑burnt Queen Garnet plums—fruit that fails supermarket standards—into health‑focused powders, drinks and other nutraceuticals under its PurQ brand. The plums are freeze‑dried to lock in colour, flavour and antioxidant content, turning waste into...

Michel Bechtel, former mayor of Morgan’s Point, has been appointed to the Port of Houston Authority Commission, succeeding Stephen H. DonCarlos after a 12‑year tenure. He joins the board with a portfolio that spans energy, coastal protection, and maritime governance....
South Sudan is redirecting most of its import‑export cargo from Kenya’s congested Mombasa port to Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam and Tanga terminals after a bilateral agreement. The shift follows persistent delays, a $5,000 security levy per container, and higher handling...

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has launched DIAVAULT, an industrial‑grade edge data centre platform that integrates power, cooling and AI compute for on‑premise processing. The solution targets low‑latency, secure workloads in manufacturing, defense and 5G environments, addressing data‑privacy and latency concerns of...

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is providing up to $5 million to Queensland‑based Banks Minerals to develop a pilot plant for its electro‑chemical copper extraction technology. The funding, delivered through the Advancing Renewables Program over three years, aims to de‑risk the...
This law, if passed, would immediately revoke CDLs for non citizens or those that don’t have lawful permanent residency or work permits. It wills be far more impactful to trucking capacity than any other action, largely because it is immediate and...
Chinese rare earth export controls are still choking off lots of material to the US

Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) has been granted the U.S. Coast Guard’s Similarly Qualified Organization status under Title 46, placing it among only three classification societies authorized to serve the U.S. commercial fishing sector. The designation follows a four‑year technical review...
Nvidia's gaming graphics chip production will be tight for a couple of more quarters, CFO says. https://t.co/V7qkJlyb5l

Hospital Ship Update: Latest AIS data shows USNS Mercy making a steady south-southeast run across the central Gulf towards the Yucatán Channel — pointing to the Panama Canal, not Greenland. https://t.co/LOKjvzQxcI

Air cargo is set to grow for a second consecutive year in 2026, despite lingering global economic uncertainty. While it moves only 1% of world trade by volume, it represents more than 35% of trade value, underscoring its strategic importance....

The number of trucking fleets increased over the past 20 years, without slowing down. That all changed in June 2023, when the number of fleets peaked and has dropped ever since. We expect that number to continue to shrink over...
RXO CEO: the compliance crack down is the biggest structural change to the U.S. carrier market since industry deregulation https://t.co/72I5GCAt7d
PureCycle Technologies reported Q4 2025 revenue of $2.7 million, marking a fourth consecutive quarter of sequential growth, while achieving record production at its Denver (14 million lb processed) and Ironton (7.5 million lb produced) facilities. The company reduced feedstock procurement costs by $0.06 per pound,...
Trucking rates could enter a super cycle if The Dalilah Law passes in Congress. A doubling of trucking spot rates would be possible and the effects felt almost immediately with approx 20% of the truck driver population being...
Carriers engineering congestion. Blank sailings. Empty ships and soft supply chain demand. To lesson rate drop.

3ME Technology and South 8 Technologies have signed a Letter of Intent to develop lithium‑ion batteries for extreme cold‑weather and Arctic defence use. South 8 will supply its LiGas‑enabled cells, which operate from –60 °C to +60 °C, for integration into 3ME’s EdgeVOLT Cold...
Been hearing via supply chain friendlies, NVIDIA has secured most of the HBM, making it scarce for competitors. Reminds me of iPod days when Apple secured all the storage as others were trying to compete with them in MP3 players.

Gartner’s 2025‑2026 survey of 509 global supply‑chain leaders finds that 55% expect agentic AI to shrink entry‑level hiring, while 51% anticipate broader workforce reductions. The majority (86%) agree AI adoption will force new talent‑pipeline processes, especially among high‑performing firms that...
Moody's: Port Import Gains From Supreme Court Tariff Ruling May Prove Fleeting. And supply chains? https://t.co/MTwlEv05YS

"It’s hard to undo almost a year’s worth of theft, but that doesn’t make theft permissible." 🔥 https://t.co/AiOvVFnwCJ https://t.co/S2CR1IBtrL

The article outlines how to move a strategic sourcing plan from theory to market execution, emphasizing that implementation validates the insights from spend analysis, category profiling, and other diagnostics. It describes four primary engagement methods—direct negotiation, outsourcing versus in‑house production,...