Daily US Manufacturing News Digest – the industry stories you should be aware of today – 13 February

Monday 02/13/2023

US DOE ramps up efficiency standards for appliances, funds more efficient wind turbine manufacturing

The US Department of Energy made several major moves this week, starting with a conditional $2 billion loan to Redwood Materials to help it build its new battery recycling facility in Nevada. But that was just for openers. DOE also made major new announcements that effect the energy efficiency of household appliances and wind turbine manufacturing. Read more via Clean Technica

Michigan scores the $3.5bn Ford battery factory Virginia didn’t want

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin is dancing with joy today. The 3,500 jobs that would have come to Virginia as the result of Ford building a battery factory in Old Dominion will now go to Michigan, and Youngkin couldn’t be happier. Late last month, he told Ford to take its battery factory and shove it because CATL, the largest battery manufacturer in the world, would operate the factory. The governorator wants no godless communists polluting his state. He has gotten his wish. Read more via Clean Technica

Chinese EV brand Zeekr is now worth more than Xpeng

Geely-backed electric car brand Zeekr said Monday it’s now valued at $13bn after a $750m raise from Chinese battery giant CATL and others.

Zeekr is not yet publicly listed, but Geely said in December the brand filed confidentially for an initial public offering in the US. Read more via CNBC

UK energy intensive industries given £12m boost to cut emissions and costs

Businesses across the UK will benefit from a share of more than £12m government funding to help energy-intensive industries cut their carbon emissions and energy costs.

The funding for the 22 winning projects will help businesses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland clean up their industrial processes and improve their energy efficiency – benefiting industries including pharmaceuticals, steel, paper, and food and drink. Read more via GOV UK

UKESF collaborates with Apple to Inspire More Girls into Electronics

The UK Electronics Skills Foundation (UKESF), in collaboration with Apple, has announced its exciting ‘Girls into Electronics’ programme for 2023.

This initiative will provide opportunities for hundreds of girls between ages 15-18 to be inspired by Electronics and will be delivered in collaboration with 15 of the UK’s leading universities. Read more via The Manufacturer

UK to invest in defence, aerospace and medical sectors in Uttar Pradesh

The British Minister of State for Defence Procurement on Sunday said that the United Kingdom will invest in defence, aerospace and medical sectors in Uttar Pradesh. Speaking at the United Kingdom Partner Country/Defence session held at Dadhichi Hall during the ongoing Global Investor Summit-2023, Alex Chalk, said, “It is a matter of pride for me to participate in GIS-23. Standing on this great land of Uttar Pradesh and inviting the whole world to invest is a big achievement. At the same time, it is also a big achievement that we are witnessing this programme in a state known as the ‘Rice Basket’.” Read more via The Economic Times

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Friday 02/10/2023

National Apprenticeship Week 2023: From shop floor to top floor with LISI Aerospace’s Marcin Klaczek

With apprenticeships firmly under the spotlight this week, who better to speak with than the winner of the People & Skills category at last year’s TMMX Awards, LISI Aerospace. James Devonshire recently jumped aboard with Marcin Klaczek, organisational development coordinator at LISI Aerospace and an apprentice himself, to discover more about the company’s apprenticeship initiatives. Read more via The Manufacturer

World’s first hydrogen-powered digger set to drive on UK roads

The world’s first digger, powered by a hydrogen combustion engine, will soon be on UK roads and building sites following recent government approval, helping to decarbonise the UK’s construction industry.

The UK government has given special dispensation, under a vehicle special order, that allows JCB, the British construction equipment manufacturer, to test and use its world-first hydrogen-powered backhoe loader on UK roads. Read more via GOV UK

Celebrating local construction and manufacturing apprentices in Plymouth

Outstanding local construction and manufacturing apprentices have been recognised for their efforts and abilities at an awards ceremony held as part of Plymouth’s National Apprenticeship Week 2023.

The Awards were presented jointly by Building Plymouth and the Plymouth Manufacturers’ Group (PMG), with nominations submitted by local employers and training providers, with nearly 40 finalist apprentices celebrated and 17 overall winners presented top awards. Read more via plymouth.gov.uk

BAE Systems begins construction on third Dreadnought Class submarine

BAE Systems yesterday marked the start of construction of the third Dreadnought Class submarine, Warspite, at its shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Read more via The Manufacturer

Microsoft kills its industrial Metaverse team after 4 months

In a surprising reversal, Microsoft has killed a team it formed four months ago to help customers use the metaverse in industrial settings, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter. The group’s roughly 100 employees have all been laid off, the person said. Read more via The Information

Tesla earns 5 times more per car than Toyota, earnings show

Toyota Motor earned less than a fifth in per-vehicle earnings compared with Tesla during the April-December period as Japan’s giant automaker struggles to absorb rising costs.

Toyota earned 240,000 yen ($1,820) in net profit per unit during that time span last year. In contrast, Tesla raked in the equivalent of 1.26 million yen per vehicle during the same period. Read more via Nikkei Asia

‘Net Zero’ roadmap urges UK vGovernment to act now to unlock a £10bn boost for the UK foundry sector

The leading voice for the foundry industry has released a five-point blueprint that will help the castings sector deliver a £10bn boost to the economy. Read more via The Manufacturer

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Thursday 02/09/2023

Governor Lee, Commissioner McWhorter announce MSS Steel Tubes USA LLC to establish first US manufacturing operations in Shelby County

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart McWhorter and MSS Steel Tubes USA LLC officials announced today the company will invest $6m to locate its first U.S. production facility in Memphis, Tennessee.

MSS Steel Tubes will create 129 new jobs in Shelby County as the company establishes manufacturing operations in an existing facility on Outland Road.

The Memphis location will position MSS Steel Tubes to better serve its U.S. customer base of solar panel manufacturers by providing a more cost-effective and efficient way to meet and exceed both production and delivery times. Read more via Tennessee Governor’s Office

Jaguar Land Rover announces record number of degree apprenticeships to deepen talent pool for electrification

Jaguar Land Rover yesterday announced a record number of degree apprenticeships are on offer this year, opening up opportunities to gain a degree in a world class automotive business and develop the next generation of modern luxury vehicles, without accruing large debts. Read more via The Manufacturer

Pressure on China’s factories grows as US demand falls

All the factories that U.S. toy company Basic Fun works with in China told workers not to return right after the Lunar New Year holiday, said CEO Jay Foreman.

That’s because there was a flood of inventory in the first half of last year that didn’t get sold as consumer prices in the U.S. surged over the summer and into the fall, he said.

For China’s domestic economy, the drop in overseas demand reveals a more widespread employment problem: lack of high-skilled factory workers. Read more via CNBC

Linton Crystal to move PV equipment manufacturing back to the US

Linton said its initial investment of $10M will be used to add a new facility, establish a demonstration line, and build 1 to 2 gigawatts of production capacity, all by the end of year one. Read more via pv magazine USA

New Scottish all-electric 4×4 pitched at farmers and miners goes on show

New Scottish EV 4×4 manufacturer, Munro Vehicles, is displaying its Munro MK_1 production prototype for the first time this week at the Low Carbon Agriculture 2023 show which is running near Coventry in the UK.

Designed for use in the challenging conditions of farming, construction, mining, etc in addition to recreational use, the MK_1 has been deliberately built as a simple, easy to maintain vehicle for rugged conditions. Read more via The Driven

Slash new product costs and time to market with ‘Certification by Analysis’ standards for simulated testing

The High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult is launching a landmark £950,000 project to cut development costs and time to market for new products, by accelerating the UK’s capabilities in certification by analysis. Read more via HVM Catapult

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Wednesday 02/08/2023

Fire breaks out at US drone factory in Latvia

A fire broke out at a US drone factory in Latvia, according to local media on Tuesday.

The fire broke out at Edge Autonomy’s drone factory that reportedly produces drones for Ukraine’s military and NATO allies, daily LSM reported.

Citing Latvia’s State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD), the report said firefighters have been dispatched to the scene. Read more via aa.com

Biden urges supply chain resilience at State of the Union

President Joe Biden touted what he called the rewritten script of U.S. manufacturing in his second State of the Union address on Feb. 7.

The issue was one of the first topics addressed in the president’s annual speech. Biden boasted of several legislative feats in 2022 – particularly on infrastructure and investments in cutting-edge production facilities – while pressing Congress to “finish the job” and ensure the U.S. became a global manufacturing leader. Read more via Supply Chain Dive

Linton to manufacture silicon equipment for solar panel makers within the United States

Linton Crystal Technologies (LCT) announced it will produce solar panel manufacturing equipment in the United States and intends to break ground on a U.S. factory in Q2 2023. The Rochester, New York-based company makes silicon-growing and crystal-processing equipment and has previously worked with Dalian Linton NC Machine Co. Ltd. in China to manufacture its equipment. Read more via Solar Power World

Manufacturer of electric vehicle charging stations selects Durham County for new production facility

Kempower Inc., a manufacturer of charging stations for electric vehicles, will create more than 300 jobs as it locates a new manufacturing facility in Durham County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company is planning to invest $41m into the project, demonstrating again the growing momentum of North Carolina’s clean energy economy. Read more via North Carolina Governor’s Office

Magtec apprentice’s motivational message for young people

Magtec apprentice Bethney Machin has a simple message for young people out there: Go after what you want and get yourself to where you want to be.

The 27-year-old is a trainee software developer at the UK’s leading designer, manufacturer and integrator of drive systems for electric and hybrid vehicles. Read more via The Manufacturer

BAE delivers 1,000th F-35 fuselage to Lockheed Martin

BAE Systems has delivered the 1,000th rear fuselage to Lockheed Martin for the F-35, the world’s most advanced and capable fifth generation fighter.

More than 1,500 employees at the Company’s facilities in Samlesbury, Lancashire, produce the rear fuselage for every F-35 in the global fleet. The first fuselage was delivered to Lockheed Martin in 2005. Read more via BAE Systems

FANUC to host robotics competition to inspire Gen Z engineers

FANUC UK is once again inviting the next generation of robotics engineers to enter the WorldSkills UK Industrial Robotics competition.

A trailblazing industry-education joint initiative, the WorldSkills competition is a win-win for both the students who take part and the automation industry, inspiring young people to consider a career in robotics and equipping them with technical and workplace skills that are much needed by employers. Read more via The Manufacturer

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Tuesday 02/07/2023

National Apprenticeship Week 2023: Skills for a lifetime

Creating a pipeline of skilled talent is a top priority for Norgren, which for more than two decades, has invested time and resources into its growing apprenticeship programme.

Twenty-one-year-old Christian Newey, currently in the final year of his four-year Engineering Technician apprenticeship at Norgren’s Fradley site, is an example of how a fulfilling engineering apprenticeship can lay the foundations for future career success. Read more via The Manufacturer

Sheffield Forgemasters launches drive for new apprentices

Sheffield Forgemasters has launched a drive to recruit 26 apprentices for September, as it progresses development on one of the World’s most advanced manufacturing facilities.

Marking the start of National Apprenticeship Week, the recruitment will see successful applicants join the Ministry of Defence (MoD) owned company during a hugely exciting period to participate in an award-winning apprenticeship scheme. Read more via The Manufacturer

Australian startup Recharge wins bid for collapsed UK battery company Britishvolt

An emerging Australian company yet to construct a major project will be responsible for delivering on UK hopes to electrify its automotive industry after outbidding rivals to take over collapsed battery maker Britishvolt.

In a whirlwind fortnight, Recharge Industries put together an aggressive package that also revives plans to build a £3.8bn (A$6.7bn) “gigafactory” in the north of England to supply the next generation of UK-built electric vehicles, free from Chinese materials. Read more via The Guardian

British business sizes up global trade wins as Malaysia and Chile join Indo-Pacific bloc

Malaysia and Chile have officially joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), meaning British businesses will get better access and lower tariffs in the Malaysian and Chilean markets when the UK joins the dynamic trade bloc.

Malaysia is one of the CPTPP members with which the UK does not currently have a bilateral free trade agreement. The UK and Malaysia both joining CPTPP will greatly increase the UK’s access to the Malaysian market and could boost the £2.9bn worth of exports we currently sell there annually. Read more via GOV UK

Report: Microsoft expects UK to oppose Activision Blizzard acquisition

Microsoft’s legal team reportedly believes that the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority is preparing to oppose its acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The acquisition of the publisher of Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and many other major video games is currently in limbo as international regulatory bodies do antitrust evaluations. The FTC in the United States is already moving to prevent the acquisition, and Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition could be blocked in the United Kingdom next. Read more via gamerant.com

Nissan warns costs must fall to make new electric cars in UK

A senior boss at Nissan has warned the “economics have to work” for the company to make new electric models of its Juke and Qashqai cars in the UK.

Ashwani Gupta, chief operating officer at the firm, told the BBC the UK faced a challenge to remain competitive with other car-making countries.

He said manufacturing costs in the UK were higher than others due to higher energy bills and overall inflation.

Nissan employs more than 6,000 people at its Sunderland manufacturing plant. Read more via BBC News

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Monday 02/06/2023

We’re kicking off our National Apprenticeship Week 2023 coverage with a host of apprenticeship-related news stories today…

National Apprenticeship Week 2023: Earning, learning and chocolate with Mars Wrigley’s James Kinnaird

For manufacturing apprentice James Kinnaird, the idea of earning while learning was appealing. That’s one of the reasons why he is pursuing an apprenticeship at Mars Wrigley UK (that and getting to work with chocolate, of course).

The Manufacturer’s James Devonshire sat down with James Kinnaird, 24, a manufacturing apprentice at Mars Wrigley UK, to find out why he has chosen the path he has. Read more via The Manufacturer

Forterra continues to invest in its employees with new cohort of apprentices and graduates

Leading building products manufacturer, Forterra, has recently welcomed four new apprentices and three graduates as part of its Apprenticeship and Graduate schemes. Read more via The Manufacturer

Apprentices help engineer a bright future for historic gasworks

A restoration team at a historic Derbyshire Victorian gasworks is on track to complete an important part of its major renovation programme, with help from nearby neighbours JCB.

Engineers and apprentices from JCB World Headquarters, at Rocester and other JCB factories, have recreated vital parts of the Sudbury Gasworks engineering centrepiece – with the first phase now installed at the village centre site. Read more via The Manufacturer

Watch Tesla Cybertruck’s impressive 4-wheel steering at work

A new video of the Tesla Cybertruck’s impressive four-wheel steering at work has leaked – giving us the best look at the feature yet. Read more via electrek

Tata considers Spain, Britain for European EV battery plant – source

India’s Tata Group is considering setting up a battery cell plant for electric vehicles (EV) in Spain or Britain, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, as its carmaking unit seeks to boost supply chains in Europe.

Tata Motors’ chief financial officer told Reuters last month its parent, Tata, was considering setting up plants in India and Europe to produce battery cells for EVs. In Europe it would aim to provide batteries for its luxury Jaguar Land Rover unit, which has manufacturing facilities in Britain and Slovakia. Read more via Reuters

European PV equipment makers pitch machines to US solar manufacturers

A $1bn to $1.5bn US market opportunity awaits PV equipment manufacturers through 2030, a McKinsey & Company consultant said at a recent event for potential equipment buyers and sellers in Washington, DC. Read more via pv magazine

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Friday 02/03/2023

Bonduelle to merge US east coast manufacturing facilities

onduelle, the France-based vegetable products supplier, has announced it is to merge two manufacturing plants on the east coast of the US.

The manufacturing activities at its facility in Florence, New Jersey, will be merged in the coming months with the Swedesboro site in the same state.

The current Florence plant will be converted into a warehouse. Bonduelle said jobs will be maintained on the site but Florence production workers will alternatively be offered a position in Swedesboro. Read more via Just Food

US LFP gigafactory firms ONE and Kontrolmatik progress first sites and reveal expansion plans

Our Next Energy has raised $300m for its LFP cell gigafactory in Michigan while Turkish firm Kontrolmatik has started building its plant in South Carolina.

Our Next Energy, or ONE, said the US$300 million Series B brings its post-money valuation to $1.2bn. The company is building an LFP cell factory in the town of Van Buren, on the edge of Detroit, for which exterior construction was completed last year and an opening is scheduled for 2024. Read more via Energy Storage News

Global robot report highlights UK’s urgent need to increase automation

The UK has a strong and proud manufacturing history and, for a small nation, has long punched above its weight on the global stage. Today, the UK remains the ninth largest manufacturing nation in the world, with a £183bn output. But our seat at the top table is looking precarious as a result of our slow adoption of industrial automation. Read more via The Manufacturer

BAE Systems part of contract award supporting CANES program

BAE Systems has been awarded a contract by the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command (NAVWAR) for the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) program. The total value of the 10-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract is $4.1bn. BAE Systems is one of eight companies that will be competing for work on the IDIQ program. Read more via BAE Systems

Swedish armed forces invest £15.5m in engine test facility at GKN Aerospace

To ensure development and maintenance of the RM12 and RM16 fighter engines for the JAS 39 Gripen, the Swedish Armed Forces are investing in an extensive renovation and new construction of the engine test facility at GKN Aerospace in Trollhättan.

GKN Aerospace currently develops and maintains the RM12 engine, while also building the same capability for the RM16. The engine test facility in Trollhättan is unique as it can replicate the same conditions that an engine is exposed to when flying at supersonic speeds. Read more via GKN Aerospace

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Thursday 02/02/2023

US manufacturing sector sinks lower – ISM

Economic activity in the US manufacturing sector contracted in January for the third consecutive month following a 28-month period of growth, say the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business®. Read more via Institute for Supply Management

First Solar brings US manufacturing investment to $4bn after selling out of panels through 2025

First Solar is investing $1.3bn in expanding its manufacturing operations in Ohio as the company draws close to selling out of product through 2026.

The company’s chief commercial officer, Georges Antoun, confirmed that First Solar’s planned production is fully allocated through 2025 and was close to being fully allocated through 2026 at the time of their third quarter 2022 earnings call in late October. Read more via Utility Dive

OCI and Unibarge partner to develop Europe’s first dual-fueled green methanol bunker barge, driving cleaner shipping

OCI N.V. has partnered with Unibarge to develop Europe’s first dual-fueled methanol propelled bunker capable barge, which will be in service in the Port of Rotterdam.

The deployment of the retrofitted barge is significant milestone towards the sustainable transformation of the shipping industry, as it will be able to run on renewable and low carbon methanol fuel, as well as conventional biofuels. Read more via The Manufacturer

British Steel draws up plan for 800 job losses amid government funding talks

Britain’s second-biggest steel producer has been drawing up secret plans to axe hundreds of jobs even as it continues talks with ministers about £300m of taxpayer funding that would partly depend on decade-long employment guarantees.

Sky News has learnt that British Steel has been discussing launching a consultation on around 800 redundancies, principally focused on the Scunthorpe plant in north Lincolnshire where the company is based. Read more via Sky News

Brexit is costing the UK £100bn a year in lost output

Brexit is costing the UK economy £100bn a year ($124bn), with the effects spanning everything from business investment to the ability of companies to hire workers.

An analysis by Bloomberg Economics three years after Britain left the European Union paints a bleak picture of the damage done by the way the split has been implemented by the Conservative government. Read more via Bloomberg Economics

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Wednesday 02/01/2023

Congress tightens US manufacturing rules after battery technology ends up in China

A new federal law, passed after the Department of Energy allowed the export of taxpayer-funded battery technology to China, aims to tighten restrictions on sending such government discoveries abroad.

Initially, the “Invent Here, Make Here Act” will apply only to programs in the Department of Homeland Security. But the law’s sponsors in Congress say they plan to expand it to the DOE and other agencies next. Read more via Georgia Public Broadcasting

VW considers manufacturing small electric SUV in North America

Volkswagen wants to produce another electric model in North America and is considering the Canadian province of Ontario as the future home for a battery cell plant. According to the report, it is not yet clear in which plant the E-SUV below the ID.4 will be built. Read more via electrive.com

US soft-drinks firm Milo’s Tea Company to build fourth factory

Milo’s Tea Company, the US sweet teas and lemonade maker, is set to break ground on its fourth factory in March.

The Alabama-headquartered company is to spend more than US$130m on a new plant in South Carolina. Production is scheduled to begin by autumn 2024. Read more via Just Drinks

UK Government backing helps launch world first self-driving bus

Passengers will be boarding the world’s first fully sized, self-driving bus service in Edinburgh from the Spring, after it was awarded a share of £81 million in joint UK government and industry support for self-driving transport technology.

The project is one of seven successful projects from around the UK, and forms the most advanced set of commercial, self-driving passenger and freight operations anywhere in the world. Read more via GOV UK

McCain invests £35m in British farming

Potato processor McCain Foods, the UK’s largest manufacturer of frozen potato products, is to invest £35m into British farming to help potato growers who have seen their crops affected by heatwaves, droughts and floods, while simultaneously facing large increases in the price of fertiliser and energy. Read more via Food Manufacture

GKN Aerospace to supply electrical wiring interconnection system for Lilium’s type-conforming aircraft

Lilium N.V. developer of the first all-electric vertical take-off and landing (“eVTOL”) jet, and GKN Aerospace, the world-leading developer of sustainable aerospace technology, have signed an agreement to work together to design and build an integrated and certifiable EWIS solution.

From its facility in the Netherlands, GKN Aerospace will build the EWIS hardware sets and support Lilium with on-site installation into the Lilium Jet at Lilium’s final assembly line at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. Read more via GKN Aerospace

Stratospheric Platforms partnering with Britten-Norman on UK HAPS trial

Stratospheric Platforms (SPL) is partnering up with aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman for its UK high-altitude 5G trials.

The company is currently trialing using High Altitude Pseudo Satellites to provide 5G in remote areas of the UK, alongside BT.

While the first stage of trials will see SPL’s phased array antenna technology, known as StratoMast, placed on the roof of a tall building to simulate the high altitude, it seems that the next stage will take to the skies. Read more via Data Center Dynamics

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Tuesday 01/31/2023

Boeing 737 MAX production line to replace 747 and 787 production in Everett

Boeing has announced today the opening of a fourth production line for the 737 MAX in Everett.

The rationale behind choosing Everett as the location for the additional production line lies in the fact that the manufacturer’s jet plant in the US state of Washington is getting emptier with the end of Boeing 747 production and the relocation of the Boeing 787 project. Adding to the three already existing production lines in Renton (although just two are currently active), the opening of the fourth one allows the US manufacturer to boost production of the family of narrowbody aircraft. Read more via Simple Flying

US hits Volvo Group North America with $130m penalty over delayed recalls

A US auto safety agency said Monday it was imposing a $130 million civil penalty on AB Volvo (VOLVb.ST) unit Volvo Group North America, following an investigation that found the manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks and buses failed to recall vehicles in a timely fashion.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Volvo Group agreed to a three-year consent order that includes one of the largest-ever penalties for violations under the recall law. Read more via Reuters

Manufacturers’ lobby urges tax writers to prioritize R&D expensing

The largest US manufacturing industry group called on leaders of Congress’ top tax-writing panels to “act without delay” and restore popular tax breaks in areas like research and development.

Aric Newhouse, the National Association of Manufacturers’ senior vice president of policy and government relations, named research and development expensing, interest deduction, and maintaining bonus depreciation as the group’s top legislative tax priorities in a letter sent Monday to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). Read more via Bloomberg Tax

Boeing awarded UASF contract for 15 KC-46A tankers

The US Air Force has awarded Boeing a $2.3bn contract for the ninth production lot of 15 KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft, expanding its fleet of the multi-mission aerial refueler.

To date, 128 KC-46A Pegasus are on contract with the US Air Force, with 68 delivered and operationally deployed worldwide. Read more via Aerospace Manufacturing

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey to become Toyota’s first European plant to produce plug-in-hybrid vehicles and batteries

The second generation Toyota C-HR will be produced at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey (TMMT) in Sakarya. Available in hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions, the new Toyota C-HR will also be the first plug-in hybrid passenger car to be produced in Turkey. In addition, TMMT will be Toyota’s first European plant to start producing plug-in hybrid vehicles, and the first to be equipped with a battery production line.

The 100% electrified powertrain line-up of the new Toyota C-HR reflects Toyota’s commitment to offer appropriate carbon reduction opportunities to the largest and most competitive market segment in Europe. In addition to the hybrid version, the new plug-in hybrid Toyota C-HR with locally assembled batteries will further expand Toyota’s multi-technology offer towards its target of 100% CO2 reduction in its vehicle line-up in Europe by 2035. Read more via Toyota Europe

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Monday 01/30/2023

Hyundai To Invest $8.5bn In EV Development, US Factory

Hyundai Motor Company, which owns the Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis brands, announced it will invest 10.5 trillion won ($8.5bn at the current exchange rate) this year on further expanding its electrified range, as well as on its first-ever EV factory in the United States.

The Korean company previously stated that it will spend around $5.5bn on its new electric vehicle factory in the state of Georgia, which should begin construction in the first quarter of this year, so that leaves $3bn available for research and development of its current and upcoming EVs, spread across its brands. Read more via Inside EVs

Airbus to recruit more than 13,000 people globally in 2023

To support its commercial aircraft ramp-up, meet challenges in defence, space and helicopters, Airbus intends to recruit more than 13,000 people globally in 2023.

Around 7,000 of these will be newly created posts across the company. The new hires will be instrumental in supporting our industrial ramp-up and Airbus’ ambitious decarbonisation roadmap and preparing the future of aviation. Read more via The Manufacturer

US infant formula maker ByHeart triples capacity with factory buy

US infant formula manufacturer ByHeart has acquired its third facility, tripling production capacity to supply the struggling US market.

ByHeart acquired the site in Iowa from US dairy cooperative DairiConcepts, a subsidiary of Dairy Farmers of America.

New York-based ByHeart said it would be “maintaining the facility’s workforce and extending its best-in-class benefits to all existing employees”. Read more via Just Food

EU to stand with US in ‘depriving China of the most advanced chips’, trade official says

A senior European Union trade official said on Friday that the US had the bloc’s “full” commitment to the goal of choking China’s semiconductor industry.

“We fully agree with the objective of depriving China of the most advanced chips”, Thierry Breton, the EU’s internal-market commissioner, said at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

“We cannot allow China to access the most advanced technologies.” Read more via South China Morning Post

Canadian battery company Zinc8 to build US headquarters in Ulster County

Zinc8 Energy Solutions, a Canadian-based energy-storage startup that has received ample state support in recent months, will move its U.S. headquarters to the former IBM/TechCity campus in the town of Ulster, Gov. Kathy Hochul said this week.

The company said it will invest $68m over five years to build a new manufacturing facility at the site, promising 500 jobs in exchange for up to $9m in Excelsior Jobs tax credits. Read more via Times Union

Apple Supplier in India Begins Making Components for AirPods

A key Apple Inc. supplier has begun making components for AirPods in India, marking a significant step in the US tech giant’s push to expand production in the country.

The Indian unit of Jabil Inc. has begun shipping AirPods enclosures, or plastic bodies, to China and Vietnam, where the wireless earphones are assembled, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be named as the move isn’t public. Read more via Bloomberg

UK’s Faraday Institution announces £27.6m to help UK EV battery innovators

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) today announced a further investment of £27.6m from the Faraday Battery Challenge to support collaborative R&D projects co-funded by industry and managed by Innovate UK on behalf of UKRI. At least five of the projects chosen in what was a highly competitive process leverage the knowledge, capabilities and know-how developed by the Faraday Institution research community. Read more via The Faraday Institution

India’s Dhoot Transmission to build new factory in the UK

Indian conglomerate Dhoot Transmission, which manufactures wiring harnesses, electronic sensors and controllers, automotive switches, power cords and more for OEMs, has announced it will build a new factory in the UK. Read more via The Manufacturer

New company launches ultra-light, low carbon ‘aerogel’ insulation materials for aviation and auto industries

University of Bath spin-out company Aerogel Core Ltd set to develop next generation materials for the aerospace and automotive industries.

A team of engineers from the University of Bath has created a new company, Aerogel Core Ltd, specialising in ultra-light ‘aerogels’ that can be used as soundproofing and heat-shielding materials for the aerospace and automotive industries. Read more via The Manufacturer

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Friday 01/27/2023

New York State Governor announces Zinc8 Energy Solutions will locate its first commercial manufacturing facility and American headquarters in Ulster County

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul has announced Zinc8 Energy Solutions, USA, a leader in the long-duration energy storage industry, will relocate its $68m manufacturing facility and U.S. headquarters to Kingston, Ulster County at the former Tech City, IBM Ulster campus, now known as iPark 87 business park.

Zinc8 Energy Solutions develops innovative battery technology that uses zinc and air as fuel. Zinc8 has committed to creating up to 500 jobs, complementing New York State’s national leadership in growing the green economy, spearheading efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and prioritization of combating climate change. Read more via New York State governor’s office

Corvus Energy opens new US factory to meet demand for zero-emission solutions

Corvus Energy celebrated the grand opening of its new battery factory in Bellingham WA this week. The ceremony was held with distinguished guests such as the Governor of Washington, Jay Inslee, Norway’s Ambassador to the USA, Anniken Krutnes and US representative Rick Larsen along with customers, industry partners, government agencies and others. Read more via Hellenic Shipping News

SK Battery America to open US IT center, create 200 high-tech jobs in Roswell

Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp has announced that SK Battery America (SKBA) will open a regional IT hub facility in Roswell, creating 200 high-tech jobs and investing approximately $19m over the next few years. Read more via Georgia Department of Economic Development

Rolls-Royce celebrates 20 years of manufacturing at Goodwood facility

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is celebrating 20 years of manufacturing at its Goodwood facility. In that time, the luxury marque has handcrafted no fewer than 20 different models and variants at the site – equivalent to one for every year. Read more via The Manufacturer

Tata Chemicals Europe and Vertex sign low carbon hydrogen offtake agreement

Tata Chemicals Europe and Vertex sign low carbon hydrogen offtake aTata Chemicals Europe (“TCE”) and Vertex Hydrogen have signed a ‘Heads of Terms’ offtake agreement for over 200 megawatts of low carbon hydrogen.

TCE is one of Europe’s leading producers of sodium carbonate, salt, sodium bicarbonate and other products used in the manufacture of food and animal feed, glass, detergents, chemicals and several other industry applications. Read more via Tata Chemicals Europe

Australia’s K-TIG expands into nuclear sector and the UK

Rapid automated welding systems manufacturer K-TIG has expanded its interests in the United Kingdom nuclear decommissioning sector, acquiring UK advanced manufacturer Graham Engineering Limited (GEL).

The £18m purchase gives K-TIG, which is vying for contracts to manufacture containers to house nuclear wastes, an in country manufacturing presence – GEL already produces highly engineered, large scale metal fabrications for the sector.

GEL has developed a range of innovative manufacturing processes with applications in nuclear, aerospace, security and medical industries.  Read more via aumanufacturing.com.au

Switch to JCB electric shreds emissions

Shred Station has switched from diesel to electric for its brand-new fleet of JCB materials handling machines.

The company – which shreds over 55,000 tonnes of paper per year – is replacing six of its diesel powered JCB Teletruks with six new electric models. And by making the switch the company estimates it will save around 62,000 litres of diesel per year. Read more via The Manufacturer

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Thursday 01/26/2023

3M to cut 2,500 jobs, forecasts downbeat Q1 as demand weakens

3M Co said on Tuesday it would cut 2,500 manufacturing jobs and forecast a gloomy first-quarter as the U.S. industrial conglomerate struggles with slowing demand for consumer and electronic items.

The downbeat outlook and quarterly results pile more pain on the company, at a time it faces separate lawsuits related to defective earplugs and its use of “forever chemicals”, which 3M said in December it plans to discontinue. Read more via Reuters

Eli Lilly announces $450m investment in US manufacturing site

Eli Lilly (Lilly) has unveiled its plans to invest $450m to expand the manufacturing capacity at its US site in North Carolina. The Research Triangle Park facility will support the increased demand for the company’s key diabetes treatments. Read more via PM Live

SkyDrive makes US market entrance with plans to develop practical use cases in South Carolina

SkyDrive Inc., a leading Japanese eVTOL1 manufacturer headquartered in Toyota, Japan has announced at the 2023 annual VFS eVTOL Symposium in Mesa, Arizona its plans to enter the U.S. market and the establishment of their home base in South Carolina. SkyDrive further outlined its plan to develop an advanced air mobility ecosystem in South Carolina while focusing on building a variety of practical use cases originating from two of its key airports in cooperation with local and state government agencies. Read more via Skydrive Inc.

Corvus Energy opens new US factory

Corvus Energy this week celebrated the grand opening of its new battery factory in Bellingham, Wash., amid growing demand for energy storage systems in the US marine industry.

Located in Fairhaven at the Port of Bellingham, the new battery plant produced its first Orca battery module in November 2022 and has already delivered several orders. Read more via Marine Link

UK car production down but electric vehicle output surges to new record

UK car production declined -9.8% in 2022 to 775,014 units, according to the latest figures issued today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). December rounded off a volatile year, with output down -17.9% in the month after growth in October and November, with most of the year’s volume loss occurring in the first half.

Nevertheless, UK factories turned out a record 234,066 battery electric (BEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and hybrid (HEV) electric vehicles, with combined volumes up 4.5% year-on-year to represent almost a third (30.2%) of all car production. Read more via SMMT

Bid by Australian startup Recharge could revive UK battery company Britishvolt

An Australian-based startup, Recharge Industries, has made a nonbinding offer for the collapsed UK battery company Britishvolt that could revive plans to construct a large plant in northern England.

The bid was lodged in the UK late on Tuesday, shortly after a cash crunch at Britishvolt sent the company into administration. The collapse has severely dented the country’s attempts to modernise its automotive industry and supply the next generation of UK-built electric vehicles. Read more via The Guardian

British Steel to become world leader in machining of Special Profiles

A new milling machine at the heart of a £26 million upgrade to British Steel’s Special Profiles business is under construction.

The travelling-column machining centre is currently being built in Germany by SHW Werkzeugmaschinen and will be delivered to British Steel’s Skinningrove site this year. Read more via British Steel

UK to introduce first-of-its-kind framework to make it easier to manufacture innovative medicines at the point of care

The UK will be the first country to introduce a tailored framework for the regulation of innovative products manufactured at the point where a patient receives care, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has announced. This will mean that new medicines with very short shelf lives and highly personalised medicines can more easily be made in or near a hospital setting or ambulance and can get to the patients who need them much more quickly. Read more via GOV.UK

Bentley celebrates 70th birthday of famous heritage car with modern interpretation

Bentley Motors has handcrafted a unique and one-off Continental GT Azure, inspired by Bentley’s retained example of the iconic R-Type Continental, JAS 949.

The new Continental GT is in honour of JAS 949’s 70th birthday, celebrating one of the important style icons in Bentley’s history. JAS 949 is one of only 208 examples of the R Type Continental ever built – but the car had a greater impact than the limited numbers suggest. Read more via The Manufacturer

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Wednesday 01/25/2023

Tesla plans $3.6bn Nevada expansion to make Semi truck, battery cells

Tesla Inc said on Tuesday it would invest more than $3.6bn to expand its Nevada Gigafactory complex with two new factories, one to mass produce its long-delayed Semi electric truck and the other to make its new 4680 battery cell.

The cell plant would be able to make enough batteries for 2 million light-duty vehicles annually, including batteries using the 4680-type cell. The 4680 is key to Tesla meeting a goal of halving battery costs and ramping up battery production nearly 100-fold by 2030. Read more via Reuters

Taiwan’s Foxconn and others accelerate investment in Mexico

Taiwanese tech suppliers are increasing their production capacity in Mexico to meet growing demand for electric vehicles and servers to be made in North America.

The moves by key iPhone assembler Foxconn and others are in response to changes in U.S. policy and requests from clients, which together are gradually shifting parts of the supply chain from East to West. Read more via Nikkei Asia

Statevolt acquires land for 54 GWh lithium-ion battery Gigafactory

The EV battery manufacturer purchased 135 acres in Imperial Valley, California near the Salton Sea, which will be the site of one of the largest Gigafactories in North America with capacity to produce enough batteries to power 650,000 electric vehicles per year. Read more via pv Magazine

Babcock cuts steel on second Royal Navy Type 31 Inspiration Class frigate

Babcock has reached another major milestone on the Type 31 programme, to deliver five Inspiration Class frigates for the Royal Navy, as it cut steel marking the official start of HMS Active’s build programme at Rosyth.

Coming just 16 months since steel was cut on the first ship, HMS Venturer, Babcock welcomed senior guests from the UK Government and Royal Navy, alongside international industry to witness the traditional shipbuilding ceremony. Read more via The Manufacturer

UK’s Britten-Norman Gets FAA Nod For Turboprop-Powered Islander Twin

UK aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman has received FAA type approval for the turboprop-powered version of its BN2-series piston twin. The new, larger BN2T-4S model has a pair of Rolls-Royce 250 engines and an increased maximum takeoff weight of 8,500 pounds. The certification comes via FAA Type Certificate reference A17EU Revision 22.

The Islander series of aircraft is available in multiple configurations, including commuter, medevac, surveillance and maritime patrol. Read more via avweb.com

No more Stellantis UK network cuts despite ‘theoretical’ 40-partner plan

Stellantis UK managing director Paul Willcox has insisted that there will be no more cuts to the carmaker’s UK retail network, despite revealing a ‘theoretical’ 40-partner plan for the longer term.

Willcox, who is addressing 2,300 retailers from franchisee partner businesses at a dealer conference at the Birmingham NEC this week, insists that there is no plan to trim dealer partner numbers further following a process which will reduce the count from 219 investors to 177 by this June. Read more via AM Online

Chinese IoT suppliers expose UK businesses to espionage and data theft – study

Chinese companies supplying network components, known as IoT modules, post a greater long-term threat to UK security than the now banned 5G supplier Huawei, according to a study by a Chinese expert and former diplomat. Read more via Computer Weekly

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Tuesday 01/24/2023

Ford plans to cut more than 3,000 jobs in Europe and Germany will be hit hard, according to the union

Ford Motor Co. plans to cut about 3,200 jobs across Europe, following workforce reductions in the US as the automaker slashes costs in a shift toward electric vehicles.

A majority of the affected positions are concentrated in Germany affecting roles in product development and administrative areas, the IG Metall union said Monday after an extraordinary works council meeting at the carmaker’s factory in Cologne. The cuts would affect roughly 65% of development jobs in Europe.

Development activities in Germany are set to be relocated to US, according to an IG Metall statement. Read more via Fortune

EU pledges wind, solar funding to narrow gap with US

Last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union is planning to mobilize state aid and a sovereign fund for renewable energy companies within a new Net-Zero Industry Act, to keep firms from moving to the United States.

The announcement at the World Economic Forum in Davos comes as energy price rises and policy decisions following Russia’s war on Ukraine are seeing onshore wind investment in Europe fall behind the U.S. market. Read more via Reuters

MTC offers lifeline to Britishvolt employees

The Coventry-based Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) is offering a lifeline to redundant employees of the collapsed battery manufacturer Britishvolt.

The MTC is offering Britishvolt employees the chance to fill more than 50 engineering, manufacturing and supporting roles at its Ansty Park headquarters. The roles available include engineers of all levels as well as project managers and trainers. Read more via The Manufacturer

Bentley seeking ‘extraordinary talent’ to accelerate path to full electricification

Bentley Motors today announced a recruitment drive creating 200 new roles as the luxury marque accelerates its forward-thinking Beyond100 strategy, the boldest plan of its kind in the sector.

Working across multiple disciplines to support delivery of the ambitious Five-in-Five plan, which commits Bentley to launching five new electric models by 2030, the growth will help redefine Bentley’s credentials as the benchmark manufacturer in sustainable luxury mobility. Read more via The Manufacturer

‘Brexit has lost us 25% of sales’: British bike storage firm buckles under red tape

A British bicycle entrepreneur says Brexit has buckled his business and left him with a £100,000 hole in revenues, accusing the government of failing to do enough to mitigate its impact on British small exporters.

Cycloc, which has made a name for its distinctive indoor bicycle storage and accessories and includes Stella McCartney, Jonathan Ross and cycling star Mark Cavendish among its customers, says the EU represented 50% of its business before Brexit left it nursing a 25% decline in overall sales. Read more via The Guardian

Billionaire Ackman invests in Bremont in boost for UK watchmaker

Billionaire hedge fund manager and activist investor Bill Ackman is buying a minority stake in Bremont as the UK luxury watchmaker looks to expand in the fast-growing US market.

Ackman is teaming with Bremont’s controlling shareholder, Hellcat LP, to invest a combined £48.4m ($60m) in Bremont, the watchmaker said in an emailed statement. Read more via Bloomberg

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Monday 01/23/2023

GM to invest close to $1bn in 4 US factories, 2 in Michigan

General Motors is investing $918 million in four U.S. plants for expanded V-8 engine production in light-duty full-size pickups and large SUVs as well as component parts for electric vehicles.

GM made the announcement Friday at Flint Engine plant where GM leaders, UAW leaders and Michigan’s Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist gathered. As part of the investment, two plants in Michigan will receive new products to build: Flint Engine Operations and Bay City Powertrain facilities. Read more via Detroit Free Press

IonQ plans first US quantum computing manufacturing facility

Quantum computing industry leader IonQ, Inc. will open the first known dedicated quantum computing manufacturing facility in the U.S. in Washington. Located in Bothell — a suburb of Seattle — the new facility will house IonQ’s growing R&D and manufacturing teams as they develop systems to meet continued customer demand. The project is part of IonQ’s broader intent to invest $1 billion through expansion in the Pacific Northwest over the next 10 years. Read more via Business Facilities

JCB’s hydrogen technology set for international debut

JCB is set to showcase its super-efficient hydrogen combustion technology on the international stage for the first time ever with a debut in North America.

The wraps will come off JCB’s brand new hydrogen combustion engine – the company’s zero-carbon emissions solution for construction and agricultural equipment – at the Conexpo 2023 show in Las Vegas as part of the International Fluid Power Exposition (IFPE). Read more via The Manufacturer

UK’s Hunt poised to approve £300m grant in bid to avert British Steel collapse

The Treasury is close to agreeing a £300m aid package for the UK’s second-biggest steel producer in a move aimed at reducing its carbon footprint and averting the loss of thousands of industrial jobs across northern England. Read more via Sky News

Applications now open for 2023 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars apprenticeship programme

Rolls-Royce is pleased to announce that applications for its 2023 Apprenticeship Programme are now open.

One of the leading schemes of its kind in the UK, the Rolls-Royce Apprenticeship Programme offers outstanding training and development opportunities for people with a wide range of educational backgrounds, interests and prior experience, designed to match candidates’ preferred learning styles and future career aspirations. Read more via The Manufacturer

New CEO for Nestlé UK & Ireland

Richard Watson is to become CEO of Nestlé UK and Ireland as Stefano Agostini moves to a new role after six years as market head.

Richard is the current Managing Director for Nestlé Confectionery in the UK & Ireland and becomes CEO of the market in his 27th year at Nestlé.

Stefano will become the new Head of Confectionery for Nestlé’s Zone Europe with both changes taking effect on 1st March 2023. Read more via Nestlé

eVTOL innovator launches sustainable passenger aircraft

UK-based aviation startup, ARC Aerosystems, has unveiled its anticipated new passenger aircraft at the Air finance Journal event in Dublin.

The ARC LINX P9 is the latest in a successful line-up of eVTOL aircraft from ARC’s team. It’s designed to carry 9 passengers as a cost-effective, low-carbon solution to intercity travel.

Using Vertical Take-Off and Landing technology, the LINX P9 has the flexibility of a helicopter, with the performance of a fixed-wing utility aircraft, designed to address the challenging needs of regional air mobility. Read more via Aerospace Manufacturing

US battery maker targets uk for £1bn facility

US battery manufacturer Nanotech Energy has revealed it is investigating seven UK sites for a potential £1bn gigafactory.

Under the plans, the UK could become a second home for the production its graphene-powered lithium-ion batteries. Read more via Insider Media

Robotics provider Exotec expands product portfolio with three modular innovations

Exotec, a global warehouse robotics provider, has expanded its product portfolio with three innovative solutions: a new conveyor system, an improved picking solution, and new proprietary warehouse software. Read more via The Manufacturer

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Friday 01/20/2023

Honda hits 30-million vehicle milestone in US

Honda is ringing in 2023 with a milestone event – the production of the 30 millionth vehicle in America. This achievement is based on the efforts of associates at its eight auto manufacturing facilities in Alabama, Georgia, Indiana and Ohio. These are separate facilities, connected by both the spirit and experience that began 40 years ago with Honda’s very first auto plant in America – the Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio. Read more via Honda

US and Switzerland sign good manufacturing practice agreement

An agreement between the two countries means they can use each other’s good manufacturing practice inspections of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities and avoid the need for duplicate inspections. Read more via BioPharma Reporter

American graphite processor Urbix and SK On sign joint development agreement for the manufacture of high performance anode material

Urbix Inc., the US-based environmentally responsible graphite processor, has announced today a Joint Development Agreement with leading global EV battery developer and manufacturer SK On. The new strategic partnership will see the companies collaborate to develop industrialized anode materials that will be incorporated into SKO’s advanced lithium-ion batteries used in its US gigafactories. Read more via Automotive World

Arkansas airplane manufacturer offers job interviews for U of A course completion

A general aviation airplane manufacturer in Bentonville is offering guaranteed job interviews to people who complete a course in aerospace composite manufacturing offered by the Professional and Workforce Development Division of the U of A Global Campus. Read more via University of Arkansas

Companies eye Britishvolt site in the wake of company collapse

UK battery firm Britishvolt has received interest from more than a dozen companies looking to buy its Northumberland, UK factory site, after last minute talks to save the company failed. The company was forced into administration earlier this week.

This, coupled with other recent industry setbacks, has prompted government to launch an inquiry into UK EV manufacturing. Read more via The Chemical Engineer

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Thursday 01/19/2023

Australia to spend $2bn on fleet of US Black Hawk helicopters

Australia has announced it will ditch its fleet of European-designed Taipan military helicopters a decade earlier than scheduled, replacing them with 40 Black Hawk choppers from the United States at an estimated cost of 2.8 billion Australian dollars ($1.97bn).

US manufacturer Lockheed Martin Corp’s UH-60M Black Hawks will replace Australia’s fleet of MRH-90 Taipan helicopters, which have been plagued for years by costly maintenance issues, Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Wednesday. Read more via Al Jazeera

Longi plans world’s largest solar factory in China’s Shaanxi province with investment of US$6.7bn

Top clean energy equipment manufacturer Longi Green Energy Technology is planning to invest 45.2 billion yuan (US$6.7bn) to build the world’s largest solar manufacturing base.

The company signed a letter of intent with local governments in China’s Shaanxi province for an expansion project that would allow it to build manufacturing capabilities to produce 100 gigawatts (GW) of solar wafers and 50GW of solar cells per year, according to a filing to the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Read more via South China Morning Post

UK’s Britishvolt collapses into administration: where does this leave the UK’s hopes of a green industrial revolution?

The Manufacturer’s Lanna Deamer takes a deep dive into Britishvolt’s administration announcement and asks what it means for the future of the UK’s green industrial revolution. Lots of valuable insights in this one. Read more via The Manufacturer

UK advanced battery plant to be opened later this year

Britain’s battery sector has been delivered some unexpected good news, after an Australian billionaire told Sky News he will be opening an advanced battery plant in Oxfordshire later this year, creating up to 300 new jobs.

Andrew Forrest, the founder of the Australian iron ore giant Fortescue, said he was expanding operations at WAE Technologies, the technical offshoot of the famous Williams Formula 1 team, which he bought last year.

The new plant in Kidlington will work on batteries and fuel cells which could be used in heavy goods vehicles in the coming decades. Read more via Sky News

Flex factory in Sorocaba recognized as the first Sustainability Lighthouse in Brazil by the World Economic Forum

Flex has announced its factory site in Sorocaba, Brazil has been designated as a Sustainability Lighthouse, a special distinction of the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network (GLN). This is the first factory in Brazil to receive a Sustainability Lighthouse recognition and comes just three months after the company’s factory in Sorocaba was admitted into the GLN. Read more via The Manufacturer

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Monday 01/18/2023

New York state manufacturing plunges in January

New York state manufacturing contracted sharply in January as orders collapsed and employment growth stalled, pointing to continued weakness in national factory activity, and little improvement was expected over the next six months.

The survey from the New York Federal Reserve on Tuesday offered an early read of conditions in one of the sectors hardest hit by the Federal Reserve’s fastest interest rate hiking cycle since the 1980s. It showed slumping demand and improved raw material supplies slowing inflation at the factory gate. National manufacturing has been shrinking since November, according to data from the Institute for Supply Management. Read more via Reuters

The Armored Group expands armored vehicle manufacturing in US

The Armored Group (TAG), a company specializing in engineering, manufacturing and customizing armored vehicles, today announced it has completed the acquisition of IF Armor International and its facility in Shelby, North Carolina. The strategic move expands TAG’s manufacturing capabilities to meet unprecedented demand from global partners and future customers. Read more via Manufacturing Business Technology

Vegan cheese manufacturer Armored Fresh to expand Tysons headquarters

A South Korean company that makes cheese out of almond milk hopes to ramp up its U.S. presence, starting with an expansion of its American headquarters in Tysons.

Armored Fresh has committed $125,000 to expanding its offices at 1765 Greensboro Station Place with 27 new marketing and sales employees, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced today.

The expansion will enable the company to increase its footprint in the U.S. through both online sales and brick-and-mortar stores, according to the news release. Read more via FFX Now

J&J slashes production of its unpopular Covid-19 shot

After mobilizing to quickly develop and manufacture a Covid-19 vaccine, Johnson & Johnson has vastly scaled back its efforts in producing the shots as it faces slumping demand.

The New Brunswick, N.J., pharmaceutical company in recent months terminated manufacturing agreements with companies that helped produce the shot during the pandemic such as Catalent Inc. and Sanofi SA. Read more via The Wall Street Journal

Britishvolt: UK battery start-up collapses into administration

UK battery start-up Britishvolt has collapsed into administration, with the majority of its 232 staff made redundant with immediate effect.

Employees were told the news at an all-staff meeting on Tuesday morning.

The firm had planned to build a giant factory to make electric car batteries in Blyth, Northumberland. Read more via BBC News

£173m turnover manufacturer gains a UK base with acquisition

CGR, which designs and makes mechanical and mechatronic components in Europe, America and Asia, has acquired John Binns Springs, a Skipton-based specialist manufacturer of wire springs.

John Binns Springs has more than 125 years of experience and offers solutions in all industrial sectors, including medical, nuclear, retail and automotive.

The management team of John Binns Springs will remain in place, adding its expertise and industry knowledge to the privately-owned CGR group, contributing further to its international development. Read more via The Business Desk

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Tuesday 01/17/2023

Ilika to switch Stereax mini-battery manufacturing to US

Ilika PLC has signed a memorandum of understanding for the manufacture of its Stereax mini solid-state batteries to switch to partner Cirtec Medical’s facilities in Massachusetts, US.

Instead, Ilika will focus on advanced technology development and IP licensing, while Cirtec will focus on system level miniaturisation for medical devices. Read more via Proactive Investors

NIOA acquires US manufacturer

Australian defence contractor NIOA has expanded its global reach with the 100 per cent acquisition of US rifle design and manufacturing company, Barrett Firearms.

In announcing the deal, NIOA Group CEO Robert Nioa said the two family-owned companies came together out of ‘a shared commitment to quality, innovation, loyalty, and mission’. Read more via Australian Defence

Switzerland and US sign drug inspection agreement

A Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) relating to pharmaceutical Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) has been signed between Switzerland and the US.

Under the agreement with the Swiss Confederation (Switzerland), the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products (Swissmedic) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be able to utilise each other’s GMP inspections of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, avoiding the need for duplicate inspections. Read more via European Pharmaceutical Review

Hanwha, LGES pursue battery production investments in US market

Hanwha Group and LG Energy Solution (LGES) are investing in building battery production facilities in the United States. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding in Seoul for comprehensive battery business cooperation for ESS and other clean-tech energy solutions.

The two companies will also pursue technology cooperation for developing advanced ESS solutions tailored for commercial, industrial and utility market. They include enclosure, heat management and other balance of system. Read more via Solar Industry Magazine

Britishvolt hopes for last-minute bid to stave off collapse

There are hopes that a last-minute bid for Britishvolt, which plans a factory to make electric car batteries, may prevent it falling into administration.

The potential new bidder was described as “a British consortium”, according to people familiar with the matter.

The financially troubled manufacturer held a management meeting today and has moved an all-staff meeting to Tuesday.

Shareholders have been voting on who will take over the project to build a £4bn battery plant in Northumberland. Read more via BBC News

GEEKVAPE invests over £120m in smart manufacturing centre

GEEKBAR, a vape technology brand, is taking intelligent manufacturing to new heights by investing more than £120m into setting up a futuristic production facility, as part of its growth plans in the UK and to continue to be a leading vape brand of choice amongst British retailers. Read more via The Manufacturer

UK underwater robot dives into crocodile-inhabited waters in Africa

An underwater robot from a Hampshire manufacturer is being used for vital work in crocodile-inhabited waters in East Africa.

The aquatic predators have been preventing the manual inspection of remote underwater structures that support power generation.

ASI Group, a specialist in inland waters, used a Seaeye Falcon machine to venture into rivers and reservoirs and inside structures and tunnels which support five power stations. Read more via Yahoo! News

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Monday 01/16/2023

GE to develop ‘immortal’ battery with self-healing metals

Researchers at GE in the US are developing a solid state lithium ion battery cell that they say can have almost unlimited lifetime by using self-healing materials.

The $6m InterMetallic MORphogen Tailored Activity Lithium (IMMORTAL) battery project is developing a new intermetallic solid/solid charge transfer interface material for the project.

Working with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Michigan, University of California Santa Barbara, and Storagenergy, they are using AI and machine learning models to develop and demonstrate a prototype cell. Read more via ee News Europe

Airbus withdraws from US FAA Boeing safety culture panel

European planemaker Airbus said it had withdrawn from a U.S. government-named panel reviewing Boeing’s safety processes and how they influence Boeing safety culture after two fatal 737 MAX crashes in recent years killed 346 people.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) panel named last week includes MIT lecturer and aerospace engineer Javier de Luis whose sister was killed in a MAX crash, as well as experts from NASA, the FAA, labor unions, Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines, GE Aviation and FedEx Express. Read more via Reuters

Joint cooperation to deliver two new Green Freeports in the UK

Two new Green Freeports will be established in Inverness and Cromarty Firth and Firth of Forth, the UK and Scottish governments have jointly announced, helping to create jobs, drive growth and level up the country.

Backed by up to £52m in UK Government funding, the new sites are expected to bring forward an estimated £10.8bn of private and public investment and create over 75,000 new, high-skilled jobs. Read more via The Manufacturer

Bentley Motors appoints new Mulliner and motorsport director in bespoke division reorganisation

Bentley Motors has announced the appointment of Ansar Ali as the new Mulliner and Motorsport Director, reporting directly to Adrian Hallmark, Chairman and CEO. Ali will lead the reorganised Mulliner division as customer personalisation reaches record levels of demand.

Ali, who has a 30 year career in the automotive industry, joins from McLaren Special Operations where he was Managing Director. Before this, Ali held senior management roles at Ford, Lotus, Caterham and co-founded Zenos Cars. Read more via The Manufacturer

Babcock engineers first 3D metal parts for British Army to tackle obsolescence

The first 3D metal printed parts to be used across the British Army’s active armoured fleets have been manufactured and fitted by defence company, Babcock International Group (Babcock).

The steel components are believed to be the first made in this way by any supplier to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) specifically to tackle the growing challenges of technical and commercial obsolescence. Read more via Babcock International

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Friday 01/13/2023

Trina Solar’s new 6.5 GW Vietnam wafer plant to exclusively supply US market

Trina Solar‘s US unit has revealed that it will start operating a 6.5 GW silicon wafer factory in Vietnam to exclusively supply its operations in the US utility, C&I, and residential solar markets. The move comes after the US Department of Commerce (DoC) determined in December that solar cell and module imports from Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand were circumventing antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) orders on cell and module imports from China. Read more via PV Magazine

No Meat Factory eats up new capital to build bigger protein production plant in US

Scalable production of alternative proteins continues to be a big challenge for companies in this sector, and No Meat Factory wants to help with that.

The Canada-based company, which produces alternative proteins for third-party customers, took in $42m in new Series B capital to build a bigger manufacturing facility in the US No Meat Factory has now raised $60m to date. Read more via Tech Crunch

UK’s LIBERTY Steel eyeing job cuts as ‘unviable’ market triggers production cut

LIBERTY Steel has announced that 440 jobs across its UK plants will be at risk under restructuring plans to mothball at least two factories and reduce production at a third.

The steelmaker said its plant in Newport, Wales will be idled and transformed into a sales and distribution hub for LIBERTY products. Meanwhile, its West Bromwich facility will close and primary production at LIBERTY’s Rotherham plant will be reduced. Read more via The Manufacturer

UK to deepen collaboration on critical minerals with Saudi Arabia

The British government said on Wednesday it had agreed to deepen its collaboration with Saudi Arabia on diversifying sources of critical minerals.

Britain’s Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy department said the partnership could see Saudi investment in the UK’s manufacturing and mining finance sectors, and new opportunities for UK mining firms to do business in Saudi Arabia. Read more via Reuters

GKN Aerospace to create AM center of excellence in Texas

GKN Aerospace has announced that it will relocate its North America additive manufacturing (AM) center of excellence to the Lone Star Commerce Center in Fort Worth, Texas. The move will strengthen its position as an additive technology leader with a larger facility, plans for an additional larger AM cell, and increased collaboration within the aerospace ecosystem.

The 100,000ft2 facility will initially house research and development of laser metal deposition with wire (LMD-w) AM technology for large-scale titanium aerostructures. Read more via Aerospace Manufaturing and Design

Royal Mail and Twitter attacks highlight growing cyber security concerns

Twitter today denied that hackers, who overnight posted over 200mln user account details, garnered the information through a breach of the website’s security system.

“The data is likely a collection of data already publicly available online through different sources” the social media site said.

But Twitter is not the only recent victim of corporate cyberattacks.

Royal Mail was today still urging customers to avoid posting internationally due to a “cyber incident”, with the postie avoiding referring to it as a cyberattack. Read more via Proactive Investors

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Thursday 12/01/2023

US solar manufacturing gets boost with $2.5bn Georgia deal

The Inflation Reduction Act has clearly kickstarted investment in US clean energy manufacturing. Last year, automakers and battery manufacturers announced that they’d spend tens of billions of dollars to ramp up EV production in the US Now it’s solar’s turn.

Today, Korean solar manufacturer Hanwha Qcells announced that it’ll spend $2.5bn to build a new plant in Georgia and expand an existing one. Read more via TechCrunch

JA Solar picks Arizona for first US manufacturing plant

Global solar cell and module manufacturer JA Solar has leased space for its first manufacturing facility in the U.S. in Phoenix, AZ. The $60m facility will produce high-performance photovoltaic (PV) products, and is expected to be operational by the end of this year, creating more than 600 new jobs. Read more via Business Facilities

Entrepreneurial Spark and Exotopic launch UK Space Agency Accelerator

Applications for the UK Space Agency Accelerator open today, 12 January, with three levels of intensive business growth support to choose from, each designed to boost the success of entrepreneurs within, or looking to grow into, the UK’s vibrant space sector. Read more via The Manufacturer

British manufacturing firm Morgan Advanced Materials investigating cyberattack

UK-based manufacturing company Morgan Advanced Materials revealed on Tuesday that it’s investigating a cybersecurity incident.

The company has launched an investigation after detecting unauthorized activity on its network. The wording suggests that it’s an ongoing security breach.

“Upon becoming aware of the incident, the Company immediately launched an investigation, engaged its specialist support services and has implemented its incident response plans,” Morgan Advanced Materials said. Read more via Security Week

Manufacturing & Engineering Week 2023: the Glastonbury of the industrial sector

The award-winning Nineteen Group is pleased to announce the return of Manufacturing & Engineering Week in June 2023. The week-long festival combines both live and digital events and celebrates the best that the UK industrial sector has to offer. The centrepieces of the week are four exhibitions – Design & Engineering Expo, Drives & Controls featuring AirTech and Fluid Power and Systems, Smart Factory Expo and Maintec that take place at Birmingham’s NEC. Read more via The Manufacturer

Offsite engineering expert Merit starts growth plan with 4000 sqm expansion

Merit, a UK-based offsite engineering and construction specialist for technically complex, zero-carbon emissions buildings, has announced a 4000 sqm factory expansion at its Cramlington site, to accommodate its plans for continued growth.

Merit already has one of the largest construction manufacturing facilities in the UK at 270,000 sqft (25,084 sqm) and it is now extending its factory space to address increasing demand and to better meet customers’ needs. In line with its growth plans, Merit has already doubled its workforce in the last two years and expects this facility expansion to add over 50 new jobs. Read more via Cleanroom Technology

Vertex Hydrogen, Pilkington UK sign Heads of Terms deal for hydrogen offtake

Vertex Hydrogen and Pilkington UK have signed a Heads of Terms agreement for low carbon hydrogen supply within the HyNet North West cluster, a press release from Vertex Hydrogen showed on 4 January.

The deal will see Vertex supply Pilkington UK, a glass manufacturer based in St Helens, with low carbon hydrogen.

Pilkington, according to the press release, completed the first two global trials of hydrogen being fired in a glass furnace. Read more via icis.com

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Wednesday 11/01/2023

New UK energy support scheme: reaction from manufacturing

A new scheme to support firms with their energy bills was announced in the House of Commons on Monday. The current scheme, which caps the unit cost of gas and electricity for all businesses, expires at the end of March. Under the new scheme, businesses will get a discount on wholesale prices rather than costs being capped as under the current one.

While some industry groups welcomed the announcement, others warned it fell short for business struggling with soaring costs. Read what the manufacturing industry has to say. Read more via The Manufacturer

Boeing orders rise to 4-year high but still trail Airbus

Boeing took more than 200 net orders for passenger airplanes in December to complete its best year since 2018, but it failed again to catch up with European manufacturer Airbus in orders and aircraft deliveries.

Airbus reported Tuesday that it took orders for 820 planes in all of 2022, after subtracting cancellations, and it delivered 661 to airlines and other customers. Those numbers topped Boeing’s 774 orders and 480 deliveries. Read more via Greenwich Time

Tyson Ventures-backed MycoTechnology expands in Europe

MycoTechnology, a U.S.-based manufacturer of fermented plant-based proteins, is set to expand into Europe following Novel Food authorization by the European Commission.

“Authorization means we can now offer food and beverage manufacturers access to our cutting-edge plant protein in Europe for the first time,” Alan Hahn, MycoTechnology CEO, said. Read more via wattpoultry.com

Wieland acquires Heyco Metals and National Bronze Manufacturing to boost North America offerings

Wieland Group, a German supplier of copper and brass products, including tubes for transcritical CO2 (R744) refrigeration applications, has acquired U.S.-based Heyco Metals and National Bronze Manufacturing through the purchase of Hummock Industries, a holding company that focuses on long-term investments in North American manufacturing companies, according to a statement from Wieland. Read more via r744.com

Tevva gets go-ahead for electric truck manufacturing in UK and mainland Europe

British electric truck manufacturer Tevva has gained regulatory approval to manufacture and sell its vehicles at scale across the UK and Europe, marking a first for pure electric vehicles of this size.

The company is celebrating the achievement of European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA) for its 7.5-tonne battery-electric truck. In doing so, regulators have deemed the model as compliant with relevant safety and environmental standards. This is a prerequisite to selling any new vehicle models within the European Union (EU). Read more via edie.net

University of Warwick Energy and Net Zero roadmap helps reduce KW/h

WMG, at the University of Warwick, has launched an Energy and Net Zero Roadmap called Business Energy Aid Toolkit (BEAT), to help manufacturing small, medium enterprise (SME) companies reduce their energy consumption, save on costs and increase profitability. The programme has already proven a success, with business energy savings of up to 90%. Read more via University of Warwick

FET delivers trio of ROVs to OceanPact in Brazil

Forum Energy Technologies (FET) has delivered three of its 200HP Perry XLX-C work-class remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to Brazil-based OceanPact.

The systems, which were manufactured at FET’s UK facility at Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, will be deployed across two of OceanPact’s vessels to support inspection, repair and maintenance services for the state-owned oil company’s oilfields (Petrobras). Read more via The Manufacturer

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Tuesday 01/10/2023

US farm machinery manufacturer John Deere allows farmers the right to repair tractors

US farm machine manufacturer John Deere and the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) have signed a memorandum of understanding that ensures farmers have the right to repair their own farm equipment.

The right to repair allows individuals the ability to purchase software diagnostic tools that would allow them to take their equipment to a dealer of their choice to fix the problem or try to repair the machine themselves. Read more via abc.net.au

UK’s Bentley delivers more cars than ever in 2022

Bentley Motors today announced total sales of 15,174 in 2022, an increase of 4 per cent over the previous record year (14,659) in 2021 and the first time Bentley has reached over 15,000 cars.

This significant achievement was driven by new model introductions and increasing demand for Mulliner personalisation and Bentley’s new hybridised models, introduced under Bentley’s Beyond100 strategic path to full electrification by 2030. Read more via The Manufacturer

Solar panel maker Qcells expected to announce huge Georgia expansion

Solar panel manufacturer Qcells is expected to announce an expansion in Dalton plus a massive new plant northwest of Atlanta in what could be the largest clean energy manufacturing investment in U.S history, multiple people with knowledge of the company’s plans told the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Read more via The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Virgin Orbit rocket suffers anomaly during 1st launch from UK

The first-ever orbital mission to lift off from the United Kingdom did not go as planned.

“It appears that LauncherOne has suffered an anomaly, which will prevent us from making orbit this mission,” Virgin Orbit’s Chris Relf, director of systems engineering and verification, said during a webcast of the mission. Read more via space.com

UK solar innovator Naked Energy continues European expansion with new partnerships

British solar thermal design and engineering company Naked Energy has announced further international expansion after partnering with two leading European manufacturing firms.

Portuguese business Tech4Food will now offer Naked Energy’s cutting-edge solar thermal and photovoltaic thermal (PVT) products as part of its engineering solutions for the food and beverage, textiles and hospitality sectors. Read more via The Manufacturer

UK battery startup Britishvolt in talks to sell majority stake

The battery startup Britishvolt is in talks to sell the majority of its shares to a consortium of investors, in a deal that could allow it to continue pursuing its goal of building a UK “gigafactory”.

Britishvolt said it was hoping to secure long-term funding in the talks, which are thought to be with new investors. Bosses at the company have been looking for new funding for several months, after its efforts to build the giant facility near Blyth in Northumberland stalled amid a cash shortage. Read more via The Guardian

L’Oréal invests in temporary tattoo-maker Prinker Korea Inc.

L’Oréal has taken a minority stake in South Korean-based Prinker Korea Inc., the inventor and manufacturer of the world’s first digital temporary tattoo device.

In a statement, L’Oréal said that its investment in Prinker Korea Inc. was made through its corporate venture fund BOLD Business Opportunities for L’Oreal Development, following the success of the Korean brand’s temporary tattoo products at CES. At the show, it won multiple CES Best of Innovation awards and the prestigious global iF Design award. Read more via Fashion United

 

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Monday 09/01/2023

Elon Musk’s Twitter chaos has investors asking Tesla to act like a basic automaker

Tesla investors think Elon Musk’s Twitter controversies are hurting the automaker’s value. Musk has bristled at criticisms that running Twitter keeps him from focusing on Tesla. Tesla shares dropped 65% in 2022, and are still sliding. Read more via Business Insider

IBM loses top patent spot after decades as leader

International Business Machines Corp. dropped from the top spot for US patents in 2022, the first time in decades Big Blue hasn’t claimed the most in a year, signaling a strategy shift at the longtime intellectual property leader.

IBM’s patent count declined 44% to 4,743 patents in 2022, falling to No. 2 behind Samsung Electronics Co.’s 8,513, according to Harrity LLP’s Patent 300 list. Technologies such as semiconductors and hardware memory saw the largest drop in IBM patents, though the reduction was across all major types. Read more via Bloomberg

UK’s first orbital space launch set for Monday

The first-ever orbital space launch from UK soil is set to take place today, Monday 9 January.

Virgin Orbit’s Cosmic Girl, a modified Boeing 747-400 aircraft, will take off from Spaceport Cornwall sometime after 22:16 UTC carrying the 21-metre LauncherOne rocket, which contains a number of small satellites. Once Cosmic Girl reaches 35,000 feet, it will fire LauncherOne into space, where its satellite payloads will be released. Read more via The Manufacturer

Shipbuilders A&P Group report turnover boost on the back of repair work

Shipyard operator A&P Group has hailed an improvement in repair work at its Tyneside site and its wider defence contracts.

New accounts for the group – which runs yards at Hebburn, on Teesside and in Falmouth – detail improvements across A&P’s defence division which handles a long term contract to deliver repairs to the Royal Navy’s auxiliary fleet. The firm also singled out strong revenues at its Tyne operation in the final quarter of the year to the end of March 2022 where there had been more use of its dock facilities and larger contracts from new and existing customers, albeit at lower margins. Read more via Business Live

US manufacturer moves for North Yorkshire firm

A North Yorkshire business has been acquired by a US-based manufacturer of industrial and commercial cutting tools and accessories.

The M. K. Morse Company has acquired long-time distribution partner and welding centre, PJ Wiseman Ltd.

Effective from 3 January 2023, PJ Wiseman has become The M. K. Morse Company UK Ltd. Read more via Insider Media

Soaring energy costs to continue to hamstring manufacturers in 2023 – Make UK/PwC survey

The impact of the seismic increases in energy prices show no signs of abating as manufacturers enter 2023. The proposed energy relief scheme is likely to exacerbate planned reductions in headcount and production according to a major survey published today by Make UK and PwC. Read more via The Manufacturer

Ellesmere Port hydrogen project announces Merseyside manufacturer deal

A Mission to create a hydrogen production hub near Ellesmere Port has announced an agreement to supply low-carbon hydrogen to a Merseyside glass manufacturer.

Vertex Hydrogen, which will convert waste fuel gas and natural gas produced by Essar Stanlow into hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide, has signed a ‘Heads of Terms’ offtake agreement for low carbon hydrogen with Pilkington UK. Read more via Wirral Globe

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Friday 01/06/2023

Andretti partners with General Motors for Cadillac F1 bid

General Motors will attempt to enter Formula One by partnering with Andretti Global under its Cadillac banner as it supports Michael Andretti’s bid to launch a two-car American team.

Andretti has been lobbying the FIA, the governing body for F1, to expand the 20-car grid and join the series after a failed 2021 attempt to purchase Sauber. His petition to expand the grid has been met by fierce resistance from existing F1 teams who have argued an 11th team will dramatically dilute their revenues. Read more via US News & World Report

Stellantis to exclusively build Archer Aviation’s ‘Midnight’ eVTOL in the US

Multinational automaker Stellantis announced it is expanding upon a previous partnership with Archer Aviation, adding its manufacturing experience to aid in producing the latter company’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Named “Midnight,” this eVTOL is now planned to be mass produced on US soil. Read more via electrek

UK reclaims position as Europe’s second largest automotive market

The UK has reclaimed its position as the second largest automotive market in Europe (behind Germany) following a fifth consecutive month of growth, preliminary industry figures revealed on Thursday show.

Moreover, electric vehicles (EVs) have surpassed diesel cars for the first time to become the second most popular powertrain after petrol. Read more via The Manufacturer

China’s EV boom has sent its car exports soaring

Despite being a huge manufacturing country – the biggest in the world, in fact – until recently, China has not been on the radar when it comes to car manufacturing. Chinese automakers have never gained global attention for their high-quality petrol or diesel cars, with other U.S., European or Asian automakers proving more popular. However, as China takes the lead on renewable energy operations, the country is heavily focused on electric vehicles (EVs), with the government and private firms pumping billions into research and development. Read more via Yahoo! Finance

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Thursday 01/05/2023

Top manufacturing tech trends of 2022

As 2023 unfolds, these are the manufacturing tech trends we can expect to see this yrea, according to the National Association of Manufacturers’ digital transformation arm, the Manufacturing Leadership Council, and its innovation management division, the Innovation Research Interchange. Read more via NAM

US manufacturing sector contracts, prices decline in December-ISM

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector contracted in December for the second consecutive month following a 29-month period of growth, say the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business®. Read more via Institute for Supply Management (ISM)

Tesla shares continue slide with shrinking demand and logistics snags

Tesla shares started 2023 where they left off last year, plunging more than 14% on Tuesday on growing worries about weakening demand and logistical problems that have hampered deliveries for the world’s most valuable automaker.

Once worth more than $1tn, Tesla lost more than 65% in market value in a tumultuous 2022. Tuesday’s slide knocked off nearly $60bn in market value, roughly equal to the valuation of rival Ford, which last year sold three times as many cars as Tesla. Read more via The Guardian

TISICS awarded UK Space Agency funding for sustainable launch tech

Aerospace manufacturing specialist TISICS has received funding from the UK Space Agency to develop demisable launcher components that will reduce the risk of damage to spacecraft by space debris, whilst reducing the processing time and materials waste experienced from current HPV-liner manufacturing. Read more via The Manufacturer

British-built Nissan Qashqai confirmed as UK’s best-selling new car of 2022

The Nissan Qashqai is officially the UK’s favourite car of 2022, and the first British-built model to top the annual sales charts for 24 years.

Figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders confirm that the home-grown Qashqai – which was designed in Paddington, engineered in Cranfield and is built in Sunderland – was the nation’s best-selling car of the last 12 months.

A total of 42,704 new Qashqais were driven off dealership forecourts across the UK in 2022 and the figure for December alone stood at an impressive 3,506, reported the SMMT. Read more via Nissan

ZeroAvia receives CAA approval for next phase of hydrogen-electric test flights

The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority has granted a permit to fly for ZeroAvia’s (Kemble, U.K.) Dornier 228 aircraft, which has been retrofitted with the company’s prototype hydrogen-electric powertrain. ZeroAvia secured the permit to fly following an extensive ground testing campaign and a rigorous review of the full development program.

As a result of this approval, ZeroAvia can now begin the first test flights of its 600-kilowatt hydrogen-electric powertrain. Read more via Composites World

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Wednesday 01/04/2023

Samsung loses Tesla’s huge 4nm chip order to TSMC

TSMC’s new US fab in Arizona has obtained 4nm chip orders from Tesla, with volume production slated to kick off in 2024, according to industry sources. Read more via DIGITIMES Asia

Lotus Bakeries invests in US brain-food bar brand Iqbar

Belgium-based biscuit and snack maker Lotus Bakeries has acquired a minority stake in Iqbar, a better-for-you bar manufacturer based in the US.

The investment, of an undisclosed sum, came as part of a Series B funding round for Iqbar.

Biscoff, Trek and Bear brand manufacturer Lotus Bakeries acted as the lead investor. It made the investment in the Boston-based business through its venture fund FF2032. Read more via Just Food

UK Manufacturing PMI: Industry ends the year with accelerated downturn

The UK manufacturing industry ended 2022 on somewhat of a downer, with output, new orders and employment all falling at faster rates, according to the latest S&P Global / CIPS UK Manufacturing PMI®.

Despite beating the earlier flash estimate of 44.7, December’s seasonally adjusted PMI of 45.3 — a 31-month low — remains in contraction territory (below 50), down from 46.5 in November. The UK Manufgacturing PMI has now remained below the neutral 50 mark for five consecutive months. Moreover, December’s PMI is actually one of the weakest since mid-2009. This reality is masked by the unusual series lows recorded during the first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Read more via The Manufacturer

Brompton Bicycle draws up plans to shift suppliers out of China and Taiwan

Britain’s biggest bicycle maker is drawing up plans to shift parts of its supply chain out of China and Taiwan as Western companies scramble to protect themselves from a possible invasion of the island.

Brompton Bicycle said that the brewing threat of conflict means it is preparing to source parts from other Asian countries instead, amid a broader geopolitical rift with Beijing that some analysts have likened to a new Cold War. Read more via The Telegraph

10 million tonnes of steel needed to power future Britain

The UK will need more than 10 million tonnes of steel over the coming years to become more energy self-sufficient, according to new figures published yesterday.

New research from Tata Steel reveals more than 5 million tonnes of steel will be needed to build thousands of wind turbines at sea by 2030. Planned solar and nuclear power plants which would power future Britain are expected to require about 3.5 million tonnes of steel over the coming years. Read more via The Manufacturer

Manufacturers feature among best places to work in 2023

BAE Systems, Unilever, Hitachi, Bentley Motors and Cummins are among the top 10 best places to work in 2023, according to ratings published by community job platform Breakroom.

The Breakroom Quiz also reveals that GKN Aerospace, Airbus, Sellafield Ltd and Rolls-Royce are all in the top 20, rounding out a solid performance by manufacturers. Read more via Breakroom

BAE Systems boosts apprentice and graduate jobs by more than 40%

BAE Systems is set to hire more than 2,600 new apprentices and graduates in 2023. Representing a 43% increase on last year’s early careers intake, the announcement reinforces the company’s commitment to invest in the next generation, equipping young people across the UK with the skills they need to succeed in the workplace.

The majority of roles will be based in the North of England, with opportunities also available across the South of England, Scotland and Wales, supporting the UK Government’s aspiration to put education at the heart of plans to stimulate economic growth. Read more via The Manufacturer

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Tuesday 01/03/2023

South Korea fines Tesla $2.2m for exaggerating driving range of EVs

South Korea’s antitrust regulator said it would impose a 2.85 billion won ($2.2m) fine on Tesla Inc for failing to tell its customers about the shorter driving range of its electric vehicles (EVs) in low temperatures.

The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) said that Tesla had exaggerated the “driving ranges of its cars on a single charge, their fuel cost-effectiveness compared to gasoline vehicles as well as the performance of its Superchargers” on its official local website since August 2019 until recently. Read more via Reuters

UK nuclear fuel production to be bolstered by £75m government funding

Nuclear fuel production in the UK is set to be bolstered by up to £75m in UK government funding in a bid to support development of alternatives to Russian fuel supply and strengthen UK energy security, the Energy and Climate Minister Graham Stuart has announced.

This will encourage investment in new and robust fuel production capabilities in the UK, backing the government’s ambition to secure up to 24GW of nuclear power by 2050. Read more via The Manufacturer

La Maison Camus chooses Infor for global digital transformation plan

Maison Camus, a manufacturer of exceptional cognacs and one of the leading French spirits companies worldwide, has chosen Infor CloudSuite Food & Beverage, a comprehensive enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution designed to help food and beverage companies meet changing customer expectations, better manage their supply chains and reduce waste. This project is part of a wider digital transformation plan, of which the deployment of this new ERP is one of the key steps. Read more via The Manufacturer

Car Dealer Magazine’s top automotive picks for 2023

Car Dealer Magazine has compiled a list of cars it’s looking forward to in 2023. With a lot of great metal on the horizon, find out which models made the final list. Read more via Car Dealer

Microsoft celebrates Future Ready Champions of Code with over 100K developers and technology enthusiasts

Microsoft has announced over 100,000 developers participated in the Future Ready Champions of Code program to receive Microsoft certifications. The program, launched in December 2022, equips developers with globally recognized and industry-endorsed skills and competencies in digital and cloud technologies. Developers also participated in a nationwide hackathon to ‘Innovate for India’s Growth’ as part of the program.

The hackathon saw innovative solutions and prototypes built on cloud-native architecture, leveraging the Microsoft Azure platform, around the themes of Industry innovation, Smart city and Green or Sustainable software. Read more via Microsoft

Tesla reports record quarterly deliveries but misses estimates

Tesla Inc on Monday reported record production and deliveries for fourth-quarter electric vehicles, but it missed Wall Street estimates, burdened by logistics problems, slowing demand, rising interest rates and fears of recession.

The world’s most valuable automaker delivered 405,278 vehicles in the last three months of the year, compared with Wall Street expectations of 431,117 vehicles, according to Refinitiv data. Read more via Reuters

Eden invests in new Bruderer high-precision press to advance innovation and sustainability

Taking advantage of new export opportunities has seen a Middlesex manufacturer invest more than £300,000 into a new high-speed precision stamping press line.

Eden Limited, a specialist in optical air-blown fibre and cables fittings for the global telecommunication industry, renewed a 35-year working relationship with Bruderer UK to place the order for the BSTA 180-36B press – fitted with the latest high speed precision servo feeder. Read more via The Manufacturer

Turning tables: the UK’s new vinyl manufacturer riding the music revival

It only received its first pressing machines on Christmas Eve 2022, but Press On Vinyl is well on its way to becoming the biggest manufacturer of vinyl records in the UK, already churning out about 3,000 a day and hoping to double that this year. Read more via The Guardian

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Wednesday 12/21/2022

Electric vehicle charging station manufacturer opening first U.S. location in Auburn

A leader in battery-buffered ultra-fast charging solutions has announced it will build its first North American facility in Auburn.

ADS-TEC Energy will invest $8 million in a sales, warehousing, service and assembly facility in the Auburn area. The new site will facilitate the expansion of e-vehicle charging infrastructure in the U.S., according to ADS-TEC.

Along with the creation of the new facility, approximately 180 jobs will be created. Read more via WSFA

3M manufacturing giant to stop making ‘forever chemicals’

Manufacturing giant 3M has said it will stop making and using so-called “forever chemicals”, common materials that have been linked to a range of health problems including cancer.

The firm, which also makes Post-Its, cited increased regulatory and consumer concern about the substances, known as PFAS, to explain the move.

The chemicals are used in many everyday items, including food packaging. Read more via BBC News

Rhode Island manufacturer to pay nearly $500k for selling US Military blankets made in India

The United States Attorney’s Office has resolved a civil False Claims Act investigation into Hyman Brickle & Son, Inc., a Woonsocket-based Rhode Island textile manufacturing company that supplies products to the U.S. military, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

The investigation focused on allegations that Hyman Brickle sold woolen blankets to the U.S. Department of Defense, despite knowing that the blankets were produced using labor from India, rather than U.S. labor, as federal law requires. Read more via GoLocal Prov

Metals manufacturer expands in Tennessee and more business news

Summertown Metals LLC will invest $11 million to expand its manufacturing and distribution operations in Tennessee.

With existing operations in Summertown, Tennessee, Summertown Metals will construct a new facility in the Lewis County Industrial Park in Honenwald, which will house its headquarters and additional manufacturing and distribution operations. As a result of the project, the company will create 197 more jobs. Read more via Chattanooga Times Free Press

Goodfellow Corporation’s specialist material helps with nuclear fusion breakthrough

A UK-based manufacturer of specialist metals and materials is playing a key role in the nuclear fusion breakthrough that could change the way we power the world.

Goodfellow Ltd, who supplies over 6000 customers across the world, provided materials to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California for the eagerly awaited experiment.

On Tuesday 13th December 2022, researchers confirmed that they have overcome one of the major barriers to producing clean energy from fusion: producing more energy from the experiment than was put in. Read more via The Manufacturer

Scottish company building UK’s first 100% renewables powered timber kit factory

Industry has been transformed time and again by great Scottish innovation, fuelled by limitless imagination and exceptional creativity. It is this same passion for innovation that drove a timber frame specialist in Foveran, Aberdeenshire to design and build a factory that will be powered exclusively by renewable energy thanks to an ingenious heat capturing design.

The first of its kind in the UK, NorFrame’s factory will manufacture timber kit frames for homes, schools and commercial buildings using power generated from an on-site Anaerobic Digestion plant fuelled by silage from a neighbouring farm – eliminating the need for fossil fuels to heat or power facility and its processes.

Spanning 31,000 sq ft with a completion date of Spring 2023, the £4m factory will initially create 11 new jobs and safeguard a further 14 in a rural area, produce 20 timber kits per week, and have the capability to meet demand from Scotland’s private and public sectors. Read more via Scottish Business News

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Tuesday 12/20/2022

Scammers steal huge shipments from US food suppliers, American agencies warn

In recent months, cybercriminals have stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of shipments from US food suppliers by placing fraudulent orders for milk products, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and other federal agencies announced.

In a joint Cybersecurity Advisory, the FBI, the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and the US Department of Agriculture say that threat actors are using the technique known as business email compromise (BEC).

What it means is that the unnamed criminal groups set up email accounts impersonating top executives of food companies and then convinced their suppliers to ship them truckloads of powdered milk. Read more via Cybernews

US manufacturer Honeywell to pay $200m to settle bribery charges

US-based manufacturer Honeywell International Inc said it has agreed to pay about $200m to settle criminal and civil corruption investigations in the United States and Brazil.

The US Justice Department and US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) each announced on Monday the resolution of parallel investigations relating to bribes that Honeywell paid between 2010 and 2014 to a high-ranking official at Brazil’s state-owned oil company Petrobras to secure business. Read more via Al Jazeera

Chinese manufacturer and US companies admit scheme to evade US customs duties

A company based in the People’s Republic of China, along with three businesses located in New Jersey and New York, entered into settlement agreements with the United States, admitting they took steps to avoid paying customs duties, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced yesterday. Read more via US Department of Justice

Hyperbat’s EV battery expertise wins £multi-million Lotus Evija contract

One of the UK’s leading manufacturers of high-performance electric vehicle battery packs has sealed a £multi-million-pound contract to supply batteries to Lotus for its new all-electric Evija, the world’s most powerful production car.

Hyperbat was formed to bring together Williams Advanced Engineering’s (WAE) EV battery expertise with Unipart’s capability in manufacturing safety-critical products for premium OEMs.

This combination of engineering excellence and Tier 1 manufacturing capability was established to support the scale-up of EV production in the UK and will manufacture the 90kWh lithium-ion battery packs destined for use in the first British-made all-electric hypercar. Read more via The Manufacturer

UK Manufacturing output volumes fall at the fastest pace in over two years, while selling price inflation remains high – CBI Industrial Trends Survey

UK manufacturers reported a fall in output volumes in the three months to December, at the fastest pace since the three months to September 2020, according to the CBI’s latest Industrial Trends Survey. This fall was largely driven by the food, drink & tobacco, paper, printing & media, and mechanical engineering sectors.

The survey found that selling price inflation is expected to accelerate slightly in the next three months (though below the record high reached earlier this year). Total order books as well as export order books were reported as below normal, while stocks of finished goods were seen as adequate. Read more via CBI

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Monday 12/19/2022

Plug Power to use 75 Nikola Tre FCEV for H² logistics

The US fuel cell specialist Plug Power announces that it will buy 75 units of the Nikola Tre FCEV H2 truck within three years and supply customers in North America with green hydrogen using these hydrogen trucks. The first vehicles are to be handed over as early as 2023.

Plug Power plans to combine the ordered H2 trucks with its liquid hydrogen refuelling trucks. The US company describes this as a particularly large and lightweight trailer with “unprecedented payload for the road”. The acquisition of the hydrogen fleet vehicles is just one of several agreements Plug Power has entered into with manufacturer Nikola. The strategic partnership also includes Plug Power supplying liquid hydrogen technology and hydrogen to Nikola’s presence in the US state of Arizona. Read more via electrive

US manufacturing industry declines to 31-month decrease this month

The US manufacturing industry declined this month to its worst rate in almost 2 years and a half, as shown in a report issued Friday by S&P Global.

The purchasing managers’ index (PMI), which indicates the action of directors in the industrial industry, dropped 1.2 points to 46.2, falling from 47.4 last month, in line with quick estimates by the economics services firm. Read more via MENA FN

Central Louisiana industries encourage women to pursue jobs in manufacturing

Some may consider manufacturing a “man’s world,” but Central Louisiana industries are encouraging women to pursue jobs and careers.

Crest Industries in Pineville has about 1,200 employees, said Sarah Sasser, talent management director at the company. From 2016 to 2020, Crest saw a 13% increase of women in professional roles. Crest specializes in electric power delivery, industrial services, distribution and natural resources. Read more via Town Talk

Bentley Motors uses ground-breaking 3D printed gold in Mulliner Batur

Bentley Motors has introduced 3D printed solid gold in the exclusive Mulliner Batur – the first time such a ground-breaking process is believed to have been used in the automotive industry. The ‘additive manufacturing’ (AM) technique will add up to 210 grams of 18ct yellow gold to the coachbuilt coupe, the fastest Bentley in the company’s 103-year history. Read more via The Manufacturer

The Manufacturer Podcast: Innovation and reflection

In the final episode of The Manufacturer Podcast for 2022 (boo!), The Manufacturer Editorial Team reflects with an end of year special.

Our most excellent podcast sponsors Accenture also joins us to review the trends in manufacturing and technology innovation. Stephanie Lindan and George Long join us to discuss common misconceptions, the areas where manufacturers are making progress and the abundant rewards that can be achieved through innovation. Read more via The Manufacturer

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Friday 12/16/2022

US manufacturing output dragged down by motor vehicle weakness

Production at U.S. factories dropped more than expected in November as a decline in the output of motor vehicles offset gains elsewhere, according to data on Thursday, which showed manufacturing retaining some momentum.

Manufacturing output fell 0.6% last month, the Federal Reserve said on Thursday. Data for October was revised higher to show production at factories gaining 0.3% instead of the previously reported 0.1%. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast factory production would dip 0.1% last month. Read more via Reuters

CubicPV plans 10GW silicon solar wafer factory in the US

Solar manufacturer CubicPV is planning to establish a 10GW mono wafer manufacturing facility in the US that it said will be the “first of this scale” in the country.

The plant would fill a void in the US PV manufacturing supply chain; the country has no domestic solar ingot, wafer or cell manufacturing capacity, according to research from the Solar Energy Industries Association published earlier this year.

97% of silicon wafer production capacity is located in China, led by manufacturers LONGi and TCL Zhonghuan.

A choice for the location to build the new facility is expected to be finalised during Q1 2023, with construction starting soon after and work to be completed in 2024. It will be fully ramped up in 2025. Read more via pv tech

Manufacturers herald new digital age with tech investment set to increase in 2023

Digital Catapult’s Manufacturing Leaders Poll 2022 has revealed that investment in deep tech solutions and a commitment to innovation remain top of the agenda for many business leaders across the UK manufacturing industries, despite economic headwinds. Read more via The Manufacturer

Nissan LEAF Powers Christmas Lights as UK Plant Marks Production of 250,000 Electric Vehicles

A Nissan LEAF is providing the sparkle for Nissan Sunderland Plant’s Christmas display to celebrate production of 250,000 of the pioneering electric vehicle in the UK.

Demonstrating the ability of the LEAF to act as a mobile power plant, the lights on the 32-foot Christmas tree and its shimmering reindeer are being powered by the vehicle’s battery, using V2X (or V2X-MAS TREE) technology. Read more via Nissan UK

Swegon to acquire British air handling manufacturer Dalair

Swegon is set to acquire Dalair, the family-owned manufacturer of bespoke air handling units (AHU) based in Wednesbury just outside Birmingham.

Dalair is one of the AHU market leaders in the UK, with a highly regarded brand and offers air handling units in various segments covering commercial buildings, offices, retail, health care and pharmaceutical industries. Read more via Cleanroom Technology

Siemens factory in Switzerland wins award for production and supply chain resilience

The Siemens Smart Infrastructure plant in Zug, Switzerland, has been named Factory of the Year 2022 in the category Excellence in Supply Chain Resilience.

The award recognizes the plant’s supply chain resilience and preventive risk management, which were found to be outstanding measured against other plants in Europe. Organized by international management consultancy Kearney, the Factory of the Year industry competition is considered one of the most prestigious in Europe. Read more via The Manufacturer

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Thursday 12/15/2022

The CHIPS Act has already sparked $200bn in private investments for US semiconductor production

By enacting the CHIPS and Science Act in August 2022, policymakers in Washington took an historic step toward attracting investment in semiconductor production and innovation in the US And while the new law must still be implemented effectively and efficiently to realize its potential, the CHIPS Act has already sparked private investments in the US that will strengthen the U.S. economy, job creation, and supply chain resilience.

From the time the CHIPS Act was introduced in the Spring of 2020 through the months following its enactment, companies in the semiconductor ecosystem announced dozens of projects to increase manufacturing capacity in the US Some projects began in anticipation of CHIPS Act funding and relying on policymakers’ commitment to follow through on such funding, while others moved forward following enactment of the legislation. Read more via Semiconductor Industry Association

France insect manufacturer Ÿnsect takes off in US, Mexico markets

French insect-based ingredients manufacturer Ÿnsect is building two farms in North America as part of its international expansion plans.

Ÿnsect has partnered with foodservice business Corporativo Kosmos in Mexico and will “explore potential synergies” with US-based flour milling and ingredient company Ardent Mills.

It follows the acquisition of Ÿnsect’s first mealworm hatchery in March 2022 in the midwestern state of Nebraska. Read more via Just Food

Fashion manufacturer Barrington moves China production to Dallas and Mexico

If Louis Vuitton can make handbags in rural Johnson County, why aren’t more fashion brands bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States?

A small Dallas fashion accessories maker is finding out how challenging it is by trying to move its longtime China-based manufacturing home. Read more via The Dallas Morning News

Lift-off for new launch technology with UK Space Agency funding

The UK Space Agency has announced £2.7m for 13 early-stage technology projects across England, Scotland and Wales to support the growing satellite launch sector.

The UK is home to a thriving satellite manufacturing industry and is on track to become the first country in Europe to offer commercial launch services to small satellite manufacturers, from a range of spaceports offering both horizontal and vertical rocket launch capabilities. Read more via UK Space Agency

Mazak rewards production staff after record month

Yamazaki Mazak has put on a month’s worth of festive activities for its production staff after November 2022 saw its European Manufacturing Plant produce the highest number of machines for three years.

The month-long programme saw employees treated to a broad array of festive fun, with each day involving a different activity. These included a range of Christmas treats such as mince pies, doughnuts and hot chocolate, as well as a number of different games and competitions including finding the ‘Elf on the Shelf’, ping pong and darts. Read more via Aerospace Manufacturing

Europump presents its approach to the circular economy

Europump – the European Association of Pump Manufacturers – has released details on a position statement recently published by its Circular Economy Working Group. Read more via The Manufacturer

UK has just five years to secure green manufacturing investment – think tank

The UK has five years to secure investment in green industries or risk missing out forever, a think tank has warned.

In a report released on Thursday, centre-right think tank Onward said the Government should provide cash incentives for green manufacturing businesses to set up in the UK.

The report warned that the country was already “rapidly falling behind the EU”, where nations offered incentives for electric car and battery manufacturers. Read more via Energy Voice

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Wednesday 12/14/2022

UK-based garbage vehicle manufacturer to expand in Dorchester Co.

A leading manufacturer of garbage collection vehicles announced Tuesday a multimillion-dollar expansion in Dorchester County.

Dennis Eagle, Inc., headquartered in the United Kingdom, will invest $2.1m to expand its existing facility and create 49 new jobs.

“The company’s vehicles specialize in improving driver, passenger, and pedestrian safety through low-entry cabins and large windshields that reduce blind spots,” according to Dorchester County officials.

The current facility produces chassis and powertrains to accommodate the growing demand. Read more via Count On News 2

CP Cases to bring manufacturing to Frankford

CP Cases, a manufacturer of protective cases for a variety of uses, including equipment for some of the world’s most iconic bands, is bringing its American production to Delaware.

Founded more than 50 years ago by Peter Ross and Chris Sherwin, the company originally catered to some of the biggest British rock bands, like The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Pink Floyd and Elton John, designing cases that could protect instruments and equipment from the rugged travel of international tours. Read more via Delaware Business Times

Siemens is opening an EV charger factory in Texas

EV tech and infrastructure giant Siemens eMobility today announced that it will locate its second US manufacturing hub for EV chargers in Carrollton, Texas, outside of Dallas.

Siemens says it will retrofit the 80,000-square-foot Carrollton plant so that it can ramp up production of the EV chargers quickly. The new hub will create 100 jobs at the facility and across the regional supply chain, and the plant is expected to be fully operational by mid-2023. Read more via electrek

Siemens finds future talent at engineering hackathon

Siemens has unearthed a pipeline of future talent through a 48-hour engineering hackathon.

Held at the University of Birmingham, the hackathon brought together more than 70 students from 27 UK universities studying engineering, mechatronics, robotics or digital courses including computer science, cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, telecommunications or a related degree. Read more via The Manufacturer

UK Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult to Open Stem Cell Labs in Edinburgh

The U.K. innovation accelerator for cell and gene therapies, the Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) Catapult, is building more than 3,500 ft2 of lab space in Edinburgh, Scotland, to help increase the country’s expertise in stem cells. The new lab space, which is due to begin wet work in the second quarter of 2023, will consist of two manufacturing labs and one analytical development lab.

The high-spec non-GMP lab space is designed to support stem cell projects at a variety of stages. These could include helping startups move from manual to closed processes or supporting established equipment suppliers with upscaling. Read more via Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

Peugeot UK targets younger customers with premium shift and EV knowhow

The average age of a Peugeot new car buyer is 56. However, the brand sees winning the hearts of younger consumers as a vital step in securing sales growth for the long term.

Last year, it introduced a new 2D logo design, started rolling out a revised showroom corporate identity and emphasised a focus on allure and attraction, with design-led cars that it positions as affordable, yet near-premium.

Managing director Julie David tells AM that Peugeot aims to be more of a first preference car brand for Gen Z consumers (born between 1997 and 2012) in particular. Read more via AM Online

UK player plays part in expansion project aimed at ramping up gas production off Israel

UK-based centrifugal pumps and associated equipment manufacturer, Amarinth, has delivered two pumps to Norway’s process engineering business, Kanfa. These pumps will be used for a second oil train on an FPSO working on the Energean-operated field, offshore Israel. Read more via Offshore Energy