Each day The Manufacturer compiles a roundup of the top US manufacturing news stories from around the web. To make your life a little easier, we trawl through all the major trade publications, broadsheets and business magazines to find you the most important manufacturing news each morning. Don’t forget to bookmark this page and check back daily.
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
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
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 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 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
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 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
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
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
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 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
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 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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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 (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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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 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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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 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 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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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-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
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
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 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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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 – 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
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
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, 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
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 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
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
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-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
