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Athletic shoe company New Balance is well known for its U.S.-based manufacturing footprint, so when it announced in 2024 that it would be closing its plant in Norridgewock, Maine, many local officials were surprised.At the time, New Balance leaders said they’d be shifting work from Norridgewock to another Maine plant – in nearby Skowhegan. The Skowhegan plant, which opened in 2025, was intended to serve as its “Central Maine” operation and support the production that was previously taking place under two roofs. Because of the proximity, New Balance said it would transfer all 230 Norridgewock workers to the new facility.The biggest impact, then, was to the community of Norridgewock – a small town whose service sector relied heavily on the plant’s workforce for economic activity. However, in a move that may “make it up” to the community, New Balance later made the offer to donate its factory to the town.According to the Bangor Daily News, a Skowhegan-based food company called Maine Grains is interested in the former shoe factory site as a production facility for grain-based bars, cereal and other products.If the town’s residents agree to what’s been proposed among the companies, then New Balance would give the town the factory – at which point, Norridgewock would segment out 50,000 square feet to transfer to Maine Grains for its production expansion.The other two-thirds of the 170,000 square foot site could be leveraged at the town’s discretion, and local officials say their ownership would open up a lot of new avenues for redevelopment. As icing on the cake, New Balance has offered to pay to maintain the currently vacant plant for the next two years, meaning Norridgewock would have a little time to get some plans in place for how it can be used profitably.The town’s board has set a special town meeting for July 20th, where residents can cast ballots on whether the community should be authorized to take the donation – though it doesn’t require them to seal the deal.The expansion for Maine Grains would create an estimated 15 jobs in Norridgewock, though some officials are remaining cautious as the scenario plays out. Maine State Sen. and Norridgewock resident Brad Farrin said recently he hopes that “in the fever of trying to move this thing forward” that the town and board “dot our I’s and cross our T’s.” 

Yesterday, Miller High Life, a Molson Coors brand, announced an interesting new position. The beermaker is looking for a Mayor of the "Champagne of Beers" region—and that region is oddly specific.​Odd jobs work as PR stunts. Remember when Custom Cones USA offered a $70,000 salary for the "Ultimate Stoner Dream Job,' which was basically a content creator who smoked weed every day—they reportedly had so many applicants that they were overwhelmed by the response.​Well, this one isn't as lucrative, but it would be a banger for the resume. The winner will be the candidate who "best embodies the passion for High Life—and what it means to call the home of Miller High Life your own."​The prize package is ... fine. It includes an exclusive dinner for eight at the Miller Caves, a historic part of the Miller Brewery dating back to 1849. The winner also receives a pair of High Life t-shirts, two hats, and a $2,000 check to basically pay the taxes on the prize. The winner also walks away with two cases of High Life, which seems low. I feel like the Mayor of the Champagne of Beers Region should score a few more than 48 beers.​Furthermore, the winner must also attend an “honorary Mayor Inauguration” at the Miller Visitor’s Center in Milwaukee on September 19, 2026, or the prize will be forfeited in its entirety. All told, the Mayor of the "Champagne of Beers" region will land a salary valued at $6,500.​Molson Coors is technically a sponsor, and Merkle, a company that specializes in digital marketing experiences, is running the show.​To enter, you must live in one of about 86 zip codes, not mine, and be 25 years old—or older.​To win, you must not only be eligible but also submit to a confidential background check. Miller needs to make sure the winner hasn't engaged in any brand-damaging conduct. They certainly don't want to trigger a negative viral response — looking at you, Bud Light.​The contest began yesterday at noon CT and will end on August 23, 2026, at midnight.​Each contestant must include an original essay -- which is loose given that it's 250 words or less -- describing why they should be the mayor of the High Life, as well as a photo of them living the “High Life”. What would that be? Given that it's summer in Wisconsin, I figure it's some sort of tubing or pontoon-related photo. Oh, and it can't be AI-generated, any of it.​Of course, there are a host of rules that you can break with this essay, but they seem straightforward. For example, you can't make any deceptive or unsubstantiated claims about Molson Coors products, you can't mention any brand or trademark not owned by the company, and you can even get DQ'd if you have unauthorized third-party content or art in the background of your photo.​The winner will be chosen by a panel of "qualified judges" who will score each submission based on the following.50%: Passion for High Life25%: Originality (stands out as memorable)25%: Strength of Argument (why you should be picked over everyone else).​Do you have what it takes to be the Mayor of the "Champagne of Beers" region? If so, good luck.#MillerHighLife, #MolsonCoors, #Beer, #Wisconsin, #Milwaukee, #Manufacturing, #FoodManufacturing, #Marketing, #Branding, #Contest, #Jobs, #PRStunt, #Brewery, #MadeInWisconsin, #ChampagneOfBeers

A few years ago, food manufacturer Land O'Lakes had a radical idea: What if it let part-time employees pick their own schedule?  In early 2022, coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Arden Hills, Minnesota-based maker of dairy products and animal feeds noticed a sea change in employee priorities: people wanted flexibility.So, the company rolled out the Flex Work program for employees working 16-30 hours per week. Workers set the hours they can work, and Land O'Lakes figures out how that fits into production. Most of these positions are in operations and supply chain roles at the company's factories, but they also have positions in housekeeping, office clerking and sanitation—and no previous experience is required.The pilot project debuted at the Land O'Lakes facility in St. Joseph, Missouri, and the company said the response was "overwhelming," with more than 100 applicants in the first few days. The roles are ideal for parents being pulled in 100 different directions, college students looking to pay rent or retirees looking to stay busy. According to the company, some employees who started in Flex Work have even transitioned to full-time roles.Current positions available in the program include a Flex Production Operator in Neosho, Missouri; a Flex Housekeeper in Hillsboro, Wisconsin; a Maintenance Technician in Saint Joseph, Missouri;and a Warehouse Operator in Black River Falls, Wisconsin.According to a report in Fortune, it was a now-retired chief supply chain officer who championed the concept. Basically, the exec said the company needed to move beyond the mentality of "that can't happen in manufacturing environments."The company has some 60 manufacturing facilities in the U.S. , but plans to roll the initiative out across all 140 of its domestic locations.Land O’Lakes said that views and applications for flex roles are about 25% higher than for traditional roles, and turnover is significantly lower. Turnover among flex workers is 12 points lower than among recently hired full-time talent.While it may not make a career, Flex Work could be a solution for people looking to make a little extra cash and companies looking to fill gaps on the floor.#Manufacturing, #ManufacturingJobs, #Workforce, #Hiring, #FlexibleWork, #FlexWork, #LandOLakes, #SupplyChain, #FactoryJobs, #Operations, #SkilledTrades, #IndustrialJobs, #Careers, #FutureOfWork, #MadeInAmerica

Welcome to another episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing, a podcast that asks young people about their journeys in manufacturing, how they intend to influence the industry and what they are looking for from an employer.For this episode, I welcome Josiah Bondy, a 29-year-old senior product marketing manager for Miter, a software developer that helps construction and field service contractors manage their workforce and field operations.Bondy holds degrees in communication & digital arts and business administration and previously spent nearly five years at Fulcrum, where he worked closely with shops to upgrade tech stacks and apply AI.In this episode, Bondy discusses:(2:28) Major disconnects between software companies and manufacturers(6:43) How manufacturing ‘storytellers’ can spark more interest in the industry(10:49) Gen Z is wired to embrace change as an opportunity(12:30) Are tech companies building for manufacturing or forcing manufacturing to adapt to them?Please make sure to like and share this episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing. To view previous episodes, visit manufacturing.net. If you are a member of Gen Z and would like to discuss your experience in the manufacturing industry, please get in touch with me, Nolan Beilstein, at [email protected].#Manufacturing, #GenZ, #NextGenManufacturing, #FutureOfWork, #SkilledTrades, #Engineering, #IndustrialAutomation, #STEM, #ManufacturingJobs, #MadeInAmerica, #Industry40, #SmartManufacturing, #TechTok, #CareerTok, #BlueCollar, #FactoryLife, #Automation, #EngineeringLife, #Innovation, #ModernManufacturing

Federal agents conducted an operation at LaFontanella Foods’ facility in Kansas City, with outlets reporting that law enforcement detained up to eight people. The company manufactures food products, including Cascone’s [cas-CONY] pasta sauce.A spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed to IEN that “Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Kansas City conducted a federal criminal search warrant in Kansas City, Missouri July 9,” but declined to provide additional details. Jackson County Sheriff Darryl Forté wrote on Facebook that the operation “was not an immigration raid” and that federal authorities identified a person he described as an unregistered sex offender at the scene. According to Forté, a sheriff’s office detective arrested the individual and transported tchem to the county’s detention center.However, local media, an immigration support organization and a state representative described additional details about the operation.State Representative Wick Thomas said they visited the scene and witnessed masked agents in unmarked vehicles detain four people, while also receiving reports that six to seven people were taken into custody. The Kansas City Star reported that agents wearing HSI jackets escorted “at least six people” out of the facility. Meanwhile, NPR member station KCUR and the Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation (AIRR) reported that federal authorities detained eight workers. According to Thomas’ statement, family members attempted to show agents that individuals taken from the facility had work visas and were authorized to be in the country. AIRR said the site’s manager claimed agents presented a warrant for the building, though the organization said it could not confirm the warrant’s existence.LaFontanella Foods and AIRR have not confirmed to IEN the exact number of people detained or how many of those individuals worked at the facility. Thomas has also not responded to IEN’s request for comment.AIRR’s statement said the operation lasted from about 10 a.m. to noon. The Star reported that law enforcement escorted people from the facility at approximately 11 a.m. and that additional agents arrived around 11:45 a.m. wearing jackets labeled HSTF (Homeland Security Task Force), a partnership between HSI and the FBI. The publication also reported that agents appeared to remove computers and documents from the facility but declined to disclose what they seized. #Manufacturing, #FoodManufacturing, #ICE, #HSI, #KansasCity, #Missouri, #FederalInvestigation, #FactoryNews, #ManufacturingNews, #SupplyChain, #FoodIndustry, #Workforce, #BusinessNews, #IndustrialNews, #BreakingNews

Sony earlier this month announced plans to end physical game disc production for all new games released on PlayStation consoles beginning January 2028. The consumer electronics giant has already started the transition.According to an ORF Salzburg report spotted by The Verge, Sony’s disc plant outside of Salzburg, Austria currently makes 600,000 discs every day. But that figure will soon drop significantly. Dietmar Tanzer, head of Sony’s Digital Audio Disc Corporation, said PlayStation discs account for 50% of the plant’s daily volume. He estimated that disc production in 2028 will be at about 10% of where it is today.The good news is that the 300 workers at the plant won’t be laid off once the PlayStation discs stop rolling off the line. Instead, the facility is transitioning to manufacturing optical microlenses, and it’s already invested 30 million Euros in the equipment needed to produce them. As the report points out, some employees have switched over from disc production, and Sony plans to retrain staff “on a large scale” before launching mass production of optical microlenses as early as 2027.The bad news is that PlayStation users will no longer have a physical copy of purchased games, a change that’s sparked outrage in the gaming community. Canadian retailer PNP Games started an online petition urging Sony to change its mind, and nearly 300,000 have already signed on in support.PNP CEO Jade Pearce told IGN that Sony killing PlayStation discs could have far-reaching negative effects beyond just angering gamers.“Physical games support an entire industry that an all-digital future quietly erases: retailers, distributors, manufacturers, warehousing and logistics, the pre-owned and trade-in market, and the collector and preservation community,” she said.Sony justified the decision by noting that the “general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs,” but promised to “prioritize our resources to drive innovation in how players can access games and provide choices as to where players prefer to purchase new games, whether that’s at retailers or online.”#PlayStation, #Sony, #Gaming, #VideoGames, #GameIndustry, #DigitalGaming, #PhysicalMedia, #Manufacturing, #ManufacturingNews, #Factory, #Technology, #GamingNews, #Optics, #Microlenses, #PlayStation5

The former chief human resources officer of pharmaceutical manufacturer Nephron filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging it wrongfully terminated her after she raised concerns about illegal conduct. According to court documents, Nola Grant began working for South Carolina-based Nephron in October 2022. During her employment, she allegedly discovered that the company experienced a loss of fentanyl and failed to report the incident to the DEA or other required authorities. Grant claimed she raised the issue with the company’s chief administrative officer and chief operating officer, but no corrective action was taken and no report was filed.The lawsuit argued that Grant’s reporting of the fentanyl loss constituted protected whistleblower activity and stated that she faced retaliatory conduct that led to her wrongful termination in April 2025.In a separate incident, Grant alleged that CEO Lou Kennedy lied to the FDA about Nephron’s use and storage of a company warehouse in Calhoun County. The lawsuit said Grant possesses a recorded conversation in which Nephron’s operations director admitted that the company cleared the warehouse during a “late-night” operation in anticipation of FDA inquiry. Additionally, Grant claimed that two other Nephron employees admitted that the company provided altered surveillance footage when the agency requested to review the preceding 24 hours of video.

EV maker Lucid, for the second time this year, announced a round of job cuts aimed at advancing its “path toward profitability and positive cash flow generation.”The company said it will reduce its current U.S. workforce by approximately 18 percent, including full-time employees, contractors and hourly production workers in manufacturing. Part of the plan includes eliminating the second shift of production at its AMP-1 factory in Arizona.The cuts are reaching the C suite, too. Lucid’s Chief Operating Officer, Marc Winterhoff, will be leaving the company after his position was eliminated. But he will receive continued security support and he gets to keep his company vehicle.Lucid said it expects the restructuring to provide annualized cost savings of approximately $158 million while incurring cash charges of approximately $32 million related to severance, employee benefits and employee transition.#LucidMotors, #Lucid, #ElectricVehicles, #EV, #EVNews, #Automotive, #AutoIndustry, #Manufacturing, #ManufacturingNews, #FactoryJobs, #Layoffs, #BusinessNews, #ArizonaManufacturing, #VehicleProduction, #CleanTech

Ford Motor filed a major lawsuit last week alleging rampant lawsuit abuse and fraud from Quill & Arrow, a law firm that files thousands of Lemon Law cases every year against Ford and other automakers. The lawsuit accuses Quill & Arrow of "fabricated attorney billing records, unauthorized practice of law, and deliberate obstruction of Ford’s ability to fulfill its warranty obligations." According to the automaker, these actions have damaged Ford’s relationship with its customers and erode future sales.In the complaint, Quill & Arrow is described as “a fraudulent and illegal billing factory, conceived and constructed to exploit the Lemon Law’s fee-shifting provisions.” The lawsuit alleges a number of violations under California law, including artificially-inflated attorney fees. The firm is allegedly using unregistered foreign attorneys to practice law in California while billing at California attorney rates for work performed entirely by non-lawyers. The non-lawyers are making as little as $13 per hour, Quill is billing rates of $350 to $950 per hour. #Ford #AutomotiveNews #LemonLaw #ManufacturingNews #AutoIndustry #BusinessNews #IndustrialNews #FordMotorCompany #LegalNews #IndustryNews

Blue Origin, the commercial space exploration company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is expanding and possibly moving into the “balloon” factory formerly owned by now-defunct space tourism company Space Perspective.According to Florida Today, Blue Origin is in negotiations with the current owners of Space Perspective to acquire a 700-foot-long facility located at Space Coast Regional Airport. The 49,000-square-foot fabric-walled factory features two 600-foot-long production tables, ideal for making really big balloons. But now, as the report points out, the site will likely help support “future manufacturing and bulk outdoor storage operations” for Blue Origin.For Space Perspective, the sale of the facility marks an end to its fairly unique space tourism dream. The company’s space capsule, which was claimed to be the largest human spacecraft outside of the space station, was designed to be carried to the edge of space by a hydrogen balloon, giving passengers views of Earth from miles above. The company had planned to charge passengers $125,000 per trip but had also offered up free trips through a partnership with Oreo.It would have given ordinary people the chance to fly to the stratosphere without having to endure the rigors of traditional space travel. But the company, which was founded in 2018, earlier this year received an eviction notice after falling behind in rent payments at its Florida facility. It also furloughed most of its 140 employees.Now it looks like the balloon is officially popped, with Blue Origin stepping in to fill the vacuum.But things haven’t been all smooth sailing for Bezos and company. Blue Origin last month announced a $600 million production expansion project at its Rocket Park campus at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Just a few days later, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded on the launch pad, causing a major setback for the company and raising several concerns from nearby residents.

Last year, Ford recalled a record-breaking 12.9 million vehicles over 153 separate campaigns – an embarrassing fail the automaker is looking to remedy. And like most businesses, it's leaning on cutting edge technology to make improvements.In a recent interview with Road & Track, Ford’s leadership revealed a new strategy they say is already enhancing the quality of its engines. And it’s about getting back to the basics.The Ford Essex engine plant in Windsor, Ontario produces multiple engines for Ford’s line, including the Coyote 5-liter V-8 for the F-150 and the Mustang, as well as the Super Duty truck engines in 6.7- and 7.3-liter varieties.But this story is less about what Essex is building, and more about what it’s taking apart.Essex plant manager Neil Wilson told Road & Track that the plant has started tearing down one engine every single day and subjecting it to a battery of tests.Previously, Ford reportedly conducted this intensive engine teardown once every three months, or when there was a suspected issue. After last year’s recall extravaganza, however, that changed. And Ford’s new frequency is apparently catching things that would have, in the past, slipped through the cracks.

JBS USA plans to close two facilities in Pennsylvania and Tennessee and a portion of another Tennessee site in a move expected to eliminate more than 2,000 jobs. According to a WARN Notice, the company will lay off 1,485 workers at its beef production facility near Philadelphia. ABC 24 Memphis reported that the closure of the value-added Empire Packing site in Tennessee will affect 208 jobs. Additionally, JBS-owned Pilgrim’s Pride plans to close Chattanooga's harvesting operation and lay off 348 employees, as part of a $75 million expansion in Ellijay, Georgia.JBS said its nationwide network would absorb production from the Philadelphia and Memphis locations. Meanwhile, Pilgrim’s said its changes will increase harvesting and portioning capacity in Georgia, enabling the facility to produce a broader mix of boneless chicken products. The company will continue to use Chattanooga’s deboning infrastructure to support the expansion and added that the project would not impact the region’s grower base.JBS USA said the closures represent a strategy focused on modernization, growth and long-term competitiveness. CEO Wesley Batista Filho [FEEL-oh] stated that the company is “investing where we are growing and making difficult adjustments where needed.”JBS Beef North America reported an adjusted operating income loss of $279.4 million in its Q1 2026 earnings report, compared to a $158.4 million loss a year ago. The segment said rising live cattle prices outpaced the change in cutout values due to limited cattle availability. It also cited continued restrictions on live cattle imports from Mexico.#JBS, #PilgrimsPride, #FoodManufacturing, #Manufacturing, #ManufacturingNews, #Layoffs, #FactoryClosure, #FoodIndustry, #MeatProcessing, #BeefIndustry, #PoultryIndustry, #SupplyChain, #Workforce, #IndustrialNews, #AmericanManufacturing, #Operations, #BusinessNews, #Production, #FactoryJobs, #IndustryNews

Welcome to another episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing, a podcast that asks young people about their journeys in manufacturing, how they intend to influence the industry and what they are looking for from an employer.For this episode, I welcome Jerry Klein, a 27-year-old technical support specialist for Artec 3D, a supplier of handheld and portable 3D scanners for multiple industries, including manufacturing, reverse engineering and quality inspection. Klein’s duties at Artec 3D include one-on-one product training, product development, responding to customer inquiries and contributing to 3D scanning projects worldwide.In this episode, Klein discusses:(:56) A fresh way to save time and money(3:19) Where Gen Z is making a difference through 3D scanning(5:37) How young people handle training(7:40) Where Gen Z sees more opportunities for digitization in manufacturingPlease make sure to like and share this episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing. To view previous episodes, visit manufacturing.net. If you are a member of Gen Z and would like to discuss your experience in the manufacturing industry, please get in touch with me, Nolan Beilstein, at [email protected].#GenZInManufacturing, #Manufacturing, #ManufacturingPodcast, #3DScanning, #Artec3D, #Industry40, #DigitalTransformation, #AdvancedManufacturing, #ReverseEngineering, #QualityInspection, #ManufacturingTechnology, #IndustrialTechnology, #WorkforceDevelopment, #GenZ, #Engineering, #Innovation, #SmartManufacturing, #FutureOfWork, #Automation, #TechInManufacturing

On Wednesday, some 1,000 union workers who were on strike at GM supplier Dauch Corporation, formerly American Axle, in Three Rivers, Michigan, reached a tentative deal with the company. The new contract will secure the workers' topline demand of $30 per hour by 2030, a more than 36% increase to the top wage rate over the next four years. Members of the UAW Local 2093 walked out on strike at midnight on June 1, 2026. The plant  makes axles for GM’s GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado pickup trucks and commercial vans. In a statement, UAW President Shawn Fain, said, "After 18 years of sacrifice, these workers are finally winning back a big chunk of what was taken from them."According to the union, American Axle workers made major sacrifices to save the Three Rivers facility from closure during the Great Recession in 2008. "Many long-time workers who were making as much as $29 an hour in 2008 saw their wages slashed to $14.50," the UAW said. UAW members hired before May 31, 2012, including those who went from $29 per hour in 2008 to $14, will see an immediate $8 per hour increase once the new contract is ratified. Union workers will also see more paid days off and won't have to make any concessions on their current health care costs. For example, workers won’t experience any healthcare premium cost increases over the next four years. The union also won time off to celebrate Martin Luther King Day and Veteran's Day, as well as more days off for Christmas. Workers with at least one year of seniority will receive an additional nine vacation days per year as well as a $2,000 ratification bonus.#UAW, #UnitedAutoWorkers, #LaborNews, #Strike, #Manufacturing, #ManufacturingNews, #Automotive, #AutoIndustry, #GeneralMotors, #GMSupplier, #FactoryWorkers, #UnionStrong, #LaborUnion, #MichiganManufacturing, #IndustrialNews, #SupplyChain, #AmericanManufacturing, #Workforce, #ShawnFain, #AutoParts

The robotaxi company Waymo has announced new capabilities that provide benefits completely distinct from its primary business model.Waymo says that the large, heavy, power-intensive batteries that power its fleet will no longer go to a recycling center at the end of their lives. Instead, they have a new use: supporting the power grid.Through a new partnership with B2U Storage Solutions, Waymo’s batteries will be repurposed in order to store clean energy. But rather than in one-off implementations, the goal for this effort is to establish grid-scale storage systems. Adam Lenz, head of Sustainability & Environment at Waymo, “Our shared fleet of EVs provide a massive opportunity to support the growth of clean energy on the electricity grid while expanding the circular economy,” adding it was important to the company that the batteries continue to provide “economic and environmental value” after they were retired from the road.The plan goes hand in hand with solar power, according to Waymo, who contends that the batteries will primarily be used to store the surplus energy produced during peak hours – namely the middle of the day when the sun is at its highest point. The batteries will then distribute that power during peak demand in the evenings.They say the process is largely plug-and-play, with batteries coming from cars and capable of being online in this power storage capacity within a matter of days.The first deployments derived from the partnership will take place in Texas and California – two states who not only have a significant need for electrical grid support but who also happen to already host Waymo fleets.Fellow automaker GM also recently revealed that it was expanding into different battery cell chemistries for varied uses – notably to increase its vehicle-to-grid capabilities. The automaker hopes to take advantage of the growth in AI data center development and use its batteries to help offset the strain on the nation’s utilities.#Waymo, #Robotaxi, #AutonomousVehicles, #EV, #ElectricVehicles, #BatteryStorage, #EnergyStorage, #RenewableEnergy, #SolarEnergy, #CleanEnergy, #PowerGrid, #BatteryTechnology, #Sustainability, #Manufacturing, #ManufacturingNews

In AI oops, Dodge briefly sells T-shirts featuring what appears to be a Toyota Tacoma.For all the things AI does well, it’s also known to have its limitations.These limitations were recently on full display when Dodge RAM enthusiasts discovered what might be considered an odd handful of items on the brand’s online merchandise store.Among the tumblers, coolers, hats and backpacks featuring the RAM logo, was a product dubbed “2026 RAM PATRIOTIC UNISEX T-SHIRT.” The patriotic part was a red, white and blue illustration of a rippling American flag and the RAM part was a graphic of a pickup truck with the words “RAM POWER” underneath.It didn’t take web sleuths very long to point out a few unsettling details about this design, however. For one, the American flag featured just 38 stars and the RAM truck – well, it wasn’t even a RAM.According to a report in Autopia, the truck’s details suggest that it was, in fact, a competitor’s vehicle – a Toyota Tacoma – from model year 2023, at that.It was this indefensible gaffe that led to speculation that the shirt – as well as a complementary banner on RAM’s site that also featured the Tacoma – was a product of AI, and shortly after the web coverage, both offending products were removed.Motor1 underscored the punchline by pointing out that Stellantis had another AI swing and a miss back in March when the Dodge brand used its Instagram account to feature “throwback” photos of some of its old models. Unfortunately, it turned out the vehicles were AI-generated, meaning some of the featured models never, in fact, existed.Perhaps the takeaway here is that, if you’re going to use AI to generate content or designs, make sure you keep enough humans around to check for slop, because anyone who works for Dodge probably could easily tell the difference between their own truck and a Toyota.As Autopia’s report said, what this t-shirt featured was “definitely not a RAM, even if someone or some algorithm slapped a RAM badge on that distinctive Tacoma grille,” adding that RAM “should be embarrassed.”#Manufacturing, #ManufacturingNews, #Automotive, #AutomotiveNews, #RamTrucks, #DodgeRam, #ToyotaTacoma, #AI, #ArtificialIntelligence, #AIGeneratedContent, #Stellantis, #Technology, #DigitalMarketing, #TruckIndustry, #Automation

An unlicensed potato chip factory in Australia has been fined after authorities were tipped off by the facility’s grand opening event.According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Western Australia “Spud King” Tony Galati created the house brand chips Spuddies so he could sell them at his Spudshed stores. He established a facility to manufacture the potato chips and acquired all the necessary equipment including an industrial peeler, blancher, fryer and weight checking system to help with portion control and bagging. He just didn’t get any work approvals.The “Spud King” may have gotten away with it, at least for a little bit longer, if he hadn’t planned and notified regulators about a grand opening event for the factory. But now the Galati Group has been caught for manufacturing without a license and for dumping “non-oily chip-making waste” without a license. The company has been fined $20,000, equal to about $14,000 in the U.S.This is not the first time the “Spud King” has gotten salty with regulators. Galati, a well-known potato grower in Western Australia, played a key role in the full deregulation of the state’s potato industry. Even after the Potato Marketing Corporation was cooked, Galati was still found in contempt for purposefully planting more potatoes than allowed.In 2024, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission hit Galati with more than $60,000 in fines for trading with at least four growers without a horticulture produce agreement in place.No matter how you slice it, the “Spud King” sounds like a potato man who doesn’t play by anyone else’s potato rules.#manufacturing, #foodmanufacturing, #foodindustry, #industrialnews, #factorynews, #manufacturingnews, #australia, #businessnews, #operations, #compliance, #regulatorycompliance, #potatochips, #foodprocessing, #industrynews, #supplychain

A Washington state manufacturer of tooling and parts for advanced industries plans to establish its third production facility in Montana — and create about 2,000 jobs.Janicki announced Tuesday that it selected Great Falls, Montana, for the $800 million project, which would complement the company’s existing production facilities in Northwest Washington and suburban Salt Lake City.The privately-owned engineering and manufacturing company, established in 1993, says it designs and builds tools, parts, assemblies and prototypes for a wide range of industries, including aerospace, defense, architectural and marine applications. It specializes in composite fabrication and precision machining utilizing its proprietary 5-axis mills, which it says are among the largest in the world.Janicki officials said in a statement that growth in its aerospace and defense programs, in particular, has pushed demand beyond its capacity in Washington and Utah. The Montana plant, they added, will be part of a “multi-state, phased growth strategy.”The company anticipates building a campus that would add 2 million square feet of production space over the next decade. The project would create about 1,000 jobs within the first five years and more than 2,000 jobs overall once construction is complete — a total that would roughly double its current workforce.Montana Free Press reported that Janicki would receive a 50% property tax break from the city and county over five years, which would then be gradually phased out over the following five years. The incentives would reportedly be applied separately to each of the project’s four phases of construction.Janicki expects to begin construction next month and open the first phase of the new facility by the end of next year. #manufacturing, #aerospace, #defense, #advancedmanufacturing, #industrialnews, #manufacturingnews, #economicdevelopment, #jobs, #factory, #engineering, #supplychain, #composites, #precisionmachining, #madeinamerica, #industrynews

A manufacturing defect may be to blame for an issue potentially impacting some 88,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycles.Reports suggest that removing the dipsticks to check the motorcycles’ oil has been linked to a nasty surprise – spraying oil.According to the NHTSA, the issue stems from a design problem where bikes equipped with an airbox baseplate have a breather port that may be blocked. This allows pressure to build up inside the crankcase with nowhere to go – until the pressure is released after the dipstick is withdrawn. Carscoops described it as “akin to shaking up a bottle of coke and then uncapping the lid.”The Wisconsin-based company has recalled nine different models for this possible issue and is also reportedly aware of an incident where a dealer technician was injured by spraying oil while working on one of its bikes.The quickest fix is related to awareness; if technicians and bike owners can release the built up pressure slowly, they can prevent the “coke bottle” effect from occurring. Even better, owners of the motorcycle should bring in their recalled bike for a free repair of the blockage, if necessary.Carscoops says Harley’s own investigation uncovered 192 reports involving blocked breather ports. Of these, just over a dozen resulted in the oil discharge. Harley's North American sales rose 14% in Q1 of 2026, with CEO Artie Starrs saying the company was "pleased" with the results. Still, the company's profits plunged 81% year over year, an outcome attributed to tariff costs, higher sales incentives, and unfavorable product mix. Last month, Harley also unveiled a new strategic plan - "Back to Bricks" - with the goal of adding more affordable models, gaining market share and improving its operating efficiency.#HarleyDavidson, #MotorcycleRecall, #Motorcycles, #Manufacturing, #ManufacturingNews, #IndustrialNews, #Recall, #ProductSafety, #QualityControl, #NHTSA, #Powersports, #MotorcycleLife, #Engineering, #FactoryNews, #IndustryNews

A new lawsuit accused Sherwin-Williams of releasing “unreasonable noxious odors” from its coatings manufacturing facility in Rochester, Pennsylvania. The complaint alleges damages that exceed $5 million and demands a trial by jury.Court documents stated the facility makes coatings for packaging materials that it delivers to customers, distributors and blending sites. According to the EPA, coating formulation at plants like this generally involves four major steps, which include preassembly and premix, pigment grinding or milling, product finishing and product filling.The lawsuit acknowledged that the solvents used in these processes can emit hazardous air pollutants. However, it pointed to a condition in a Sherwin-Williams permit that limits the company’s volatile organic compound emissions. The condition prohibits the malodors from being detectable beyond the property line.Sherwin-Williams reportedly received notices of violations (NOV) from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Quality regarding the odors in April 2022, April 2023, January 2026 and March 2026. The January NOV said the plant failed to install a thermal oxidizer and did not perform required stack testing on its scrubbers. One plaintiff complained that she could smell the fumes inside her home even with the windows closed, while another described the odor as a “sweet smell” that leaves an aftertaste. The lawsuit also reported symptoms from putative class members that included upset stomachs and headaches. One putative class member alleged that the odor issue did not exist when Valspar owned the facility. Sherwin-Williams acquired Valspar in 2017.Sherwin-Williams has not responded to IEN’s request for comment.#manufacturing, #industrialnews, #sherwinwilliams, #airquality, #environment, #pollution, #chemicalindustry, #manufacturingnews, #factorynews, #environmentalcompliance, #sustainability, #industrialsafety, #esg, #communityimpact, #industrynews

When a custom rubber stamp manufacturer last week made a plea for people to take his factory’s scraps, the responses started bouncing in.Nic Magnuson, who runs Magnuson Custom Stamps and helps lead operations at Unity Stamp Company in New London, Minnesota, said his companies throw out more than 200 pounds of clean natural rubber scraps each week. He reached out to mulch recyclers, playground surfacing specialists and more about taking the scraps, but no one wanted it. So, he took to Reddit, offering to ship out the rubber scraps to anyone who wanted it, just asking them to cover roughly $1 per pound in shipping costs.Magnuson said the Reddit post has so far racked up around 6.6 million views and that he’s received hundreds of emails and DMs.“I've been working through them one by one and I'm still not caught up. The variety of intended uses has been the best part,” he said in an email.#manufacturing, #recycling, #sustainability, #industrialnews, #smallbusiness, #factorylife, #circular economy, #manufacturingnews, #innovation, #wastereduction, #recyclingideas, #greenmanufacturing, #reddit, #industrialrecycling, #sustainablemanufacturing

After a Tesla Cybertruck recall earlier this month warned of wheels potentially falling off vehicles, the latest recall to hit the electric vehicle maker is fairly inconsequential by comparison.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released a recall notice potentially impacting 14,575 Tesla Model Y vehicles that might be missing a sticker. Some of those vehicles, model years 2025 and 2026, may not have received a certification label with weight specifications, which the agency warned may lead customers overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.The problem arose in April when Tesla discovered a vehicle with a missing certification label during a routine internal audit of its Fremont factory in California. The company figured out that its automated vision-scanning tool that verifies the presence of a “properly affixed” certification label wasn’t doing its job very well.The Fremont factory team fixed the automated scanning tool and implemented additional manual checks, secondary measures that were also adopted at Tesla’s Gigafactory in Texas.

Welcome to another episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing, a podcast where I talk to young people about their journeys in manufacturing, how they intend to influence the industry and what they are looking for from an employer.For this episode, I welcome Cooper Maddas, a 26-year-old laser operator at Manufacturing Corporation of America’s MetalPeak facility, which offers broad-spectrum cutting of various metals and thicknesses for multiple industries, including automotive, medical and oil & gas.Maddas got his start in manufacturing in high school and has been working in the industry ever since. At MetalPeak, he operates sheet laser machinery and helps train newer employees.In this episode, Maddas discusses:(1:09) How Gen Z weighs their options in high school(4:49) The real reason people have a negative attitude toward manufacturing(11:15) Why a company’s pitch to the younger generation falls flat(13:43) Gen Z’s non-traditional work preferencesPlease make sure to like and share this episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing. To view previous episodes, visit manufacturing.net. If you are a member of Gen Z and would like to discuss your experience in the manufacturing industry, please get in touch with me, Nolan Beilstein, at [email protected].

Last Thursday, North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson said, "VinFast agreed to build a factory and create jobs for North Carolinians — it didn't do either."The statement accompanied a lawsuit against the EV maker for promises made, but not kept.Jackson filed the lawsuit against VinFast on behalf of the North Carolina Department of Commerce, alleging that the company breached agreements to develop an EV and battery manufacturing facility in Chatham County. Now, the state is trying to reclaim the property so it can find a new partner.About four years ago, the state's Economic Investment Committee awarded a Job Development Investment Grant to VinFast Manufacturing US, LLC. The company promised to create 7,500 jobs and invest more than $3 billion in an EV manufacturing facility. To help make it happen, the North Carolina General Assembly earmarked $450 million to prepare the site and improve transportation, as well as water and sewer infrastructure in the area.#Manufacturing #EV #ElectricVehicles #VinFast #NorthCarolina #FactoryNews #IndustrialNews #ManufacturingNow #Automotive #EconomicDevelopment #BatteryFactory #MadeInAmerica #AutoIndustry #SupplyChain #BusinessNews #ManufacturingIndustry #EVManufacturing #Jobs #IndustryNews #AutomotiveNews

And the owner wants you to “steal” his template. This week, rapid custom manufacturer SendCutSend reached a valuation of $1.01 billion after a $110 million investment from Sequoia, Paradigm, and Patrick and John Collison—the guys who co-founded Stripe.The Reno, Nevada-based company is using the funds to launch a five-year plan to strengthen its American industrial base, which includes a $1 billion commitment to creating new U.S. manufacturing jobs and to domestically produced materials.The company also earmarked more than $250 million to expand existing facilities and establish new manufacturing hubs throughout the country. By merging software-first logic with high-speed domestic production, SendCutSend provides laser cutting, CNC machining, and finishing services with instant-buy access. The company wants to be America's "anything factory," delivering parts in as little as 24 hours.SendCutSend has spent the last eight years working on developing a model that allows users to get an instant quote and quickly begin production.The company said it has been largely bootstrapped until now, primarily funded by $6 million from friends and family. Company founder Jim Belosic believes the time is right to accept investment to meet the speed and volume requirements of a rapidly reindustrializing American economy.#Manufacturing #MadeInAmerica #SendCutSend #Automation #CNC #LaserCutting #IndustrialNews #ManufacturingNow #Reindustrialization #AmericanManufacturing #FactoryTech #ManufacturingIndustry #Startups #IndustrialAutomation #Aerospace #DefenseManufacturing #Robotics #SupplyChain #DataCenters #Innovation

Ohio-based Toledo Mold & Die – a manufacturer of automotive trim and other plastic parts – has become unavoidably ensnared in the unraveling of parent company First Brands.And while it may look like one small component of a big conglomerate, for Ford and Stellantis, it’s a lifeline.When massive auto industry supplier First Brands filed for bankruptcy, the ensuing fallout created gaps in the supply chains of some of the nation’s largest OEMs.Two of those were Ford and Stellantis. As first reported by Plastic News, after unsuccessfully seeking a buyer for the components maker, First Brands said in April that it would begin laying off Toledo Mold & Die’s 600 employees.That is, until a Hail Mary was thrown.At the 11th hour, First Brands revealed that it had found a suitable buyer – TNJ Ohio LLC – but, said Ford Authority, they “needed to keep the lights on long enough to close that deal.”In swooped Ford and Stellantis, who are said to be writing weekly checks to keep the company afloat and retain its workers.But, of course, these automakers aren’t just providing “incremental funding support on a week-to-week basis” out of the goodness of their hearts. These actions speak to how critical some suppliers can be in an automotive supply chain, and why these carmakers can’t afford to just watch from a distance as the lights go out.First Brands is continuing to sell off its assets – the second act in a protracted wind-down process that included closing 17 facilities and laying off 4,000 workers. For its part, Ford is said to have been “paying for parts in advance, in cash, and also funding certain administrative expenses.”#Manufacturing #Automotive #Ford #Stellantis #SupplyChain #AutoIndustry #FactoryNews #IndustrialNews #ManufacturingNow #FirstBrands #OhioManufacturing #Bankruptcy #AutoParts #OEM #SupplyChainCrisis #FactoryWorkers #IndustrialManufacturing #BusinessNews #AutomotiveNews #ManufacturingIndustry

A processing facility has reached a nearly $1 million settlement with neighbors who filed a class-action lawsuit to formally complain about the smells and noises coming from the factory.Prestige Feed Products, which opened in Mount Prospect, Illinois in 2019, uses a process that involves dehydrating raw cheese and soy to make ingredients for animal feed, according to the Daily Herald. One of the company’s products is known as “Cheese Supreme,” which doesn’t sound so bad if you’re talking about a pizza, but much less appetizing when it’s livestock fodder.Nearby residents, businesses and schools said Prestige emitted a “burned cheese” smell, which one plaintiff said made it nearly impossible to enjoy walks, sitting outside or having the windows open. Neighbors also said the facility’s loud industrial fans made it difficult to sleep at night.After hundreds of complaints since 2021, Prestige finally settled with nearby municipalities and shut down last year. And now it has reached a deal with local residents. But the company is still facing a separate lawsuit from the state of Illinois and that one could go to trial.Mary Beth Stillmaker, a plaintiff in the class-action suit, told the publication, “The main thing is that they're gone. A lot of us believe that if we didn't file this class-action lawsuit, they would still be operating and we would all still be suffering.”Prestige Feed Products was incorporated in 2018 and is based in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago. The company said it makes products for the swine, cattle and pet food markets. It currently carries a two-star rating on Google Reviews, with many reviews saying the company is “evil and detestable” and the facility “smells like dog crap.”#Manufacturing #FoodProcessing #FactoryNews #IndustrialNews #ManufacturingNow #CheeseSupreme #Illinois #AnimalFeed #FactoryShutdown #ClassAction #IndustrialOdor #SupplyChain #ProcessingPlant #BusinessNews #IndustryNews #FoodManufacturing #PlantClosure #IndustrialOperations #FactoryLife #ManufacturingIndustry

Two leading manufacturers of bearings plan to merge next year in a deal that would create a new top company in that segment.Japanese companies NSK and NTN said this week that they would be combined under a joint holding company next fall — effectively linking the world’s no. 3 and 4 bearing makers and, according to a report from Nikkei, taking their overall market share past the current top bearing manufacturer, SKF of Sweden.NSK and NTN officials said that combining their businesses would provide additional scale and, in turn, reduce procurement and production costs at a time of rising prices for steel and other materials. Japan’s bearing industry, the report added, is also dealing with sluggish demand from automakers and other industries, and growing competition from China.NSK’s president said that after evaluating potential restructuring or spinoffs, company officials determined that remaining competitive globally would require "realignment in the domestic industry.”An official agreement is slated to be signed in approximately six months’ time; that would go before company shareholders next June, subject to reviews by antitrust regulators both in Japan and abroad. If approved, the new holding company would be established next October.NSK will pick the new company’s president and NTN will select its chair; how they will share ownership of the holding company has not been decided, Nikkei reported.Company officials indicated that following the merger, the combined business will focus its efforts on high-growth markets, such as drone, robot and space applications.#Manufacturing #IndustrialNews #Bearings #NSK #NTN #SKF #AutomotiveIndustry #Robotics #Drones #SpaceIndustry #Japan #GlobalManufacturing #SupplyChain #Engineering #IndustrialAutomation #FactoryNews #BusinessNews #ManufacturingIndustry #IndustrialEngineering #Automation #MaterialsCosts #SteelPrices #IndustrialTechnology #Merger #CorporateNews #IndustrialMarket #ManufacturingTrends #RobotTechnology #Aerospace #TechIndustry

According to the Fayetteville-Cumberland Economic Development Corporation, the plant employed more than 2,100 workers as of February of last year, making it the fifth largest employer in the county.Unfortunately these workers may be coming to the end of the line at Goodyear, as the company revealed that is looking to wind down the facility.According to the Fayetteville Observer, Goodyear is in talks with the United Steelworkers Union on a plan to close the factory by the end of 2027. A company spokesperson said that, despite “extensive efforts” to make the facility competitive, this action is “necessary to strengthen Goodyear’s ability to compete.”Goodyear CEO Mark Stewart, in reporting the company’s dismal Q1 performance early this month, said its $249 million net loss “reflected a challenging environment, marked by weak consumer industry demand.” The business pointed to lower rates of OEM purchasing as well as fewer consumers replacing their tires.Stewart added that “increased pressure on industry demand and higher raw material costs stemming from the conflict in the Middle East” meant the company would “take meaningful actions to strengthen [its] cost structure." CityViewNC described the Fayetteville Goodyear plant as “a relatively rare manufacturing operation in a community with an economy dominated by lower-wage retail, rental, real estate, and service businesses that cater to the military families and defense workers of Fort Bragg, one of the largest military bases in the world.”The facility in Fayetteville is heavily represented by the United Steelworkers, though the union has yet to comment.#Goodyear #Manufacturing #FactoryClosure #NorthCarolina #TireIndustry #Layoffs #UnitedSteelworkers #USW #IndustrialNews #ManufacturingJobs #FactoryWorkers #AutomotiveIndustry #SupplyChain #EconomicImpact #FayettevilleNC #IndustryNews #BusinessNews #AmericanManufacturing #TireManufacturing #FactoryShutdown #LaborNews #AutomotiveManufacturing #OEM #IndustrialEconomy #GoodyearTires #ManufacturingCrisis #Workforce #MadeInAmerica #IndustrialJobs #EconomicDevelopment

Farmers in Central California have grown peaches for Del Monte for generations. But the nearly 140-year-old company recently initiated bankruptcy proceedings and closed two of its processing plants in the state, leaving cultivators with a whole lot of fruit they can’t sell.According to the Independent, the cannery closures in Modesto and Hughson caused hundreds of farm workers to lose work and growing operations to lose lengthy contracts with Del Monte. The impacted farms stand to lose significant revenue, but lawmakers are stepping in to help mitigate the financial burden.A bipartisan group of lawmakers said the USDA has granted their request for aid and will make up to $9 million available to fund the removal of up to 420,000 clingstone peach trees — approximately 3,000 acres — prior to the 2026 harvest season. They said based on USDA’s analysis, removing 50,000 tons of peaches from production could save growers roughly $30 million in projected losses.It sounds like a drastic step to destroy so many peach trees when selling them to wholesale food distributors seems like an obvious solution. But clingstone peaches are typically reserved for canning or making jelly since they are sweet and juicy but very stuck to their pits. Their relatively firm flesh is better equipped to deal with heat and machine processing. Freestone peaches, with flesh that separates much more easily from their pits, are the types of fruit often found in produce sections.Nevertheless, it’s a shocking number of trees to destroy. But, according to the Associated Press, it’s an effect of consumer preferences moving away from canned fruits and vegetables, and toward fresher options. That shift has caused sales to lag for Del Monte’s signature products and forced the company to restructure and pursue a sale of its assets.#DelMonte #Agriculture #CaliforniaFarming #Peaches #FoodIndustry #Manufacturing #USDA #Bankruptcy #FoodProcessing #Farmers #Agribusiness #SupplyChain #CannedFood #FoodManufacturing #California #FruitIndustry #FarmNews #AgricultureNews #FoodProduction #ClingstonePeaches #FreshFood #EconomicImpact #IndustrialNews #FactoryClosures #FoodSupply #Farming #ProduceIndustry #BusinessNews #FoodProcessingPlant #RuralEconomy

Porsche announced plans to shut down three German-based subsidiaries tied to battery technology, e-bikes and software development. The affected businesses include Cellforce Group, Porsche eBike Performance and Cetitech. The luxury automaker said the moves will affect more than 500 jobs.Porsche Executive Board Chairman Michael Leiters described the actions as an “indispensable foundation for a successful strategic realignment.”Cellforce develops lithium-ion pouch cells. However, Porsche said the division no longer offers a “sufficiently viable long-term perspective” under its revised strategy. The automaker expects about 50 workers to lose their jobs.#Porsche #EV #ElectricVehicles #BatteryTechnology #Manufacturing #AutomotiveNews #Germany #Layoffs #Ebike #SoftwareDevelopment #Volkswagen #LuxuryCars #Rimac #Bugatti #EVIndustry #AutoIndustry #TechNews #IndustrialNews #FutureOfMobility #BatteryCells #ElectricBikes #AutomotiveEngineering #Industry40 #BusinessNews #FactoryNews #Engineering #AutomotiveTechnology #ManufacturingNews #Mobility #IndustrialAutomation

SpaceX could invest as much as $119 billion to build its Terafab, a proposed semiconductor manufacturing and computing fabrication facility in Texas, according to local documents tied to a tax abatement request. The Commissioners Court of Grimes County will hold a public hearing on June 3 to consider the deal.The notice states that SpaceX would locate the multi-phase, vertically integrated Terafab at the Gibbons Creek Reservoir and surrounding areas between Austin and Houston. The project’s initial phases could involve up to $55 billion in investment, with total spending potentially reaching $119 billion if additional phases move forward.The project represents a collaboration between SpaceX, Tesla and xAI, all companies in which Elon Musk serves as CEO. According to a social media post shared by Tesla, the Terafab would manufacture 1 terawatt of chip output per year, which the company claimed would exceed the combined output of all global chipmakers.Neither the companies nor local officials announced a timeframe.SpaceX revealed Terafab in March and described it as “the next step towards becoming a galactic civilization.” The company said the plant would make chips for Tesla’s electric vehicles and Optimus humanoid robots, as well as SpaceX spacecraft.Tesla designed the bipedal, autonomous Optimus robot to perform dangerous, repetitive and boring tasks. According to CBS News, Musk said the automaker could begin selling the robot in 2027.As for space travel, the Terafab aligns with SpaceX's broader plans involving solar-powered AI satellites and future space operations.#SpaceX #Tesla #xAI #ElonMusk #Semiconductors #ChipManufacturing #AI #DataCenters #Manufacturing #Texas #TechNews #FactoryOfTheFuture #Terafab #Robotics #Optimus #ArtificialIntelligence #IndustrialAutomation #SemiconductorIndustry #FutureOfManufacturing #Automation #AdvancedManufacturing #SpaceTechnology #Computing #SupplyChain #Gigafactory #MadeInAmerica #SmartManufacturing #TechInnovation #IndustrialNews #Engineering

he world’s largest producer of cane sugar is planning its largest-ever capital expenditure to overhaul a historic — and timeworn — refinery near New Orleans.American Sugar Refining this week broke ground on the first phase of what the company said would be a $785 million project to modernize the   — the largest sugar processing plant in the Western Hemisphere.Initial construction, which is already underway, will build a new $200 million process building by 2028; state and company officials said that modernizing the overall campus’ refining capabilities would allow it to meet future demand, improve reliability, and reduce both water and energy use. Additional phases, officials said, would build on those process improvements, but the announcement did not outline the next steps of the overall project — or a timetable for starting them.ASR said that it anticipates adding 15 jobs to its current workforce of 500. NOLA.com reports that the state’s incentive package for the project included a 80% property tax abatement over 10 years.The Chalmette Refinery began operations at the campus along the Mississippi River in 1909, and it wears the scars of a 117-year history that has included hurricanes, fires and dramatic changes in the sugar market. Its 32 production lines can reportedly produce some 6 million pounds of sugar per day across dozens of product platforms. #manufacturing, #foodsupply, #sugarindustry, #refinery, #infrastructure, #capitalinvestment, #industrialupgrade, #madeinusa, #supplychain, #foodmanufacturing, #energyefficiency, #sustainability, #industrialnews, #businessnews, #louisiana, #economicdevelopment, #manufacturingjobs, #plantmodernization, #operations, #industryupdates

This morning, Corning and NVIDIA announced a multiyear commercial and technology partnership to significantly scale U.S.-based optical connectivity manufacturing and fiber production. To meet accelerating demand for new AI factory buildouts (data centers), Corning will increase optical connectivity capacity by 10x and boost U.S. fiber production by more than 50%. These are the components NVIDIA needs to power next-generation AI infrastructure. To make it happen, Corning will build three new advanced manufacturing facilities in North Carolina and Texas, which are expected to create more than 3,000 new jobs.Corning will manufacture the optical connectivity new hyperscale data centers will use to deploy accelerated computing at scale. Modern AI workloads require thousands of NVIDIA GPUs which in turn demands unprecedented volumes of high-performance optical fiber, connectivity and photonics to move data at extraordinary speed and scale, according to the companies. #manufacturing, #AI, #datacenters, #opticalfiber, #photonics, #NVIDIA, #Corning, #advancedmanufacturing, #supplychain, #semiconductors, #infrastructure, #madeinusa, #factorybuildout, #techmanufacturing, #innovation, #industry40, #automation, #engineering, #futureofwork, #digitalinfrastructure

Hyundai placed a big bet on the future of humanoid robotics within its automotive manufacturing operations and it’s reportedly starting to get impatient with the results so far. In 2021, Hyundai acquired a majority stake in Boston Dynamics for $1.1 billion in a deal designed to “leverage each other’s respective strengths in manufacturing, logistics, construction and automation.” The plan was to create a robotics value chain, from robot component manufacturing to smart logistics solutions while supporting Boston Dynamics’ continued product expansion.Last year, Hyundai promised to make a $21 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing, a capital layout that would be used in part to purchase "tens of thousands of robots" from Boston Dynamics.But according to a new report from Semafor, the robot maker is still only making about four of its Atlas humanoid robots per month. At that rate, it would take more than 200 years to hit the 10,000 robot goal.#Hyundai, #BostonDynamics, #robotics, #automation, #humanoidrobots, #manufacturing, #AI, #industry40, #factoryautomation, #tesla, #toyota, #futureofwork, #smartfactory, #industrialrobots, #technews, #innovation, #roboticsrace, #supplychain, #advancedmanufacturing, #engineering

On Friday, Bridgestone Golf, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Bridgestone Sports, announced plans to close its golf ball manufacturing and testing facility in Covington, Georgia.The closure will be abrupt, with the facility about 45 minutes east of Atlanta closing on June 30, 2026.The plant made up to a billion balls a year, but according to the company, it must optimize its global supply chain to strengthen the foundation of its golf business.Some 86 employees in manufacturing roles will be out of work. Bridgestone Golf will work with local partners to provide access to employment resources.In a statement, the company said, the decision comes after "a thorough assessment of the increasing volatility in global markets and evolving challenges related to supply chain, operational efficiency, and cost management."#manufacturing, #golf, #bridgestone, #supplychain, #factoryclosure, #layoffs, #globalmanufacturing, #offshoring, #businessnews, #industrialnews, #sportsindustry, #economy, #operations, #costcutting, #manufacturingjobs, #industrynews, #marketshare, #logistics, #production, #corporatestrategy

Ford Motor announced its Q1 financial results on Wednesday, and while the automaker experienced a 6% uptick in revenue to $43.3 billion, it also recorded a one-time swing from tariff refunds. Ford's Q1 results include a $1.3 billion one-time IEEPA tariff benefit for tariffs paid from March 2025 to February 2026.Still, challenges remain, like the fallout from the Novelis fire in September. Sherry House, Ford's chief financial officer, provided an update on efforts to get the key aluminum supplier back online.The massive fire at the Novelis plant in New York leveled the plant’s hot mill last year, the facility’s primary aluminum sheet production area. Ford stood to withstand significant losses, and the fire threatened F-150 production.House said Ford will incur $1.5 billion to $2 billion in costs to secure alternatively-sourced aluminum until the Novelis facility is operating at full throughput later this year.House said F-Series sales remain healthy as inventory recovers from the Novelis supply disruption—and the company will have a richer product mix as Novelis ramps production.Chief Operating Officer Kumar Galhotra said Ford still expects the Novelis hot mill to restart and begin to ramp in May. If the relaunch doesn't go according to plan, Ford has contingency plans in place, including additional aluminum supply to make sure production schedules aren't interrupted through the end of the year.Ford's global revenue grew by more than 6% despite a 4% decline in volume, which the automaker expected as it exited low-margin products like the Escape in North America and Focus in Europe.In the U.S., Ford had the highest Q1 revenue share in five years, driven by large utilities and trucks. House also said that Ford's balance sheet remains "strong," with some $22 billion in cash and $43 billion in liquidity.The company raised its full-year adjusted EBIT guidance to $8.5 billion to $10.5 billion, up from $8 billion to $10 billion. However, the guidance does not address the potential impact of sustained conflict in the Middle East or a significant downturn in the U.S. economy, which House said could materially affect industry demand.Ford also expects commodity headwinds of $2 billion, $1 billion higher than previous estimates, largely due to higher aluminum pricing driven by global supply constraints. That figure doesn’t even include Novelis-related aluminum costs.Finally, the impact of ongoing tariffs at Ford remains unchanged, at about $1 billion and is now a part of the automaker's run-rate costs.#Ford, #manufacturing, #automotive, #earnings, #supplychain, #aluminum, #tariffs, #F150, #industrialnews, #businessnews, #OEM, #manufacturingindustry, #economy, #production, #logistics, #globalmanufacturing, #industrynews, #trucks, #marketnews, #operations

Auto parts supplier First Brands will retain 345 employees previously slated for layoffs at its TMD Tiffin facility in Ohio. The company announced in February that it would close the site and cut 407 workers on April 30. It now plans to keep 345 of them through May 31, with the remaining employees losing their jobs as scheduled.The February WARN notice listed impacted employees, which included press operators, production handlers, engineers, maintenance workers and quality control staff.First Brands said the postponement stems from ongoing attempts to sell certain U.S. facilities. These efforts followed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in September 2025, when the company reported more than $10 billion in debt. In January, it launched a process to sell all or parts of the business, including brands such as Autolite spark plugs, Anco windshield wiper blades and FRAM filters.#manufacturing, #autoparts, #firstbrands, #layoffs, #bankruptcy, #accountingscandal, #fraud, #corporategovernance, #businessnews, #industrialnews, #supplychain, #workforce, #ohiojobs, #chapter11, #automotiveindustry, #financialcrisis, #industrynews, #marketnews, #operations, #restructuring

Last September, Gerresheimer's stock plunged after German regulators announced an investigation into potential accounting rule violations and compliance irregularities. The packaging maker's issues started when BaFin, Germany’s federal financial authority, began looking into a potential bill-and-hold scandal. The company may have recognized €35 million in inflated revenues for some contracts before the revenue was actually realized. In February, as the German manufacturer hired a second auditing firm to review accounting irregularities, the company also announced plans to cut costs, including the sale of Centor, its U.S. subsidiary in Ohio which makes packaging systems for dispensing prescription drugs. Gerresheimer also announced plans to close a glass factory in Chicago Heights, Illinois, laying off 172 workers and offshoring production to factories in Italy and India. The layoffs at Gerresheimer Moulded Glass Chicago will take place on September 30, 2026, according to a local report. A company spokesperson told IEN, "The planned closing of our facility in Chicago Heights is one of the measures of our comprehensive transformation program. It is a global program aimed at reducing costs and improving performance, including an optimized utilization of our global production network."After rejecting a takeover bid from U.S. rival Silgan earlier this month, the manufacturer faces heightened scrutiny. According to German financial media company Aktiencheck, BaFin has expanded its investigation even further as it looks into possible misstatements of millions in leasing liabilities, a review of supposed development costs and potentially inaccurate valuations of other company divisions. Still, the company expects to make up to €2.4 billion euros in 2026 fiscal year.#GenZ, #manufacturing, #skilledtrades, #workforce, #futureofwork, #HVAC, #tradesjobs, #careers, #podcast, #manufacturingjobs, #industry40, #automation, #youngprofessionals, #workforcedevelopment, #careergrowth, #training, #education, #techcareers, #industrialcareers, #nextgen

Welcome to another episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing, a podcast that asks young people about their journeys in manufacturing, how they intend to influence the industry and what they are looking for from an employer.For this episode, I welcome Xavier Gonzalez and Jesse Tabango, two HVAC students at Texas State Technical College. We recorded the conversation live at Fluke’s Thought Leadership Day during the company’s Xcelerate conference in Austin, Texas.  In this episode, Gonzalez and Tabando discuss: • (:55) Aspects of skilled trades that attract young people• (5:01) What surprises Gen Z at their first manufacturing job• (7:12) How the Gen Z workforce wants to be trained• (13:16) How young workers view growth and where they find a sense of purpose Please make sure to like and share this episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing. To view previous episodes, visit manufacturing.net. If you are a member of Gen Z and would like to discuss your experience in the manufacturing industry, please get in touch with me, Nolan Beilstein, at [email protected].#GenZ, #manufacturing, #skilledtrades, #workforce, #futureofwork, #HVAC, #tradesjobs, #careers, #podcast, #manufacturingjobs, #industry40, #automation, #youngprofessionals, #workforcedevelopment, #careergrowth, #training, #education, #techcareers, #industrialcareers, #nextgen

A U.S. refrigerator factory will lay off 1,500 employees later this year ahead of a planned production change to laundry appliances including washing machines and dryers.Electrolux, a home appliance manufacturer based in Sweden, announced a retooling at its South Carolina plant as part of a new joint venture agreement with the Midea Group, which will own 45% of the facility. Food preservation production will be phased out by July 2026 and fabric care is expected to start in the first half of 2027.The JV is expected to hire up to approximately 1,200 employees gradually across 2027 and 2028 as laundry appliance production ramps up. According to WYFF, all the laid off employees will be offered severance packages and will be invited back to work in the retooled facility.Electrolux called the shutdown temporary, but said “we recognize the impact this decision will have on our valued employees. We are working closely with state and local agencies to support our employees and, where feasible, assist with placement in alternative roles within the Anderson community.”#manufacturing, #appliances, #electrolux, #midea, #layoffs, #manufacturingjobs, #factoryretooling, #supplychain, #industrialnews, #automation, #globalmanufacturing, #costcutting, #economy, #madeinusa, #southcarolina, #manufacturingindustry, #businessnews, #workforce, #factoryjobs, #industryupdates

JST Corp. is a Japanese company that makes electronic connectors found in nearly every industry, from the automotive and medical markets to robotics, gaming and even amusement. The company’s plant in Guntersville made every cable assembly used in The Las Vegas Sphere.This week, JST announced a new project, a $500 million expansion effort in North Alabama. The move will create 80 new jobs and add 540,000 square feet. The component maker is familiar with expansion projects—it now has more than 70 facilities in 17 countries—but in some cases it has design aspirations that are particular. For example, renderings of JST’s project in Guntersville are striking—the factory looks like rolling hills with a few loading docks. The connector maker wants the new site to incorporate a “natural setting” on the 240-acre property at Conners Island Business Park. More of a peninsula, Conners Island is about 40 minutes southeast of Huntsville.JST said the location is strategic given its proximity to Alabama’s auto manufacturing industry. However, Kevin Lauret, plant manager for the new facility, said the type of property also played a key role. The architectural design is meant to reflect and protect the natural setting adjacent to Lake Guntersville. The company’s development philosophy is heavily influenced by Japanese beliefs that view land and nature as sacred. #manufacturing, #advancedmanufacturing, #industrialdesign, #factorydesign, #sustainability, #greenmanufacturing, #architecture, #industrialarchitecture, #japanesedesign, #innovation, #automation, #supplychain, #automotiveindustry, #economicdevelopment, #madeinusa, #manufacturingjobs, #smartfactory, #engineering, #construction, #futureofwork

It’s clear that the goal of the United States tariffs on automobiles was to give American production a leg up. Adding costs to imports would - theoretically - encourage buyers to favor American-made vehicles, and encourage automakers to, perhaps, reshore their globally produced models.But as with many complex economic questions, the reality is a bit less straightforward – as evidenced by GM’s latest announcement.The Detroit-based automaker, who has long operated three factories in South Korea, revealed last month that it would be investing in Korea further. The goal for GM is to increase production capacity for vehicles that would be exported to U.S. buyers.GM’s Chevrolet Trax and Trailblazer, as well as the Buick Envista and Encore GX are currently produced across three factories in Korea which employ some 12,000 workers and churn out about 460,000 vehicles annually. #Tariffs #ManufacturingNews #AutoIndustry #GeneralMotors #GlobalManufacturing #SupplyChain #Reshoring #Economics #TradePolicy #AutomotiveNews #BusinessStrategy #GlobalTrade #FactoryProduction #IndustryTrends #CostAnalysis #AutoManufacturing #USManufacturing #KoreaManufacturing #MarketForces #EconomicReality

Senior defense officials in the Trump administration approached General Motors and Ford about supporting the U.S. military equipment supply chain, a source told the Detroit Free Press. The anonymous source said the separate conversations with CEOs Mary Barra and Jim Farley took place as early as last year.****Original Post: https://www.ien.com/supply-chain/video/22965095/gm-ford-asked-to-support-us-weapons-supply-chain-as-wars-drain-inventory ****The Pentagon reportedly wants to use the automakers’ workforce and facility capacity to boost weapons production as wars in Ukraine and Iran have strained U.S. inventory. The Wall Street Journal first reported the discussions, noting that officials described the request as a “matter of national security.”The Journal also reported that German manufacturing is shifting toward defense production as the automotive sector combats a slump in demand and growing competition from China, with the government pushing to convert struggling operations into defense contractors.According to the Detroit Free Press, GM and Ford would likely not directly produce weapons but instead make structural components for subcontracting to weapons manufacturers. Relevant capabilities could include casting, stamping, forging and working with plastics and other composites.The conversations remain exploratory with no defined details.#DefenseIndustry #ManufacturingNews #AutoIndustry #Ford #GM #NationalSecurity #SupplyChain #MilitaryProduction #DefenseManufacturing #IndustrialBase #USMilitary #ArsenalOfDemocracy #WarProduction #IndustrialStrategy #Geopolitics #GlobalManufacturing #FactoryCapacity #IndustryTrends #BusinessNews #Production

An attorney preparing to file a federal lawsuit against a Tennessee explosives manufacturer over a deadly 2025 blast alleged this week that the company pushed its production beyond a safe level in an effort to fulfill a Pentagon contract.Darren Richie, who represents the families of two of the 16 people killed in the October explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems, said during a Friday news conference that AES neglected safety hazards to increase production for the $120 million federal contract, the Tennessean reported. He indicated the families intend to file their lawsuit this month and will seek $150 million in damages.The statement came about a week after Tennessee's OSHA (TOSHA) department concluded a six-month investigation into the explosion and cited AES with 100 violations totaling over $3.1 million in penalties. The cited hazards included explosive dust buildup on equipment and workers spraying flammable paint near hot equipment without proper safeguards. The agency said the penalty is the largest in its history.#ManufacturingNews #IndustrialSafety #WorkplaceSafety #OSHA #Explosion #BreakingNews #IndustrialAccident #SafetyViolations #ChemicalSafety #ProcessSafety #WorkplaceHazards #FactoryExplosion #LegalNews #CorporateAccountability #CSB #SafetyFirst #USNews #IndustrialDisaster #Compliance #Engineering

BMW will pull the iX, the automaker’s first dedicated electric SUV, from its U.S. lineup as it shifts focus to a next-generation electric vehicle platform, BMWBlog reported. A spokesperson stated that the company will prioritize upcoming Neue Klasse models, beginning with the iX3 SUV.BMW announced the iX in 2021 and began sales in 2022. The vehicle features an estimated range of up to 364 miles, a bodyshell that includes carbon fiber-reinforced polymer and a starting MSRP of about $75,000. The iX drew mixed reactions, particularly over its interior design, which featured the high-resolution Curved Display, a hexagonal steering wheel and the option to integrate speakers into the seat. Jalopnik reported that BMW sold nearly 51,000 iXs from 2022 to 2025, while BMWBlog noted that the vehicle functioned as both a technological proof-of-concept and a production vehicle.#BMW #ElectricVehicles #EVNews #AutoIndustry #LuxuryCars #AutomotiveNews #EVTransition #FutureOfCars #NeueKlasse #BMWiX #BMWiX3 #CarTech #Innovation #ManufacturingNews #AutoTrends #EVMarket #Sustainability #LuxuryEV #CarLaunch #Mobility

The owner of a New Hampshire mustard company has been sentenced to prison for orchestrating a years-long scheme to send polluted water from his facility into a nearby river.Charles Santich, owner of the Old Dutch Mustard Company, was given an 18-month prison sentence while his company is being forced to pay $1.5 million for violating the Clean Water Act.The Greenville, New Hampshire facility, which makes Old Dutch brand vinegar and mustard products, generates acidic wastewater and stormwater. Without the necessary permit to discharge the polluted water, Old Dutch was required to store it in tanks and have a trucking company haul it away.Instead, Santich in 2015 hired an excavation company to bury a pipe from the Old Dutch Mustard facility to discharge the acidic water in the general direction of the Souhegan River near an abandoned railroad bed. He made sure the discharge point was downstream of continuous environmental monitoring required by the EPA and state of New Hampshire, according to a Justice Department complaint.#EnvironmentalCrime #CleanWaterAct #EPA #WaterPollution #EnvironmentalNews #ManufacturingNews #CorporateAccountability #Pollution #IndustrialWaste #LegalNews #Sustainability #PublicHealth #RiverPollution #Regulations #USNews #EnvironmentalProtection #Compliance #Justice #EcoNews #WasteManagement

Volkswagen of America released its sales figures for Q1 2026 and the results were mixed. Last week the automaker announced that it was going to stop assembling the ID.4 electric SUV in Chattanooga, Tennessee and retool to focus on the next-generation Atlas for model year 2027. Well, now, it's pretty clear why. Top manufacturing news: Slate Auto Raises $650M to Make $25,000 TrucksPodcast: Car Paint Gets Security Detail; Tyson Loses Bacteria Case; Stronger Ban on Chinese CarsBuyers Fret as Average New Car Cost Nears $50,000Wind Turbine Maker Sued After Catastrophic Collapse, Terminated Contracts According to VW's sales figures, the company sold 7,663 ID.4s in Q1 2025. Last quarter told a different tale, with a mere 338 ID.4s sold—a drop of 95.6%. Across the board, sales dipped 16.1% year-over-year, but there were some wins. The Tiguan LWB saw an increase of 55.2% and the Golf R sedan increased 4.7%, though the volumes were so low it was just a 36-unit increase. #Volkswagen #EVNews #ElectricVehicles #AutoIndustry #CarSales #ManufacturingNews #EVMarket #AutomotiveTrends #ID4 #IDBuzz #Atlas #CarMarket #AutoSales #IndustryNews #FutureOfCars #EVTransition #BusinessNews #SupplyChain #AutoIndustryNews #MarketTrends

Yesterday, Volkswagen announced plans to stop assembling the ID.4 electric SUV at its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as the EV market continues to "challenge the industry."Assembly will end quickly. VW says it will stop putting together the ID.4 in mid-April and that's (checks watch) five days away. The automaker will retool to focus on "higher-volume" models and launch the second-generation Atlas for model year 2027. The hope is to have production up and running this summer with vehicles in dealerships by fall. The Atlas is vital to the company's U.S. strategy. It's the automaker's second-best selling model for the past three years. The headwinds facing the EV industry, including the $7,500 federal EV tax credit that expired on September 30, 2025, have forced VW to make "measured decisions throughout the last few years to navigate this unpredictability."#Volkswagen #EVNews #ElectricVehicles #AutoIndustry #ManufacturingNews #EVMarket #SupplyChain #AutoProduction #Chattanooga #TennesseeManufacturing #AutomotiveNews #FutureOfCars #EVTransition #CarManufacturing #IndustryTrends #BusinessStrategy #AutoJobs #FactoryNews #VehicleProduction #Mobility

Firefighters in Ontario, California descended on a massive blaze just after midnight on Tuesday, when a distribution center erupted in flames.Local reports described an “orange glow” as the 1.2 million square foot warehouse burned for hours in a location the size of 11 city blocks, with smoke and flames reportedly visible for miles.The site is owned and operated by supply chain management company NFI Industries, but the warehouse had been leased by CPG giant Kimberly-Clark. It was stocked with paper products like Kleenex, toilet paper and diapers – ready fuel after the building became engulfed.Local law enforcement confirmed that the fire had been deemed “suspicious” due to its rapid spread and apparent evidence that suggested there may have been more than one point of origin. #WarehouseFire #BreakingNews #SupplyChain #Logistics #ManufacturingNews #IndustrialFire #ArsonInvestigation #KimberlyClark #NFIIndustries #FireResponse #EmergencyResponse #DistributionCenter #CPG #Operations #CrisisManagement #BusinessContinuity #Firefighters #USNews #IndustrialAccident #Safety