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Man Acquitted of Automotive Assembly Plant Bombing

Sat, 25 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400

WINDSOR, Ontario, Canada—A janitor accused of having rigged a bomb at the Stellantis assembly plant here in 2021 in opposition to COVID-19 vaccine mandates was acquitted of all charges on July 20.

Honda, Nissan Consider Standardizing Control Units for Software-Defined Vehicles

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 11:00:00 -0400

TOKYO—In an effort to reduce development costs, Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. are talking about standardizing the electronic control units (ECUs) that will be used in future software-defined vehicles (SDVs). The automakers could begin installing the units in vehicles as early as 2029.

Airbus Develops Hybrid-Electric Aircraft System

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400

FARNBOROUGH, England—Engineers at Airbus are leading a joint R&D effort to develop a next-generation electrical system for commercial aircraft.

Schneider Electric, Hitachi Vantara US Plants Earn World Economic Forum Lighthouse Honors

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:00:00 -0400

BOSTON — Two U.S. manufacturing plants were among the 16 facilities recognized in the latest World Economic Forum Global Lighthouse Network cohort, with Schneider Electric's engineer-to-order factory in El Paso, TX, and Hitachi Vantara Manufacturing's storage systems plant in Norman, OK, earning honors for using artificial intelligence and digital technologies to improve factory performance.

PODCAST | Why Lean Manufacturing Fails—and What Leaders Are Missing

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 14:00:00 -0400

Lean manufacturing doesn’t fail because of the tools—it fails when leaders lose touch with the plant floor. Dr. Terra Vanzant-Stern, author of Leaner Manufacturing: How to Make the Lean Production Process Easier, Faster, and More Cost-Effective, explains why trust, engagement and collective intelligence are critical to making lean work.

Adhesive Bonding Problem Leads to Recall of Ford SUVs

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 11:00:00 -0400

DEARBORN, MI—Ford Motor Co. has issued a safety recall involving 288,314 Explorer SUVs after determining that exterior roof rail covers may loosen and detach while the vehicle is moving.

Texas, Indiana and Wisconsin Cited for ‘Automation Readiness’

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 09:00:00 -0400

SANTA ANA, CA—According to a new report, Texas, Indiana and Wisconsinank the highest in manufacturing innovation and automation readiness.

Study: 2025 Tariffs Cost Midwest Manufacturing 41,700 Jobs

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 07:00:00 -0400

DETROIT — Tariffs imposed in 2025 cost Midwest manufacturers an estimated 41,700 jobs, according to a new study from the Midwest Economic Policy Institute and the University of Illinois' Project for Middle Class Renewal.

Archer Unveils Autonomous Aircraft for Commercial and Military Use

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

FARNBOROUGH, England—Archer Aviation and Anduril have developed autonomous vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for defense and commercial applications.

Severe Skills Gap Threatens Future Manufacturing Growth

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:00:00 -0400

SAN FRANCISCO—A new report claims that long-term manufacturing growth in the U.S. depends on workforce development and legislation in Washington.

BIOLASE Expands Manufacturing Capacity for Dental Laser Systems

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 07:00:00 -0400

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. — BIOLASE is investing nearly $1 million to expand manufacturing operations at its Corona, Calif., facility, increasing production capacity for dental laser systems while upgrading manufacturing infrastructure and cleanroom capabilities.

Microdispensing for Medical Device Assembly

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

For medical device assembly, maximum precision in the application of adhesives, coatings, or potting compounds is vital.

VIDEO | Why Manufacturing Data Breaks AI: Jon Sobel Explains the Challenge

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:30:00 -0400

AI promises major gains for manufacturers, but decades of inconsistent factory data, disconnected systems and delayed quality information often stand in the way. Jon Sobel, co-founder and CEO of Sight Machine, explains why organizing and contextualizing production data is the critical first step before AI can deliver meaningful insights.

German Drone Manufacturer to Build Factory in West Virginia

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400

MARTINSBURG, WV—Helsing SE, a German defense company, plans to build a state-of-the-art factory here to mass-produce drones.

Microbot Expands Manufacturing Capacity as Robotic System Adoption Grows

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 07:00:00 -0400

HINGHAM, Mass. — Microbot Medical is expanding manufacturing capacity for its LIBERTY endovascular robotic system through a new agreement with contract manufacturer Sanmina as the company prepares to increase production following growing commercial adoption.

Laser Welder Joins Two Light-Absorbing Plastics

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

New joining and inspection technologies continue to improve manufacturing quality, process control and production efficiency.

Trump Announces 50% Tariffs on Canadian Goods, Impacting Automotive Industry

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 16:48:36 -0400

BIRMINGHAM, Mich. — President Donald Trump has announced 50% tariffs on most Canadian imports, a move that could create new uncertainty for North America's automotive manufacturers and suppliers.

Agility Opens New Facility to Develop Humanoid Technology

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400

FREMONT, CA—Agility Robotics Inc. has opened a new facility here to develop humanoid robots.

Boston Scientific to Combine Light Manufacturing, Global Distribution in Indiana Expansion

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 07:00:00 -0400

INDIANAPOLIS — Boston Scientific plans to invest approximately $138 million in a new Indiana facility that will combine light manufacturing with global medical device distribution, expanding the company's logistics capabilities while supporting production-related operations.

ESCATEC Expands Medical Device Manufacturing Capacity

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:00:00 -0400

LUTTERWORTH, England — ESCATEC has achieved ISO 13485:2016 certification at its UK manufacturing facility, expanding the electronics manufacturing services provider’s ability to support medical device and healthcare OEMs across its global production network.

PODCAST | Manufacturing Leadership Advice That Actually Works on the Plant Floor

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0400

Manufacturing leadership advice often sounds great — until the line goes down at 2 a.m. Julian M. Allen, Jr., manufacturing veteran and author of Operational Leadership Uncensored: Real Talk for Burgeoning Manufacturing Leaders, explains why so many new leaders struggle on the plant floor and what actually earns trust from frontline crews.

Global Robotics Industry Advocates for Common Automation Strategy

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:15:00 -0400

BARCELONA—The Barcelona Declaration on Robotics and Automation 2026 is a global initiative to advance a common policy agenda.

Auto Suppliers Struggle to Remain Competitive

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:45:00 -0400

DETROIT—There are five strategies that suppliers must consider to balance near-term resilience with long-term survival.

Boston Scientific Expands Medical Device R&D in Ireland With €75 Million Investment

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:00:00 -0400

GALWAY, Ireland — Boston Scientific will invest €75 million to expand research and development capabilities at its Galway facility, strengthening the site's role in developing next-generation cardiovascular and medical technologies.

University of Michigan Tackles Industry 5.0 Transformation

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:00:00 -0400

As the Industry 5.0 era transforms manufacturing, academic curriculums and research initiatives must evolve to meet new challenges, demands and opportunities.

VIDEO | How AME Helps Manufacturers Navigate AI on the Factory Floor

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:30:00 -0400

Joe Teague, owner and organizer of the Advanced Manufacturing Expo, explains how AME’s Industry 4.0 Tech Hall will help manufacturers evaluate AI-driven data and production technologies.

Emesent Expands Manufacturing of Autonomous Mapping Systems

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 07:00:00 -0400

BIRMINGHAM, Mich. — Emesent plans to expand manufacturing of its autonomous mapping systems after securing $17 million in new funding to increase production capacity and accelerate development of AI-powered robotics technology.

VIDEO | RhiKnows Targets Production Visibility With AI-Powered Manufacturing Intelligence Platform

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 09:00:00 -0400

In this episode of ASSEMBLY Audible, Alex Wirth of Rhino Tool House discusses the operational challenges that inspired the RhiKnows platform and why manufacturers are increasingly focused on turning disconnected plant-floor data into actionable production intelligence.

Accenture Expands Siemens Manufacturing Software Capabilities

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400

ROME — Accenture has agreed to acquire Industries eXcellence Group, a division of Engineering Group and longtime partner of Siemens Digital Industries, to expand its industrial software, automation and AI capabilities for manufacturers.

Oracle Adds AI Applications for Production Readiness, Kanban Management

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400

BIRMINGHAM, Mich. — Oracle has introduced new AI-powered applications within Oracle Fusion Cloud Supply Chain & Manufacturing (SCM) aimed at improving manufacturing efficiency, production readiness and Kanban management.