factory
Apr 03, 2025
Manufacturing Net
According to data security solutions provider Keepit, the rapid adoption of SaaS applications have outpaced backup and recovery capabilities, leaving business data vulnerable to outages, cyber threats and compliance risks. The average enterprise uses approximately 112 SaaS applications, according to BetterCloud research, so companies onboarding these applications without proper backup and recovery solutions face significant risks.
Additionally, according to Gartner, by 2028, 75 percent of enterprises will prioritize backup of SaaS applications as a critical requirement, compared to just 15 percent in 2024. To address these concerns, Keepit has been developing its data protection platform and now presents some enhancements:
Keepit's approach is made possible by a unique, intelligent, cloud-native, purpose-built architecture. For more information on the company's offerings, visit www.keepit.com
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Battery News
H.C. Starck Tungsten Receives Funding For German Battery Recycling ProjectThe German federal government and the state of Lower Saxony are jointly providing a funding of more than 60 million euros for the construction of a battery recycling plant by H.C. Starck Tungsten in Goslar. According to the subsidiary of Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, the investment required for the planned facility is approximately 340 million euros. Construction of the plant is scheduled to begin in 2027, with an intended processing capacity of 20,000 tons of black mass per year.
The company claims that a newly developed procedure will be used to process the black mass which is created during the mechanical shredding of used batteries after the casing has been removed. The procedure is based on six registered patents and is designed to be more efficient than existing processes. Of the more than 60 million euros in funding, 70 percent will be provided by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and 30 percent by the State of Lower Saxony. The funding as part of the EU Directive on the Resilience of Battery Cell Production is subject to further project approvals and the successful implementation of the planned process on an industrial scale.
Source:https://www.hcstarck.com/foerderung-innovatives-batterie-recycling/factory
07 April 2025
PR Newswire
Aiko Introduces Nebular To Australia: The High-Performance, Ultra-Light Solar Panel For Low-Load RoofsSYDNEY, April 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AIKO, a global leader in solar PV R&D, is bringing its revolutionary Nebular solar module to the Australian market to address one of the biggest challenges in commercial and industrial (C&I) solar—the weight limitations of many rooftops.
For years, businesses with low-load bearing roofs have faced challenges adopting solar, often requiring costly structural reinforcements or being forced to install smaller, less efficient systems. Traditional solar panels can weigh between 20-25kg, which exceeds the load-bearing capacity of many older commercial buildings, lightweight warehouses, and importantly big energy users like cold stores. Nebular from AIKO provides a breakthrough solution, weighing just 8.6kg per panel—60% lighter than standard mono-glass modules—enabling solar installations in places previously deemed unfeasible.
While lightweight panels have been available for some time, Nebular is the first to combine a reinforced standard frame with an innovative glass-free design, allowing seamless installation using conventional mounting systems without the need for costly adhesives or specialised racking. This combination significantly reduces weight and lowers the risk of microcracks and roof damage, particularly on older or lightweight structures.
Inheriting the superior performance advantages of AIKO's proprietary ABC (All Back Contact) technology, Nebular delivers an impressive power output of 440W with efficiency of up to 22%. By eliminating front-side busbars, ABC technology maximises light absorption, ensuring optimal power generation with a best-in-class weight-to-performance ratio.
Beyond commercial rooftops, Nebular opens up new possibilities for solar carports, large-scale shade structures, and public infrastructure projects where traditional panel weight has been a limiting factor. The module's anti-glare properties make it ideal for installations near airports, highways, and urban developments, addressing concerns around solar reflectivity in high-traffic environments. Its enhanced fire resistance ensures compliance with Australia's rigorous safety standards, making Nebular a reliable choice for diverse applications.
Pilot shipments of the panel have just arrived, marking a significant milestone for the local solar industry. AIKO's Head of ANZ, Thomas Bywater said, "Many businesses have been eager to adopt solar but have faced physical and financial barriers due to roof weight limitations. Nebular eliminates this challenge, making high-performance solar accessible to more businesses, helping reduce energy costs, and accelerating Australia's transition to clean energy."
With Nebular, AIKO continues to lead the global solar industry in innovation, ensuring that more businesses and industries can benefit from advanced solar technology without the constraints of traditional modules. By combining lightweight design, cutting-edge efficiency, and enhanced durability, AIKO remains committed to expanding the potential of solar energy and driving the transition toward a more sustainable future.
SOURCE Aikofactory
07 April 2025
Assembly Magazine
New Assembly Plant In Georgia To Make Drones, Create 210 JobsSMYRNA, GA—Flock Safety has opened a new assembly plant here that will create 210 jobs over the next three years.
A $10 million investment, the 97,000-square-foot facility will produce the company’s public safety technology, including license plate readers, security cameras, and drones for first responders. The facility will also refurbish damaged devices and assemble solar panels.
Founded in Georgia in 2017, Flock Safety currently supports more than 250 jobs in the state. Its technology is used by more than 300 law enforcement agencies and 100 businesses across Georgia.
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Returning for its third year, The ASSEMBLY Show South is the premier event for assembly technology, featuring expert-led sessions, product demos, and valuable networking opportunities—all in the heart of Nashville’s thriving manufacturing hub.
Drawing from his own experiences and deep understanding of the technology, Guerster discusses how continuous improvement and innovation can be achieved through AI and machine learning.
Sponsored by:factory
05 April 2025
Battery News
Northvolt Lays Off Most Of Its Staff In SwedenAccording to several media reports, Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt has laid off most of its employees as part of the ongoing insolvency proceedings. Approximately 1,700 employees will remain in Sweden. The company filed for insolvency in March 2025. At the time, Northvolt employed approximately 5,000 people. In November 2024, the battery manufacturer had already filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States.
The measures currently taken are intended to allow operations in Sweden to continue at a reduced level. According to the bankruptcy trustee, an agreement has been reached with key creditors and stakeholders. Specifically, ariund 1,200 of the original 3,000 jobs at the battery manufacturerʼs main plant in Skellefteå, Sweden, will be preserved. Foreign projects, such as the planned German battery production in Heide, will reportedly not be affected by the latest job cuts.
Sources:https://news.bloomberglaw.com/bankruptcy-law/northvolt-cuts-workforce-to-1-700-as-part-of-bankruptcy-processhttps://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/northvolt-bankruptcy-trustee-secures-agreement-scaled-down-operation-2025-03-31factory
04 April 2025
Aviation Week Network-Factory
Flight Friday: What Next For The Big Three U.S. Legacy Carriers?With MRO Americas in Atlanta imminent, this week’s Flight Friday looks at the big three U.S. legacy carriers American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.
The combined utilization (cycles) for the big three U.S. operators at the start of 2025 is around 10% greater than equivalent months back in 2019, however not all operators’ utilization is equal.
For total main line utilization in 2019, American Airlines accounted for over 36% of all flights. Since 2019, American has grown its fleet by 7% to around 990 aircraft. However, American utilization is only just above equivalent 2019 utilization at the start of 2025 but was 10% higher during parts of 2024. As a result, American have lost a small amount of utilization “market share” and now accounts for just 35% of all flights for the first few months of 2025.
Delta back in 2019 accounted for over 37% of all combined flights between the big three. Fast forward to 2025 and—even with an increased fleet size of almost 8% to around 970 aircraft, and even though Delta is flying 5% more flights in 2025 compared to 2019—Delta’s utilization “market share” has dropped down below 35%.
United has made the most ground. Back in 2019, United had the smallest fleet of the three, below 800. However, an aggressive fleet expansion to over 1,000 aircraft has created a significant change in the composition of its utilization. United is up 30% when compared to equivalent number of flights back in 2019, which has also led to United gaining in utilization “market share” from 26% in 2019 to 30% in 2025.
While 2025 has started a little rocky, with all three making statements cutting their outlook for 2025, we shall wait to see what happens for the remainder of the year.
This data was put together using Aviation Week’s Tracked Aircraft Utilization database.factory
04 April 2025
Property Forum
Key Business Sector Becomes Top Logistics Occupier In RomaniaE-commerce companies are now among the top 5 occupiers of logistics spaces in Romania, utilising approximately 1 million sqm of industrial and logistics facilities, finds a report by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.
The report indicates that Romania is becoming a key logistics hub in CEE, benefiting from its strategic location and competitive costs. This growth is particularly notable in areas such as Bucharest-Ilfov region, Timișoara, Cluj-Napoca, and Brașov.
This substantial demand is influencing logistics and construction costs, while the sector's labour costs remain competitive compared to other European countries, offering a considerable advantage for investors.
The Romanian e-commerce market reached €7.7 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at an annual rate of 7.5% through to 2029. This expansion is driving retailers and e-commerce operators to extend their distribution networks to meet rising consumer demand and improve delivery times.
“Romania is among the European countries with the fastest-growing online commerce, a phenomenon which creates an acute need for modern logistics infrastructure. Retailers and e-commerce operators are expanding their distribution networks to meet consumer demand and improve delivery times," said Ștefan Surcel, Head of Industrial Agency Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.
In 2024, the number of online shoppers increased significantly, reaching 10.2 million people, representing 55% of internet users in Romania.
It is estimated that Romania's e-commerce market will generate €47.8 billion between 2025 and 2029 the projected fastest-growing categories include grocery, home appliances, beauty, auto & moto and hobbies.factory
04 April 2025
PV Magazine
Solx Announces Puerto Rico’S First Solar Module FactoryFrom pv magazine USA
Solx, a US-owned and operated solar manufacturer, said it will open Puerto Rico’s first solar module manufacturing facility.
The factory will open in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico with an initial $25 million initial investment. It is located at a former Hewett-Packard site. The facility will have an initial 1 GW of output.
A company spokesperson told pv magazine USA it will produce 72-cell n-type modules for the utility-scale market. Solx has plans to expand and manufacture residential solar panels in 2027.
This year’s offering will include a 625 W module, which the company said will supply “as a turn-key OEM to a soon to be announced partner.”
Solx said it will partner with Origami Solar to source steel frames for the modules, which will include a large-format G12 module.
“At Solx, we’re obsessed with quality and we are entering the module manufacturing space with a clear mission: to produce durable and high-performing modules for Puerto Rico and other extreme weather-prone US regions,” said James Holmes, chief executive officer of Solx.
Solx said construction of the facility will create more than 200 new jobs, with an estimated total of 600 or more jobs projected across logistics, supply chain and supporting industries. In total, the project’s $64 million investment is expected to provide an economic boost to Puerto Rico, while supporting 100% domestic manufacturing.
The company has not yet disclosed the cell provider for the module assembly plant.
“Solx is a prime example of Puerto Rico’s ability to lead the national reshoring effort,” said Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González Colón. “We will continue to support investments that strengthen our economy while helping to build the energy solutions our people and businesses urgently need.”
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.powerplant
04 April 2025
Assembly Magazine
Toyota Maintains Top Automotive Spot In Annual U.S. Patent RankingParts come from 200 suppliers and are delivered in standardized blue plastic boxes, which travel back and forth between suppliers and the plant.
Photo courtesy Toyota Motor Corp.
ANN ARBOR, MI—For the 11th consecutive year, Toyota has secured more patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) than any other automotive company, according to the annual report by the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO). Toyota also remains in the top 10 among all patent recipients with 2,428 U.S. patents in 2024.
Toyota earned patents in dozens of areas this past year, including cybersecurity, driver assist technology, edge computing, electric and fuel cell vehicles, mobility as a service, manufacturing, materials, robotics, telematics, and vehicle-to-vehicle connectivity.
“Toyota is evolving into a mobility company, and the breadth and depth of our patent acquisitions exemplify the wide range of invention that is taking place at our company,” said Sandra Phillips, senior vice president for enterprise integrity, chief sustainability officer and chief legal officer at Toyota Motor North America.
Patents issued to Toyota in 2024 include:
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Returning for its third year, The ASSEMBLY Show South is the premier event for assembly technology, featuring expert-led sessions, product demos, and valuable networking opportunities—all in the heart of Nashville’s thriving manufacturing hub.
Drawing from his own experiences and deep understanding of the technology, Guerster discusses how continuous improvement and innovation can be achieved through AI and machine learning.
Sponsored by:factory
04 April 2025
Manufacturing Net
U.S. Energy Department Invites Ai Data Center Development At Los Alamos, Other Federal LandsThe U.S. Department of Energy said it has identified 16 federal sites, including storied nuclear research laboratories such as Los Alamos, where tech companies could build data centers in a push to accelerate commercial development of artificial intelligence technology.
The sites are “uniquely positioned for rapid data center construction, including in-place energy infrastructure with the ability to fast-track permitting for new energy generation such as nuclear,” the agency said in a statement Thursday.
The move follows an executive order signed in January by outgoing President Joe Biden that sought to remove hurdles for AI data center expansion in the U.S. while also encouraging those data centers, which require large amounts of electricity, to be powered with renewable energy.
While President Donald Trump has since sought to erase most of Biden's signature AI policies, he made clear after returning to the White House that he had no interest in rescinding Biden's data center order.
“I’d like to see federal lands opened up for data centers," Trump said in January. "I think they’re going to be very important.”
The lands identified as potential sites include a number of national laboratories, such as the New Mexico-centered Los Alamos and Sandia laboratories and Oak Ridge in Tennessee.
While the tech industry has long relied on data centers to run online services, from email and social media to financial transactions, new AI technology behind popular chatbots and generative AI tools requires even more powerful computation to build and operate.
A report released by the Department of Energy late last year estimated that the electricity needed for data centers in the U.S. tripled over the past decade and is projected to double or triple again by 2028 when it could consume up to 12% of the nation’s electricity.
The United States, under both presidents, has been speeding up efforts to license and build a new generation of nuclear reactors to supply carbon-free electricity.
While Biden's executive order focused on powering AI infrastructure with clean energy sources such as “geothermal, solar, wind, and nuclear,” Thursday's statement from Trump's energy department focused only on nuclear. But in a lengthy request for information sought from data center and energy developers, the agency outlines a variety of electricity sources available at each site, from solar arrays to gas turbines.factory
04 April 2025
Manufacturing Net
Sweeping Trump Tariffs Shock Global Economy, Drawing Threats And Calls For TalksFRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — United States President Donald Trump's sweeping new tariffs on American imports shocked governments and investors around the world, swiftly spurring both threats of retaliation and calls for negotiation as industries scrambled and global stocks tumbled.
China accused the U.S. of "bullying" and the European Union promised "robust" countermeasures, with French officials suggesting taxes to hit U.S. tech giants.
Yet the United Kingdom and Japan, among others, expressed hope for a deal with Trump and refrained from talk of retaliation against the world's biggest economy, fearing that slapping their own tariffs on American goods would only make things worse.
Trump imposed a 34% levy on goods from China on top of an earlier 20% tariff, as well as a 20% tariff on the EU, 24% on Japan and 25% on South Korea.
Trump has described the import taxes, ranging from 10% to 49%, as a way to reverse unfair treatment by American trading partners and draw factories and jobs back home.
Setting off for Florida from the White House on Thursday, he struck an optimistic note. "I think it's going very well."
"The markets are going to boom, the stock is going to boom and the country is going to boom," Trump said.
China already announced retaliatory measures
China, a key exporter to the U.S. of everything from clothing to kitchenware, has already announced a raft of retaliatory measures expected to raise prices for U.S. consumers.
"There are no winners in trade wars and tariff wars," China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said. "It's clear to everyone that more and more countries are opposing the unilateral bullying actions of the U.S."
French President Emmanuel Macron met with representatives from key commercial sectors affected by the tariffs, like wines and spirits, cosmetics and aircraft, after urging businesses to suspend all investments in the U.S. "What would be the message of having major European players investing billions of euros in the American economy at a time when they're hitting us?" Macron asked.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen denounced Trump's levies as a "major blow to the world economy" but held off announcing new countermeasures. She said the commission — which handles trade issues for the 27 EU member countries — was "always ready" to talk.
Analysts say there's little to be gained from an all-out trade war, since higher tariffs can restrain growth and raise inflation.
"Europe will have to respond, but the paradox is that the EU would be better off doing nothing," said Matteo Villa, a senior analyst at Italy's Institute for International Political Studies.
"Trump seems to understand only the language of force, and this indicates the need for a strong and immediate response," Villa said. "The hope, in Brussels, is that the response will be strong enough to induce Trump to negotiate and, soon, to backtrack."
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told Italian state TV on Thursday that she hoped for exactly that.
"We need to open an honest discussion on the matter with the Americans, with the goal — at least from my point of view— of removing tariffs, not multiplying them,'' Meloni said.
Next target could be U.S. tech companies
Europe's strategy so far has been to limit retaliation to a few politically sensitive goods, like whiskey and Harley-Davidson motorcycles, in an attempt to push the U.S. to the negotiating table.
Economists say that Europe could broaden the trade war to the vast services sector by targeting Big Tech — a category more vulnerable to retaliation because the U.S. exports more than it imports.
The EU response could include a tax on U.S. digital giants such as Google, Apple, Meta, Amazon and Microsoft, as French officials have recommended.
Outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the EU "must show that we have strong muscles." But he expressed no appetite for sparking an all-out trade war that could hobble the bloc's export-dependent economy.
"An agreement," he said, "is best for prosperity in the U.S., for prosperity in Europe and for prosperity in the world."
British Prime Minister Kier Starmer said his government would react with "cool and calm heads," telling business leaders in London that he hoped to strike a trade deal with the U.S. that would see the tariffs rescinded.
"Nobody wins in a trade war, that is not in our national interest," Starmer said.
Japan, the biggest foreign investor in the U.S. and its closest ally in Asia, plans to assess the impact of the tariffs, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said, displaying a more conciliatory approach.
'Blow to the world economy'
The round of tariffs jolted financial markets, with the U.S. Standard & Poors 500 off 3.7% in afternoon trading.
The STOXX Europe 600 index fell 2.7% and a 2.8% drop in Tokyo's benchmark led losses in Asia. Oil prices sank more than $2 a barrel. Analysts fished for superlatives to convey the disruption to the global trading order as Trump's announcement overturned decades of efforts to lower tariffs through free trade agreements and negotiations.
"The magnitude of the rollout — both in scale and speed — wasn't just aggressive; it was a full-throttle macro disruption," Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said.
With an average tariff of 25%-30%, the highest since the early 20th century, the U.S. has initiated a "radical policy reordering,"said Deutsche Bank's Jim Reid.
The head of the World Trade Organization warned that U.S. protectionist measures will likely cause global trade volumes to drop by about 1% this year.
"I'm deeply concerned about this decline and the potential for escalation into a tariff war with a cycle of retaliatory measures that lead to further declines in trade," said WTO Director-General Ngozi Iweala-Okonjo.
Higher prices loom
The tariffs are not paid by the foreign countries they target, but by the U.S.-based companies that buy the goods to sell to Americans.
Now companies must decide whether to absorb the new taxes or pass them on to consumers in the form of higher prices.
The makers of Italy's Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, for instance, say the new tariffs mean U.S. consumers will pay more for their crumbly pasta topping.
"Americans continued to choose us even when the price went up" after an earlier round of Trump tariffs in 2019, said Nicola Bertinelli, president of the Parmigian Reggiano Consortium. "Putting tariffs on a product like ours, only increases the price for American consumers, without protecting local producers."
The Consumer Brands Association, which represents big food companies like Coca-Cola and General Mills as well as consumer product makers like Procter & Gamble, warned that although its businesses make most of their goods in the U.S., they now face tariffs on critical ingredients — like wood pulp for toilet paper or cinnamon — that must be imported because of domestic scarcity.
"We encourage President Trump and his trade advisors to fine-tune their approach and exempt key ingredients and inputs in order to protect manufacturing jobs and prevent unnecessary inflation at the grocery store," said Tom Madrecki, the association's vice-president of supply chain resiliency.
On a Pacific island, incomprehension
A eye-popping 29% tariff imposed on Norfolk Island came as a shock to the remote South Pacific outpost's 2,000 inhabitants, particularly as its governing nation, Australia, was hit with a far lower tariff of 10%.
"To my knowledge, we do not export anything to the United States," Norfolk Island Administrator George Plant, the Australian government's representative on the island, said Thursday. "We're scratching our heads here."
Vladimir Putin's Russia, meanwhile, was left off Trump's list.factory
04 April 2025Property Forum
Poland’S Industrial And Logistics Market Maintains Steady GrowthMore than 2.6 million sqm of industrial and logistics space was delivered across Poland in 2024. While this was below the new supply levels recorded in previous years, the Polish market remains in good shape. Vacancy rates edged down, with development activity driven by demand coming from retail and 3PL, according to BNP Paribas Real Estate Poland’s latest report.
The market continues to grow steadily
In 2024, following a period of stagnation, Poland’s economy posted solid annual GDP growth of 3.0%, which had a positive impact on the industrial and logistics sector. The country’s commercial real estate market benefits from its strategic geographical position, robust infrastructure and competitive operating costs.
At the end of the fourth quarter of 2024, Poland’s industrial and logistics stock stood at 34.5 million sqm across 14 regions. Last year’s new deliveries surpassed 2.6 million sqm. Although this figure was lower than in previous years, the market maintains strong momentum. The largest volumes of new space were delivered in Lower Silesia (625,000 sqm), Warsaw I & II (a total of 454,000 sqm) and Central Poland (343,000 sqm).
“Last year’s new supply was almost on par with the pre-pandemic average, indicating a return to a more sustainable growth pace. On the demand side, 2024 ended with 5.8 million sqm of warehouse lease transactions, marking a 4% increase year-on-year and surpassing the 5 million sqm mark for the fifth consecutive year. Take-up was dominated by new leases and expansions, accounting for approximately 58% of all transactions, while the remaining 42% came from renewals – highlighting companies’ strong focus on stabilisation and optimisation strategies”, says Ludwika Korzeniowska, Head of Industrial and Logistics, BNP Paribas Real Estate Poland.
Retail sector leads take-up
Total take-up for the fourth quarter of 2024 exceeded 2 million sqm, a 7% rise year-on-year. Leasing activity was strongest in Poland’s three core regions: Warsaw II (504,000 sqm), Central Poland (365,000 sqm) and Upper Silesia (257,000 sqm). The largest transactions of the final quarter saw BSH Appliances lease 73,000 sqm at Panattoni Park Rzeszów West and Oponeo extend its 73,000 sqm lease at Hillwood Stryków II, where it also took an additional 33,000 sqm of warehouse space.
Retail and 3PL led leasing activity in the October-December period, accounting for 34% of all deals, followed by e-commerce with an 11% share. However, in 2024 as a whole, the retail sector overtook logistics as the most active tenant group.
Supply shrinks as vacancy rates edge down
The industrial and logistics development pipeline contracted over the quarter to just over 1.75 million sqm at the end of December 2024. This slowdown in construction is a notable trend both in Poland and worldwide.
The highest concentration of development activity is in Lower Silesia, with the largest projects underway being Building 3 of P3 Wrocław, totalling 92,000 sqm, followed by GLP Wrocław V Logistics Centre, which is set to deliver 67,000 sqm of new space upon completion. Meanwhile, the key project in the pipeline in Central Poland is the 59,000 sqm Tuszyn Industrial Park.
The top regions for new industrial and logistics deliveries in the fourth quarter of 2024 were Lower Silesia (252,000 sqm), Warsaw II (143,000 sqm) and Central Poland (50,000 sqm).
The recent downturn in new industrial and logistics completions pushed the overall vacancy rate down to 7.5% in the fourth quarter of 2024, down by 0.5 pp from the previous quarter but up by 0.1 pp year-on-year. The highest vacancy rates were recorded in the West (17.4%), Warsaw I (10.9%) and Central Poland (9.7%), while the lowest were in Opole (2.4%), Szczecin (2.8%) and Kraków (3.1%).
BNP Paribas Real Estate Poland forecasts steady industrial and logistics demand throughout 2025, driven primarily by e-commerce, 3PL and manufacturing. Vacancy rates are expected to decline further, stabilising at around 6-7%.
Data centre market growth
Poland’s data centre market is experiencing rapid growth, attracting both domestic operators and global tech leaders. At the end of 2024, Poland had over 120 data centres, a number expected to triple by 2030.
“The Warsaw region has emerged as the most attractive area for data centre development as it benefits from its strategic location, stable economy and growing demand for cloud services and AI applications. Equally important is the development of energy and telecommunications infrastructure, the availability of modern fibre optic networks and rising investments in renewable energy, further strengthening Poland’s competitiveness”, says Robert Pawłowski, Director, Industrial and Logistics Department, BNP Paribas Real Estate Poland.
Despite this fast-paced growth, Poland’s data centre sector faces several challenges, particularly the need to secure reliable and greater power supplies and the scarcity of land for new projects, especially in the Warsaw region.
Growth in salaries and job postings in logistics
According to Grafton Recruitment’s Corporate Salary and Trends report, 2024 saw an increase in job postings in logistics, with demand for logistics professionals outpacing that reported for other sectors.
This growth highlights the growing role of Poland in global supply chains. In 2024, salary growth in logistics varied across roles, with the fastest increases seen for customs agents and warehouse management specialists. Notable salary increases were also recorded for transport dispatchers and logistics specialists. Pay differences stem from the rising demand for skills key to efficient supply chain management and warehouse operations.factory
04 April 2025Industry Week
Lights Out, Tariff Tangle And Raising A Constitutional Question: Iw'S Weekly ReadsWe talk lights-out factories in the age of AI, more controversy at the NLRB and, of course, tariffs in the first IW Weekly Reads for April 2025. Without further ado, the top content over the past seven days is as follows:
D.C. Appeals Court Issues Ruling in Trump’s Favor: NLRB to Lack Quorum Again: The constitutional question of the president’s ability to fire members of independent agencies may go on to the Supreme Court.
We Need More Than Tariffs to Save US Aluminum: Reliance on volatile electricity markets and expensive fossil fuels has left our domestic industry in a dire position.
Is Getting an AI Agent for Your Machine Tools a Good Idea? Agentic AI could redefine what’s possible at “lights-out” factories. Human labor may suffer…but not the way you might think.
Domestic Manufacturing, Onshoring in the Age of Tariffs and Trade Wars: See how Trump's tariff strategy affects American manufacturers, from established companies like Warwood Tool to newcomers like Hard Head Veterans.
How Do You Build a Strong Leadership Culture: It's one of manufacturing's critical differentiators, but most CEOs and senior executives don't know how to get there.
Trump Unveils Sweeping Global Tariffs: "This is Liberation Day," Trump said, adding that it would "forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America's destiny was reclaimed."
3 Manufacturers, 3 Takes on Tariff Uncertainty: U.S.-based manufacturing leaders with production in Mexico, Canada and overseas share how they’ve been strategizing around and coping with weeks of huge, sometimes-conflicting policy announcements.
Navigating Cost Pressures: Strategic Insights for Manufacturers: Uncertainty and critical challenges require a shift from reactive to proactive planning.
As Tariffs Concerns Grow, Where Is the USMCA? Dispute resolution mechanisms and a looming review in 2026 may shape the future of North American trade.
US Manufacturing Shrinks in March on Uncertain Tariff Picture: The Institute for Supply Management manufacturing index slipped to 49.0% last month, a 1.3 percentage point fall from February.factory
04 April 2025Manufacturing Net
Stellantis Temporarily Lays Off 900 U.S. EmployeesAutomaker Stellantis is temporarily halting production at a plant in Canada and a plant in Mexico shortly after President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on imported vehicles. The move will result in the temporary layoff of 900 U.S. employees.
Stellantis, which owns car brands like Jeep, Citroën and Ram, said Thursday it will be temporarily pausing production at the Windsor assembly plant in Canada for for the weeks of April 7 and 14. Operations will resume at the facility the week of April 21.
The company will also be temporarily pausing production at the Toluca assembly plant in Mexico for the month of April, starting on April 7.
Due to the production pause, there will be temporary layoffs at the Warren and Sterling stamping plants in Michigan and at the Indiana and Kokomo transmission plants and Kokomo casting facility in Indiana.
Stellantis plans to continuously monitor the situation to determine if further action is necessary.
In a email from North American Chief Operating Officer Antonio Filosa sent to employees, Filosa said that Stellantis will quickly adapt to the policy changes imposed by Trump. He noted that the actions that the company is taking "are necessary given the current market dynamics."
"We understand that the current environment creates uncertainty," Filosa wrote. "Be assured that we are very engaged with all of our key stakeholders, including top government leaders, unions, suppliers and dealers in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, as we work to manage and adapt to these changes."
Late last month Trump said he was placing 25% tariffs on auto imports, a move the White House claimed would foster domestic manufacturing but could also put a financial squeeze on automakers that depend on global supply chains. Later Thursday, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada will match U.S. President Donald Trump's 25% auto tariffs with a tariff on vehicles imported from the United States.
Stellantis has also been dealing with some of its own challenges. In December CEO Carlos Tavares stepped down amid an ongoing struggle with slumping sales.
Stellantis' North American operations had been the company's main source of profits for some time, but struggles piled up last year, with the company citing rising competition and larger market changes.
In efforts to revive sales, Stellantis previously made a number of leadership changes in October, which included naming new heads of operations in North America and Europe.
In January the company announced plans to reopen an assembly plant in Illinois and build the next generation Dodge Durango in Detroit as it looked to resolve issues with the UAW.factory
04 April 2025Manufacturing Net
Gap Reports Reduced Injuries, Increased Morale With Boston Dynamics' Mobile Warehouse RobotSpecialty apparel company Gap Inc. announced the results of deploying Stretch, Boston Dynamics' automated mobile manipulation robot, in its warehouses. The company wanted to assess the robot's ability to move a variety of boxes that contain items like denim jeans and T-shirts.
According to Gap, Stretch allows one to two inbound department employees to process 10,000 cases daily, a task that typically requires 12 to 15 workers. The company also reported reduced injuries, lowered turnover and increased employee morale.
Boston Dynamics Field Applications Engineer Brian Mackenzie explained that an operator can walk Stretch into a container, where the robot operates on its own. He added that the robot uses machine learning and its vision to detect the cases, ceiling and walls and uses a vacuum gripper to pick up boxes and place them on a conveyor.
Stretch can also detect labels on boxes and position them correctly on the conveyor, which allows the scanners downstream to properly receive the box.
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Boston Dynamics Senior Field Applications Engineer Maddie Pero said new users typically learn to drive Stretch in under 10 minutes, understand how to guide the robot into a container and begin picking within one hour and complete certification in two days.
Gap Operations Supervisor Jimmy Hesson emphasized the robot's impact on the inbound team, who lift boxes that average 30 pounds and throw about 3,000 cartons per day.
"Me and my team were apprehensive about how the robots fit in to what we do," Hesson said. "I have a very tenured team who has been in inbound for quite a while, and they recognized that Stretch was going to add to their longevity and how long they could stay in the inbound department."
Gap said it plans to scale the Stretch product, adding to its existing operations in Tennessee, Ohio, New York and California.
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04 April 2025Manufacturing Net
China Imposes 34% Tariff On Imports Of All U.S. Products Starting April 10BANGKOK (AP) — China announced Friday that it will impose a 34% tariff on imports of all U.S. products beginning April 10, part of a flurry of retaliatory measures following U.S. President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" slate of double-digit tariffs.
The new tariff matches the rate of the U.S. "reciprocal" tariff of 34% on Chinese exports that Trump ordered this week.
The Commerce Ministry in Beijing also said in a notice that it will impose more export controls on rare earths, which are materials used in high-tech products such as computer chips and electric vehicle batteries.
Included in the list of minerals subject to controls was samarium and its compounds, which are used in aerospace manufacturing and the defense sector. Another element called gadolinium is used in MRI scans.
China's customs administration said it had suspended imports of chicken from some U.S. suppliers after detected furazolidone, a drug banned in China, in shipments from those companies.
Separately, it said had found high levels of mold in the sorghum and salmonella in poultry meat from some of the companies. The announcements affect one company exporting sorghum, C&D Inc., and four poultry companies.
Additionally, the Chinese government said it had added 27 firms to lists of companies subject to trade sanctions or export controls.
Among them, 16 are subject to a ban on the export of "dual-use" goods. High Point Aerotechnologies, a defense tech company, and Universal Logistics Holding, a publicly traded transportation and logistics company, were among those listed.
Beijing also announced it filed a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization over the tariffs issue.
"The United States' imposition of so-called 'reciprocal tariffs' seriously violates WTO rules, seriously damages the legitimate rights and interests of WTO members, and seriously undermines the rules-based multilateral trading system and international economic and trade order," the Commerce Ministry said.
"It is a typical unilateral bullying practice that endangers the stability of the global economic and trade order. China firmly opposes this," it said.
Other actions include the launch of an anti-monopoly investigation into DuPont China Group Co., a subsidiary of the multinational chemical giant, and an anti-dumping probe into X-ray tube and CT tubes for CT scanners imported from the U.S. and India.
In February, China announced a 15% tariff on imports of coal and liquefied natural gas products from the U.S. It separately added a 10% tariff on crude oil, agricultural machinery and large-engine cars.
Dozens of U.S. companies are subject to controls on trade and investment, while many more Chinese companies face similar limits on dealings with U.S. firms.
The latest tariffs apply to all products made in the U.S., according to a statement from the Ministry of Finance's State Council Tariff Commission.
While friction on the trade front has been heating up, overall relations are somewhat less fractious.
U.S. and Chinese military officials met this week for the first time Trump took office in January to shared concerns about military safety on the seas. The talks held Wednesday and Thursday in Shanghai were aimed at minimizing the risk of trouble, both sides said.factory
04 April 2025Manufacturing Net
Hyundai To Buy 'Tens Of Thousands Of Robots' From Boston DynamicsLast week, Hyundai Motor Group announced a $21 billion investment in U.S. operations from 2025 to 2028, including some $6 billion earmarked for strategic partnerships with U.S. companies.
As part of this new investment, Hyundai will purchase "tens of thousands of robots" from Boston Dynamics, according to the robot maker. As part of the partnership, the carmaker plans to help Boston Dynamics scale over the course of the next few years by integrating its manufacturing capabilities. Together, the two hope to create one of the biggest manufacturers of advanced mobile robots in the world.
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Hyundai motor acquired a majority interest in Boston Dynamics in 2021 from SoftBank, which still owns 20% of the robot maker. At the time, Hyundai hoped to leverage its manufacturing, logistics, and automation knowhow to create a robotics value chain.
Hyundai already uses Boston's Spot—the company's agile mobile robot that resembles a robotic dog—for industrial inspection and predictive maintenance at its facilities. The automaker also plans to deploy Atlas, Boston’s humanoid robot, across its factories in the future. About a year ago, Hyundai embarked on an effort to test the latest version of Atlas to help build "the next generation of automotive manufacturing capabilities."
During a recent all-employee town hall at Boston Dynamics, Jaehoon Chang, vice chair of Hyundai Motor Group, said Boston Dynamics and robotics AI will play a crucial role in achieving the company's goal of changing the way vehicles are made. "Physical AI and humanoid robots will transform our business landscape to the next level," Chang said. "Through our collaboration, we will expedite the process to achieve leadership in the robotics industry."
According to Goldman Sachs, the humanoid robotics market will grow to more than $38 billion by 2035.
"The opportunity for advanced robots in the mobility industry is massive," said Boston Dynamics CEO Robert Playter. He said Hyundai Motor Group will become Boston's biggest customer and help build new AI policies. The partnership will also provide access to Hyundai's vast commercial network, establishing new customers for products like warehouse robot Stretch, and entering multi-lateral agreements through which the companies deliver robots, trucks, and EVs together.
Late last week, when Hyundai celebrated the grand opening of the company's $7.6 billion EV factory in Georgia, Metaplant America, Spot gave demonstrations to VIP guests. The robot pup will be used for exterior quality inspection in the Metaplant's weld shop. Atlas, the electric humanoid robot, will also be deployed at the plant in the future.
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WEBVTTX-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:000:00.200 --> 00:06.449Last week, Hyundai Motor Group announced a $21billion investment in US operations from00:06.449 --> 00:13.3592025 to 2028, including some $6 billionearmarked for strategic partnerships00:13.359 --> 00:14.590with US companies.00:14.840 --> 00:21.159As part of this new investment, Hyundai willpurchase tens of thousands of robots from00:21.159 --> 00:23.920Boston Dynamics, according to the robot maker.00:24.273 --> 00:29.273As part of the partnership, the carmaker plansto help Boston Dynamics scale over the course00:29.273 --> 00:33.263of the next few years by integrating itsmanufacturing capabilities.00:33.472 --> 00:39.022Together, the two hope to create one of thebiggest manufacturers of advanced mobile robots00:39.272 --> 00:42.452in the world.Hyundai Motor acquired a majority interest in00:42.452 --> 00:47.833Boston Dynamics in 2021 from SoftBank, whichstill owns 20% of the robot maker.00:48.155 --> 00:51.706At the time, Hyundai hoped to leverage itsmanufacturing, logistics,00:51.715 --> 00:55.655and automation know-how to create a roboticsvalue chain.00:55.866 --> 01:01.116Hyundai already uses Boston's Spot, thecompany's agile mobile robot that some say01:01.116 --> 01:05.295resembles a robotic dog for industrialinspection and predictive maintenance at its01:05.295 --> 01:08.666facilities.The automaker also plans to deploy Atlas,01:08.825 --> 01:12.066Boston's humanoid robot, across its factoriesin the future.01:12.690 --> 01:18.290About a year ago, Hyundai embarked on an effortto test the latest version of Atlas to help01:18.290 --> 01:22.279build the next generation of automotivemanufacturing capabilities.01:22.610 --> 01:25.610During a recent all-employee town hall atBoston Dynamics,01:25.769 --> 01:31.690vice chair of Hyundai Motor Group said BostonDynamics and robotics AI will play a crucial01:31.690 --> 01:36.129role in achieving the company's goal ofchanging the way vehicles are made.01:36.347 --> 01:42.007He said, quote, Physical AI and humanoid robotswill transform our business landscape to the01:42.007 --> 01:45.567next level.Through our collaboration, we will expedite the01:45.567 --> 01:48.717process to achieve leadership in the roboticsindustry.01:49.007 --> 01:54.527According to Goldman Sachs, the humanoidrobotics market will grow to more than $3801:54.527 --> 01:58.836billion by 2035.The CEO of Boston Dynamics said,01:58.866 --> 02:03.174quote, the opportunity.For advanced robots in the mobility industry is02:03.174 --> 02:06.444massive.He went on to say that Hyundai Motor Group will02:06.444 --> 02:10.914become Boston's biggest customer and help buildnew AI policies.02:11.083 --> 02:15.113This partnership will also provide access toHyundai's vast commercial network,02:15.203 --> 02:20.283establishing new customers for products likeWarehouse Robot Stretch and entering02:20.283 --> 02:23.404multilateral agreements through which thecompanies can deliver.02:23.921 --> 02:28.880trucks, and EVs together late last week whenHyundai celebrated the grand opening of the02:28.880 --> 02:34.910company's $7.6 billion EV factory in Georgia,Meta Plant America,02:35.281 --> 02:40.201Spot gave demonstrations to VIP guests.The robot pup will be used for exterior quality02:40.201 --> 02:44.671inspection in the Meta plant's weld shop, andAtlas, the electric humanoid robot,02:44.841 --> 02:47.470will also be deployed at the plant in thefuture.02:48.041 --> 02:50.720I'm David Manti.This is manufacturing now.factory
04 April 2025Manufacturing Net
U.S. Electric Vehicle Industry Collateral Damage In Escalating Trade WarDETROIT (AP) — President Donald Trump's tariff blitz has sent shock waves throughout every aspect of the global economy, including the auto sector, where multi-billion-dollar plans to electrify in the United States are especially at risk.
Here's what consumers should know about the impact of tariffs on electric vehicles.
EVs accounted for about 8% of new car sales in the U.S. in 2024, according to Motorintelligence.com.
Some of those sales can be attributed to expanded tax credits for EV purchases, a Biden-era policy that spurred car buyer interest.
Tesla held a majority of U.S. EV market share in 2024, at 48%. But that share has declined in recent years, as brands including Ford (7.5%), Chevrolet (5.2%) and Hyundai (4.7%) began to offer a wider variety of electric models at better price points, according to Kelley Blue Book.
Electric vehicles remain more expensive than their gasoline-powered equivalents. New gas vehicles sold for $48,039 on average last month, Kelly Blue Book data says, while EVs sold for $55,273 on average.
Tariffs add on to the costs of an EV transition that was already volatile and uncertain, said Vanessa Miller, a litigation partner focused on automotive manufacturing at law firm Foley & Lardner.
Biden’s tax credits essentially required automakers to get more and more of their EV content from the U.S. or trade allies over the coming years in order for their vehicles to qualify. Automakers have worked to build an EV supply chain across the country and significant investment has gone toward these efforts.
EVs assembled here include Tesla models, the Ford F-150 Lightning and more. Tesla actually might be least vulnerable given how much of its vehicles come from the U.S.
Though the industry is growing, tariffs mean costs for automakers and their buyers will stay high and might go higher, as well as hike up the prices of the many parts of EVs still coming from China and elsewhere. From the critical minerals used in battery production to the vehicles themselves, China laps the U.S. industry.
Automakers were already pulling back on ambitious electrification plans amid shrinking federal support and are strapped for cash on what is the less lucrative side of their businesses.
Higher prices might push car buyers to the used car market, but they aren't likely to find much respite there.
If consumers don't buy as many vehicles, automakers will have to prioritize their investments and manufacturing. That means the cars that buyers want and that are most profitable. Automakers still lose thousands of dollars on each EV they make and sell, but they make money from big, popular gas-guzzling pickup trucks and SUVs.
These manufacturers “have put a certain amount of investment into EVs, and it would probably be even more wasteful to completely walk away from them than it is to find the new level at which it makes sense to maintain production of them," said Karl Brauer, executive analyst at auto research site iSeeCars.com. That level “will assuredly be lower than what it was,” he added.
Making fewer EVs won’t help bring their cost down further anytime soon.
Albert Gore, executive director of the Zero Emission Transportation Association, said in a statement the EV and battery sector is working to ensure that the American auto industry grows and that his group will work with the administration on productive trade policy.
“Tariffs on our longstanding trade partners, many of whom have committed billions in direct investment into U.S. factories, introduces uncertainty and risk into an industry that is creating jobs and bringing new economic opportunities to communities across the country,” Gore said.
Trump has already taken a hatchet to federal EV policy. He campaigned on a vow to end what he called former President Joe Biden’s “EV mandate.”
Biden’s EV policies did not require automakers to sell EVs or consumers to buy them, but they did incentivize manufacturers to increase their electric offerings in the coming years. Trump put an end to Biden’s target for 50% of all new vehicles sold in the U.S. to be electric by 2035 in his first days in office.
Also under Biden, Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rules on vehicle greenhouse gas emissions and fuel economy were to get increasingly tougher, but could be met by automakers selling a growing number of EVs alongside more fuel-efficient gasoline-powered vehicles. Trump's administrators are already reevaluating emissions standards.
He's also likely to seek to repeal the tax credits.factory
04 April 2025Manufacturing Net
Honda R&D To Conduct Testing With Sierra Space, Tec-Masters On The International Space StationHonda R&D has announced plans to test its high-differential pressure water electrolysis system at the International Space Station (ISS) in collaboration with leading space and technology companies Sierra Space and Tec-Masters. The project is part of Honda's vision for a regenerative fuel cell system that could provide advanced energy storage capable of supporting human life on the lunar surface.
Honda is leveraging decades of hydrogen fuel cell technology expertise to develop a regenerative fuel cell system, known as a circulative renewable energy system, that will continuously produce oxygen, hydrogen, and electricity. Honda envisions the circulative renewable energy system to be part of the infrastructure for humanity's sustained habitation on the Moon – utilizing the available resources of sunlight and water. By enhancing the performance of the circulative renewable energy system, improvements can be made to long-life regenerative fuel cells that can be used as a scalable, clean, and renewable energy source both in space and on Earth.
During the Lunar Day, the system will use electricity generated by the sun to power the process. Honda's high-differential pressure water electrolysis system will then produce hydrogen and oxygen from water.
During the Lunar Night, when the Moon is not receiving sunlight, some of the oxygen will be used for astronauts to breathe. The Honda fuel cell system will use the remaining oxygen, along with the hydrogen produced during the Lunar Day, to generate electricity.
After the fuel cells generate electricity, the only byproduct is water, which is recycled back into the water electrolysis system to create a closed-loop energy cycle. This process is similar to how a home solar system operates on Earth, where daytime solar electricity is harnessed, and excess energy is stored in home energy batteries to provide power throughout the night.
Honda has developed an advanced water electrolysis system designed to support long-term operations on the Moon by prioritizing efficiency and reliability. The system's lightweight and compact design addresses the critical need to reduce transportation costs in lunar development. Additionally, since it doesn't use mechanical compression, maintenance needs are reduced, enhancing reliability for extended missions. By enabling high-pressure gas storage in smaller containers, the system also reduces the need to transport and manage large numbers of tanks.
Honda will test the core part of its high-differential pressure water electrolysis system to verify the efficiency and reliability of the system in the microgravity environment of the ISS. For the ISS testing, Honda is collaborating with Sierra Space, a leading commercial space company at the forefront of innovation and the commercialization of space, and Tec-Masters, a leading provider of innovative scientific and technological solutions. Sierra Space will be the primary space mission integrator, working with NASA to transport materials on Sierra Space's Dream Chaser spaceplane, the world's only commercial spaceplane. Tec-Masters will be the ISS technology expert.
In late 2024, Honda established the Space Development Division at American Honda to promote technology development in the U.S. and enhance collaboration with the U.S. space industry. The U.S. and Japan teams work closely to leverage Honda core technologies and apply them to the expansion of human activities and development on the Lunar surface. These space development initiatives demonstrate the commitment by Honda to fostering a sustainable future through pioneering technology and collaboration.factory
04 April 2025Manufacturing Net
How Communication Barriers Create Disconnected Teams, Higher CostsIt was a busy day shift at the vast industrial facility, with production lines running at full capacity. So, when drops of water started pooling on the plant floor, several workers noticed but assumed it was a minor spill that someone else would address. That is, until the puddle grew to two feet wide, drawing the attention of a nearby team. Looking up, they quickly saw the source: sagging insulated roofing and ceiling material that was failing fast, high above critical equipment.
One of the workers immediately recognized how big a problem this could become. Sadly, neither he nor his frontline colleagues had a simple way to communicate the emergency. Some spoke Spanish, others spoke Korean. Without radios or a wall microphone nearby, one worker took the initiative, rushing to the other side of the 90,000-square-foot facility, shouting the name of his bilingual shift supervisor through the roar of loud machinery and down the halls of the many offices.
By the time he found the supervisor and they returned, the leak had intensified – a quarter inch of standing water expanding toward critical electrical equipment. The supervisor immediately saw it was significant enough to force an unplanned production shutdown. A disjointed translation chain ensued as managers and technicians were called in to help, exposing a significant gap in facility operations. In scenarios and times like this, such delayed responses can ultimately cost a facility thousands in repairs and far more in downtime than could be required to make them.
What can turn these technical challenges into financial disasters is rarely discussed in boardrooms—communication breakdowns between teams. It's companies that can solve this communication gap that end up gaining the competitive advantage that shows up on their P&L statements.
Facilities have operated under an outdated communication model for decades, limiting radio distribution to only management and select team members. Traditional two-way radios or "walkie-talkies" have been viewed as capital expenditures that can be expensive in the larger quantities needed.
This short-sighted approach typically results from cost constraints. The consequences often lead to dangerous silos between departments, shifts, languages, and organizational levels. Critical information gets trapped, slowing decision-making while operational efficiency drains. This fragmented approach creates blind spots that impact safety, productivity, and, ultimately, the bottom line.
Fortunately, the industry is now witnessing a fundamental shift in communications strategy, ensuring purpose-built "smart radios" are available to all workers, regardless of role or language. These advanced systems connect voices, provide valuable operational data, enable real-time translations, and allow workers to capture video or photos to create digital audit trails that offer unprecedented visibility into facility operations.
Deployment is surprisingly simple. Workers tap their badge to sign-in and grab any device off a rapid charging station that hosts the radios. This eliminates the headaches managers expect when dealing with a tech rollout.
When every employee has direct communication capability, it removes the subjective nature of frontline work. Why does this matter? Response times to critical situations drop from thirty minutes to mere seconds. A maintenance technician discovering a leak or equipment malfunction can instantly alert the right personnel while sharing live images of the issue, eliminating diagnostic guesswork and accelerating resolution. With a smart radio system deployment, everyone has the same easy-to-use experience, regardless of function, from maintenance technicians to operations managers to safety personnel.
Eliminating "search time" – when workers physically need to take time to find colleagues or supervisors – represents one of the most significant efficiency gains. A 2022 Harris Poll Survey of over 1,000 employees in the United States found that, on average, employees spend at least two hours a day looking for the documents, information, or people they need to do their jobs. That's 25 percent of a typical work week. In manufacturing facilities, universal communication tools drastically reduce this wasted time, keeping skilled personnel focused on value-adding activities.
Transformation begins when every worker becomes an active communicator in a facility. Universal safety communication tools enable immediate hazard reporting from anyone, anywhere – with the crucial ability to include digital photographic or video evidence that eliminates ambiguity. When a safety issue arises, there's no delay in documentation or notification.
When everyone has access to smart radios, the system proves invaluable during emergencies. Mass alerts reach everyone simultaneously, regardless of location or language, ensuring coordinated responses that follow established protocols.
Kevin Turpin, CEO of smart radio manufacturer, Weavix.WeavixWhen all employees receive smart radios equipped with easy-to-use AI translation capabilities that help eliminate language barriers and permission-based channel creation, a workforce finally works together. Regardless of a worker's preferred language, every voice carries equal weight and importance.
With smart radio deployments, companies have the opportunity to improve workplace dynamics. Frontline workers gain direct access to leadership, while managers receive unfiltered insights from the floor. Workers previously isolated by language or role limitations become fully integrated team members, driving measurable improvements.
Investing in modern communication technology delivers measurable ROI through reduced response time, downtime, and safety incidents. Beyond financial metrics, these tools fundamentally alter facility operations by unifying multilingual workforces and breaking down traditional barriers. This simpler, smarter approach to universal communication ensures a well-orchestrated experience across the entire company.factory
04 April 2025Manufacturing Net
Trump Says Musk Will Probably Leave In 'A Few Months'WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that Elon Musk would likely leave his administration in "a few months," the clearest sign that his most powerful and disruptive adviser will be wrapping up his work inside the government.
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that "Elon is fantastic" but he has "a number of companies to run."
"I want him to stay as long as possible," he said. "There's going to be a point where he's going to have to leave."
Musk has spearheaded the Department of Government Efficiency, which is playing a leading role in downsizing and overhauling the federal government. Trump said that work would continue within various agencies.
The Republican president's comments came after a steady drumbeat of suggestions over the last week that Musk's time was limited. Musk also faced a setback Tuesday in Wisconsin, where voters rejected his choice for a state Supreme Court candidate despite more than $21 million in personal donations and his campaign appearance over the weekend. There are more problems for the billionaire entrepreneur at Tesla, his electric automaker, which saw a 13% drop in sales in the first three months of the year.
The White House has not disclosed any timeline for closing down DOGE, and the government cost-cutting organization was never supposed to become a permanent fixture in Washington. But it could be reaching a conclusion faster than anticipated. DOGE was originally intended to operate until July 4, 2026.
Now there are signs that it already is winding down. DOGE employees have been shifted to various federal agencies, which are supposed to take the lead on cutting costs. Government-wide layoffs are underway to accomplish some of the goals laid out by Musk and Trump.
"We think probably over the next two or three months, we'll be pretty much satisfied with the people that are working hard and want to be members of the administration," Trump said last week.
The potential end of DOGE does not mean Trump will stop shaking up Washington. But it appears the administration's efforts will be entering a new phase that is less focused on Musk, whose chain saw-wielding work as a presidential adviser made him a political lightning rod.
DOGE was initially envisioned as an independent advisory panel, with Musk sharing leadership with Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur. Ramaswamy dropped out and is running for Ohio governor, and DOGE became part of the government. It was stocked with Musk's allies, who were dispatched throughout the bureaucracy to cancel contracts, access sensitive data and push for cuts.
Musk presumably has a ticking clock on his tenure. He was hired as a special government employee, which means he can only work 130 days in a 365-day time period.
"I think we will have accomplished most of the work required to reduce the deficit by a trillion dollars within that time frame," Musk told Bret Baier of Fox News on March 27. So far DOGE is well short of that target, according to its own calculations, which have been criticized as inflated and inaccurate.
Musk did not commit to leaving the administration by any particular date, and it is unclear how the administration is tracking Musk's time. On May 30, it will be 130 days since Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20.
Trump told reporters on Monday in the Oval Office that "I'd keep him as long as I could keep him" and "he's a very talented guy."
The Republican president was known for explosive breakups with top advisers during his first term, but anyone hoping for such a split with Musk has been disappointed.
"I want Elon to stay as long as possible," Trump said Thursday. "Number one, I like him, number two, he's doing a great job. Number three, he is a patriot, that's why he's doing this."
Once Musk leaves, Trump said "the secretaries will take totally over," meaning the Senate-confirmed leaders of various agencies, but "DOGE will stay active"
That was a somewhat different message than Trump had on Monday. At that point, he said Cabinet officials have worked closely with Musk and may keep some of the DOGE people at their agencies.
"But at a certain point I think it will end," Trump said.
Musk's poll numbers lag behind Trump's, which Democrats believe they were able to use to their advantage in Wisconsin.
Susan Crawford defeated Brad Schimel, who Musk supported, and ensured the state Supreme Court's liberal majority.
In the closing days of that campaign, Musk described the race as "important for the future of civilization." He struck a different tone afterward.
"I expected to lose, but there is value to losing a piece for a positional gain," Musk wrote on X at 3:13 a.m.factory
04 April 2025