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03 April 2025
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Apr 03, 2025Manufacturing Net
Fisher-Price revealed more layoffs at its headquarters in East Aurora, New York, the Buffalo News reported. The cuts leave the location with approximately 300 workers, down from about 750 in 2018.Â
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The Buffalo News cited an anonymous terminated worker who said Fisher-Price laid off up to 15 people. According to the employee, Fisher-Price notified its workforce of the impending layoffs via email and informed the affected employees of their termination during private meetings later that day.
Mattel, the toymaker's parent company, declined to confirm the number. Mattel spokesperson Catherine Frymark said the cuts align with the company's Optimizing for Profitable Growth cost savings program, which began in 2024.
The cuts occurred about two weeks before U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 34% tax on imports from China, where Fisher-Price has outsourced some of its manufacturing. The Buffalo News reported that China produces 40% of Mattel's toys.
Last year, Mattel laid off up to 100 of Fisher-Price's East Aurora employees and relocated three brands to Mattel's headquarters in El Segundo, California. Those workers could reportedly reapply for their positions in California. However, the latest round of layoffs did not include that option.
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Eli Lilly Building $6.5B Pharmaceutical Ingredient Factory In TexasEli Lilly plans to build a new $6.5 billion manufacturing facility at Generation Park in Houston, Texas. This planned synthetic medicine active pharmaceutical product (API) facility, the second of four new U.S. sites Lilly will announce this year, will focus on manufacturing the company's pipeline of small molecule medicines. It is expected to be operational within five years.
Lilly will bring 615 new jobs to the Greater Houston area, including engineers, scientists, operations personnel, and lab technicians. The company also expects to generate 4,000 construction jobs as the site is being built and brought online.
The site will be among those that will manufacture orforglipron, Lilly's first oral, small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, which the company expects to submit to global regulatory agencies for obesity by the end of this year.
Earlier this year, at a press conference in Washington, D.C., Lilly announced plans to bolster its domestic medicine production across therapeutic areas by building four new pharmaceutical manufacturing sites in the United States. The company recently announced its intended site in Virginia and plans to announce two remaining locations this year.
Lilly plans to use technologies including machine learning, AI, digitally integrated systems and advanced data analytics, and digital automation will be embedded throughout the site to streamline operations. To achieve this, the company will collaborate with local universities and invest in educational initiatives across Texas to build a strong pipeline of talent.
Manufacturing Net
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24 September 20252 min readEli Lilly Building $6.5B Pharmaceutical Ingredient Factory In Texas
Manufacturing Net
24 September 2025
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Xcel Energy Will Pay $640M To Settle Claims From Denver-Area Wildfire That Burned 1,000 StructuresDENVER (AP) — Xcel Energy said Wednesday it expects to pay about $640 million to settle lawsuits alleging it was responsible for starting Colorado's most destructive wildfire that killed two people and destroyed nearly 1,000 homes in 2021.
The announcement came right before jury selection was set to begin in a trial combining lawsuits brought by homeowners and insurers over the fire in the heavily populated suburbs between Denver and Boulder.
Minneapolis-based Xcel has maintained that its equipment did not cause or contribute to the fire. It said it does not admit any fault under the settlement.
Investigators found that a sparking power line owned by Xcel was one of the causes of the fire that was fanned by high winds. Embers from a smoldering scrap wood fire set days before on a nearby property used by a Christian religious communal group was also found to have been another cause.
The smoldering fire at the Twelve Tribes property had been buried by residents a few days before in a way that was approved by firefighters who stopped by to investigate, authorities said.
The two fires combined into an inferno following months of drought amid a winter nearly devoid of snow. It spread rapidly in winds that gusted up to 100 mph (160 kph) in places, causing $2 billion in damage.
Killed in the fire were a 69-year-old man who lived near where the fire started and a 91-year-old woman last seen trying to rescue her dogs from her home in Superior.
Authorities spent 18 months investigating the cause of the Marshall Fire and determined criminal charges were not warranted for either Xcel or the Christian group.
Xcel said in a statement Wednesday that it and Qwest Corp., which leased space on Xcel's power poles for fiber optic cable, reached agreements in principle to settle all claims involved. But the company said homeowners and others who filed lawsuits against it still had to decide whether to opt into the agreement.
"We recognize that the fire and its aftermath have been difficult and painful for many, and we hope that our and the telecom defendants' contributions in today's settlement can bring some closure for the community," Xcel CEO Bob Frenzel said.
Manufacturing Net
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24 September 20252 min readXcel Energy Will Pay $640M To Settle Claims From Denver-Area Wildfire That Burned 1,000 Structures
Manufacturing Net
24 September 2025
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Nvidia To Invest $100 Billion In Openai To Help Expand The Chatgpt Maker'S Computing PowerChipmaker Nvidia will invest $100 billion in OpenAI as part of a partnership announced Monday that will add at least 10 gigawatts of Nvidia AI data centers to ramp up the computing power for the owner of the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT.
Per the letter of intent signed by the companies, the first gigawatt of Nvidia systems will be deployed in the second half of 2026. Nvidia and OpenAI said they would be finalizing the details of the arrangement in the coming weeks.
“This partnership complements the deep work OpenAI and Nvidia are already doing with a broad network of collaborators, including Microsoft, Oracle, SoftBank and Stargate partners, focused on building the world’s most advanced AI infrastructure,” the companies said in a release. Those companies pledged to invest at least $100 billion in building data centers for OpenAI in January.
The Nvidia-OpenAI partnership also comes about 10 days after OpenAI said it had reached a new tentative agreement that will give Microsoft a $100 billion equity stake in its for-profit corporation. OpenAI is technically controlled by its nonprofit.
Speaking on CNBC, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the new data centers that Nvidia will build are in addition to the previously announced projects.
“Building this infrastructure is critical to everything we want to do,” Altman said. “Without doing this, we cannot deliver the services people want. We can’t keep making better models.”
He said both Nvidia and Microsoft are “passive investors,” and OpenAI's nonprofit and board controls the company.
OpenAI was founded as a nonprofit in 2015 and its nonprofit board has continued to control the for-profit subsidiary that now develops and sells its AI products.
OpenAI’s corporate structure and nonprofit mission are the subject of a lawsuit brought by Elon Musk, who helped found the nonprofit research lab and provided initial funding. Musk’s suit seeks to stop OpenAI from taking control of the company away from its nonprofit and alleges it has betrayed its promise to develop AI for the benefit of humanity.
Earlier this month, the attorneys general of California and Delaware warned OpenAI that they have “serious concerns” about the safety of ChatGPT, especially for children and teens.
The two state officials, who have unique powers to regulate nonprofits such as OpenAI, noted “deeply troubling reports of dangerous interactions between” chatbots and their users, including the suicide of one young Californian after he had prolonged interactions with an OpenAI chatbot. The parents of the 16-year-old California boy, who died in April, sued OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, last month.
OpenAI says it has 700 million weekly active users.
Also, just last week Nvidia announced that it was investing $5 billion in fellow chipmaker Intel, which has struggled to keep up with the frenzied demand for artificial intelligence.
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23 September 20253 min readNvidia To Invest $100 Billion In Openai To Help Expand The Chatgpt Maker'S Computing Power
Manufacturing Net
23 September 2025
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Voltfang Launches 250-Million-Euro Partnership For Battery StorageAachen-based start-up company Voltfang and infrastructure investor Palladio Partners are going to jointly invest around 250 million euros in the construction of large-scale battery storage facilities in Germany by 2029. The first projects are expected to be ready for construction as early as 2025. The partnership will cover the development, financing, implementation, and operation of stationary battery storage facilities on an industrial scale. While Voltfang will be responsible for the planning, construction, operation, and maintenance of the facilities, Palladio will take care of financing and commercialization.
At the heart of the projects are unused batteries from overproduction due to lower demand for electric vehicles, as well as discarded second-life battery modules from electric vehicles. According to Voltfang, the batteries are tested, requalified, and reconditioned for stationary applications. The cooperation thus makes a sustainable contribution to grid stability.
The investment volume comes from a fund managed by Palladio for institutional investors that is focused on transforming German infrastructure. The plan is to build storage capacity of “several hundred megawatts” to ensure security of supply, cost stability, and independent energy supply. The partnership serves to combine technological expertise with reliable financing. While Palladio secures the financial framework with access to capital and market knowledge, Voltfang contributes its battery and technology expertise.
Since its founding in 2021, Voltfang has acquired renowned customers such as Aldi Nord, McDonaldĘĽs, Schaltbau, and Jet. With the commissioning of its new battery storage factory in Aachen, the company now has significantly expanded production capacities.
Sources:https://www.electrive.com/2025/09/22/voltfang-to-operate-large-scale-storage-facilities-with-investor-palladio-partners/https://renewablesnow.com/news/palladio-voltfang-launch-eur-250m-battery-storage-collaboration-1281974/https://realassets.ipe.com/news/palladio-partners-commits-250m-to-german-battery-storage-with-voltfang/10132747.article
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23 September 20252 min readVoltfang Launches 250-Million-Euro Partnership For Battery Storage
Battery News
23 September 2025
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U.S. Tariffs On Canadian Autos, Parts Jumped To Us$380 Million In July: ReportCanadian vehicle and auto part exports faced more than US$380 million in tariffs in July, a sharp jump from previous months as U.S. levies kicked in.
A data analysis released last week by Anderson Economic Group showed US$1.1 billion in tariffs were imposed on assembled vehicles from Canada and Mexico in July, including more than US$311 million on Canadian autos alone.
That figure represents roughly 26 per cent of the total dutiable value of Canadian vehicle exports. Meanwhile, there were US$72 million in levies on auto parts from Canada, representing 36 per cent of their dutiable value.
In total, nearly US$1.4 billion in tariff duties were imposed on automakers and their suppliers for cars and auto parts from Canada and Mexico.
The group said July marked a dramatic shift from the previous three months when U.S. customs had been allowing automakers to claim exemptions for most vehicles under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement.
But it said that likely came to an end in July amid new tariff policies under the Trump administration.
The share of Canadian vehicles exempt from tariffs under the free-trade agreement plunged from 99 per cent to 36 per cent that month, according to the analysis.
The group said the sharp drop marks “a turning point” for North American automakers.
“The automakers made extensive use of temporary allowances that effectively allowed an exemption for the majority of both parts and vehicles through June,” said Anderson Economic Group principal and CEO Patrick Anderson in a statement.
“That changed in July for assembled vehicles, and we can expect that these costs will become embedded into the prices consumers are paying in the very near future.”
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20 September 20252 min readU.S. Tariffs On Canadian Autos, Parts Jumped To Us$380 Million In July: Report
Plant
20 September 2025
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Nigeria To Establish 1 Gw Solar Panel FactoryNigeria's state-owned Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has partnered with the Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCorp) and Dutch solar manufacturer Solarge BV to create a special purpose vehicle that will establish and operate a 1 GW solar panel manufacturing facility in Nigeria.
The three parties have set up Solarge Nigeria Limited via a deal signed on Wednesday at InfraCorp’s office in Abuja. According to local reports, Solarge BV will hold a 49% stake in Solarge Nigeria, with InfraCorp and REA holding 26% and 25% control.
A statement released by REA says the public-private partnership will leverage InfraCorp’s investment mobilization capacity, REA’s policy leadership in rural electrification and public sector solarization and Solarge BV’s technology and manufacturing expertise to localize high-quality solar PV production in Nigeria.
The 1 GW solar panel factory will target 50% local content within the first three years.
Under the terms of the agreement, REA has committed to procure at least 200 MW of solar modules per year over five years from Solarge Nigeria Ltd, which will go towards its public electrification programs.
“Through this joint venture, we are not only creating access to clean energy but building the local capacity to manufacture it,” commented Abba Abubakar Aliyu, Managing Director and CEO of REA.
“We are excited to bring our technology and experience to this landmark initiative,” added Solarge BV CEO Joost Brinkman. “Solarge Nigeria Ltd will set a new benchmark for solar manufacturing in Africa, built by Nigerians, for Nigerians.”
In March, REAÂ signed an agreement with Lagos-based renewables developer Oando Clean Energy for a 1.2 GW solar assembly plant. Earlier this year, the Nigerian government proposed a ban on solar panel imports to help drive local production.
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powerplant
19 September 20252 min readNigeria To Establish 1 Gw Solar Panel Factory
PV Magazine
19 September 2025
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Eli Lilly Plans $5 Billion Factory To Make Cancer Meds In VirginiaRICHMOND, VA — Pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly and Company is moving forward with plans for a $5 billion state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that will generate 650 jobs in Virginia. The announcement was made by Governor Glenn Youngkin this week. The governor said the project will also generate 1,800 construction jobs at the West Creek Business Park in Goochland County.
The investment will be a significant expansion beyond the company's original plans, which called for a $2.148 billion investment and 468 jobs.
The new site will be the company's first active pharmaceutical ingredient and drug product plant for Lilly's emerging bioconjugate platform and monoclonal antibody portfolio. The treatments are primarily used to treat cancer but are being explored for autoimmune diseases and other conditions.
Lilly has committed to more than $50 billion in new manufacturing investments since 2020, with plans to build four new manufacturing facilities in the U.S. The Goochland project represents one of the four projects; the three other locations should be announced before the end of 2025.
Lilly will be eligible to receive a special appropriation of up to $130 million based on an investment of more than $2.148 billion and the creation of 468 jobs, subject to approval by the Virginia General Assembly.
Lilly, a nearly 150-year-old pharmaceutical company based in Indianapolis, has made some significant investments to boost its U.S.-based capabilities. In June, the pharmaceutical giant announced plans to acquire Verve Therapeutics, a Boston-based clinical-stage company developing genetic medicines for cardiovascular disease, for $1.3 billion.
The acquisition came just a few months after the company announced its commitment to more than double its U.S. manufacturing investment to $50 billion, creating thousands of jobs in the process.
The company currently has more than 49,000 employees worldwide, with about 22,000 employees based in the U.S. Lilly has manufacturing facilities in nine countries, including U.S.-based facilities in Indiana, North Carolina, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Puerto Rico.
Manufacturing Net
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18 September 20252 min readEli Lilly Plans $5 Billion Factory To Make Cancer Meds In Virginia
Manufacturing Net
18 September 2025
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Hyundai Says It Will Spend $2.7 Billion To Expand Raided PlantATLANTA (AP) — Hyundai Motor Group on Thursday confirmed it is going forward with previously announced plans to expand its Georgia plant, just weeks after an immigration raid delayed the startup of an electric vehicle battery plant at the site.
READ MORE: South Korean Government Expresses 'Concern and Regret' Over Hyundai Raid
As part of a broader investment strategy, Hyundai said it would spend $2.7 billion to increase production capacity at the Ellabell site by 200,000 over the next three years, to a total of 500,000 vehicles a year.
The company first announced the expansion in March at the grand opening of the plant west of Savannah, and had said in August that it would invest an additional $5 billion in United States overall. But the raid, which included arrests of more than 300 South Korean citizens, led to questions about the wisdom of the Asian nation investing in the U.S.
The company said it now plans to produce 10 models of electric and hybrid gas-electric vehicles in Georgia, up from the current two the plant has been assembling as it ramps up production. Hyundai says it's still on track to expand production worldwide to 5.6 million vehicles a year by 2030. The automaker pledged that 60% of those vehicles will be electric or hybrid powered, targeting sales in South Korea, North America and Europe.
Hyundai said that it plans to make more than 80% of vehicles sold in the United States domestically by 2030, with total domestic content increasing from 60% to 80%. For the first time, the vehicles would include a mid-sized pickup truck, a key vehicle class in the U.S. market. The company already makes the Santa Cruz model, a four-door compact pickup, that it started selling in 2021.
Hyundai CEO José Muñoz has said the immigration raid will delay opening the battery plant by at least two to three months. Spokesperson Michael Stewart said Thursday that the facility will open in the first half of 2026.
Both Hyundai executives and Georgia officials have been trying to calm the situation since the raid, which mushroomed into a diplomatic dispute between South Korea and the United States.
Republican Gov. Brian Kemp told reporters Tuesday at a ceremony marking the groundbreaking of a Rivian Automotive electric vehicle plant that he remains confident Georgia's business advantages would "win out" in terms of foreign investment. The raid may even wind up smoothing the way for South Korean employees to more easily obtain legal permission to help build and operate facilities in the United States, he said.
"I've had good conversations with companies that are here doing business in Georgia, companies that are looking to do business here," Kemp said. "And I've had good conversations with people in the White House about the visa issue."
Brent Stubbs, the chief administrative officer of the Ellabell site, wrote in an opinion piece published Wednesday in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the company is still committed to Georgia.
"This situation doesn't change our plans to continue expanding and localizing in the United States," Stubbs wrote. "Our investments in America are part of a long-term strategic plan."
The $2.7 billion investment confirmed Thursday will go to expanding capacity at the plant and group affiliates, Stewart said. That would bring total investment in the auto plant to $10.3 billion, not counting the $4.3 billion that Hyundai and its joint-venture partner, LG Energy Solution, are putting into the battery plant.
Hyundai and its onsite affiliates currently have 3,129 employees in Ellabell, Stewart said. Hyundai pledges to hire at least 8,500 workers by the end of 2031. State and local governments have promised $2.1 billion in tax breaks and other incentives.
The boost at the Ellabell site is the biggest part Hyundai's plan to raise production by 1.2 million vehicles a year worldwide. That includes another 250,000 vehicles out of Pune, India; and 200,000 more at Hyundai's electric vehicle plant in Ulsan, South Korea. The automaker said it would also deliver parts for assembly into an additional 250,000 vehicles at plants in Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and North Africa.
Hyundai underlined a previous announcement to deepen its investment in robotics and said that by 2027 it would launch extended-range electric vehicles with gasoline motors to extend the range of its electric batteries to more than 600 miles (960 kilometers).
Manufacturing Net
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18 September 20254 min readHyundai Says It Will Spend $2.7 Billion To Expand Raided Plant
Manufacturing Net
18 September 2025
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Amazon Spends $1 Billion To Increase Pay And Lower Health Care Costs For U.S. WorkersNEW YORK (AP) — Amazon says it's investing more than a $1 billion to raise wages and lower the cost of health care plans for its U.S. fulfillment and transportation workers.
The Seattle-based company said Wednesday the average pay is increasing to more than $23 per hour. Some of its most tenured employees will see an increase between $1.10 and $1.90 per hour. Full-time employees, on average, will see their pay increase by $1,600 per year.
Amazon also said it will lower the cost of its entry health care plan to $5 per week and $5 for co-pays, starting next year. Amazon said that will reduce weekly contributions by 34% and co-pays by 87% for primary care, mental health and most non-specialist visits for employees using the basic plan.
Amazon has a global workforce of 1.5 million workers.
Last December, seven Amazon facilities went on strike, an effort by the Teamsters union to pressure the e-commerce company for a labor agreement during a key shopping period.
That same month, Amazon reached a settlement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that requires the online behemoth to adopt corporatewide ergonomic measures at facilities across the country. The agency claimed hazardous working conditions led to serious lower back and other musculoskeletal disorders at Amazon facilities.
In January 2024, Walmart, the nation's largest private employer, said that average wages for hourly workers would exceed $18, up from $17.50. The increase was due to Walmart introducing some higher-paying hourly roles in its Auto Care Centers last year, among other changes, the company said.
Walmart, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, had announced in January 2023 that U.S. workers would get pay raises the following month, increasing starting wages to between $14 and $19 an hour. Starting wages had previously ranged between $12 and $18 an hour, depending on location.
At Minneapolis-based Target, the starting hourly wage ranges from $15 to $24 for workers employed at stores and distribution centers, depending on the location, company spokesman Brian Harper-Tibaldo said.
The average hourly wage for a Target store worker is more than $18, he said.
Manufacturing Net
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18 September 20252 min readAmazon Spends $1 Billion To Increase Pay And Lower Health Care Costs For U.S. Workers
Manufacturing Net
18 September 2025
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Abb To Invest $110 Million In 4 U.S. PlantsABB announced that it will invest a further $110 million in the United States in 2025 to expand the R&D and manufacturing of its advanced electrification solutions as customers focus on improving energy efficiency and uptime while reducing their energy costs.Â
The IEA estimate U.S. wholesale electricity prices rose by 30-40% in the first half of 2025, compared with 2024.
Creating nearly 200 new jobs, the investment will support expected future growth in key industries, including data centers and the power grid. Rapid expansion of data centers in the US is expected to keep annual electricity demand growth above 2% in both 2025 and 2026, more than double the average growth rate over the past decade (IEA).
A new production line will be created in Mississippi for ABB’s innovative Emax 3 circuit breakers, an advanced technology used to protect critical infrastructure, such as data centers.
“This $110 million investment in the U.S. is part of our long-term strategy to support future growth in our biggest global market,” ABB CEO Morten Wierod said. “Demand is being driven by key trends, from the surging power needs of AI in data centers, to grid modernization and customers improving energy efficiency and uptime to reduce their costs. Our investments will ensure we can meet growing demand from customers across North America in line with our local-for-local strategy.”
ABB will invest $15 million to create a new production line for Emax 3 in its Senatobia, Mississippi site. The cutting-edge Emax 3 air circuit breaker improves the energy security and resilience of power systems in large facilities with high power demands, including data centers, advanced manufacturing sites and airports. The new line is expected to open in 2026.
A $30 million project will double the footprint of ABB’s Richmond, Virginia facility adding a new test center, warehouse and new assembly lines. The power quality and protection products made in Richmond are used by data centers, manufacturing plants and utilities to protect critical systems in essential operations and services, like servers, MRI machines and production lines from electrical failures.Â
The new facility, opening in Q4 2025, will create around 100 new production and engineering roles.
In Arecibo, Puerto Rico, an investment of more than $30 million will increase the size of the facility to accommodate three new production lines. Made for industrial and commercial operations in the U.S., technologies produced in Arecibo include smart circuit breakers and switching devices, essential power components that help distribute electricity, protect equipment and monitor energy usage.Â
The expansion will create 90 new skilled jobs by the end of 2026.
A $35 million investment will increase the capacity of ABB’s manufacturing facility in Pinetops, North Carolina. This will support expected demand for advanced low and medium voltage grid components from the utilities and for data centers and industrial facilities.Â
The expansion will support customers upgrading their energy infrastructure with advanced sensors and new switching and grid protection devices. The upgraded facility will open in 2026.
From 2022-2024, ABB invested around $500 million in its U.S. business, including a new $100 million manufacturing facility and innovation laboratory in New Berlin, Wisconsin and a new $40 million factory in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In March 2025, ABB announced a $120 million investment in its facilities in Selmer, Tennessee ($80 million) and Senatobia, Mississippi ($40 million).Â
A further $20 million investment in Selmer will increase production capacity. ABB opened a new $4 million Regional Distribution Center in Dallas, Texas in August 2025 and invested $4 million in several service facilities to enhance customer support this year.
Manufacturing Net
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17 September 20253 min readAbb To Invest $110 Million In 4 U.S. Plants
Manufacturing Net
17 September 2025
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Divergent Raises $290 Million To Scale 3D Printing For Defence And AerospaceSubscribe to our free newsletter today to keep up to date with the latest manufacturing news.
The aerospace and defence sectors are facing a critical moment. Supply chain bottlenecks, rising geopolitical tensions, and the demand for faster, leaner manufacturing have converged to create pressure across the industry. Divergent Technologies has secured $290 million in new funding at a $2.3 billion valuation. The raise, backed by both equity and debt, is designed to accelerate the company’s push into advanced aerospace and defence production.
By leveraging digital manufacturing, Divergent aims to change how complex structures are designed and built. Its approach combines additive manufacturing, automated assembly, and software into a single adaptive system. This strategy not only targets efficiency but also strengthens the industrial base at a time when the US is seeking resilience in its defence supply chains.
The funding package consists of $250 million in equity and $40 million in debt. Rochefort Asset Management led the investment, underscoring the confidence capital markets have in Divergent’s potential to disrupt traditional manufacturing. For investors, the attraction lies in Divergent’s ability to deliver a repeatable, scalable process rather than one-off engineering projects.
Compared with other major defence-tech financings in the past three years, Divergent’s raise places it among the upper tier of venture-backed manufacturers. The investment reflects a wider trend in capital markets: interest in startups that blend advanced manufacturing technologies with mission-critical applications in defence and aerospace.
This momentum is not limited to early-stage interest. Across the sector, funding rounds are increasingly directed toward scaling production capacity, signaling investor recognition that cutting-edge manufacturing must move beyond the lab and into deployment. Divergent’s $290 million round exemplifies this shift.
At the center of Divergent’s strategy is the Divergent Adaptive Production System (DAPS). The platform integrates digital design, additive manufacturing, and automated assembly into a single workflow. Unlike traditional factories that depend on tooling and fixed infrastructure, DAPS operates as a flexible production system. Engineers can redesign parts digitally, print them using high-end metal additive processes, and assemble them through robotic automation.
This approach appeals to defence and aerospace customers for several reasons. It allows for rapid prototyping and iterative design. It reduces the dependence on global supply chains by enabling local production. And it cuts down material waste, a persistent issue in aerospace manufacturing where parts are often machined from large billets of expensive alloys.
Divergent has already established partnerships with industry leaders including General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon. These collaborations highlight the practical application of DAPS to projects that demand both precision and scalability. By demonstrating results with such high-profile clients, Divergent is building credibility not only as a technology innovator but also as a strategic partner in mission-critical programs.
Supply chain disruption remains one of the most significant risks facing aerospace and defence manufacturers. From raw materials to specialized components, delays and shortages have slowed programs worldwide. The traditional reliance on fixed tooling and long production lead times compounds these challenges.
Additive manufacturing provides an alternative to these vulnerabilities. By shifting more of the production process into digital design and localized printing, companies can reduce exposure to logistics bottlenecks. For the defence industry, this flexibility is particularly important. In times of conflict or rapid deployment, the ability to print and assemble components on demand can provide a strategic advantage.
Divergent’s system adds another layer of benefit: scalability. Unlike one-off 3D printing applications often confined to prototyping, DAPS is designed to operate as a production-level platform. It enables aerospace and defence firms to move from small-batch experimentation to full-scale manufacturing within the same framework. This capability aligns directly with Pentagon priorities to strengthen America’s industrial base and reduce dependency on fragile global supply networks.
Divergent’s funding signals more than growth for a single company. It represents a larger shift in how the aerospace and defence sectors think about manufacturing. For decades, production has been dominated by large, inflexible facilities that required long lead times and heavy capital investments. Today, the industry is increasingly looking to digital, modular, and adaptive systems that can be scaled as needed.
For defence planners, the appeal extends beyond efficiency. In an era defined by strategic competition, particularly with near-peer rivals, the ability to innovate and produce quickly is seen as vital to national security. Divergent’s approach of combining software, hardware, and robotics into a single platform aligns with this priority.
The implications also extend to allied industries. Commercial aerospace, automotive, and energy infrastructure could benefit from production systems that enable lighter, stronger, and more adaptable designs. As Divergent grows, its influence may ripple outward into sectors beyond its current focus, potentially setting new standards for advanced manufacturing.
Divergent’s $290 million raise is more than a financial milestone. It underscores a shift in the manufacturing model for aerospace and defence, moving from rigid, tooling-heavy production lines to digital-first adaptive systems. By investing in capacity expansion and scaling DAPS, the company is positioning itself at the forefront of a reindustrialization wave that blends advanced software with additive manufacturing.
The long-term success of this approach will depend on execution. Scaling production while maintaining precision is not without challenges. However, if successful, Divergent could demonstrate a template for how future aerospace and defence platforms are built.
Sources:
Tech Funding News
Manufacturing Today
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16 September 20255 min readDivergent Raises $290 Million To Scale 3D Printing For Defence And Aerospace
Manufacturing Today
16 September 2025
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Red Bull Moves Ahead With $1.7B Factory After DelayRed Bull broke ground on a new $1.7 billion facility in Concord, North Carolina, following a four-year delay.
The facility is a joint manufacturing and distribution center from Red Bull, packaging supplier Ball Corp., and Austrian beverage company Rauch Fruchtsäfte. It's the second manufacturing plant for the companies in the U.S., and is meant to meet local market demand, according to a Red Bull spokesperson.
The 2.36 million-square-foot facility is expected to begin operations in 2028 and reach its maximized capacity by 2031, a spokesperson said. It will fill up to 3 billion cans annually and is expected to create 700 jobs.
The project was first announced in 2021, and construction began on Sept. 9. A spokesperson didn’t specify the reason for the delay.
Red Bull, Ball and Rauch Fruchtsäfte opened their first U.S. plant in Glendale, Arizona, in 2021. The North Carolina site is meant to complement the Arizona location by manufacturing Red Bull Energy drinks for the U.S., but it has capability “to manufacture for other markets should that be required,” the spokesperson said.
A 50% tariff on aluminum by the Trump Administration this year has created a push for more beverage packing in the U.S.
Austria-based Red Bull is building the North Carolina facility as the global energy drink market is seeing growth — it’s projected to reach $125 billion by 2030.
Founded in the 1980s, Red Bull is among the pioneers of the energy category. It’s now facing increased competition as more upstarts join the field and beverage companies expand their energy offerings, with the likes of Keurig Dr Pepper, PepsiCo, and Anheuser-Busch all investing in the space.
Construction Dive
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16 September 20252 min readRed Bull Moves Ahead With $1.7B Factory After Delay
Construction Dive
16 September 2025
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