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Tesla is asking suppliers to remove all Chinese components used in the manufacturing of its cars for the U.S. market. According to a new report from the Wall Street Journal, the company had previously stopped using Chinese suppliers for automobiles destined for the U.S. market, and now it's asking suppliers to do the same. 

Tesla yesterday issued a recall for its Tesla Powerwall 2 AC Battery Power Systems. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the lithium-ion battery cells in about 10,500 Powerwall 2 systems can cause the unit to stop functioning during normal use. The systems are overheating. Tesla has already received 22 reports of malfunctioning devices, including six in which the unit started smoking and five fires that resulted in minor property damage. As of press time, no injuries have been reported. 

On the heels of securing an $89 million U.S. Army modernization contract and introducing a new family of multi-mission autonomous vehicles, Oshkosh Defense is making headlines again; this time for workforce reductions.Following a $52.8 million decline in third-quarter sales, the company announced plans to lay off 160 employees at its Oregon Street plant in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, effective January. The decision was confirmed by both Alexandra Hittle, Oshkosh Corporation's Director of Global Marketing and Communications, and Bob Lynk, President of Auto Workers Local 578. According to both, the layoffs come after all other options were considered.

Honda has issued a massive recall impacting hundreds of thousands of Civic models and the root cause is, you guessed it, a mixup with a fence in Italy.The automaker warned that 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels that were sold as accessories could detach from the vehicle due to a manufacturing error. As the company points out, having the wheels fly off your car can result in “a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.”

A fascinating feat of automotive engineering is set to be auctioned later this month. The 'Beast' is a 19-foot long, two-door station wagon made in 1972 by British engineer John Dodd, and combines an aircraft-derived engine in a custom chassis. Station wagons are typically 15 feet to 16 feet long. According to Historics Auctioneers, which will set the Beast free to the highest bidder on November 29, 2025, the unique car traces back to engineer Paul Jameson. In the late 1960s, Jameson made a custom chassis big enough to hold a Rolls-Royce Meteor, an engine initially developed to power tanks in the second world war. 

The Boring Company, a tunneling firm founded by Elon Musk, received a fine of about $500,000 for dumping wastewater at two sites across its Las Vegas project, Fortune reported.Musk's company wants to build a network of tunnels beneath cities to decrease traffic congestion. The company's website mentions that it has received approval for 68 miles of tunnel and 104 stations for its Vegas Loop.However, Clark County Water Reclamation District (CCWRD) reportedly caught the company dumping fluids and spoils into two manholes and two on-site cleanouts. A notice of violation cited by Fortune stated that the actions led to “substantial damage” and required water agency crews to clean 12 cubic yards of mud, spoils and solid waste from a sewage treatment facility.

Novelis announced in its latest quarterly report that it plans to restart a hot mill damaged by a fire at its Oswego, New York plant. The metal manufacturer expects operations to resume in December. 

A McAdenville, North Carolina carpet factory will be closing its doors, with layoffs set to begin just two days after Christmas.Mannington Mills is a fifth generation family-owned business based in Salem, NJ that's produced flooring products for 110 years. On its website, the company claims to have more than 3,500 associates and multiple locations globally.But those figures will be shifting measurably near the end of the year, according to a WARN notice filed with two states.One of those filings details 296 job cuts at the McAdenville facility – a plant the company purchased from yarnmaker Pharr in 2020 when Mannington first entered the residential carpet industry.

Last month, Andersen Corporation, a leading manufacturer of windows and doors, sued automation company ATS Corporation, for allegedly failing to deliver equipment for a multi-million dollar factory project at its Iowa subsidiary, Eagle Window and Door Manufacturing, Inc.Andersen claims it poured millions into the facility to increase production of its high-end E-Series windows for the custom homebuilding market.Andersen claimed ATS missed deadlines, demanded millions in additional payments, and halted work on the project altogether, citing “poor project management” that made the equipment 860 days late. Well, late last week, ATS filed an answer and counterclaim as well as a motion to dismiss against Andersen Corporation and Eagle Window and Door.

It looks like an escape pod. 

The project went from prototype to fleet in less than three years.

Swedish engineering company Sandvik says the global transition to sustainability faces a major challenge: while technologies such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, and solar panels depend on “clean” minerals, the demand for materials like copper, nickel, and lithium is rapidly outpacing supply.To draw attention to the source of these essential resources, Sandvik has introduced the eNimon, or Nomine car. More than 90 percent of an average EV's components originate from mined materials, but the eNimon is built entirely without metal or minerals—if you didn't catch it eNimon is “no mine” spelled backwards.

Welcome to another episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing, a podcast where I interview young people about their journeys in manufacturing, how they intend to influence the industry and what they are looking for from an employer.For this episode, I welcome Kyle Walter, a 24-year-old analyst at Deloitte.Walter graduated from Wichita State University, where he studied mechanical engineering and worked at Smart Factory by Deloitte @ Wichita, which is located on the university's Innovation Campus. Walter became a student team lead at The Factory and was eventually hired by Deloitte full-time. His passions include drones, robotics and the Internet of Things.In this episode, Walter discusses:What surprises a young worker at their first job (:51)What goes through a Gen Z's mind when deciding between a university and a trade school (4:40)How manufacturers can reach those who don't pick trade schools (11:07)How to encourage Gen Z workers to share ideas (16:32)Please make sure to like and share this episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing. To view previous episodes, visit manufacturing.net. If you are a member of Gen Z and would like to discuss your experience in the manufacturing industry, please get in touch with me, Nolan Beilstein, at nolan@ien.com.

Automating most company operations could prevent more than 600,000 new hires.

Electric vehicle maker Rivian plans to lay off approximately 4% of its workforce, according to the Wall Street Journal. The report stated that the development would impact over 600 employees. However, the company has not provided further details.The news comes after a WSJ report in September that Rivian would cut about 1.5% of its workforce. A company spokesperson said that the previous layoffs impacted the commercial team as the automaker worked to “improve operational efficiency” for its upcoming R2 model, planned for launch in 2026.

Some marketing efforts are just simple PR stunts, while others are truly revolutionary feats of engineering. But when a gamer and a hip-hop artist take to the skies to play a video game on a giant screen suspended from a helicopter while flying in a different helicopter, why can't both be true?

Even a fairly straightforward pizza delivery still requires at least 30 minutes to bake the pie, throw it in a car and drive it to your door. But Inversion, an aerospace and defense technology company, is raising the stakes by promising to deliver cargo from space to just about anywhere on Earth within one hour.

The goal of Project Artemis has been characterized as a journey to the Moon “for scientific discovery, technology advancement, and to learn how to live and work on another world as we prepare for human missions to Mars.”

Researchers from University College London and Moorfields Eye Hospital recently announced the results of a trial for a new device that helps the blind not just see again, but read again.The Prima device is a novel wireless subretinal photovoltaic implant paired with specialized glasses that project near-infrared light to the implant, which acts like a miniature solar panel. The device is being developed by Science Corporation, which specializes in brain-computer interfaces and neural engineering. So, how does it work? 

The Austin American-Statesman reported that battery manufacturing startup Base Power moved into the newspaper's former downtown Austin building. Founded in 2023, the startup makes residential batteries and plans to use the publication's previous site temporarily.

In the heart of Chillicothe, Ohio, a 175-year-old paper mill, long considered an unofficial symbol of the community, was forced to end production in August. Once a cornerstone of the town of 22,000, demand for the specialty paper it produced steadily declined, leading to its closure. First announced in April, the shutdown affected roughly 750 employees, who were notified months in advance. As Pixelle Specialty Solutions, the plant's owner, prepared to relocate operations, workers were left facing difficult choices about their futures.

An engineering brand synonymous with bots will divest its robotics division.ABB has announced that it is selling this business to SoftBank – a Japanese financial holding company with a heavy emphasis in technology.SoftBank owns significant stakes in major companies like Nvidia and T-Mobile, and recent reports have suggested that the firm is carving out a strategic growth plan specific to AI.And that's likely where ABB comes in.

The Ford F-150 has been a top-selling pickup truck in America for many years running, but a recent disaster at the plant of one of the automaker's key suppliers speaks to the precarious nature of even the most valuable supply chains.On September 16th, a fire took place at the Oswego, New York factory of metal manufacturer Novelis – an event that reportedly leveled the plant's hot mill, which is the facility's primary aluminum sheet production area.

The maker of windows and doors says that its equipment is more than two years overdue.

The owner, identified as Li Xiaoshuang, parked his SU7 outside of a store, and what happened next was captured on a surveillance camera: while Li and another person conducted some business in the store, the blue vehicle began to drive away. Aware within moments, Li rushed outside to chase down the vehicle, which was reportedly stopped before any damage was done to people or surroundings.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has restarted manufacturing and is working with suppliers to keep them in business as the U.K. automaker works to recover from a cyberattack that crippled production for more than a month.The company announced that its phased manufacturing restart will begin Wednesday, when a pair of plants in the West Midlands — the Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Center, where JLR builds engines, and the Battery Assembly Center — come back online.Employees will also return to work at the company's stamping operations in Castle Bromwich, Halewood and Solihull. The company is also recalling workers to its body shop and paint shop in Solihull, as well as its Logistics Operations Center, which distributes parts to global manufacturing sites.

Another day, another update on fledgling electric carmaker, Faraday Future.Recent reports point to an incident in a satellite building to the company's Los Angeles headquarters, in which a vehicle prototype allegedly caught fire.https://www.ien.com/safety/video/22951814/ev-prototype-explodes-damages-company-hq

A federal grand jury charged two Colorado companies and some of their executives with conspiring to avoid paying tariffs on forklifts imported from China into the U.S. Court documents accused the companies, Octane Forklifts, Inc. and Endless Sales, Inc., which does business as Discount Forklifts, of selling the machines to federal government agencies as “Made in America,” disguising their Chinese origin. Individuals mentioned in the indictment include current executives Brian Firkins and Jeffrey Blasdel, as well as former executive J.R. Antczak. 

A manufacturer of agricultural equipment is citing tariffs in its decisions about its operations in the U.S.But rather than expanding its U.S. production, it will instead shift some work overseas.

A former production operator and production technician filed a lawsuit against electric vehicle battery maker BlueOval SK, a joint venture created by Ford and Korean manufacturer SK On. The lead plaintiffs, Sean O'Brien and Randall Moore, allege that the company violated the Fair Labor Standards Act and Kentucky Wage and Hour Laws, Western Kentucky University Public Radio reported.

Sandro Dias is a 50-year-old Brazilian skateboarding legend; he's a six-time vert world champion. Well, he recently made history once again when he dropped in from the curved facade of a 22-story building in Brazil. Until now, the Centro Administrativo Fernando Ferrari (CAFF) building in Porto Alegre, standing 88.91 meters high, has been a white whale in the skateboarding community, which has dubbed the unique structure the "ultimate skate ramp." — Dias himself says he has dreamed of riding CAFF for some 13 years. 

For this episode, I welcome Marco Ristano, a 28-year-old senior industrial engineering and planning specialist at machinery manufacturer Caracol.Ristano joined Caracol after a contact in the investment sector recommended the company. After nearly four years with the company, his duties include collecting and analyzing data, interaction with a range of teams, troubleshooting analysis and digitalization and management of internal information flows.Ristano hopes to grow into a strategic role where he not only analyzes data and suggests operational improvements, but also contributes to high-level strategic decision-making. 

Last Thursday, a former employee of a multinational DVD and Blu-ray manufacturer and distributor was sentenced to 57 months in prison, nearly five years, for stealing DVDs and Blu-rays of "blockbuster movies" and selling them before their release dates. According to the Justice Department, 38-year-old Steven R. Hale of Memphis, Tennessee, worked for the DVD manufacturer. From February 2021 to March 2022, Hale stole more than 1,000 discs that were being prepped for commercial distribution in the U.S. 

Boeing Defense and the machinists union have reached a tentative deal, ending a five-week-long strike in St. Louis.An official vote on the new five-year contract is scheduled for Friday, September 12.

Neenah Foundry, a maker of manhole covers and other iron castings, announced that it plans to close its plant in Lincoln, Nebraska, by the end of the year. Nebraska Public Media reported that the company intends to reopen the closed manufacturing facility as a distribution center on January 1, 2026. Neenah Foundry notified the state labor department that 103 workers would lose their jobs as a result of the permanent shutdown and noted that the non-union facility would not offer bumping rights. It did not disclose how many people the distribution center will employ.

A fire at a Pennsylvania plant owned by hardwood lumber producer Weaber broke out on the night of September 8, reportedly requiring more than 1 million gallons of water to contain.Fox43 reported that firefighters arrived at the 84-year-old company's headquarters in Lebanon around 9:10 p.m. The station later noted that all first responders had left the scene by 8:45 a.m. the following morning, with the building still under a controlled burn.

Serta Simmons is saying goodnight to a 122,000-square-foot factory in Jamestown, New York – a move the company says will take place in the next few months and impact 84 employees.According to Furniture Today, the plant closure is the second one that's been initiated by Serta Simmons so far this year. The company announced in May that it would shutter a Moreno Valley, California plant that employed 180 workers – a site that was built during an expansion push and has only been operational since 2018.

Last Tuesday, Tyson Foods announced that Brady Stewart, group president of prepared foods, beef and pork and the company's chief supply chain officer, was leaving the food company immediately. Stewart took "certain actions" that violated the company's code of conduct, the company said in a statement, though it didn't provide further details. 

Last month, more than 3,200 union workers at three Boeing plants in the St. Louis area went on strike. The employees, who make U.S. fighter jets and advanced weapons systems, rejected a "landmark" contract. The deal reportedly gave workers a 40% bump over the next four years as well as better medical benefits, pensions, overtime and work-life balance. But the union's members rejected that proposal.Well, it's been a month, and since Boeing's best aren't willing to budge, the company is looking for a Plan B. Yesterday, the New York Times reported that the new plan includes hiring permanent replacement workers.

This week, Ontario premier Doug Ford responded angrily to reports that the spirits company would be closing the Amherstburg Crown Royal bottling plant, killing 180 jobs in the process.Ford recently declared that he had a message “to [the company's] CEO in France: You hurt my people, I'm going to hurt you” adding that Diageo leaders were “dumb as a bag of hammers.”

Jaguar Land Rover announced Tuesday that the company has been targeted by a cyberattack that has "severely disrupted" its production activities. The British carmaker, which officially rebranded as JLR about two years ago, said it "took immediate action to mitigate its impact by proactively shutting down" its systems. The company says it is trying to restart its global applications in a "controlled manner."

John Deere announced its acquisition of autonomous orchard sprayer GUSS Automation. Founded in 2018 and standing for Global Unmanned Spray System, GUSS expects its machines to act as a solution to the agricultural labor shortage. 

According to a search warrant, the employee works at the company's new $30 million corporate office it announced in May 2021. The worker allegedly created and deleted some 115 orders from March 2024 to March 2025. Of those orders, 109 shipments, valued at $1,086,263.85, were delivered.The employee may have flown under the radar for a year, but then he got greedy and sent about 9,000 pounds of tools to his nearby apartment. 

Although FedEx confirmed the layoffs are not related to the company's ‘Network 2.0' plan for streamlining its package network, this is the company's second layoff this year. The state's labor department filed notice that 217 employees were previously laid off in Middle Tennessee in March.

Welcome to another episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing, a podcast that asks young people about their journeys in manufacturing, how they intend to influence the industry and what they are looking for from an employer.For this episode, I welcome Hannah Dannecker, a 26-year-old managing partner at Better Together Group, a collection of companies that focus on supplying support and tools to staffing companies. Additionally, Dannecker serves as a board member for the Women's Trucking Federation of Canada.In this episode, Dannecker discusses:A fact about Gen Z that always surprises older generations (1:07)How to gain young workers' trust (5:18)Helping Gen Z get over imposter syndrome (9:12)The ideal age to begin engaging young talent (15:26)Please make sure to like and share this episode. To view previous episodes, visit manufacturing.net. If you are a member of Gen Z and would like to discuss your experience in the manufacturing industry, please contact Nolan Beilstein at nolan@ien.com.

AirBorn, a designer and manufacturer of interconnect solutions for industrial, defense, aerospace and medical applications, announced plans to close its facility in Taunton, Massachusetts. The company filed its WARN report on August 20, which stated that the closure would affect 86 workers beginning at the end of 2025 and continuing through 2026.

Wistron's project is part of a $500 billion AI manufacturing effort by Nvidia.

This morning, Toto USA opened a $224 million manufacturing facility in Morrow, Georgia, reshoring production of high-end, one-piece toilets from the Toto Group's plants in Asia. Toto USA is the Japanese manufacturer's Americas division based in Morrow, Georgia.The company, one of the largest plumbing manufacturers in the world that does more than $5.34 billion in annual sales, says it made the move to increase U.S. luxury one-piece toilet production capacity by 150% to meet rising demand.

Bioengineers at Harvard have created a soft, wearable robot that looks more like a smart jacket, designed to help stroke patients and individuals with neurodegenerative diseases, such as ALS, regain a bit of normalcy.The team has been working on the technology for years, and the most recent version deploys sensors, balloons, machine learning and a physics-based model to learn each patient's unique movements to help them accomplish daily activities, such as eating, drinking or grooming. The device provides personalized movement assistance—right now, just for the upper body. 

The future of warfare is autonomous. To compete with China, particularly in the Taiwan Straight, the U.S. Department of Defense has been ramping up development of autonomous boats, but, according to an exclusive Reuters report, things could be better. The U.S. Navy recently conducted a test of autonomous drone boats off the California coast—it was meant to promote the Pentagon's prowess.  During the test, one of the vessels stalled. As the team worked to fix a software bug, another vessel T-boned the stalled vehicle. Reuters actually managed to get their hands on footage of the accident. 

On Friday, GM unveiled a pair of futuristic Corvette concepts, the CX and the CX.R Vision Gran Turismo, and they have a canopy that opens like a fighter jet.