Industrial Manufacturing

Delray Beach, Fla. – October 02, 2026 -- The global rotary power tool market is set to expand from USD 0.62 billion in 2026 to USD 0.85 billion by 2032, a compound annual growth rate of 5.3%, according to new data from MarketsandMarkets.

Professional buyers drive fastest growth segment at 6.5% CAGR

Contractors, tradespeople, and technicians are adopting rotary and oscillating multi-tools for construction, renovation, maintenance, woodworking, and repair work at a pace outstripping the broader market. The professional user segment is projected to register a 6.5% CAGR through 2032, as job-site demand for durable, flexible tools accelerates. Manufacturers are responding with brushless motors, variable-speed controls, improved battery runtime, and interchangeable accessories tailored to professional-grade usage.

Louisville, Ky. – October 02, 2026 -- Equip Exposition has been named the third-largest trade show in the United States at the Gold 100 Awards & Summit, a recognition tied to five consecutive years of sold-out exhibit space.

Show floor sells out months ahead for fifth straight year

Available exhibit space has sold out earlier each year since 2022, when the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) took the show in-house and rebranded it. Last year's event drew 30,000 registered contractors, dealers and manufacturers across 1.2 million square feet of indoor and outdoor space.

Landscaper attendance climbs 12%, dealer attendance jumps 17%

In 2025, Equip grew landscaper attendance by 12 percent and dealer attendance by 17 percent year-over-year. "This designation recognizes the incredible strength of Equip's exhibitors and the show's programming," said Kris Kiser, President of OPEI, which owns and manages Equip Exposition.

New York – – October 02, 2026 -- Flow Engineering has raised $50 million in fresh funding to expand what it calls the de facto platform for agentic hardware, with founder and CEO Pari Singh detailing deployment plans on NYSE Live.

Flow Engineering targets hardware automation with new capital

The company says the $50 million round will accelerate its goal of bringing AI-style automation to hardware development, a sector it argues has lagged software in adopting agentic systems. Singh appeared on the NYSE Trading Floor to outline how the capital will be deployed across the platform's expansion.

September jobs report lands ahead of market open

Economists had forecast the U.S. economy added 90,000 jobs in September, with the unemployment rate expected to hold at 4.1%. The report was released this morning prior to the start of trading.

Grand Rapids, Mich. – October 02, 2026 -- Parkway Electric & Communications has transitioned to 100% employee ownership through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), ending nearly 24 years of ownership by Huizenga Group. The announcement was made to employees on September 15 at the company's annual meeting held at the Pinnacle Center.

Huizenga Group chose employee ownership over an outside sale

Huizenga Group, a privately held West Michigan investment firm, acquired Parkway in December 2002. As the firm weighed the company's long-term future, it considered a potential sale to an outside buyer but ultimately opted for the ESOP structure to preserve Parkway's independence, culture and customer relationships. "We concluded that the best way to honor that legacy was to transition ownership to the employees themselves," said J.C. Huizenga, Chairman of Huizenga Group.

Vancouver – October 02, 2026 -- Trilogy Metals Inc. (NYSE American: TMQ; TSX: TMQ) closed a $17.8 million strategic equity investment from the United States Department of War (DOW) on September 11, 2026, as part of a broader $35.6 million financing package tied to its Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects (UKMP) in Alaska. The company reported a cash balance of $31.2 million and adjusted working capital of $30.3 million as of August 31, 2026, which it says substantially funds its share of Ambler Metals LLC's fiscal 2026 budget.

Dallas – – October 01, 2026 -- Sekisui Specialty Chemicals will raise prices on its Selvol Polyvinyl Alcohol, Selvol Ultiloc, Selvol Ultalux, and Selvol Premiol product lines effective October 15, 2026, or as existing contracts and agreements permit.

Price hike targets four Selvol product families used across packaging and construction

The increase applies globally to Selvol Polyvinyl Alcohol, Selvol Ultiloc copolymers, Selvol Ultalux, and Selvol Premiol grades. These polymers and copolymers serve customers in paper, adhesive, packaging, construction, and personal care formulations.

Customers directed to local sales representatives for contract-specific terms

Sekisui Specialty Chemicals advised buyers to contact their regional sales representative to confirm how the increase applies to individual supply agreements. The company did not disclose a specific percentage or dollar figure for the increase in its announcement.

Pune, India – October 01, 2026 -- The global electroplating market reached USD 16.45 billion in 2025 and is forecast to climb to USD 21.26 billion by 2034, growing at a 2.89% CAGR from 2026, according to new research from Maximize Market Research. Demand for corrosion-resistant, conductive and durable metal coatings across automotive, electric vehicles, electronics, aerospace, defense and medical devices is driving the expansion.

Asia Pacific dominates plating demand on automotive and electronics output

Asia Pacific led the market in 2025, underpinned by large-scale vehicle, PCB, connector and industrial equipment production across China, Japan, India and South Korea. North America and Europe remain significant, fueled by aerospace, defense and industrial applications alongside adoption of trivalent chromium and advanced wastewater-treatment systems to meet tightening environmental rules.

Pune, India – October 01, 2026 -- The global elastomers market is projected to grow from $104.73 billion in 2025 to $149.19 billion by 2034, a compound annual growth rate of 4.01% through the forecast period, according to Maximize Market Research.

BASF starts commercial TPU production in Shanghai to serve China's EV and robotics demand

In April 2026, BASF began commercial production of its Elastollan flame-retardant thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) grade in Shanghai, expanding local supply for robotics, industrial automation and EV charging cable applications. The move strengthens China's position as a major hub for specialty elastomer production and consumption.

Conshohocken, Pa. – October 01, 2026 -- Quaker Houghton (NYSE: KWR) has closed a new 7-year, $550 million Term Loan B facility, refinancing its existing U.S. Term Loans and pushing debt maturity out to October 2033.

New facility carries SOFR plus 175 basis points pricing

The Term Loan B amends the company's existing Credit Agreement, with proceeds used to repay in full the U.S. Term Loans previously outstanding. Quarterly amortization payments will equal 0.25% of the initial $550 million principal, with the remaining balance due at the October 2033 maturity date.

New York – October 01, 2026 -- The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and America Makes have launched a searchable online database of additive manufacturing (AM) standards alongside a September 2026 Gaps Progress Report, giving manufacturers and regulators a clearer map of which safety and performance standards exist, which are in development, and where coverage is still missing.

Both tools originate from the Additive Manufacturing Standardization Collaborative (AMSC), a cross-sector body jointly led by ANSI and America Makes, as AM adoption expands into aerospace, medical devices, automotive, and defense applications where parts from different machines and manufacturers must perform consistently.