Industrial Manufacturing

Charlotte, N.C. – September 07, 2026 -- Lucid Bots has launched the Power Tether, a ground-powered continuous-power system for its Sherpa cleaning and spraying drone, eliminating the battery-swap interruptions that have long constrained commercial drone operations.

Fleet logs 8,760 cumulative flight hours across 600-plus drones

Telemetry data measured as of August 17 shows Lucid Bots' connected network of more than 600 Sherpa drones has accumulated over 8,760 flight hours, the equivalent of a full calendar year in the air. The figure aggregates activity across the fleet rather than reflecting a single continuous flight or exclusive Power Tether usage.

Cleveland – September 07, 2026 -- Industrial Realty Group (IRG), PREP Funds and CG Real Estate Capital have closed a sale-leaseback transaction with Anchor Manufacturing, acquiring a three-property industrial portfolio totaling 339,449 square feet on 18.44 acres in Cleveland, Ohio.

Anchor Manufacturing signs long-term master lease to remain at all three sites

Under the deal, Anchor Manufacturing has entered a long-term master lease and will continue operating its headquarters and manufacturing facilities across each property, preserving its full operational footprint in Cleveland while monetizing the underlying real estate.

Wuxi – September 07, 2026 -- A global leadership delegation from KUKA, led by a Midea Group vice president, toured Centron's manufacturing facility in Wuxi, China last week to exchange views on intelligent assembly manufacturing and global market trends.

KUKA delegation includes headquarters executives and regional leaders

The delegation comprised members of KUKA Group's headquarters leadership team alongside executives from multiple countries and regions. KUKA, a leading global supplier of industrial robots and automation solutions, sent a delegation of this seniority to Centron, reflecting mutual interest in intelligent assembly manufacturing development.

Tualatin, Ore. – September 07, 2026 -- API International has launched CleanLine, a new line of stainless steel flanges certified to NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 and NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 for drinking-water and clean-water applications.

New Line Adds NSF Certification to Existing Waterworks Flange Range

CleanLine expands API International's waterworks and sanitary process components to serve projects that specifically require NSF-certified parts. The line was developed in response to customer demand for stainless steel components in drinking-water systems that mandate NSF certification. Ric Henderson, VP of Sales, said the certification lets the company support more drinking-water infrastructure projects using the same manufacturing and service base as its existing AWWA and ANSI/ASME flange offering.

Tiffin, Ohio – September 07, 2026 -- Nickolas Asset Management and Kreate will invest $100 million in a 542,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility at 458 Second Avenue in Tiffin, Ohio, creating approximately 120 jobs. Production is scheduled to begin October 1, 2026, with the first machines already delivered to the site.

Facility deploys 32 ENGEL molding machines with AI-driven quality control

The plant will operate 32 new ENGEL injection-molding machines equipped with iQ weight-control technology, integrated with pick-and-place robots, FANUC collaborative robots, autonomous guided vehicles and automated packaging. Krevera's read-write computer-vision AI platform will connect production equipment, quality systems and factory operations, inspecting output and enabling machines to make autonomous real-time corrections.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. – September 05, 2026 -- The Golden Isles Development Authority (GIDA) facilitated $70 million in new capital investment and 91 new jobs in Brunswick and Glynn County during fiscal year 2026, according to the organization's newly released Year in Review.

New capital flows into Project Parrot and Hillpointe developments

The $70 million investment total stemmed from Project Parrot, continued build-out at Hillpointe, and other business activity across the county. GIDA also supported the expansion of five existing employers: Troy Acoustics, Jered, Quaker City Plating, Brewer Technologies, and RSW.

Workforce outreach engages 6,000 people through Keep Glynn Running program

GIDA's Keep Glynn Running workforce initiatives reached approximately 6,000 educators, students, parents, and community members during the fiscal year, part of a broader strategy to help local employers recruit and retain talent.

Delray Beach, Fla. – September 04, 2026 -- The global automotive test equipment market is projected to grow from $4.47 billion in 2026 to $5.92 billion by 2033, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 4.1%, according to MarketsandMarkets.

Hamburg, Germany – September 04, 2026 -- Körber AG has achieved Platinum status in the 2026 EcoVadis sustainability rating, moving up from Gold a year earlier and placing the global technology company in the top 1 percent of all firms assessed worldwide.

The result marks Körber's fourth consecutive EcoVadis assessment and the first time it has reached the top tier across all four rated categories: Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement.

Wuxi, China – September 04, 2026 -- A global executive delegation from KUKA Group, led by the Vice President of Midea Group, visited Centron's manufacturing base in Wuxi last week to discuss intelligent assembly manufacturing trends and potential collaboration.

KUKA sends headquarters leadership and multi-region business heads to Centron site

The delegation included members of KUKA Group's headquarters leadership team alongside business heads from multiple countries and regions. Centron hosted the group with Jed Wang, CEO of sister brand Leetx; Ouyang Su, General Manager of the Centron Product Line; Mike Wang, General Manager of the Centron Business Line; and Samuel Chen, Sales Director of Overseas Business.

DELRAY BEACH, FLA. – September 04, 2026 -- The global PTFE membranes market is projected to reach $2.84 billion by 2031, up from $2.14 billion in 2026, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 5.8%, according to MarketsandMarkets.

Asia Pacific commands 42.2% market share as region emerges fastest-growing

Asia Pacific accounted for 42.2% of the PTFE membranes market in 2026, driven by industrial expansion, pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturing, and semiconductor production across China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia. The region is also expected to post the fastest growth through 2031, as countries increase investment in advanced manufacturing, healthcare infrastructure, and water treatment capacity.