Manufacturing & Industrial Technology

Seoul – September 10, 2026 -- Hyosung Heavy Industries has developed the world's first 22.9kV, 1.05MVA-class Solid State Transformer (SST) capable of direct connection to urban distribution networks, giving the South Korean manufacturer an early lead in a market projected to grow more than 40% annually.

AI-driven power demand pushes Hyosung to scale U.S. production

The company has invested USD 300 million to acquire and expand an ultra-high-voltage transformer manufacturing facility in Memphis, Tennessee, which will become one of the largest such production bases in the United States once expansion completes.

Berlin – September 10, 2026 -- FC Barcelona legend Carles Puyol appeared at Midea's stand at IFA 2026 in Berlin, marking a consumer-facing milestone in the five-year sponsorship deal between the Chinese appliance maker and the Spanish football club.

Midea uses former club captain to promote five-year FC Barcelona tie-up at IFA

The former Barcelona captain joined Midea International president Lewis Fu to present a personalized FC Barcelona jersey and tour the company's SMART MASTER smart-home zone alongside a dedicated FC Barcelona exhibition space.

Misano, Italy – September 10, 2026 -- Cycling technology brands evolve and ELITEWHEELS showcased new performance bike platforms and carbon wheelsets at the Italian Bike Festival (IBF) 2026, held September 4-6 at the Misano World Circuit, occupying booth W3 throughout the three-day event.

evolve unveils data-driven CIMA road and gravel platforms

evolve presented its latest road bike developments built on a data-driven approach targeting weight, stiffness, aerodynamics and handling characteristics. The brand expanded its product portfolio with the CIMA road platform and the CIMA GR gravel platform, both engineered around measurable performance metrics and race-ready technology. evolve confirmed additional product categories are in development for future launches.

Halle – September 10, 2026 -- The insolvent chemical producer Leuna Polyamid has failed to secure a binding investor offer for its large plant in Leuna, Saxony-Anhalt, putting roughly 400 jobs at risk of permanent loss.

No binding investor offer has been received, CEO confirms

"We have unfortunately not yet received a binding offer from an investor," managing director Martin Naundorf told the Mitteldeutsche Zeitung. The company had been searching for a buyer to keep the polyamide and fertilizer production site operational.

Production continues through September to fulfill existing customer orders

The plant will keep running until the end of September to complete outstanding customer contracts, according to Naundorf. After that, management plans to shut down the facility itself, a process expected to take 15 to 20 days.

Delray Beach, Fla. – September 10, 2026 -- The global automotive ECU market is projected to expand from $113.27 billion in 2026 to $160.59 billion by 2033, a 5.1% compound annual growth rate, according to MarketsandMarkets.

Delray Beach – September 10, 2026 -- The global thermoplastic polyimide market is projected to expand from $0.56 billion in 2026 to $0.86 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual rate of 7.4%, according to MarketsandMarkets.

Data center cooling and aerospace demand drive material adoption

Rising cloud computing, AI workloads, and big data processing are increasing heat generation in data centers, pushing operators toward high-performance thermal materials. Aerospace and defense manufacturers are also adopting thermoplastic polyimide for components requiring lightweight, high-temperature stability, alongside growing automotive and industrial machinery use cases demanding chemical and wear resistance.

Paris – September 10, 2026 -- The Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) has named Segway Navimow an Official Supplier of the TOP 14 for three seasons through 2029, marking the robotic lawn mower brand's first sports partnership in France.

Pitch ranking gets renamed after new sponsor

The annual ranking of professional clubs' playing surfaces, previously produced through the Elite Pitch Performance Analysis (APPE), will now be called the "Navimow Pitch Ranking." The initiative evaluates the quality of pitches maintained by TOP 14 clubs each season.

Delray Beach, Fla. – September 10, 2026 -- The global aluminum refractory materials market is projected to grow from USD 2.17 billion in 2026 to USD 2.73 billion by 2031, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 4.77%, according to MarketsandMarkets.

Secondary aluminum production drives fastest volume growth

By production stage, secondary aluminum production is set to post the highest CAGR at 5.9% between 2026 and 2031 by volume, as recycling consumes up to 95% less energy than primary smelting. Rising scrap volumes and automotive and packaging demand are pushing investment into remelting furnaces, each requiring specialized refractory linings.

Hillsboro, Oregon – September 10, 2026 -- Park Systems, a global manufacturer of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and nanoscale metrology systems, has opened a new regional office in Hillsboro, Oregon, to serve semiconductor and high-technology customers across the Pacific Northwest.

New office targets faster technical support for Silicon Forest chipmakers

The Hillsboro facility will focus on field service engineering, application support, and regional account coordination for key semiconductor and microelectronics partners in the area known as the Silicon Forest. It adds to Park Systems' North American network, which already includes its U.S. headquarters in Santa Clara, California, a Latin America office in Mexico City, and an Advanced Applications office in Boston, Massachusetts.

Sluiskil – September 10, 2026 -- Europe's largest industrial carbon capture facility was officially inaugurated today at Yara International's ammonia and fertilizer plant in Sluiskil, the Netherlands, establishing the continent's first complete cross-border value chain for capturing, transporting and permanently storing CO2.

Facility captures up to 800,000 tons of CO2 annually from ammonia production

The plant, part of Europe's largest ammonia and fertilizer complex, will capture and liquefy up to 800,000 tons of CO2 per year, avoiding carbon taxation on those volumes. Over the next 15 years, the project is expected to capture and store approximately 12 million tons of CO2, contingent on supportive regulatory conditions.