Supply Chain

London – – September 18, 2026 -- Naviq, the travel-focused AI company spun out of IBS Group in July 2026 with a $500 million investment and 2,000 employees, has been named a Horizon 2: Enterprise Innovator by HFS Research.

HFS Research cites Naviq's software heritage and sector-specific AI as key differentiators

The analyst firm credited Naviq's specialist focus on aviation, hospitality, cruise and airport operations for its ability to deliver measurable transformation outcomes rather than experimental AI pilots. Melissa Fersht, Executive Research Leader at HFS Research, said IBS Group is shifting the travel industry from AI experimentation to AI execution, and that Naviq's combination of domain expertise and technical delivery forms a differentiator few providers can match.

Singapore – September 18, 2026 -- UROVO has introduced UPad, a commercial tablet designed to consolidate payment processing, barcode scanning, RFID tracking, and enterprise mobility into a single device for frontline business operations.

UPad replaces multiple disconnected hardware units with one integrated platform

The device targets retail, restaurant, hospitality, and warehousing operators seeking to cut hardware investment while gaining real-time operational visibility. UROVO CTO Zhang Bo said frontline operations now require more than standalone devices, positioning UPad as a unified answer to payment, data capture, mobility, and business applications.

London – September 18, 2026 -- Echion Technologies and Energy Tech Solution (ETS) have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop batteries built on Echion's XNO® niobium-based anode material, targeting mining, rail, maritime and datacenter customers that require high-intensity power performance.

ETS becomes first total battery solution provider in Echion's partner network

Seoul-based ETS, which also operates in Chungju, South Korea, and Detroit, will cover production line design, cell assembly equipment and Korea-based cell design R&D for XNO®. The company builds battery manufacturing equipment for startups and gigafactories and acts as a contract cell manufacturer for next-generation battery developers across Asia, Europe and North America.

Hannover, Germany – September 18, 2026 -- Geotab Inc. has launched a new suite of fleet safety tools, including a unified incident-investigation system, as 95% of European fleet professionals say collision risk has risen over the past five years, according to a Geotab survey.

London – September 18, 2026 -- Fastmarkets has confirmed ongoing stakeholder engagement with Saudi Arabia's National Industrial Development Center (NIDC) to further develop its ferrous scrap price indices in the Kingdom, as the country builds out its steel and recycling infrastructure under Vision 2030.

Fastmarkets launched its first Saudi scrap benchmark in August 2025

The price reporting agency introduced its steel scrap HMS 1&2 index, domestic composite, delivered Saudi Arabia, riyals/tonne (code MB-STE-0939), in August 2025 following consultation with local market participants, including NIDC.

Singapore – September 18, 2026 -- Chinese companies are entering a third phase of globalization defined by exporting operating capabilities rather than just products, according to a joint report released by Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) and IE University's China Observatory.

Report identifies 'capability export' as the new phase of Chinese globalization

Titled Chinese Companies' New Playbook for Going Global, the study finds firms are transferring technical standards, product development processes, supply-chain organization, service models, branding and business models abroad while adapting them to local conditions. The research is led by CKGSB Professor of Economics and Associate Dean Li Wei.

Stockholm – September 18, 2026 -- TrusTrace has launched a new platform designed to close the gap between the supply chain data global brands collect and their ability to act on it, as sustainability and due diligence regulations multiply worldwide.

Platform rolls out in phases starting this month after a year of validation with leading brands

The system expands TrusTrace's existing traceability and compliance infrastructure, built on real-time, lot-level forward traceability and AI-powered backward chain-of-custody data across materials and sourcing models. Its first module, Supply Chain Intelligence, lets brands query suppliers, facilities, products, and materials using natural language, surfacing gaps and generating reports in seconds.

Paris – September 18, 2026 -- HawkEye 360, Inc. (NYSE: HAWK) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Leonardo S.p.A. to integrate radio-frequency sensing data into a sovereign, multi-sensor intelligence solution for European customers.

Leonardo takes data integration lead while HawkEye 360 supplies dedicated RF capacity

Under the MoU, Leonardo will manage overall data integration and institutional engagement across Europe through its geospatial solutions arm, while HawkEye 360 provides RF data capacity tailored to European operational requirements. The first phase integrates a customized RF layer into Leonardo's global Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) service offering, including reserved capacity for defined European areas of interest.

Paris – September 18, 2026 -- HawkEye 360, Inc. (NYSE: HAWK) has established its first European subsidiary, HawkEye 360 Luxembourg, S.à r.l., marking the company's initial legal entry into the European Union's defense and space industrial base.

HawkEye 360 CEO meets US envoy to Luxembourg during Paris space summit

The announcement coincided with a meeting between HawkEye 360 Chief Executive Officer John Serafini and U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg Stacey Feinberg during World Space Business Week in Paris. Serafini said establishing the Luxembourg entity strengthens the company's ability to work alongside European governments and industry, support sovereign national requirements, and move its space-based radio frequency (RF) capabilities closer to regional customers.

Montreal – September 18, 2026 -- Airports Council International (ACI) World released a white paper calling for an urgent modernisation of the global airport slot allocation system, warning that a regulatory framework designed more than 50 years ago is now stifling competition and driving up costs for passengers.

Congested airports have surged more than 25% in a decade

The number of the world's most congested, slot-restricted airports has jumped by over 25% in the last ten years, according to the white paper. ACI World projects global passenger traffic will nearly double by the mid-2040s, intensifying pressure on a capacity allocation system that has not evolved alongside industry growth.