Supply Chain

NEW YORK – September 17, 2026 -- Intrinsic Advanced Materials is widening commercial deployment of its CiCLO® fiber technology into home and hospitality textiles through new collaborations with ADVANSA and HeiQ Materials AG, ahead of a joint activation with Lonely Whale during NYC Climate Week on Sept. 21-22.

ADVANSA integrates CiCLO into its premium Suprelle fiberfill line

ADVANSA is launching Suprelle® fiberfill made with CiCLO fibers for bedding, home and hospitality applications, embedding the microplastic-persistence-reduction technology into an established fiberfill portfolio built around comfort attributes such as cooling, down-like feel, loft retention and moisture management. Jean-Christophe Rouyer, head of global business development at ADVANSA, said the addition lets customers differentiate Suprelle products without altering core fiberfill performance.

New York – September 16, 2026 -- Karas Wines, an Armenian winery founded in 2004, has been nominated for 'New World Winery of the Year' in the 2026 Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Awards, marking a milestone for the country's wine sector on the international stage.

Karas cultivates over 400 hectares at elevations above 1,300 meters in Armenia's Ararat Valley

The estate, located in the Armavir region, grows both indigenous Armenian grapes and international varieties in mineral-rich volcanic soils. Karas has supported ampelographic research identifying more than 120 indigenous Armenian grape varieties, including Areni and Sireni, combining traditional clay vessel fermentation with modern viticulture.

Winery became first in Armenia to certify an organic vineyard

Karas has invested in solar energy, advanced drip irrigation and digitally managed water systems to address vineyard management challenges in the semi-arid Ararat Valley climate.

Boca Raton – September 16, 2026 -- The national average price of diesel hit an all-time high of $5.85 a gallon on September 16, 2026, according to AAA, then climbed further to $5.9015 three days later, surpassing the previous record set in June 2022.

Diesel prices have risen more than 50% since the outbreak of war with Iran

A year ago the same gallon cost $3.71; on the eve of the conflict it cost $3.76. Six months of disrupted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and crude trading near $90 a barrel have added more than two dollars to a fuel that powers freight, agriculture, construction and a large share of the country's backup and off-grid electricity.

Lehigh Valley, Pa. – September 16, 2026 -- Air Products (NYSE: APD) will donate up to $15,000 to the Ceramic & Glass Industry Foundation and the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council through a donation tied to attendance at the 87th Conference on Glass Problems in Toledo, Ohio, running Sept. 14-17.

Air Products Foundation Ties Donation to Booth Visits

For each visitor to its exhibit and hospitality event, the Air Products Foundation will contribute $100, capped at a total of $15,000, to support the next generation of ceramic and glass professionals. The event runs 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on Sept. 14 and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on Sept. 15 in Salon 2 of the Renaissance Toledo Downtown Hotel.

Pittsburgh – September 16, 2026 -- MSA Safety has launched the A1X, a next-generation WinGrip vacuum anchor that weighs 7 kg -- 35% lighter than its predecessor -- and cuts its diameter to 350 mm from 480 mm, aiming to speed up aircraft maintenance checks.

Redesigned pneumatics double anchoring positions per bottle

The A1X uses vacuum suction technology to create a non-invasive attachment point on aircraft wing surfaces, powered by refillable air or gas cylinders that generate the required negative pressure. A redesigned pneumatic system doubles the number of anchoring positions achievable with a single bottle, reducing how often technicians must carry replacement cylinders during time-critical checks.

Frankfurt – September 16, 2026 -- Aeson Power, an Australian sodium-ion battery maker, has surpassed 100,000 units deployed across more than 30 countries with its sodium-ion starter and start-stop batteries for the automotive aftermarket. The company is showcasing this portfolio alongside newly introduced sodium-ion auxiliary battery solutions for electric and commercial vehicles at Automechanika Frankfurt 2026.

Sodium-ion batteries outlast lead-acid in start-stop applications by more than 3x

Aeson Power's sodium-ion starter and start-stop batteries deliver instant starting power, fast charging and strong cold-start performance at low weight, according to the company. It states their lifespan in start-stop applications exceeds that of conventional lead-acid batteries by more than three times, while operating across a wide temperature range.

Arlington, Va. – September 16, 2026 -- Casino operators are losing visibility into total player value because core systems for gaming, hospitality, and loyalty were built to process isolated transactions rather than track a single guest identity, according to a new blueprint from Info-Tech Research Group.

Dallas – September 16, 2026 -- Water Wings Swim School opened its first franchised location in Cypress, Texas on September 5, marking the debut of a national expansion push that now spans 54 awarded franchise units across 16 states. The brand, part of youth enrichment platform Unleashed Brands, launched its franchise program in May 2025.

Cypress location kicks off six openings planned for 2026

The Cypress school, owned by multi-unit operators Arun and Kay Singh, is the first of six franchised Water Wings locations slated to open this year. A second location owned by Ali Robaei opens in Frisco, Texas on September 19, followed by additional schools in Arlington, TX; Billings, MT; Brighton, MI; and Marysville, WA before year-end.

Lebanon, Ind. – September 16, 2026 -- SHEIN opened a new 737,000-square-foot automated fulfillment facility in Lebanon, Indiana, expanding its statewide footprint to more than 2.5 million square feet and adding hundreds of new jobs to a workforce already exceeding 1,300 Hoosiers.

New facility deploys goods-to-person automation to boost fulfillment capacity

The Lebanon site, located roughly 1.5 miles from SHEIN's existing Indiana operations, is scheduled to begin operations this month. The facility uses a goods-to-person fulfillment system designed to strengthen SHEIN's U.S. logistics network as the company scales order volumes across its online fashion and lifestyle business.

Santa Maria, Calif. – September 16, 2026 -- Bonipak Produce, a fourth-generation grower, packer and shipper founded in 1932, is rolling out OneTrack's AiOn agentic AI platform across its farming, cooling and transportation operations, giving employees at every level direct access to autonomous data analysis.

Bonipak identified actionable opportunities within hours of its first AiOn conversation

During evaluation, Bonipak tested the platform on real operational data inside a sandbox environment. The company was able to identify and act on opportunities within hours of the initial exchange with the agent, prompting full deployment across the Bonipak Family of Companies.