Supply Chain

C&D Technologies Unveils Broadband MAX, TEL-HT MAX UPS Batteries

Horsham, Pa. – September 25, 2026 -- C&D Technologies is introducing the Broadband MAX Pure Lead AGM and Gel battery series and previewing the TEL-HT MAX, a UPS battery engineered to cut total cost of ownership by up to 20% for telecom operators. The company will showcase both products at SCTE TechExpo26, running September 29 through September 25, 2026, in Atlanta, at booth G1332.

Broadband MAX targets lifecycle costs for Outside Plant operators

The Broadband MAX VRLA battery series is built to extend service life and reduce the frequency of battery replacements in Outside Plant applications, directly lowering lifecycle costs for broadband network operators managing distributed infrastructure.

CAI Commits Up to $268M to SMT Energy's Battery Storage Platform

New York – September 25, 2026 -- Climate Adaptive Infrastructure (CAI) has agreed to invest up to $268 million at the parent-company level into SMT Energy, a developer, owner and operator of battery energy storage systems, on top of $32 million CAI had already deployed into SMT assets.

CAI structures a parent-level equity partnership to fund SMT's U.S. storage buildout

The capital commitment, combined with tax equity and project-level debt, will finance the development, construction and operation of SMT Energy's battery storage portfolio across the United States. The platform spans distributed-generation and utility-scale battery storage as well as powered land projects aimed at reinforcing grid reliability.

Accela, KCI Expand Partnership to Modernize Government Permitting Systems

San Ramon, Calif. – September 25, 2026 -- Accela and KCI Technologies announced an expanded strategic partnership to help state and local government agencies modernize permitting, licensing, inspections, and enterprise asset management through a connected cloud platform.

KCI ranks #50 on ENR's 2026 Top 500 Design Firms list and brings 20 years of Esri partnership expertise to the deal.

The partnership combines Accela's Civic Platform and Novotx Elements XS with KCI's government operations, GIS, and asset management capabilities. KCI is a 100% employee-owned engineering and technology services firm with a dedicated Land Management practice spanning nearly a decade and an asset management team certified by the Institute of Asset Management.

STL Launches 6912F Fiber Trunks for AI Data Center Density

Columbia, S.C. – September 25, 2026 -- STL has expanded its Neuralis Data Center portfolio with Pre-Terminated Fiber Trunk Assemblies scaling from 48 fibers to 6912 fibers, targeting hyperscale and enterprise operators facing capacity constraints from AI, cloud and high-performance computing workloads.

New portfolio splits into two product lines for indoor and campus-scale deployment

The Indoor Pre-Terminated Fiber Trunk Assemblies span 48F to 576F, designed for MMC, MPO and LC terminations inside the data hall. Cable diameters range from 5.8 mm at 48 fibers to 12.2 mm at 576 fibers, meeting ANSI/ICEA S-83-596 and UL OFNP/OFNR standards. The Indoor/Outdoor line covers 144F to 6912F for campus, inter-building and inter-row interconnects, holding an outer diameter of 32.0 mm even at maximum fiber count, with OFNR/LSZH jacketing and UL 1651-rated sunlight resistance.

Thirteen Lune, Helios & Partners Launch Studio 13 Beauty Accelerator

Los Angeles – September 25, 2026 -- Thirteen Lune has launched Studio 13, a bi-annual accelerator program developed with strategic investment firm Helios & Partners, offering selected beauty brands up to $100,000 in seed funding per $1 million in annual revenue.

Program targets brands generating $1.5 million or more in annual revenue

Helios & Partners and Thirteen Lune will jointly evaluate applicants, selecting 13 high-potential beauty brands per 13-week cohort. Cohorts run twice yearly, in January and June, with participants receiving direct seed capital, retail integration across Thirteen Lune's digital platform and Los Angeles flagship store, and enterprise commerce support.

Paxos Labs Launches PAXGy, Bringing Institutional Gold Leasing Yield On-Chain

New York – September 25, 2026 -- Paxos Labs has launched PAXGy, a gold-backed token that accrues value in gold terms by routing reserves into the multi-billion dollar institutional gold leasing market that has set bullion lending rates for four decades.

PAXGy deploys PAXG reserves into a market previously closed to retail holders

Holders deposit PAXG or swap accepted stablecoins for PAXGy, which is redeemable for PAXG at any time. The underlying gold is deployed to a network of vetted institutional borrowers -- refiners, jewelry manufacturers, miners and bullion banks -- through the same leasing market that has priced bullion lease rates for decades. As reserves are deployed, value accrues to the PAXGy exchange rate, meaning each token becomes worth more PAXG over time and holders can exit with more notional ounces than their principal.

Hyosung Scales HVDC Tech to 2 GW, Targets Top-3 Grid Rank in 5 Years

Seoul – September 25, 2026 -- Hyosung Heavy Industries is scaling its proprietary voltage-source converter (VSC) HVDC technology to 2 gigawatts, building on a commercial base of 200 MW systems, as it targets a position among the world's top three power solutions providers within five years.

Hyosung began HVDC development in 2012 with a 20 MW demonstration project in Jeju

The company subsequently developed 200 MW converter valves and control systems and deployed them on live grids, building operational experience that it is now applying to large-scale 2 GW systems. Since 2012, Hyosung has pursued in-house development of core HVDC components rather than licensing external technology, part of a South Korean government push to localize converter valves, control systems and converter transformers.

Honor Shipments Hit 71 Million in 2025 After Rebuilding From 3% Share

Beijing – September 25, 2026 -- Honor's global smartphone shipments surpassed 71 million units in 2025, making it the fastest-growing leading smartphone vendor after the company's domestic market share had collapsed to just 3% following its November 2020 spinoff from Huawei.

Shipments climbed 25% in Q1 2026 despite market headwinds

Honor extended its recovery into 2026, with first-quarter shipments rising 25% even as broader smartphone demand faced pressure. The gains follow a period in which the roughly 7,000-person team operated without an owned operating system or manufacturing facilities.

Baseline Integrates Xactus Verification Into Lending Platform

New York – September 25, 2026 -- Baseline, a loan origination and servicing platform built for private real estate lenders, has integrated Xactus verification solutions directly into its workflow, allowing clients to order, track, and receive credit and flood reports without leaving the platform.

Integration eliminates manual data re-entry across separate verification systems

Private lenders previously had to log into a separate system, re-enter borrower data, and manually pull results back into the loan file to complete verification. Baseline says the new integration removes that step, embedding Xactus verification data directly into its dashboard.

Celebree CEO Pushes American Franchise Act at IFA Summit

Baltimore – September 25, 2026 -- Richard Huffman, founder, president and CEO of Celebree School, joined U.S. Rep. Johnny Olszewski and a local Chick-fil-A owner on a featured panel at the 2026 International Franchise Association Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C., pressing for passage of the American Franchise Act.

Record crowd of 500 franchise executives lobbies Congress

The Summit, hosted by IFA Senior Director of Federal Government Relations Haider Murtaza, drew more than 500 franchise executives, owners and Franchisees of the Year to the capital. Attendees spent the week urging lawmakers to pass the bipartisan American Franchise Act, which would establish a single, permanent federal joint-employer standard for the franchise industry after a decade of shifting rules.