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It’s hard out there for any automaker dealing with tariffs, development costs, consumer sentiment and a muted shift to electric vehicles – and luxury carmakers are not exempt. A new report suggests that Porsche’s cost cutting efforts may be so aggressive that the luxury automaker could kill two brand new models before they’ve even left the building. At issue are the all-electric Cayman and 718 Boxer, models that Carscoops says were “meant to define Porsche’s future” but might soon fall victim to soaring costs and shifting market dynamics. In 2022, under the oversight of then-CEO Oliver Blume, Porsche announced an ambitious goal: 80% or more of its new vehicles would be all-electric by 2030. As we know, in a few short years a lot has changed. And while Porsche was sunsetting the ICE versions of the 718 Boxer and Cayman and developing the new electric ones, it began struggling with mounting costs and delays. https://www.ien.com/product-development/video/22959886/porsche-may-kill-these-2-models-before-they-even-hit-the-market #Porsche, #PorscheEV, #ElectricVehicles, #EVNews, #AutoIndustry, #LuxuryCars, #CarNews, #AutomotiveNews, #ElectricCars, #Cayman, #718Boxster, #PorscheCayman, #Porsche718, #EVMarket, #AutoTariffs, #CarManufacturing, #SupplyChain, #BatteryShortage, #Northvolt, #FutureOfCars, #EVTransition, #AutoBusiness, #Bloomberg, #Carscoops

Forty-nine workers are set to lose their jobs when The Campbell’s Company closes a plant in the Massachusetts town of Hyannis this spring. And with it, the region will lose production of the snack staple that bears its name – the   Cape Cod chips have been made at the Hyannis plant since 1985 though, over time, the factory volume of this location has declined to just 4% of the overall output of these potato chips for Campbell’s. #CampbellsCompany, #CapeCodChips, #ManufacturingNews, #PlantClosure, #FactoryShutdown, #JobLosses, #FoodManufacturing, #SnackIndustry, #USManufacturing, #Massachusetts, #HyannisMA, #EconomicImpact, #ManufacturingJobs, #SupplyChain, #CorporateNews

Many have tried, but no one has quite perfected the solar car. The average vehicle spends most – or all – of its time outside, either in use or parked, and with more than 6 million electric vehicles now present on American roads, many auto companies have been captivated by the prospect of capturing the energy of the sun to provide a boost in range. One of those is Nissan, which recently unveiled a concept that pairs its all-electric Ariya model with solar panels. Nissan says the project hopes to target the ambitious question that many have posed over the years: what if electric vehicles could charge themselves? Unveiled in time for Clean Energy Day in January, the concept features an array of flat photovoltaic panels on the Ariya’s hood, liftgate and roof – visible to the eye, but not adding bulk.  #Nissan, #ElectricVehicles, #SolarCar, #EVTechnology, #CleanEnergy, #RenewableEnergy, #AutomotiveInnovation, #FutureOfMobility, #SustainableTransportation, #EVCharging, #SolarPanels, #GreenTechnology, #AutoIndustry, #ConceptCars, #EVAdoption, #EnergyEfficiency, #ClimateTech, #IndustryTrends

John Deere announced that it would recall 99 laid-off employees to its facilities in eastern Iowa. The workers will report to the machinery manufacturer’s Davenport and Dubuque Works sites starting in mid-February. The decision came one day after President Donald Trump announced in Clive, Iowa, that John Deere planned to establish a parts distribution center near Hebron, Indiana, and add an excavator factory to its campus in Kernersville, North Carolina. Scheduled to open next year, the company expects the projects to create hundreds of jobs. #JohnDeere, #ManufacturingJobs, #FactoryRecall, #USManufacturing, #IowaManufacturing, #HeavyEquipment, #ConstructionEquipment, #ForestryEquipment, #IndustrialNews, #ManufacturingNews, #Workforce, #SkilledTrades, #JobGrowth, #EquipmentManufacturing, #SupplyChain, #MidwestManufacturing, #EconomicImpact, #IndustryTrends

https://www.ien.com/video/video/22959460/honda-gm-to-end-us-manufacturing-joint-venture-this-year Honda said earlier this month that it reached a decision with General Motors to discontinue their Fuel Cell System Manufacturing (FCSM) joint venture by the end of 2026, bringing nearly a decade of collaboration to a close. The Japanese company’s announcement comes a few months after GM said the joint venture would stop producing hydrogen fuel cells for data centers and power generation. While the American automaker acknowledged hydrogen’s potential for high-demand industrial applications, it called the path to a sustainable fuel cell business “long and uncertain”—citing high costs and limited U.S. infrastructure that hinder consumer adoption of fuel cell-powered vehicles.

https://www.ien.com/video/video/22959340/volkswagen-chief-puts-plans-for-us-audi-factory-on-ice In spring of 2025, after a flurry of tariffs were announced, foreign automakers were in crisis mode. Among them was Volkswagen, a German company with a substantial US footprint for some brands, such as VW, but a non-existent one for others, like Audi. Specifically, Audi vehicles have thus far been produced at plants in both Germany and Mexico. Due to the April tariffs proposed on foreign-made vehicles, VW suggested at the time that perhaps an Audi production base on US soil was in the cards.  It was never certain whether this US-made Audi would mean a new factory or simply adding production capabilities at an existing plant: this could be VW’s Tennessee manufacturing compound or a new factory currently being built in South Carolina to manufacture the Scout line.  A June report even suggested that Audi was considering building a greenfield site in the south with a price tag north of $4 billion, though the company didn’t confirm these details, choosing to say, instead, that it was continuing to evaluate its options. But right now, none of these options are looking good. VW CEO Oliver Blume recently told German media outlet Handelsblatt that plans for a potential US factory for Audi are not progressing. Blume said the prospect is too expensive based on the added cost burden Volkswagen has taken on with tariffs – a shift that has cost the automaker a reported $2.5 billion in the first three quarters of 2025.  Talks between VW and local officials were also said to have been unsuccessful – meaning no additional financial incentives for a potential factory project or expansion had been established. Said Blume, “Given an unchanged tariff burden, large additional investment cannot be funded,” adding: “Reduction of costs in the short term and reliable business conditions in the long term are what we need.” Blume believes VW can still grow its U.S. business, but as evidence of its changing expectations, the company walked back a previously stated goal of capturing 10% market share in the United States, and will instead pursue more gradual progress. #Volkswagen, #Audi, #AutoIndustry, #AutomotiveNews, #ManufacturingNews, #Tariffs, #USTradePolicy, #ForeignAutomakers, #USManufacturing, #AutoManufacturing, #ElectricVehicles, #GlobalSupplyChain, #FactoryExpansion, #GreenfieldProject, #EconomicImpact, #AutomotiveMarket, #OEMs, #IndustryTrends

Welcome to another episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing, a podcast where I talk to young people about their journeys in manufacturing, how they intend to influence the industry and what they are looking for from an employer. For this episode, I welcome Bailey Olmschenk, a 27-year-old director of solutions engineering at Prometheus Group, a company that develops AI-powered EAM software for plants and facilities. Olmschenk’s career began with a series of engineering internships and over two years as a process engineer at consulting firm Stantec. In 2023, she joined Prometheus as a solutions engineer and was recently promoted to her current leadership position, where she focuses on making AI accessible to workers who do not traditionally rely on the technology. In this episode, Olmschenk discusses: (:59) Why Gen Z chooses where they want to live before they choose where they want to work(4:57) Green flags young people look for when it comes to technology(8:03) How Gen Z can fill knowledge gaps for maintenance(10:45) Upskilling workers with AI tools

Last October, Polaris announced the sale of its Indian Motorcycle business to a California-based private equity firm. The Minnesota-based company has owned the nearly 125-year-old motorcycle maker since 2011 and has given it a new lease on life. When Polaris struck a deal with Carolwood LP, CEO Mike Speetzen said both Polaris, which will hold onto a small stake in the company, and Indian stood to benefit from the deal. According to the Minnesota Star Tribune, the sale is expected in Q1, and Polaris has been forced to make some tough choices as a result.

Gathr Outdoors announced plans to permanently close its Pride Manufacturing production and support facilities in Maine, according to a release sent to IEN by attorney Peter Bennett. A WARN Notice showed the shutdown at the factory, which makes Lincoln Logs, cigar tips and golf tees, will eliminate 115 jobs. The release stated that the closure results from a “significant shift in customer demand” that rendered the facility “economically unsustainable.” The Portland Press Herald reported that Pride paid roughly $200,000 in annual taxes, primarily driven by property and equipment, according to Burnham Select Board member Rick Basford. The New York Post cited the facility’s owner, Centre Partners Management, which said the impending closure stems from a cigar maker moving its sourcing for cigar tips. The firm stated that the lost contract left the site “financially unviable.” 

The next time you board a flight, it will be with the knowledge that a humanoid robot may have helped build the airplane. Airbus, Boeing’s primary rival in producing passenger aircraft, has reached a deal with China-based robotics company UBTech. According to Bloomberg, the aerospace company wants to have UBTech’s Walker S2 bots, which stand about 5’ 9” tall, integrated into production lines. UBTech says the Walker S2 is specifically designed for applications like industrial manufacturing and warehouse and logistics. The bot comes with lots of fairly common features like dexterous hands, flexible design, and enhanced perception and awareness. But what sets the Walker S2 apart from its humanoid contemporaries is its battery-swapping ability. The bot can walk over to a charging station when it’s low on juice and pop in a fresh battery in a matter of minutes, resulting in very little production downtime.

A salsa and hot sauce company in Iowa has sued a contract manufacturer over a series of alleged quality control issues in recent years — including hot sauce bottles that reportedly exploded. Lola’s Fine Sauces, which began at farmer’s markets and now sells in many of the nation’s top grocery chains, partnered with Canadian manufacturer EcoIdeas Innovation in 2023 for production of "mini bottles” of salsa, the Iowa Capital Dispatch reported. #ManufacturingNow, #foodmanufacturing , #hotsauce , #foodsafety , #qualitycontrol , #productrecall , #supplychain , #contractmanufacturing , #CPGNews, #foodindustry , #lawsuit , #manufacturingnews , #retailnews , #WalmartNews #canada #walmart #hotsauce

A pair of drivers filed a class action lawsuit against Nissan, alleging that its Rogue vehicle’s rear windshields can spontaneously explode while parked and in motion, causing shards of glass to fly through the cars. The complaint claimed that Nissan knew about the defect in 2021 to 2025 Rogue vehicles but failed to notify owners or initiate a recall. The lawsuit states that the rear windshields can fail before the end of the expected lifespan and within the vehicles’ three-year, 36,000-mile warranty. However, multiple drivers said Nissan refuses to cover repairs, claiming the damage results from ordinary wear and tear.

A Massachusetts-based concrete company has agreed to pay a large fine after multiple safety standard violations resulted in a worker being crushed to death. According to the U.S. Justice Department, John Oliveira & Sons Stamp Concrete was using a large soil screener with a tail conveyer that could be placed in a vertical closed position or opened to an approximate 45-degree angle. The complaint alleges that on several occasions, the conveyor closed unexpectedly, resulting in a ruptured hydraulic pressure line.

A year ago, the deadly Eaton wildfire spread through Southern California, destroying more than 9,000 buildings in its path. Among them was the family home of Grammy-nominated artist Aloe Blacc and about 6,000 others just in Altadena.  When it came time to rebuild, Blacc worked with LiveLarge Home, a California-based company that makes factory-built, single-family homes designed to survive wildfires. Prefab homes can shorten construction timelines and prioritize structural resilience. Blacc was able to wake up just five months after beginning the project to a new home in Altadena. 

An investigation into a Chinese factory that manufactures the popular Labubu toys alleged several labor rights violations, including underage employment, blank contracts, overtime schedules above legal limits and “unrealistic” production targets. China Labor Watch (CLW), an independent U.S.-based civil and social organization, conducted the investigation at a Shunjia Toys facility that makes Labubu toys for Chinese designer toy company Pop Mart. The probe featured interviews with 51 employees, including workers from the assembly, machine sewing, hand sewing and injection molding departments.