01
What changed in manufacturing regulation and policy this week?
Government decisions, new rules and policy shifts reported this week.
02
On October 1, 2026, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) implemented a ban on new imports of foreign-made advanced robots, citing national security and supply chain concerns.
Read at eu-robotics.net ↗03
The European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) has proposed amendments to the EU's Cybersecurity Act 2 (CSA2) draft.
Read at pv-magazine.com ↗04
The UK Government has instructed electricity, gas, and water utility companies to prioritize domestic manufacturing, jobs, and apprenticeships in their procurement strategies.
Read at energylivenews.com ↗05
Canadian businesses are actively seeking new markets and suppliers outside of the United States due to tariffs and threats imposed by the Trump administration.
Read at nytimes.com ↗06
The EU's Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT) officially entered into application on September 27, 2026.
Read at esgtoday.com ↗07
The UK automotive industry faces pressure from the European Commission to impose tariffs on Chinese vehicles to avoid retaliatory trade barriers on British exports to the EU.
Read at theguardian.com ↗08
The Q2 2026 A1 Solar Index report by A1 SolarStore indicates that the U.S. solar hardware market is facing supply constraints due to new federal tariff deadlines and stricter domestic content requirements.
Read at pv-magazine.com ↗8 of 14 regulation and policy events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.
What funding rounds and acquisitions happened in manufacturing this week?
The week’s notable investments, financing rounds, acquisitions and strategic deals.
09
Paris-based industrial robotics company Inbolt has raised €11 million in a funding round led by Shift4Good, with participation from Bridges Climate Transition Partners, BNP Paribas Développement, and Ora Global.
Read at tech.eu ↗10
ABB has completed the integration of Gamesa Electric as of the end of 2025, marking the company's return to the utility-scale solar inverter and energy storage market after a decade-long absence.
Read at pv-magazine.com ↗What products launched in manufacturing this week?
Notable product launches, releases and platform updates from the week.
11
Daimler Truck announced plans to construct a new assembly plant in the United States.
Read at assemblymag.com ↗12
ACI Materials announced plans to bring the production of silver solar paste back to the United States.
Read at pv-tech.org ↗13
HARMAN International reported significant improvements in manufacturing quality and productivity at its facilities by implementing artificial intelligence solutions.
Read at assemblymag.com ↗14
On September 30, 2026, Wenzhou launched a direct container shipping service connecting the Oujiang river port in Zhejiang province, China, to West African markets including Ghana and Guinea.
Read at theloadstar.com ↗15
A Queensland-based manufacturer identified over $178,000 in annual energy savings through a pilot of Schneider Electric's Decarbonisation Champion Programme.
Read at energylivenews.com ↗16
Hitachi Energy announced plans to construct a new transformer assembly plant in Mississippi, USA.
Read at assemblymag.com ↗17
President Donald Trump announced a $15 billion steel plant project in Iowa in partnership with Mesabi Metallics.
Read at foxbusiness.com ↗18
SEW-EURODRIVE has launched the LM3S series of electric cylinders, designed for high-performance linear motion in industrial automation.
Read at automatedwarehouseonline.com ↗8 of 12 product launches events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.
What financial results were reported in manufacturing this week?
Earnings, guidance and other financial results reported this week.
19
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reported that Dutch consumer and producer confidence improved in September 2026, continuing an upward trend since August 2025.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗20
Swedish green steel startup Stegra announced on September 30, 2026, that it requires additional capital to complete its hydrogen-fuelled steel plant in Boden, Sweden.
Read at tech.eu ↗21
In September 2026, the GKI business cycle index in Hungary rose by one point, reflecting a slight improvement in the business climate.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗22
SEMI forecasts that global chip equipment sales will reach a record $229.5 billion by 2028.
Read at thestreet.com ↗23
The Institute for Supply Management reported that the US manufacturing gauge fell 0.1 point to 54.5 in September 2026.
Read at bloomberg.com ↗24
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that real GDP increased at an annual rate of 2.2 percent in the second quarter of 2026.
Read at bea.gov ↗What research was published in manufacturing this week?
New research findings and studies published this week.
25
Researchers have developed a method to produce industrial adhesives using microbes fed on glucose instead of petroleum-based feedstocks.
Read at assemblymag.com ↗26
Researchers Tristan Erion-Lorico and Hao Song from Kiwa PVEL report a significant increase in solar module delamination failures.
Read at pv-magazine.com ↗27
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and Siemens have developed a new safety method called PRISM to determine the 'safe stoppability' of humanoid robots.
Read at cmu.edu ↗28
Terawatt PV Research released its Q3 2026 Solar Manufacturing USA Quarterly report, which ranks 22 U.S. solar PV manufacturers based on production volumes and capital expenditure.
Read at pv-magazine.com ↗What incidents and outages hit manufacturing this week?
Incidents, outages and safety events reported this week.
29
Bangkok experienced extreme rainfall over the weekend of September 26-27, 2026, receiving over 12 inches of rain, which is equivalent to a typical month's worth.
Read at insurancejournal.com ↗What partnerships were announced in manufacturing this week?
Partnerships, integrations and joint projects announced this week.
30
HD Construction Equipment and Manitou Group signed a mutual sales partnership agreement on September 22, 2026, in Ancenis, France.
Read at constructionbusinessowner.com ↗What people moved in and out of manufacturing roles this week?
Executive appointments and departures reported this week.
31
Sumia Shaikh has been appointed as the head of platform at TekVentures, the corporate venture capital arm of the advanced materials producer Teknor Apex.
Read at globalventuring.com ↗32
Greggs has announced plans to consolidate its manufacturing network in the UK, resulting in the closure of sites in Enfield, North Lakes, Kelso, Seaham, and the cessation of manufacturing at Treforest.
Read at retail-systems.com ↗33
Electrolux has appointed Daniele Rossi as the new Chief Procurement Officer.
Read at supplychaindive.com ↗What else happened in manufacturing this week?
Developments from the week that fit none of the other sections.
34
Electronics manufacturers are facing increasing pressure to develop more resilient supply chains to mitigate global disruptions.
Read at assemblymag.com ↗35
PV Tech reported on October 2, 2026, that US manufacturing policy is influencing industry trends.
Read at pv-tech.org ↗36
Cushman & Wakefield reported that industrial vacancy in the U.S. fell to 6.9% in the second quarter of 2026, with manufacturing-related leasing becoming a primary demand driver.
Read at propmodo.com ↗37
The manufacturing industry is experiencing a significant increase in interest regarding reshoring production activities.
Read at assemblymag.com ↗38
Figure AI has retired and destroyed its fleet of Figure 02 humanoid robots by melting them in a steel foundry in Imatra, Finland.
Read at gizmodo.com ↗39
Ford CEO Jim Farley warned on Wednesday at the Accelerate event in Detroit that the U.S. is falling behind global competitors in workforce training for essential industries.
Read at foxbusiness.com ↗40
Defense companies in the United States are struggling to increase missile production due to long-term underinvestment and inconsistent government contracting.
Read at wsj.com ↗41
Texas has emerged as the fastest-growing solar market in the United States, with nearly 54 GW of solar capacity and over 29 GWh of battery storage installed as of mid-2026.
Read at pv-magazine.com ↗8 of 13 other developments events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.