Industrial Manufacturing

Wilmington, Del. – September 15, 2026 -- The Chemours Company, along with DuPont de Nemours and Corteva, has agreed to pay $455 million over 15 years to settle PFAS-related litigation brought by the State of North Carolina and 11 local entities near the company's Fayetteville Works facility.

Chemours' share totals approximately $180 million on a net present value basis

Under a January 2021 memorandum of understanding, Chemours is responsible for 50% of settlement payments, with DuPont and Corteva covering the remaining half. Chemours said its portion is fully covered by existing accruals, with expected payments of approximately $50 million over the next twelve months.

Stuttgart – September 15, 2026 -- Stuttgart-based ERP vendor Planat GmbH has launched an 'AI Ready' strategy that lets manufacturing SMEs integrate artificial intelligence tools without committing to a single vendor or deployment model.

Planat decouples AI integration from fixed vendor lock-in

Marco Bux, Principal Product Manager and Head of Development at Planat, said the ERP system is built so that customers can select AI technologies and operating models that match their own requirements rather than being forced into a predetermined path. "AI Ready means for us that new AI technologies should be integrable in the future without users having to commit early to a specific route," Bux said, framing the approach as a matter of investment protection for mid-sized manufacturers.

Berlin – September 15, 2026 -- Midea has sold more than 10 million air conditioners using the natural refrigerant R290 since 2018, cutting an estimated 5.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions, the company said at IFA 2026 in Berlin.

Midea holds the top spot in R290 air conditioner production for a 16th consecutive year

The company positioned itself as the world's largest manufacturer of R290-based air conditioning units, citing the refrigerant's near-zero CO2 footprint, absence of PFAS chemicals, and roughly 10% higher energy efficiency compared with conventional alternatives. Midea said the emissions avoided through its R290 sales volume are comparable to the carbon absorption capacity of 6.2 million hectares of Amazon rainforest. A cutaway model at its booth let visitors view the compressor technology in operation.

Berlin – September 15, 2026 -- Midea has sold more than 10 million R290-refrigerant air conditioners globally since 2018, cutting carbon emissions by approximately 5.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, an impact the company compares to the carbon absorption of 6.2 million hectares of Amazon rainforest. The Chinese appliance maker detailed its sustainable HVAC portfolio at IFA 2026 in Berlin, positioning R290 natural refrigerant technology as the centerpiece of its European growth strategy.

Berlin – September 10, 2026 -- Makera secured two Best of IFA 2026 media honors for its desktop CNC machines, with the Z1 Pro recognized by Yanko Design and the Z1 selected among The Gadget Flow's Best Products of IFA 2026.

Makera displays four CNC models at Hall 17, Booth 215

The company's booth at IFA 2026 in Berlin features its full desktop CNC lineup: the Z1, Z1 Pro, Carvera, and Carvera Air. The showcase targets creators, designers, educators, and small businesses seeking professional-grade manufacturing capabilities in compact desktop formats.

Z1 series delivers 0.02 mm precision with support for 500-plus materials

The Makera Z1 features a rigid one-piece die-cast frame, auto-probing, auto-leveling, and compatibility with more than 500 materials. The newly developed Makera Studio software streamlines project creation and toolpath generation for both beginners and experienced users.

Hwaseong, South Korea -- The European Union's February 12, 2028 deadline requiring food service outlets to offer reusable packaging for takeaway is exposing a washing infrastructure gap that could determine compliance across the bloc.

EU packaging waste hit 79.7 million tonnes in 2023

The EU generated 79.7 million tonnes of packaging waste in 2023, equal to 177.8 kg per citizen, with only 42.1% of plastic packaging recycled. Global disposable cup demand is projected to reach 491 billion units by 2028, while the UK alone consumes 7 million cups daily, generating 30,000 tonnes of cup waste annually.

Berlin – September 15, 2026 -- Midea has sold more than 10 million R290 air conditioners globally since 2018, cutting carbon emissions by an estimated 5.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, the company disclosed at IFA 2026 in Berlin.

Midea claims 16 straight years as the world's leading manufacturer of R290-based air conditioners

The natural refrigerant carries an ultra-low global warming potential, near-zero CO2 emissions, no harmful PFAS substances, and roughly 10% higher energy efficiency than conventional alternatives. Midea says the emissions reduction achieved through its R290 unit sales matches the carbon absorption capacity of 6.2 million hectares of Amazon rainforest. At its stand, the company displayed a transparent model demonstrating internal system operation to visitors.

Monroe, Wash. – September 15, 2026 -- HKX, Inc. has released its first Wheel Loader 3rd Spool Auxiliary Field Installable Kits, extending more than three decades of excavator hydraulic work into a new machine category as it targets a factory lead time of 12 to 20 weeks that has left dealers unable to quickly equip machines for attachment work.

Factory lead times of up to 20 weeks push dealers toward field-installable kits

Ordering a wheel loader with auxiliary hydraulics direct from the plant can take 12 to 20 weeks, a delay HKX says leaves dealers with few options when a customer needs a machine to run a grapple, snow blower or broom within a month. The company says its kits can be ordered and installed in a fraction of that time, allowing a dealer to reconfigure inventory already on the lot.

Berlin – September 15, 2026 -- Midea has sold more than 10 million R290 air conditioners worldwide since 2018, cutting an estimated 5.2 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions, the company said at IFA 2026 in Berlin.

Midea marks 16 years as world's leading producer of R290 natural-refrigerant air conditioners

The company presented its latest lineup of HVAC and energy-management solutions under its 'Green Vision, Cloudless Future' initiative. R290 carries an ultra-low global warming potential, near-zero CO2 emissions, no PFAS substances, and roughly 10% higher energy efficiency than conventional refrigerants, according to Midea. The 5.2 million tCO2e reduction is comparable to the carbon absorption of 6.2 million hectares of Amazon rainforest, the company stated.

Sydney – September 15, 2026 -- First Graphene Limited (ASX: FGR, FRA: M11, OTCQB: FGPHF) has secured its first production purchase order for PureGRAPH® from Australian polyurethane manufacturer Pacific Urethanes Pty Ltd, marking a new customer and a new commercial application for the graphene material.

Pacific Urethanes will incorporate PureGRAPH® into polyurethane formulations to boost fire-retardant performance

The order targets applications for the Australian mining and resources sector, where polyurethane is widely used for screening media, wear liners, slurry systems, conveyor components, pumps, piping, and chute liners due to its abrasion resistance and impact performance. Fire performance has been a recognised limitation of polyurethane, particularly in underground mining environments where fire, smoke and hazardous gases pose safety risks.