Materials & Components

Singapore – September 16, 2026 -- Alcott Global has named the Top 30 Leaders in Supply Chain of 2026, selecting winners from a pool of 403 nominees drawn from 354 companies across 24 countries. The fifth edition of the awards, themed "Where Insight Connects the Dots," was revealed during a virtual gala held on September 16, 2026.

Selection required 18-month leadership tenure at billion-dollar manufacturers

Eligibility was restricted to executives holding regional or global leadership roles for at least 18 consecutive months, with end-to-end supply chain responsibility inside manufacturing organizations generating annual revenues above USD 1 billion. Candidates submitted case studies covering transformation programs, digital achievements, sustainability initiatives, and team-development strategies.

Sartell, Minn. – September 16, 2026 -- Niron Magnetics marked a construction milestone at its 287,000-square-foot Sartell, Minnesota facility with a steel-raising ceremony, alongside a new investment from Honda Motor Co. through its Honda Xcelerator Ventures program. The financial terms of Honda's investment were not disclosed.

Sartell plant will produce 1,500 tons of rare-earth-free magnets annually by 2027

CEO Jonathan Rowntree joined Sartell Mayor Ryan Fitzthum, Mark Ford of Ryan Companies and John Shaw of Wood to raise a ceremonial steel column at the plant, which is slated to become operational in 2027. At full capacity, the facility will manufacture up to 1,500 tons of permanent magnets per year and employ 175 full-time workers, representing the first commercial-scale phase of Niron's manufacturing platform.

Milford, Utah – September 16, 2026 -- Milford Mining Company Utah (MMCU) has received a conditional commitment for $25 million in financing under the USDA Rural Development Business & Industry Loan Guarantee Program, funds it will use to double copper throughput and valuation by the end of next year.

USDA-backed loan targets facility expansion and job creation

The 16.5-year financing arrangement will be privately funded through Magnolia Guaranteed Lending, a division of Kentucky-based Magnolia Bank and a USDA-approved lender. MMCU plans to use the capital to modernize processing equipment, remove operational bottlenecks and double production capacity at its Milford, Utah facility. The expansion is expected to create approximately 100 new jobs, adding to the company's current 180-person workforce.

Vancouver – September 16, 2026 -- Trilogy Metals Inc. (NYSE American: TMQ; TSX: TMQ) has been named to the 2026 TSX30, the Toronto Stock Exchange's annual ranking of top-performing listed companies, after its share price climbed 570% over the three years ended September 16, 2026.

TSX30 ranking measures three-year dividend-adjusted share price gains

The TSX30 list ranks companies by dividend-adjusted share price appreciation over a rolling three-year window. Trilogy's 570% gain places it among the exchange's top performers for the period.

CEO ties investor confidence to Arctic Project's role in US critical mineral supply

President and CEO Tony Giardini said the recognition reflects investor confidence in Trilogy Metals and in the strategic importance of the Arctic Project in northwestern Alaska to American critical mineral supply chain security. The company said it remains focused on advancing the project through permitting.

Washington – September 16, 2026 -- The American Pizza Boxes Manufacturers Coalition and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union filed petitions with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission alleging that corrugated pizza box imports from China, Malaysia, and Turkey are sold at dumping margins as high as 568.50%.

Dumping margins reach triple digits across three countries

HYDERABAD – September 16, 2026 -- Indian deep-tech firm Hylenr Technologies has detected signatures corresponding to 32 elements -- including rare earth metal yttrium, noble gases and the actinide uranium -- inside artificially engineered metal lattice structures, opening a potential manufacturing route for strategic materials that bypasses traditional mining.

Boston – September 15, 2026 -- Nanoramic, Inc. has closed the first tranche of its Series 2 equity financing round at a pre-money valuation of $250 million, led by Catalus Capital with participation from GM Ventures and existing Series 1 investors.

Mass production shipments of Neocarbonix drive investor commitment

The capital injection arrives as Nanoramic scales mass production shipments of its Neocarbonix Slurry Precursor (NXSP), a drop-in battery manufacturing material now supplying programs with global battery manufacturers, automotive OEMs, consumer electronics firms, power tool makers, and defense contractors. Shipment volumes have grown over the past six months to meet rising customer demand, according to founder and CEO John Cooley.

Vancouver – September 14, 2026 -- Salazar Resources Limited (OTCQB: SRLZF) (TSXV: SRL) (FSE: CCG) has spent US$66.2 million on construction of the Curipamba-El Domo polymetallic project in Ecuador through September 14, 2026, with commissioning targeted for July 2027 under a fully funded build.

Salazar holds a 25% carried interest while Silvercorp funds and operates the build

Salazar retains a 25% carried interest in Curipamba-El Domo, located in Ecuador's Bolivar and Los Rios provinces. Silvercorp holds the remaining 75%, operates the project and is funding construction, meaning Salazar pays nothing to reach production but does not control the schedule or budget.

Research Triangle Park, N.C. – September 14, 2026 -- RTI International has secured $5.5 million in combined federal funding from the U.S. Department of Energy for two projects converting common minerals and used cardboard into high-value industrial materials.

DOE funds dual technology tracks at expanded pilot facility

Both projects will run at the RTI Pilot Xcelerator, a pilot-scale testing platform on RTI's campus. The institute is set to open a $14 million facility expansion on Sept. 10, doubling its infrastructure for testing energy and industrial process innovations before they reach commercial scale.

Wilmington, Massachusetts – – September 13, 2026 -- Stafford Manufacturing Corp. has released a full line of shaft collars, couplings, and flange mounts engineered specifically for conveyor and packaging equipment in the food and beverage sector, targeting operators that require frequent wash-down cycles under USDA and FDA compliance standards.

New product line fits round, square and hex bores across multiple materials

The Stafford Shaft Collars, Couplings & Flange Mounts are machined from 303 and 316 stainless steel, food-grade Blue Acetal, Nylon, or Delrin, paired with 18-8 or 316 stainless steel fasteners. The components are available in one- and two-piece designs, giving equipment manufacturers flexibility for assembly and maintenance without full shaft disassembly.