Manufacturing & Industrial Technology

Staff Shortages Stall ERP Upgrades at 86% of Manufacturers

Stuttgart – November 03, 2026 -- Some 86 percent of surveyed manufacturers name missing internal resources as a hurdle to modernizing or introducing ERP systems, making it the most frequently cited obstacle in a new Planat GmbH study, even as 51 percent report high or very high pressure to upgrade.

The report "ERP-Herausforderungen 2026/2027" draws on a survey of 150 companies in the manufacturing sector, across different company sizes. Of those, 64 percent have concrete plans, or at least a general intention, to invest in ERP, digitalization or process automation within the next two years.

Project effort and data quality each draw 83 percent of respondents

Heavy project workload and data migration or data quality each reach roughly 83 percent. Cost and budget restrictions limit about 77 percent. Multiple answers were allowed.

Regal Rexnord Q3 Sales Rise 6% as Data Center Sales Jump 307%

MILWAUKEE – November 03, 2026 -- Regal Rexnord Corporation (NYSE: RRX) reported third-quarter sales of $1,588 million, up 6% year on year, and said it is exploring the sale of its autonomous mobile solutions business within the Automation & Motion Control (AMC) segment.

Data center sales surge 307% while GAAP result turns to a loss

Data center sales rose 307%, or 169% excluding E-Pods. Daily orders climbed 6%, and orders excluding data centers grew 13%.

The company posted a GAAP net loss of $12 million, against net income of $80 million a year earlier. Adjusted EBITDA reached $351 million, up $12 million, or 4%, from $339 million. Excluding IEEPA tariff refunds, adjusted EBITDA was $337 million, which the company said was ahead of expectations.

Net debt to adjusted EBITDA, including synergies, ended the quarter at 2.9x.

WIRmachenDRUCK Wins Social Engagement Award at Druck&Medien Awards

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WIRmachenDRUCK Wins Social Engagement Award at Druck&Medien Awards

Backnang – November 03, 2026 -- WIRmachenDRUCK GmbH won the Xerox Award as "Socially Engaged Printing Company of the Year" at the 22nd Druck&Medien Awards on October 29, 2026. The Backnang-based online printer also took second place in the "Customer & Sales Team of the Year" category (POLAR Award).

Charity campaign anchors the winning entry

The award recognizes "Happy Friday," which founders Johannes and Samuel Voetter launched in 2020 as a counter-model to Black Friday discounting. Employees pack around 10,000 Christmas parcels each year, including for orphans in Hungary, Romania and Ukraine. The 2025 edition was the sixth.

Family Ferber provides its Aspach mine free of charge as the packing location. The VfB Stuttgart, MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg, SRS e.V. and third-division football club SG94 Großaspach have also taken part. Calw-based Hilfstransporte + Waisenhilfe e.V. coordinates distribution in Eastern Europe.

STAK Names Xiaofei Han CFO as CFO and CTO Both Resign

CHANGZHOU, China – November 03, 2026 -- Nasdaq-listed STAK Inc. (Nasdaq: STAK) replaced its Chief Financial Officer effective November 1, 2026, appointing Xiaofei Han, a former U.S.-listed company auditor with about 20 years of experience, while its Chief Technology Officer also stepped down.

STAK appoints Han, a Deloitte and Marcum alumnus, as CFO effective November 1

Han spent July 2007 to January 2011 as a Senior Auditor at the Guangzhou Branch of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Certified Public Accountants LLP. He then worked at Marcum Bernstein & Pinchuk LLP from February 2011 to June 2017 as an Audit Manager and Senior Manager.

At Marcum, he handled audit services for U.S.-listed companies and IPO audits for companies preparing to go public. Since 2017, he has advised Chinese companies seeking U.S. capital markets listings. He founded Guangzhou Jingtian Enterprise Consulting Co., Ltd. in August 2019.

WyreStorm Opens Haarlem HQ to Anchor EMEA Operations

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WyreStorm Opens Haarlem HQ to Anchor EMEA Operations

Haarlem – November 03, 2026 -- WyreStorm Technologies has opened a regional headquarters in Haarlem, the Netherlands, to run its EMEA, India and Pacific operations from a single permanent base. The New York-headquartered AV manufacturer opened the site in September.

Haarlem site houses international team and runs daily regional operations

The facility is the dedicated base for WyreStorm's international team. It also gives the company space to meet partners, discuss project requirements and demonstrate products. WyreStorm is planning future technical training initiatives for the site.

Longsys to Debut Industrial-Grade SiP mSSD at electronica 2026

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Longsys to Debut Industrial-Grade SiP mSSD at electronica 2026

MUNICH – November 03, 2026 -- Longsys (301308.SZ/09976.HK) will unveil its first industrial-grade, wide-temperature mSSD at electronica 2026, running November 10-13 in Munich, as demand for storage built for edge AI grows in automotive and industrial applications.

SiP design removes SMT assembly and solder-joint failure risk

The mSSD is built on system-in-package (SiP) technology and integrates the controller, flash memory and passive components into a single package. That eliminates surface-mount technology (SMT) assembly, cutting material use and manufacturing process requirements. Without the solder joints of conventional PCB assembly, the design also removes the associated risk of solder-joint failures. Longsys cites water resistance, dust protection and shock resistance as the basis for its industrial-grade reliability.

Himel's NERIO Series Wins Hong Kong Green Technology Award

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Himel's NERIO Series Wins Hong Kong Green Technology Award

HONG KONG – November 03, 2026 -- Himel's NERIO Series, built with paint-free manufacturing technology, won the Green Technology – Manufacturing award at the 2026 Hong Kong Business Technology Excellence Awards, as the electrical products maker pushes a portfolio spanning industrial drives, wiring devices and EV charging.

Himel launches X Series drives for pump and fan applications

The newly introduced X Series Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) target industrial customers who prioritize reliability, efficiency and ease of maintenance. Himel cites simplified setup and maintenance and flexible integration across industrial applications. The series also offers energy-saving potential in suitable pump and fan operations.

YR Fitness Brings 200-Patent Strength Line to FIBO 2027 in Cologne

Shanghai – November 03, 2026 -- YR Fitness, a China-based manufacturer that says 100% of its strength machines are designed, developed and built in-house, will present new equipment at FIBO 2027 in Cologne, Germany, on April 8-11 at Booth 9E67.

The new machines have completed key internal testing, according to the company.

YR Fitness holds more than 200 patents after nearly three decades of in-house development

The company, founded in 1997, handles design, R&D, testing and manufacturing of its strength equipment itself. Its engineering focuses on movement paths, resistance, ergonomics and target-muscle engagement.

Specific features include specially designed cams that maintain resistance through more of the movement, and independent converging and diverging paths based on natural body motion.

Rio Tinto Ties Growth to AI, Electrification and 2050 Net Zero

Western Australia – November 02, 2026 -- Rio Tinto is pitching a portfolio of iron ore, copper and aluminium to investors as demand rises from AI, digital infrastructure and electrification, backed by operations in 35 countries and a workforce of more than 60,000.

Rio Tinto lists iron ore, copper and aluminium as core products

The company positions iron ore as the primary raw material for steel, copper as a conductor of heat and electricity, and aluminium as a lightweight, infinitely recyclable metal used in jet engines, electric vehicles and mobile phones. Its stated goal is to become the world's most valued metals and mining business.

Oyu Tolgoi and Simandou anchor the growth projects

Rio Tinto describes the Simandou Project as the world's largest untapped high-grade iron ore deposit. It presents Oyu Tolgoi as one of the most modern, safe and sustainable operations in the world.

Prime Polymer, Newlight Develop PET-Dyeable Polypropylene Fiber

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Prime Polymer, Newlight Develop PET-Dyeable Polypropylene Fiber

Huntington Beach – November 02, 2026 -- Japan-based Prime Polymer and U.S. biomaterials company Newlight Technologies have developed a polypropylene textile material with dyeability comparable to polyester (PET). The material targets the limited dyeability that has held back polypropylene fiber in apparel and footwear.

Polypropylene and Aircarbon PHB alloy accepts conventional disperse dyes

The material combines Prime Polymer's polypropylene alloy design and compounding technology with Newlight's Aircarbon® PHB. Newlight produces this biomaterial with microorganisms that convert methane.

The companies say the alloy can be processed from compound pellets into yarn, then knitted or woven into fabrics. It can be dyed with conventional disperse dye systems, the same class of dyes used for polyester. Both companies have demonstrated conversion of the material into yarn and textile structures.