Manufacturing & Industrial Technology

Berlin – September 16, 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.

Berlin – September 16, 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 16, 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.

Sydney – September 16, 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.

London – September 16, 2026 -- KraftPal Holdings Ltd has completed construction of the KP25039, a new semi-automatic paper pallet production machine capable of producing up to 100 pallets per hour, as the company accelerates its licensing-based manufacturing network.

KraftPal cuts entry costs to speed licensing partner adoption

The KP25039 is designed as a lower-cost, entry-level alternative to KraftPal's existing production lines, aimed at lowering the barrier for businesses to become licensing partners and manufacture lightweight corrugated pallets locally. The machine requires greater manual labor to operate than KraftPal's fully automated systems, but its faster engineering build cycle allows the company to produce more units and enable quicker in-country production start-ups.

Zurich – September 16, 2026 -- ABB and the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) have released a joint report concluding that 800-volt direct current (DC) distribution is emerging as the reference architecture for next-generation artificial intelligence data centers, as surging computing loads push conventional AC power infrastructure to its practical limits.

The report, titled "The Strategic Case for Hybrid AC/DC Power: Shaping the Transition to the Next Electrical Architecture," argues that decisions made by business leaders and policymakers over the next two to three years will determine which players shape the shift toward hybrid AC/DC grids and which merely inherit it.

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.

Denton, Texas – September 16, 2026 -- CBS ArcSafe has introduced the RRS-3 VY Toshiba, a remote racking system that lets technicians operate Toshiba VY-30M25A circuit breakers from up to 300 feet away, keeping crews outside the arc flash boundary.

System eliminates manual contact during breaker racking operations

The RRS-3 VY Toshiba handles rotary racking only and requires no modifications to existing switchgear. Because operators never make manual contact with the gear during racking, the system reduces or eliminates the need for arc flash hazard suits.

Unit weighs 18.5 pounds for portability across multiple breaker sites

The device draws 100 watts and runs through the RSO-IV-M18 control console, powered by a Milwaukee M18 REDLITHIUM battery pack. Operating distances range from 12 to 300 feet, allowing crews to position setups according to room layout, equipment configuration, and site safety protocols.

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