Manufacturing & Industry

Washington – September 19, 2026 -- President Donald Trump signed a "Reinvigorating America's Hunting Heritage" Executive Order on Sept. 17, 2026, locking in protections for traditional ammunition and expanding hunter access to federal lands, a move the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) says secures the industry's manufacturing base and conservation-funding pipeline.

Order blocks bans on traditional ammunition sought by manufacturers

The Executive Order bars restrictions on traditional ammunition and fishing tackle, an outcome NSSF lobbied for after warning that mandated alternative ammunition costs several times more than lead-based rounds. NSSF President and CEO Joe Bartozzi, who attended the Rose Garden signing, called the order "a tremendous victory" for the industry and said NSSF "led this fight" alongside the White House and the Department of the Interior.

Knoxville – September 19, 2026 -- Explore Industries has expanded into the packaged pool market, adding steel walls and vinyl liners to its product portfolio and hiring two industry veterans to lead the new business unit.

Explore Industries adds packaged pools to a portfolio previously focused on fiberglass

The company said the move creates synergies with its dealer network, many of whom already sell both fiberglass and packaged pools, allowing dealers to match buyers with products fitting their budget and preferences. Explore also cited alignment with its existing pool equipment and Integra Pool Covers businesses as a driver for the expansion.

Vancouver, BC – September 17, 2026 -- Silver has run its sixth consecutive annual structural deficit, with spot prices assessed at $66.41 an ounce on August 31 after trading around $65 through mid-August. One layer beneath that price move, polymetallic deposits carrying zinc, lead and copper alongside silver are showing all-in sustaining costs that fall below zero once base metal by-product credits are subtracted, reshaping which projects get financed first.

Washington – September 18, 2026 -- The National Press Club will host a screening of "Contaminated: The Carpet Industry's Toxic Legacy" on September 30 at 6:00 p.m., spotlighting a joint investigation into PFAS chemical contamination linked to carpet manufacturing across Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina.

Five newsrooms collaborated on a multi-state PFAS contamination probe

The documentary was produced by FRONTLINE (PBS), The Associated Press, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Post and Courier and AL.com. The investigation draws on thousands of pages of documents and court depositions, alongside interviews with former regulators, industry insiders, doctors and scientists studying illnesses linked to PFAS exposure.

Beijing – September 18, 2026 -- China's fixed-asset investment fell 7.2% year on year in the first eight months of 2026, yet the total remained substantial at roughly 29.3 trillion yuan (US$4.33 trillion), with capital increasingly redirected toward technological innovation and modern infrastructure.

Wang Guanhua, spokesperson for the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), attributed the decline to heat waves, typhoons, and floods disrupting construction, alongside external uncertainty and a domestic shift from traditional to new growth drivers that has made businesses more cautious. She said investment performance should not be judged solely by growth rate, but by its role in supporting economic transformation.

Brussels – September 18, 2026 -- A global 5% cap on virgin plastics production would cut global household welfare by $128.4 billion, compared with just a $0.5 billion decline under targeted recycling policies achieving the same reduction in plastic leakage, according to a new Oxford Economics study commissioned by the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA).

The report, Evaluating Policy Pathways to End Plastic Pollution, is the second phase of Oxford Economics' analysis for ICCA, following its 2024 study Mapping the Plastics Value Chain.

Valcourt, QC – September 18, 2026 -- BRP Inc. (TSX: DOO) (NASDAQ: DOO) has awarded grants of up to $5,000 each to more than 50 snowmobile clubs across North America through its 2026 Ski-Doo Snow PASS program, pushing cumulative program funding past CAD $1.5 million since its launch.

Grants target trail infrastructure and access preservation

The 2026 funding round supports projects including bridge repairs, signage upgrades, volunteer recruitment and initiatives to introduce new riders to the sport. The awards, distributed with support from Ski-Doo's dealer network, go to grassroots organizations that maintain the trail systems underpinning the snowmobiling industry.

Toronto – September 17, 2026 -- Hemlo Mining Corp. (TSX: HMMC) (OTCQX: HMMCF) confirmed a temporary electrical outage on September 4, 2026, at an underground substation feeding the Alimak production area on the 9765 level of its flagship Hemlo Gold Mine in northwestern Ontario, with no injuries reported and all underground personnel safely evacuated.

A replacement substation ordered under a critical spare parts audit is due in December 2026 at an estimated cost of US$250,000

The company had pre-ordered the replacement unit before the failure occurred, a move that now shortens the repair timeline. In the interim, technical teams have installed a temporary electrical bypass that restores power to the affected zone at reduced capacity, allowing some mining to continue while development and exploration work remains constrained.

London – September 17, 2026 -- BASF retook the top spot in the ICIS Top 100 Chemical Companies ranking with $70.0 billion in 2025 sales, even as sector-wide net profits collapsed 81.9% year-on-year.

BASF overtakes Sinopec to lead global chemical rankings

The Germany-based producer displaced China's Sinopec, which posted $66.3 billion in sales for second place. US-based ExxonMobil ranked third at $53.4 billion, followed by PetroChina at $42.1 billion and Dow at $40.0 billion, according to the annual ICIS Chemical Business ranking, which converts figures to US dollars using year-end 2025 exchange rates.

Westminster, Colo. – September 16, 2026 -- Ball Corporation (NYSE: BALL) will build a new two-line beverage can manufacturing facility in Uttar Pradesh, India, expected to be operational in 2029, marking the company's third production site in the country.

Ball adds third India plant to existing Taloja and Sri City operations

The Uttar Pradesh greenfield facility joins Ball's established plants in Taloja, Maharashtra, and Sri City, Andhra Pradesh. The company entered the Indian market in 2016 and has steadily expanded capacity to serve both global and domestic beverage brands.

Investment backed by customer contracts, expected to generate strong EVA

Ball said the project is supported by existing customer contracts and is expected to generate strong economic value added (EVA). The company noted the investment aligns with its guidance that capital expenditures will average depreciation and amortization over time.