Manufacturing & Industry

Berlin – September 15, 2026 -- Midea has sold more than 10 million R290-based air conditioning units globally since 2018, cutting an estimated 5.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, the company announced at IFA 2026 in Berlin.

Midea claims 16 straight years as the world's top producer of R290-refrigerant air conditioners

The natural refrigerant carries near-zero global warming potential, contains no PFAS compounds, and delivers roughly 10% higher energy efficiency than conventional alternatives, according to the company. Midea says the carbon reduction achieved through R290 unit sales matches the absorption capacity of 6.2 million hectares of Amazon rainforest.

Anchorage – – September 16, 2026 -- PolarX Limited (ASX: PXX; OTCQB: PXXXF) reported assay results showing copper grades as high as 14.1% over multi-metre intervals from its Caribou Dome Project in Alaska, part of the Alaska Range Joint Venture with Northern Star Resources Limited.

Drill hole CD26-007 returns 24.8 metres at 9.8% copper

Hole CD26-007 intersected 24.8m grading 9.8% Cu and 14.5g/t Ag from 2.4m depth, including a higher-grade section of 4.4m at 14.1% Cu and 16.9g/t Ag from 11.7m. A separate interval within the same hole returned 4.9m at 13.6% Cu and 20.4g/t Ag from 6.6m.

Hole CD26-004 delivers 22.6 metres at 8.1% copper near surface

CD26-004 intersected 22.6m at 8.1% Cu and 13.5g/t Ag starting from 3.7m, including 5.8m at 12.4% Cu and 21.3g/t Ag from 11.1m. Additional narrower intercepts were logged in holes CD26-003 and CD26-006, ranging from 3.2% to 3.5% Cu.

Unnao, India -- Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCK) broke ground on September 9, 2026 on its first beverage can manufacturing facility in India, a plant designed to produce approximately 2.2 billion aluminum beverage cans annually once operational.

Two-line plant in Uttar Pradesh targets 2027 startup

The facility, located in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, was first announced in April 2026 and will feature two production lines. Operations are scheduled to commence in the second half of 2027, positioning Crown to serve both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage segments in the market.

Clayton, Mo. and The Woodlands, Texas – – September 16, 2026 -- Olin Corporation (NYSE: OLN) and Huntsman Corporation (NYSE: HUN) confirmed that the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act has expired, clearing a key regulatory hurdle for their planned merger of equals.

HSR clearance removes a major closing condition for the chemical sector merger

The expiration satisfies one of the primary conditions required to close the transaction, though the deal still awaits additional regulatory approvals that are currently underway.

Shareholders of both companies approved the deal on August 25, 2026

Investors from Olin and Huntsman overwhelmingly backed the merger of equals at their respective shareholder votes, clearing the corporate governance path toward completion.

Elkhart, Indiana – September 16, 2026 -- THOR Industries (NYSE: THO), the world's largest recreational vehicle manufacturer, has consolidated its North American RV operations under a single leadership structure, effective immediately.

Ken Walters becomes President of all North American RV operations

Walters, previously President of Jayco and leader of the Jayco and Tiffin Motorhomes group, now oversees coordination across all of THOR's North American operating companies. He reports directly to THOR executive management in Elkhart.

THOR restructures into three distinct operating groups

The company will now operate through three units: North American RV, European, and Supply. The move follows a two-quarter evaluation period during which THOR's leadership determined that unified coordination across all North American RV entities would deliver benefits on a faster timeline than the previously announced two-group model.

Paris – September 16, 2026 -- Cuprum Metals has won the Grand Prix Scale-Up Award at the World Materials Forum, recognizing technology designed to unlock copper from chalcopyrite ores that have historically constrained global supply.

Cuprum's technology targets copper locked in hard-to-process sulfide ores

The award, presented September 4 in Paris, singles out Cuprum's approach to copper recovery from primary and secondary sulfides, including chalcopyrite, a mineral form that has long limited extraction efficiency across the mining industry.

Singapore – September 15, 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 10, 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 15, 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.

Wiesbaden – September 15, 2026 -- Real revenue in Germany's licensed craft trades sector fell 1.4% in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reported in preliminary figures. Employment in the sector dropped 1.9% by the end of June 2026 versus a year earlier.

Six of seven trade groups post revenue declines as construction and food sectors lead losses

The finishing trades, commercial-need trades and food trades each recorded the steepest real revenue drops among licensed craft groups, falling 2.4% year-on-year in the second quarter. Main construction trades saw revenue decline 1.8%, followed by private-need trades at -1.6% and the health trade at -1.0%. The automotive trade was the only group to post growth, with revenue rising 0.4%.

Vancouver – September 15, 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 June 30, 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.