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Made in America: Freedom and Glory
Freedom & Glory is a family-owned American flag company based in Hillsborough, North Carolina. The company was founded by Dwight Morris in 1980 and has spent 45 years supplying American-made flags and patriotic products to schools, government agencies, veterans' organizations and communities nationwide. Today, Dwight's daughter, Liz Morris, leads Freedom & Glory as CEO. “We believe in the American…
These 3D-Printed Concrete Shelters Can Save People During Tornados
About 1 in 15 people in the U.S. live in manufactured homes, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. And many of these communities lack access to shelter during extreme weather events. Researchers at Kansas State University have turned to 3D-printed concrete shelters to see if the emerging technology can help these people stay safe. Reese Greenlee is an assistant…
Illegal Cookie Factory Caught Substituting Charcoal for Cocoa
An unlicensed cookie factory, that was substituting cocoa for a charcoal-based food additive, was recently shut down for various violations. According to Business Insider , Egyptian officials targeted the facility, which was producing imitation products meant to look like other popular brands, for using expired and other unsafe ingredients. During the raid, authorities seized 1.8 tons of finished…
Meat Processor Accused of Dumping Animal Blood, Waste Into Nearby Waters
A meat processing plant and four of its employees could face prison time and significant penalties after prosecutors accused them of pumping wastewater containing animal flesh, blood and feces into a creek that flows to the ocean and a public beach. The newly unsealed indictment charges Ganaderos Borges Inc. (GBI) with four Clean Water Act violations and conspiracy to violate the act as part of a…
LISTEN: GM Reveals $4.5B Supply Chain Shield for Emergencies
General Motors disclosed a $4.5 billion Master IPU Agreement designed to help maintain vehicle production during a crisis. Disclosed in an SEC filing, the program will secure critical inventory for retail and fleet vehicles in the event of disruptions caused by extreme weather, natural disasters, excessive demand, cyberattacks and other events. @GeneralMotors According to the regulatory filing,…
LISTEN: Nearly 150-Year-Old Beef Plant Set for Closure Will Remain Open
A Pennsylvania beef processing plant that had been set to close after nearly 150 years will instead remain open as a packaging facility — preserving hundreds of jobs outside Philadelphia. Meatpacking giant JBS said in June that it would end beef harvesting and processing operations at its Souderton plant amid broader turmoil in the U.S. beef industry, including drought conditions, tariffs and the…
LISTEN: GM Exits Joint Venture for $3.5B EV Battery Plant
Korean manufacturer Samsung SDI announced that it acquired General Motors’ stake in the SynergyCells joint venture. The collaboration had planned to build a $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery cell factory in New Carlisle, Indiana, with the American automaker holding a 49.99% stake. Samsung SDI attributed the decision to market changes since the joint venture’s conception in 2023, including…
LISTEN: Gen Z in Manufacturing: What Makes a Factory Feel Outdated to Gen Z
Welcome to another episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing, a podcast that asks young people about their journeys in manufacturing, how they intend to influence the industry and what they are looking for from an employer. For this episode, I welcome Jacob Collier, a 24-year-old assistant specialist on the IT team at Yaskawa Motoman Robotics, a company that provides automation products and solutions for…
Last year, an employee at Milwaukee Tool was arrested for stealing more than $1 million in tools from the Wisconsin tool maker. Matthew Yang worked in the company's IT department and manipulated the Milwaukee Tool ordering system to send tools to multiple addresses, including his own. On Friday, 32-year-old Yang was sentenced to five years in prison, which will be followed by five years of…
LISTEN: The Air Force B-52 Modernization Program Has Hit Some Snags
The Air Force hopes to get another 25 years out of its B-52 Bomber fleet but it’s running into some cost, scheduling and performance challenges. The B-52 was first introduced in 1955 and the Air Force is hoping that a series of updates can keep the fleet in the air until 2050. It intends to spend $21 billion to improve the engines, radar, communications, software and weapon systems for the more…
LISTEN: Company Reverses Decision to Close Ohio Glass Plant
A western Ohio glass plant that was slated to close by the end of this year will not only remain open, but also expand its production and add jobs, company and economic development officials said last week. Vitro, a producer of glass for automotive, architectural and consumer goods companies, announced in the fall of 2024 that it would close its facility in Crestline, Ohio, which makes glass for…
LISTEN: Kawasaki Settles Multi-Million Dollar Suit Over Stolen Semiconductor Tech
On August 30, 2022, Kawasaki Heavy Industries sued Rorze Corporation for patent infringement. Kawasaki accused Rorze of stealing its patented semiconductor silicon wafer handling and transfer robotic systems technology and — nearly four years later — a jury agreed. In March 2026, a jury found that Rorze willfully infringed on Kawasaki's patent and awarded $16.65 million in lost profits and $31.7…
LISTEN: 117-Year-Old Candy Company to Shutter Factory
A candy company whose origins pre-date the Great Depression made a disappointing announcement last week. After 117 years in business, Pearson’s Candy Company will close its Minnesota factory. According to reports, Pearson’s - operating as St. Paul Candy Company - completed a WARN filing to notify the state that it would be cutting 80 jobs in September because it lacks the funding to continue…