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Manufacturing

Apple poised to become $2 trillion company

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US tech giant Apple is poised to become a $2 trillion company “very soon”, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The company was the first to achieve a trillion-dollar market capitalization a couple of years ago, and today is about 1 percent below the level needed to exceed $2 trillion.

Apple is somewhat different from other “tech” companies, by which is meant computer technology.Other such as Microsoft, Google, Facebook and others tend to be software-oriented. [Read more…] about Apple poised to become $2 trillion company

Luxshare buys iPhone assembly factory and becomes bigger than Foxconn

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Chinese hi-tech manufacturer Luxshare Precision Industry has bought an iPhone assembly factory from Wistron and has become bigger than Foxconn in terms of market capitalization.

Although Luxshare is well known in the industry, it’s not as famous as its Taiwanese rival Foxconn, which also goes by the name of Hon Hai Precision and has been Apple’s main contract manufacturer for many years.

Luxshare had previously been supplying individual components for iPhones but the Wistron factory purchase means that it can now provide assembled parts or complete devices. [Read more…] about Luxshare buys iPhone assembly factory and becomes bigger than Foxconn

New Chinese chipmaker’s progress could ease pain of US restrictions

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The progress made by a relatively new Chinese chipmaker, called ChangXin Memory Technologies, could help ease the pain caused by increasingly wide-ranging US restrictions against China’s tech companies.

US President Donald Trump has already effectively banned Huawei from doing business in the country, which has led to American companies to shun the Chinese telecommunications and smartphones giant. And in the latest move, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration has introduced new rules prohibiting non-US companies from selling any chips made using American technology to Huawei “without a special license”.

Huawei has found it difficult to source chips and other components for its equipment, for which, in turn, the company has found fewer buyers. [Read more…] about New Chinese chipmaker’s progress could ease pain of US restrictions

4 Tips to Enhancing Productivity in Manufacturing

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The manufacturing industry is critical to the global economy. Imagine a world where no one produces flat screen TVs, automobiles, or ballpoint pens.

It’s so hard to overlook the fact that everything that we have ever bought at the mall and used at the office are made at factories producing such goods everyday.

You know this if you are the owner and manager of a manufacturing facility. You need to ensure that the supply chain is fed and consumers get the items they need or want. [Read more…] about 4 Tips to Enhancing Productivity in Manufacturing

Foxconn moving operations out of China

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Foxconn, one of the most well known Chinese manufacturing companies as a result of its status as main supplier for Apple, is moving significant parts of its operations outside of China.

The company, which according to TechSpot reported almost $800 million net profit for the quarter ending in June, has already moved an additional 5 percent of its operations to countries other than China, bring it up to 30 percent, compared with 25 percent last year.

China is still overwhelmingly the main base for Foxconn’s manufacturing operations, representing some 70 percent of its production capacity, but the company is scouting many locations abroad. [Read more…] about Foxconn moving operations out of China

China’s biggest chipmaker to double investment in capital goods to $7 billion

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China’s largest chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International is to double its investment in capital goods to $6.7 billion, according to a report on the Nikkei Asian Review website. 

The company is somewhat flush with cash as a result of net profit skyrocketing by 644 percent in the second quarter. Part of the increase is due to Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei stockpiling chips.

Huawei is trying to prepare for any potential shortage in its supply chain caused by the ban imposed on its activities in the US and Europe. [Read more…] about China’s biggest chipmaker to double investment in capital goods to $7 billion

Mercedes introduces digital manufacturing platform for its plants around the world

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Automotive giant Daimler Mercedes-Benz says it has introduced a new digitalisation initiative which makes “complex vehicle production completely transparent and maximises its efficiency”.

The new digital ecosystem – dubbed Mercedes-Benz Cars Operations 360, or MO360 – comprises a family of software applications which are connected via shared interfaces and standardized user interfaces.

These applications use real-time data to support the worldwide vehicle production of Mercedes-Benz Cars. [Read more…] about Mercedes introduces digital manufacturing platform for its plants around the world

Electric vehicle market defies coronavirus threat

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The electric vehicle market has apparently defied the coronavirus threat to rack up record sales for automakers all over the world.

From European companies Renault and BMW to Asian companies such as Hyundai and Toyota, and even US companies such as General Motors – deep in the midst of the the coronavirus crisis – have reported, and are projecting, strong sales and interest in electric and other “new energy” vehicles, as they are called.

Toyota, arguably the world’s largest automotive company, recently reported that it had sold a staggering 15 million hybrid electric vehicles worldwide. [Read more…] about Electric vehicle market defies coronavirus threat

Norgren helps VinFast to build Vietnam’s first mass-production stamping press

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Automotive start-up VinFast has delivered Vietnam’s first mass-produced stamping parts in less than two years, in part thanks to tooling from Norgren, part of IMI, which is being used to produce the body panels on its flagship models.

To support VinFast’s Hai Phong site, which has the capacity to produce 250,000 cars per year, Norgren sites in China and USA collaborated to create the tooling, including saddles, sensors and tooling arms, which will be used to move panels through the VinFast manufacturing press process.

VinFast unveiled prototypes of its first two car models, a sedan and SUV, at the Paris Motor Show in October 2018, and Norgren was able to successfully deliver its tooling solution to VinFast earlier this year ahead of volume production. [Read more…] about Norgren helps VinFast to build Vietnam’s first mass-production stamping press

CATL and Honda agree ‘comprehensive strategic alliance’ on batteries for new energy vehicles

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Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) and automaker Honda have signed an agreement to form a “comprehensive strategic alliance” on new energy vehicle (NEV) batteries to strengthen their strategic partnership and promote the popularization of electrified vehicles.

This agreement will enable the two companies to begin discussions on a broad range of areas including joint development, stable supply, and the recycling and reuse of batteries.

By bringing together the two companies’ individual technology advantages, CATL and Honda will conduct joint development on NEVs batteries and joint research and development into fundamental technologies, aiming for their future application. [Read more…] about CATL and Honda agree ‘comprehensive strategic alliance’ on batteries for new energy vehicles