Global Scans · Manufacturing · Weekly Summary

• [New] Investments by Toray, Teijin, and Hexcel in domestic prepreg manufacturing plants are expected to reduce reliance on imports and decrease long lead times. / China Precedence Research
• [New] In Life Sciences, data integrity and traceability will become even more critical, as AI adoption moves from drug discovery to manufacturing. The Manufacturer
• [New] In 2026, agentic AI will become a cornerstone of industrial innovation, transforming operations in both Life Sciences and Food & Beverage manufacturing. The Manufacturer
• [New] In 2026, profitability and efficiency will dominate manufacturing agendas and CFOs will work smarter on reducing operational expenses, imperative to maximising long-term growth and investment. The Manufacturer
• [New] McKinsey argues that foundational models could push robotics from narrowly programmed machines toward general-purpose systems that can perceive, reason and act across many different tasks. Foresight
• [New] 74% of manufacturing executives expect AI agents to manage up to 50% of daily production decisions by 2028. Amiko Consulting
• [New] Globally, manufacturing industry growth has a projected compound annual growth rate of 2.3% between 2025 and 2030. Automation.com
• [New] US production output currently remains positive despite global trade wars, with predicted growth of between 2% and 3% for 2025. Automation.com
• [New] Amazon's investments in automation and robotics could lead to increased efficiency, but it could also displace workers. Billionaire Net Worth
• [New] AI-driven automation will reshape global manufacturing incentives, reducing reliance on low-cost labour. The AI Speakers Agency
• [New] Instead of centralizing manufacturing in China, companies will use a China plus N layout, placing production in Vietnam, Bangladesh, or East Africa depending on tariffs, logistics, and financing conditions. KrASIA
• [New] The real hope for Chinese manufacturing lies in strengthening R&D. KrASIA
• [New] Tesla's Cybercab is a purpose-built vehicle (no steering wheel or pedals, only two seats) that is expected to be produced through its state-of-the-art unboxed manufacturing process, offering further cost reductions and thus accelerating adoption over time. TESLARATI
• [New] Foxconn plans to expand its US manufacturing footprint with an investment of US$ 174 million in Louisville, Kentucky, converting an existing 325,000-square-metre warehouse into a factory. DIGITIMES Inc.
• [New] US Chip Revolution - NVIDIA and TSMC introduce the first U.S.-made Blackwell chip wafer at TSMC's Arizona facility, marking a pivotal step in boosting domestic semiconductor production and reducing geopolitical risks. The Tech Buzz
• [New] AI5, built on TSMC's 3 nm process, is expected to enter volume production in 2026 with relatively high yields in the 90-92% range and monthly wafer capacity scaling from approximately 15,000 to 18,000 wafers, making it well suited for cost-sensitive, high-volume vehicle deployments. Dr. Robert Castellano's Semiconductor Deep Dive Newslet
• [New] Economic value will increasingly flow through all levels of the global AI supply chain, driving historic opportunity and demand for energy, critical minerals, semiconductors, manufacturing, technological hardware, infrastructure, and new markets not yet invented. United States Department of State
• [New] A landmark clean-energy project advances at the Kruger Kamloops Pulp Mill, where an Indigenous-led partnership plans to build one of British Columbia's first industrial-scale green hydrogen plants. Paper Advance
• [New] As one of the most disruptive QA Trends in 2025, hyperautomation brings a strategic intersection of AI, machine learning, robotic process automation, and low-code capabilities to rethink quality assurance at scale. Qualityze
• [New] When asked about the main potential opportunities for the future of sustainable packaging, more than nine out of ten said innovation in materials was likely to be the biggest opportunity in the years to 2050, followed by dynamic recycling infrastructures and advances in AI and digital technologies. WhatTheyThink

Last updated: 21 December 2025