Welcome to IndustryWeek's Weekly Reads, where every seven days we review the most-consumed content over the previous week. Unlike in recent editions of IW Weekly Reads, tariff talk did not dominate the most popular topics among our IW manufacturing community, although neither was it absent from this week's Top 10. Without further ado:
Manufacturing Extension Partnerships Face Uncertain Future as Trump Pulls Funding: President Trump's administration has decided not to renew contracts for 10 Manufacturing Extension Partnership programs, potentially defunding the entire national network. This move could have significant implications for small- and mid-sized manufacturers.
How John Deere Conquered 5G for Manufacturing: The benefits and challenges of deploying private 5G cellular networks for cutting-edge manufacturing operations.
Lucid Acquires Nikola’s Arizona-Based Facilities: The luxury automaker also wants to employ more than 300 former Nikola employees.
Nvidia to Partner with Foxconn, Wistron to Make AI Supercomputers in Texas: The U.S. government has clamped down on the export of sophisticated AI chips to China due to national security concerns, and keeping production close to home could allow for tighter control of designs and products.
Manufacturing Facility Announcements and Expansions From March 2025: Check out this list to see what Mitsubishi Electric, Nortek DCC and American Event Services were up to last month.
Labor Reduction, Vertical Systems, and Cool Technology: Highlights from ProMat 2025: Get insights into the emerging trends at ProMat 2025, from OEM-backed startups to cool technology innovations, shaping the future of supply chain and material handling industry.
Fastenal Executives Detail Early Tariff-Related Moves: One tactic: Shipping product directly to Canada and Mexico, where about 15% of the distributor’s revenues originate.
A Cotton Farm, a Made-in-the USA Dream and a Manufacturing Dilemma: The father-and-daughter founders of Red Land Cotton took risks and overcame manufacturing challenges to send their linen business soaring.
The Case for Muting the Boss: When discussing business strategy, leaders should leave room for new voices, who could spur the next big idea.
Industrial Executives’ Sentiment Was Slipping Even Before Tariffs [Tales From the Transcript]: Our quarterly analysis of forward-looking statements on conference calls shows concerns about demand and inflation were growing well before President Trump’s Liberation Day pronouncements.
