ATTENDORN, Germany—GEDIA Automotive Group, a manufacturer of metal assemblies for car bodies and chassis, has ordered a new press-hardening line that will be accessible by people with disabilities. Designed by Swedish press company AP&T, the new line will enable staff with physical disabilities to monitor and manage the press-hardening process without hindrance.

SOUTHFIELD, MI—Lear Corp. has been named the 2023 Supplier of the Year by General Motors.

To meet safe launch for an automotive component, a Michigan company had to manufacture 4,000 assemblies with zero defects. MES software helped the company do it.

WILSON, NC—Schott Pharma will invest $371 million to build a new assembly plant here to make glass and plastic syringes.

HERNDON, VA—On April 22nd, Airbus announced that C. Jeffrey Knittel is retiring as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Americas, Inc. on June 3, 2024, after serving as the region’s top executive since 2018. Robin Hayes, former CEO of JetBlue Airways, has been selected to succeed him.

ATLANTA—Lockheed Martin has added a new epoxy from Magnolia Advanced Materials to its engineering materials and approved products (EMAP) list.

CHATTANOOGA, TN—Workers at Volkswagen’s assembly plant here workers voted in favor of union representation in their workplace last week, marking the first time a foreign-owned automotive factory in the South has unionized.

BEIJING—Chinese automotive OEM Xiaomi Automobile Co. has successfully deployed 94 autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) at its assembly plant here.

Marc Segura, president of ABB Robotics, believes there are three key trends to watch.

FREMONT, CA—Bloom Energy Inc. has been awarded up to $75 million in tax credits from the federal government to expand domestic manufacturing of solid oxide fuel cells at its assembly plant here.