Every industrial revolution has eliminated old jobs and created new ones. In many cases, manufacturers weren’t aware that these new jobs were even necessary. To succeed in this age of Industry 4.0, manufacturers will need to do more than just develop a workforce capable of dealing with upcoming technologies, they will need to foster a workplace culture of problem-solving and continuous improvement.

STUTTGART, Germany—German-Canadian start-up Rock Tech Lithium Inc. has begun construction of a new lithium processing plant in Guben, Germany, that will provide Mercedes-Benz with the raw materials needed to produce EV batteries.

HIROSHIMA, Japan— Mazda Motor Corp. has joined the Research Association of Biomass Innovation for Next Generation Automobile Fuels. 

DRESDEN, Germany—The end of cleaning ovens, dishwashers, refrigerators and other appliances with chemicals or heat could soon be in sight, thanks to a new high-power laser system being developed to create self-cleaning, grease-repellent and antibacterial surfaces on sheet metal.

ISLANDIA, NY—Digitalization is changing the way people learn, and not just because in-person learning became so difficult with pandemic lockdowns. Trends such as mobile, micro, adaptive, and virtual reality learning were already beginning to influence technical education and training. To further these and other trends, Festo Didactic has developed a digital learning portal—the Festo Learning Experience, or Festo LX—to make it easier to create individual learning experiences for trainers and trainees.

TOKYO—One of the many ways to reduce the energy required for transportation is to make vehicles lighter. High-strength (HS) steels are perfect materials for this purpose, as their higher weight-to-strength ratio allows for the use of less metal to achieve a similar structural integrity. Many automobile companies believe HS steels will be essential for building cars in the future. 

MILWAUKEE—Many companies are struggling with their smart manufacturing initiatives, according a recent study conducted by Rockwell Automation Inc.

STOCKHOLM—Almost 98 percent of the total waste produced at Electrolux’s manufacturing sites was either recycled or recovered in 2022, and 55 percent of the appliance manufacturer’s factories are now certified as “Zero Waste to Landfill” facilities.

GÜTERSLOH, Germany—Appliance manufacturer Miele has announced that all of the aluminum needed to make its ovens will be produced exclusively using green electricity from hydropower. Miele anticipates that the move will reduce its CO₂ footprint by 645 tons per year.

NEW YORK—Global sales of smart kitchen appliances are expected to reach $43 billion in 2027, growing at a compound annual rate of 19 percent over the next four years, according to a new report from market research firm Business Research Co.