PALO ALTO, CA—Despite the widespread fear that robots will be taking over the factory floor, new data recently released by A.T. Kearney and Drishti show that humans still perform 72 percent of manufacturing tasks.
EVERETT, WA—Boeing recently announced that the major fuselage sections of the first 777X test aircraft have been joined together. This assembly milestone, called the final body join, occurs when the airplane’s nose, mid and aft sections are connected.
MARLBOROUGH, MA—Boston Scientific Corp. has agreed to buy rival BTG Corp. for $4.2 billion to expand its offering of medical devices to treat cancer and other disorders. Boston Scientific makes stents that hold open damaged blood vessels. BTG makes medical technology for physicians, such as cryoablation products to freeze and destroy diseased cells, and radiotherapy that delivers radiation straight to tumors.
DETROIT—General Motors said Monday that it will cut 15 percent of its salaried workforce, estimated to be around 14,700 people in North America, and that it will idle factories in Michigan, Ohio, Maryland and Canada.
MOBILE, AL—Airbus has hired construction management firm HPM to plan, design and build a new assembly plant here to produce A220 aircraft. The new facility will be located adjacent to Airbus’ existing factory in Mobile.
NORTH CHARLESTON, SC—The Cummins Inc. factory here assembled its 5 millionth turbocharger earlier this month, marking a milestone at the plant, which is on track for a record year of production.
NOTTINGHAM, England—A team of Nottingham Trent University researchers are 3D printing replica human vertebrae that can act and feel like real bone tissue to help train spinal surgeons before they go into live operations.
FRANKFURT—Volkswagen is reportedly planning to sell an entry-level electric vehicle for less than 20,000 euros, or approximately $23,000. At a board meeting scheduled for November 16, executives will gather to discuss the automaker's plans to manufacture its I.D.-branded electric vehicles in place of its internal combustion offerings.