U.S. manufacturing activity in October hit a 2-1/2-year low, but a rise in new orders offered hope for a sector buffeted by a strong dollar and relentless spending cuts by energy companies.

Business activity across the Midwest snapped back in October and rose to its best level since January after contracting last month, according to a report released Friday.

Nautic Partners LLC said Wednesday that it has acquired Aerostar Aerospace Manufacturing LLC. Phoenix-based Aerostar makes high-complexity, close-tolerance machined parts used in commercial aircraft, primarily in engines and in auxiliary power units.

Container shipping lines have stopped waiting for demand to rebound and are focusing on the part of the market they can control—their own costs and capacity.

China inked a giant aircraft contract with European manufacturer Airbus Thursday, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel began a visit with European leaders increasingly competing for market share in the world's second largest economy.

Chinese manufacturing has contracted for the third month in a row, according to the government's latest factory survey. The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) showed a reading of 49.8 for October, unchanged from last month.

India's manufacturing sector growth slipped further and touched a 22-month low in October largely due to a slower increase in new orders, but firms hired additional workers, a Nikkei survey said today.

In a monthly report published in London Monday, Markit Economics said factories bucked this year’s downward trend and started the fourth quarter of the year on a stronger footing. The manufacturing index rose to 55.5 from a revised 51.8 in September, beating economists’ forecast for a reading of 51.3.

In a move executives say will preserve 5,000 Atlanta jobs for the next three decades, Delta Air Lines announced Monday a first-of-its-kind partnership with jet engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce.

A welding technique developed by Ohio State University engineers could dramatically increase the applications of advanced and alternative metals.

The manufacturing sector is in the midst of a significant transformation. While manufacturers have always focused on strategic initiatives, operational efficiencies and profitability, hindrances like antiquated technology systems, siloed enterprise operations, reactive business planning practices and lack of multi-divisional transparency for information-sharing have limited growth and success.

To match ongoing high demand for its A320 family, Airbus has taken the decision to further increase the production rate of the single-aisle family to 60 aircraft a month in mid-2019. The decision follows thorough studies on production ramp-up readiness in the supply chain and in Airbus sites to allow the ramp-up.

Bombardier has entered into a memorandum of understanding which contemplates a US$1.0 billion investment by the Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et des Exportations du Québec for a 49.5% equity stake in a newly-created limited partnership to which would be transferred the assets, liabilities, and obligations of the CSeries aircraft program.

The AgieCharmilles AM S 290 Tooling additive manufacturing system representing its collaboration between GF Machining Solutions and additive manufacturing leader EOS. The AM S 290 Tooling is based on the proven technology of the EOS M 290 metal laser sintering system.

The conventional wisdom holds that robots ultimately cost the jobs of the human beings they replace, and lead to an overall decline in manufacturing employment. In a globalized economy, however, using robots might be one of the best ways for U.S. manufacturing jobs to live, thrive and survive.

Despite a ramped up production schedule, the addition of 32,000 feet of space to accommodate new business and the addition of new production cells, Baldor Electric’s Belton facility is clean, safe and humming with activity.

The signposts are pointing the way: the Factory of the Future is straight ahead and the road leading to it is a five-lane superhighway of technology, product innovation, customization and advanced performance capabilities.

Badr S. Al-Olama asks an interesting question: What if the manufacturing sector was standardized around the globe? The CEO of Strata Manufacturing, which was established in 2010 as a composite manufacturing facility based in UAE, makes the point that standards of manufacturing in the U.S. are different than China which is different from other parts of the world.

Siemens has announced yet another wind turbine order, this time for 56 wind turbines for the Galloper Wind Farm off the southeast coast of England.