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Eric Sorensen
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Radio for manufacturing and engineering professionals. New industrial products, news and technical articles.

  1. LISTEN: Why INFINITI's New Paint Materials Are Transported by Armored Vehicle

    9H AGO

    LISTEN: Why INFINITI's New Paint Materials Are Transported by Armored Vehicle

    Luxury vehicle makers have a way of upping the ante, with features that seem more and more unique, opulent and, perhaps, unnecessary. When INFINITI recently unveiled its newest QX65 SUV, it led with the vehicle’s unorthodox paint color: dubbed Sunfire Red, this coating is described by the company as “something people will remember.” That’s because the rich paint hue, inspired by a "fiery morning sunrise” is said to be “infused with real gold-coated glass flecks.” INFINITI’s design team described the requirements of working with this very special paint, noting that INFINITI’s supplier must use armored trucks when transporting the gold that’s used in the making of Sunfire Red.  #Infiniti #LuxuryCars #AutomotiveDesign #CarInnovation #LuxurySUV #CarPaint #AutoIndustry #Manufacturing #AIinManufacturing #FutureOfCars #CarTech #PremiumVehicles #AutomotiveNews #DesignInnovation #CarLovers #LuxuryLifestyle #MadeInUSA #SmartManufacturing #AutoTrends #VehicleDesign

    2 min
  2. LISTEN: Lawmaker Seeks Stronger Ban on Chinese Cars

    1D AGO

    LISTEN: Lawmaker Seeks Stronger Ban on Chinese Cars

    A member of the Senate’s transportation oversight committee said this week that he hopes to effectively “seal off” the U.S. from vehicles made by Chinese automakers. U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, said during remarks ahead of the New York Auto Show that he would introduce a bill in the coming weeks to strengthen an existing ban on Chinese vehicles, Reuters reported. Rules finalized under the Biden administration early last year sought to prohibit Chinese automakers from selling passenger vehicles in the U.S., citing data privacy and national security concerns, but Moreno indicated that his measure will go further, incorporating not just vehicle imports but “hardware” and “software,” as well as partnerships between Chinese vehicle makers and other companies. Moreno told the Automotive Forum event that he aims for a framework in which “there's never a scenario where a ​Chinese automobile will enter our market.” He also said that he hopes governments in other nations would make similar efforts, from Canada and Mexico to the rest of Latin America and Europe. Chinese cars, however, are already sold in many of those markets. U.S. automakers and other industry groups, meanwhile, recently called on the government to prevent Chinese cars from entering the domestic market altogether ahead of a planned visit to China next month by President Trump. Trump, Reuters noted, had suggested during an event in Detroit earlier this year that he would be open to a Chinese auto plant in the U.S. #China #AutoIndustry #TradePolicy #Tariffs #NationalSecurity #ElectricVehicles #EVs #Manufacturing #GlobalTrade #SupplyChain #Automotive #USPolitics #Geopolitics #TechPolicy #DataSecurity #Cybersecurity #IndustryNews #BusinessNews #USManufacturing #Imports #TradeWar #EconomicPolicy #FutureOfAuto #Regulation #AutoNews

    1 min
  3. LISTEN: Dirty Old GM Plant Site Looks Like Home to AI Data Center

    2D AGO

    LISTEN: Dirty Old GM Plant Site Looks Like Home to AI Data Center

    Most people look at the abandoned former General Motors plant site in Janesville, Wisconsin and see a fenced-off, 250-acre plot contaminated with heavy metals and “forever chemicals” after decades of automotive manufacturing. But some just see a nice new home for an AI data center complex. According to Politico, the site, which has sat idle for years, could now be snapped up by a Colorado-based investment group. It’s promising to cover the $30 million bill to clean up the land and place an $8 billion data center campus where a busy factory once stood. GM’s Samson Tractor Division first started building tractors at the Janesville site in 1919 and vehicle production continued until 2008. About 10 years later, the factory was demolished. In the years since, the city sought to buy the brownfield site and redevelop it. #AI #DataCenter #Janesville #Wisconsin #Manufacturing #TechNews #ArtificialIntelligence #EconomicDevelopment #Brownfield #FactorySite #Industry40 #DigitalInfrastructure #EnergyUse #Sustainability #Jobs #Construction #FutureOfWork #SmartCities #Innovation #USManufacturing #IndustrialSite #CloudComputing #BigTech #Infrastructure #BusinessNews

    2 min
  4. Makita to Acquire Panasonic's Power Tool Business

    3D AGO

    Makita to Acquire Panasonic's Power Tool Business

    The plan is to move into factory fastening by combining Makita’s battery and motor technologies with Panasonic's fastening and IoT tech. Power tool maker Makita announced Tuesday that it plans to acquire the power tool business of fellow Japanese manufacturer Panasonic. Panasonic created a new division, known as Electric Works Company, to house its power tool business prior to the sale. Under the agreement, Panasonic will transfer all shares of the power tool business to Electric Works, then transfer those shares to Makita Corporation.  Pending regulatory approval, Makita will acquire all product development, manufacturing and sales of Panasonic’s power tool products business, including factory and construction fastening equipment and factory‑related IoT solutions. The segment includes some 31,000 employees.  Transaction details were not disclosed.  #Makita #Panasonic #Acquisition #PowerTools #Manufacturing #IndustrialAutomation #IoT #SmartFactory #Industry40 #BusinessNews #TechNews #Automation #Construction #Engineering #FactoryTech #Tools #Innovation #SupplyChain #GlobalBusiness #MergersAndAcquisitions #IndustrialTech #ManufacturingNews #DigitalTransformation #Robotics #FutureOfWork

    3 min
  5. Gen Z in Manufacturing: Machining Interest is Dying, But a 21-Year-Old Has a Plan to Rebuild It

    4D AGO

    Gen Z in Manufacturing: Machining Interest is Dying, But a 21-Year-Old Has a Plan to Rebuild It

    Welcome to another episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing, a podcast where I talk to young people about their journeys in manufacturing, how they intend to influence the industry and what they are looking for from an employer. For this episode, I welcome Adam Zaouague, a 21-year-old automation and data specialist for Reata Engineering & Machine Works, an industrial machinery manufacturer for various sectors such as aerospace, medical, semiconductor and capital equipment.  Zaouague originally got into CNC as he pursued aerospace engineering. He joined Reata as a machinist and transitioned into an engineering and software role. His recent duties include managing engineering and programming and overseeing quality. He has also spent time around AI companies and experimented how to apply these tools in a manufacturing environment. In this episode, Zaouague discusses: (1:18) The true issue with the manufacturing industry(5:44) Why young workers like to ask ‘Why?’(10:49) Interest in machining is dying, but something can still be done(15:19) The best way to implement new technology and where Gen Z will make the biggest impactPlease make sure to like and share this episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing. To view previous episodes, visit manufacturing.net. If you are a member of Gen Z and would like to discuss your experience in the manufacturing industry, please get in touch with me, Nolan Beilstein, at nolan@ien.com.

    20 min
  6. LISTEN: Ferrari Recalls $500K Sports Cars Because the Windows Are Too Tinted

    MAR 28

    LISTEN: Ferrari Recalls $500K Sports Cars Because the Windows Are Too Tinted

    Ferraris go pretty fast. It’s crucial that drivers be able to see out the windows when they’re doing 200 MPH. But that’s just not the case with a recent batch of luxury sports cars the Italian automaker built for the U.S. So, they’re being recalled. The company sent out an alert for 80 12Cilindri models, which retail for around $500,000, because the windows are too tinted. Earlier this month, Ferrari said it was alerted to the issue with the black rear and side windows on certain units, which feature more tint than what’s allowed in some parts of the U.S. As the automaker pointed out in its recall, automobile glazing with less than 70% light transmittance can impair the driver’s visibility and lead to a crash. According to Tint Wiz, many U.S. states are totally fine with tint levels with less than 70% light transmittance. But markets like Florida and Illinois set their legal window tint levels much lower. #Ferrari #Recall #LuxuryCars #Supercar #CarRecall #AutoNews #Automotive #SportsCars #CarProblems #FastCars #CarCulture #LuxuryLifestyle #ExoticCars #Driving #CarEnthusiast #VehicleSafety #CarTech #Speed #HighPerformance #AutoIndustry #Engineering #Innovation #CarNews #USRegulations #CarLife

    2 min
  7. LISTEN: GM Flint Builds 16 Millionth Vehicl

    MAR 27

    LISTEN: GM Flint Builds 16 Millionth Vehicl

    General Motors Flint Assembly plant has been operating for 80 years, and it's the automaker’s longest operating site in North America. And while it’s pushed a vast quantity of vehicles off its lines in that time, you might not believe just how big that number is: GM announced this month that Flint has just produced its 16 millionth vehicle. This milestone achievement took the form of a Lakeshore Blue Metallic Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Crew Cab LTZ – a heavy duty truck that rolled off the assembly line to a cheering crowd of Flint workers, along with its new owner. #GeneralMotors #GM #Chevrolet #Silverado #FlintMichigan #Manufacturing #AutoIndustry #TruckLife #BuiltInAmerica #MadeInUSA #FactoryLife #AssemblyLine #IndustrialHistory #Automotive #AmericanMade #ProductionMilestone #Engineering #SkilledTrades #ManufacturingPride #CarsAndTrucks #Workforce #Industry40 #Legacy #Innovation #AutoNews

    2 min
  8. LISTEN: Harley-Davidson Slashing Jobs as Tariffs Erase Profits

    MAR 26

    LISTEN: Harley-Davidson Slashing Jobs as Tariffs Erase Profits

    Harley-Davidson notified an undisclosed number of workers that it would reduce its global workforce, Wisconsin Public Radio reported. A company spokesperson confirmed the layoffs but did not specify the number of impacted workers or where they work.  WPR cited the sub-district director of the United Steelworkers District 7, who stated that none of the union’s 500-plus members at Harley-Davidson facilities in Milwaukee or Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, will be affected by the job cuts. The motorcycle manufacturer recently reported a 26% drop in profits from 2024 and an operating loss of $29 million in 2025. It added that new or increased tariffs cost the company $67 million in 2025 and posted a fourth-quarter gross profit loss of $30 million, compared to a $3 million loss in the same period in 2024, which it partially attributed to rising tariff costs. The company estimates that tariffs will cost it between $75 million and $105 million in 2026.  #HarleyDavidson #Layoffs #Manufacturing #Tariffs #BusinessNews #Motorcycles #Economy #Workforce #JobCuts #IndustryNews #SupplyChain #MadeInUSA #USManufacturing #EconomicOutlook #CorporateStrategy #Restructuring #ProfitLoss #FactoryJobs #MarketTrends #GlobalBusiness #AutomotiveIndustry #FinanceNews #Leadership #CEO #IndustrialNews

    2 min
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About

Radio for manufacturing and engineering professionals. New industrial products, news and technical articles.

Information

  • Creator
    Eric Sorensen
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.1K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 IEN Radio
  • Show Website
    IEN Radio