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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: GM, Ford Asked to Support U.S. Weapons Supply Chain as Wars Drain Inventory

    4H AGO

    LISTEN: GM, Ford Asked to Support U.S. Weapons Supply Chain as Wars Drain Inventory

    Senior defense officials in the Trump administration approached General Motors and Ford about supporting the U.S. military equipment supply chain, a source told the Detroit Free Press. The anonymous source said the separate conversations with CEOs Mary Barra and Jim Farley took place as early as last year. ****Original Post: https://www.ien.com/supply-chain/video/22965095/gm-ford-asked-to-support-us-weapons-supply-chain-as-wars-drain-inventory **** The Pentagon reportedly wants to use the automakers’ workforce and facility capacity to boost weapons production as wars in Ukraine and Iran have strained U.S. inventory. The Wall Street Journal first reported the discussions, noting that officials described the request as a “matter of national security.” The Journal also reported that German manufacturing is shifting toward defense production as the automotive sector combats a slump in demand and growing competition from China, with the government pushing to convert struggling operations into defense contractors. According to the Detroit Free Press, GM and Ford would likely not directly produce weapons but instead make structural components for subcontracting to weapons manufacturers. Relevant capabilities could include casting, stamping, forging and working with plastics and other composites. The conversations remain exploratory with no defined details. #DefenseIndustry #ManufacturingNews #AutoIndustry #Ford #GM #NationalSecurity #SupplyChain #MilitaryProduction #DefenseManufacturing #IndustrialBase #USMilitary #ArsenalOfDemocracy #WarProduction #IndustrialStrategy #Geopolitics #GlobalManufacturing #FactoryCapacity #IndustryTrends #BusinessNews #Production

    2 min
  2. LISTEN: Explosives Maker Accused of Neglecting Safety to Meet Pentagon Contract Before Fatal Blast

    4D AGO

    LISTEN: Explosives Maker Accused of Neglecting Safety to Meet Pentagon Contract Before Fatal Blast

    An attorney preparing to file a federal lawsuit against a Tennessee explosives manufacturer over a deadly 2025 blast alleged this week that the company pushed its production beyond a safe level in an effort to fulfill a Pentagon contract. Darren Richie, who represents the families of two of the 16 people killed in the October explosion at Accurate Energetic Systems, said during a Friday news conference that AES neglected safety hazards to increase production for the $120 million federal contract, the Tennessean reported. He indicated the families intend to file their lawsuit this month and will seek $150 million in damages. The statement came about a week after Tennessee's OSHA (TOSHA) department concluded a six-month investigation into the explosion and cited AES with 100 violations totaling over $3.1 million in penalties. The cited hazards included explosive dust buildup on equipment and workers spraying flammable paint near hot equipment without proper safeguards. The agency said the penalty is the largest in its history. #ManufacturingNews #IndustrialSafety #WorkplaceSafety #OSHA #Explosion #BreakingNews #IndustrialAccident #SafetyViolations #ChemicalSafety #ProcessSafety #WorkplaceHazards #FactoryExplosion #LegalNews #CorporateAccountability #CSB #SafetyFirst #USNews #IndustrialDisaster #Compliance #Engineering

    2 min
  3. LISTEN: BMW Pulling Flagship Electric SUV From U.S. Lineup

    6D AGO

    LISTEN: BMW Pulling Flagship Electric SUV From U.S. Lineup

    BMW will pull the iX, the automaker’s first dedicated electric SUV, from its U.S. lineup as it shifts focus to a next-generation electric vehicle platform, BMWBlog reported. A spokesperson stated that the company will prioritize upcoming Neue Klasse models, beginning with the iX3 SUV. BMW announced the iX in 2021 and began sales in 2022. The vehicle features an estimated range of up to 364 miles, a bodyshell that includes carbon fiber-reinforced polymer and a starting MSRP of about $75,000.  The iX drew mixed reactions, particularly over its interior design, which featured the high-resolution Curved Display, a hexagonal steering wheel and the option to integrate speakers into the seat. Jalopnik reported that BMW sold nearly 51,000 iXs from 2022 to 2025, while BMWBlog noted that the vehicle functioned as both a technological proof-of-concept and a production vehicle. #BMW #ElectricVehicles #EVNews #AutoIndustry #LuxuryCars #AutomotiveNews #EVTransition #FutureOfCars #NeueKlasse #BMWiX #BMWiX3 #CarTech #Innovation #ManufacturingNews #AutoTrends #EVMarket #Sustainability #LuxuryEV #CarLaunch #Mobility

    2 min
  4. LISTEN: Secret Mustard Waste Pipe Lands Factory Owner in Prison

    APR 15

    LISTEN: Secret Mustard Waste Pipe Lands Factory Owner in Prison

    The owner of a New Hampshire mustard company has been sentenced to prison for orchestrating a years-long scheme to send polluted water from his facility into a nearby river. Charles Santich, owner of the Old Dutch Mustard Company, was given an 18-month prison sentence while his company is being forced to pay $1.5 million for violating the Clean Water Act. The Greenville, New Hampshire facility, which makes Old Dutch brand vinegar and mustard products, generates acidic wastewater and stormwater. Without the necessary permit to discharge the polluted water, Old Dutch was required to store it in tanks and have a trucking company haul it away. Instead, Santich in 2015 hired an excavation company to bury a pipe from the Old Dutch Mustard facility to discharge the acidic water in the general direction of the Souhegan River near an abandoned railroad bed. He made sure the discharge point was downstream of continuous environmental monitoring required by the EPA and state of New Hampshire, according to a Justice Department complaint. #EnvironmentalCrime #CleanWaterAct #EPA #WaterPollution #EnvironmentalNews #ManufacturingNews #CorporateAccountability #Pollution #IndustrialWaste #LegalNews #Sustainability #PublicHealth #RiverPollution #Regulations #USNews #EnvironmentalProtection #Compliance #Justice #EcoNews #WasteManagement

    2 min
  5. LISTEN: VW EV Sales COLLAPSE 95% 😳

    APR 14

    LISTEN: VW EV Sales COLLAPSE 95% 😳

    Volkswagen of America released its sales figures for Q1 2026 and the results were mixed.  Last week the automaker announced that it was going to stop assembling the ID.4 electric SUV in Chattanooga, Tennessee and retool to focus on the next-generation Atlas for model year 2027. Well, now, it's pretty clear why.  Top manufacturing news:  Slate Auto Raises $650M to Make $25,000 Trucks Podcast: Car Paint Gets Security Detail; Tyson Loses Bacteria Case; Stronger Ban on Chinese Cars Buyers Fret as Average New Car Cost Nears $50,000 Wind Turbine Maker Sued After Catastrophic Collapse, Terminated Contracts  According to VW's sales figures, the company sold 7,663 ID.4s in Q1 2025. Last quarter told a different tale, with a mere 338 ID.4s sold—a drop of 95.6%.  Across the board, sales dipped 16.1% year-over-year, but there were some wins. The Tiguan LWB saw an increase of 55.2% and the Golf R sedan increased 4.7%, though the volumes were so low it was just a 36-unit increase.  #Volkswagen #EVNews #ElectricVehicles #AutoIndustry #CarSales #ManufacturingNews #EVMarket #AutomotiveTrends #ID4 #IDBuzz #Atlas #CarMarket #AutoSales #IndustryNews #FutureOfCars #EVTransition #BusinessNews #SupplyChain #AutoIndustryNews #MarketTrends

    2 min
  6. LISTEN: VW Stops Making Electric SUVs in Tennessee

    APR 11

    LISTEN: VW Stops Making Electric SUVs in Tennessee

    Yesterday, Volkswagen announced plans to stop assembling the ID.4 electric SUV at its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as the EV market continues to "challenge the industry." Assembly will end quickly. VW says it will stop putting together the ID.4 in mid-April and that's (checks watch) five days away.  The automaker will retool to focus on "higher-volume" models and launch the second-generation Atlas for model year 2027. The hope is to have production up and running this summer with vehicles in dealerships by fall.  The Atlas is vital to the company's U.S. strategy. It's the automaker's second-best selling model for the past three years.  The headwinds facing the EV industry, including the $7,500 federal EV tax credit that expired on September 30, 2025, have forced VW to make "measured decisions throughout the last few years to navigate this unpredictability." #Volkswagen #EVNews #ElectricVehicles #AutoIndustry #ManufacturingNews #EVMarket #SupplyChain #AutoProduction #Chattanooga #TennesseeManufacturing #AutomotiveNews #FutureOfCars #EVTransition #CarManufacturing #IndustryTrends #BusinessStrategy #AutoJobs #FactoryNews #VehicleProduction #Mobility

    2 min
  7. LISTEN: Kimberly-Clark Products Burn After Suspected Arson Destroys Warehouse

    APR 10

    LISTEN: Kimberly-Clark Products Burn After Suspected Arson Destroys Warehouse

    Firefighters in Ontario, California descended on a massive blaze just after midnight on Tuesday, when a distribution center erupted in flames. Local reports described an “orange glow” as the 1.2 million square foot warehouse burned for hours in a location the size of 11 city blocks, with smoke and flames reportedly visible for miles. The site is owned and operated by supply chain management company NFI Industries, but the warehouse had been leased by CPG giant Kimberly-Clark. It was stocked with paper products like Kleenex, toilet paper and diapers – ready fuel after the building became engulfed. Local law enforcement confirmed that the fire had been deemed “suspicious” due to its rapid spread and apparent evidence that suggested there may have been more than one point of origin.  #WarehouseFire #BreakingNews #SupplyChain #Logistics #ManufacturingNews #IndustrialFire #ArsonInvestigation #KimberlyClark #NFIIndustries #FireResponse #EmergencyResponse #DistributionCenter #CPG #Operations #CrisisManagement #BusinessContinuity #Firefighters #USNews #IndustrialAccident #Safety

    2 min
  8. LISTEN: Materials From 1800s Brick Manufacturing Halts High School’s Construction

    APR 9

    LISTEN: Materials From 1800s Brick Manufacturing Halts High School’s Construction

    Brighton Central School District near Rochester, New York, halted construction on athletic fields after its contractor uncovered undocumented historical fill beneath the topsoil. The school district said the material likely dates back to 1830, when a brick manufacturer reportedly occupied the land.  Materials found during early site preparation in January included ash, cinders, brick, glass, ceramic and metal at depths ranging from 2.5 to 7 feet. Once Brighton realized certain compounds exceeded regulatory thresholds, it contacted the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and Department of Health. The DEC classified the site as a spill. Brighton noted that historical fills exist across New York, citing that no regulations prohibited this type of disposal at the time. During a March Board of Education meeting, the district reported that Abner M. Buckland of Buckland Brick owned the area from 1830 to the 1920s and mined clay there to manufacture bricks. The school district purchased the property in 1925. #ConstructionNews #EnvironmentalSafety #SoilContamination #HistoricalFill #Infrastructure #PublicSafety #SchoolConstruction #EnvironmentalImpact #SiteCleanup #Regulations #Engineering #UrbanDevelopment #Excavation #ManufacturingHistory #IndustrialPast #SafetyFirst #CommunityImpact #Brownfield #NYSDEC #ConstructionDelay

    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