Schneider to buy PTC for $22.6 billion; GlobalFoundries signs $2 billion TSMC deal
Schneider Electric said it will acquire PTC for about $22.6 billion, and GlobalFoundries and TSMC announced a $2 billion interposer agreement.
A Kazakhstan survey found 58.8% of industrial AI projects still at the pilot stage.
Factory floor
BMW sets 8% to 10% margin goal, with agentic AI extending from the plant into development
At its Capital Market Day in Munich on 30 September, BMW targeted an Automotive EBIT margin of 8% to 10% by the start of the next decade. Automotive Manufacturing Solutions reports AI is already used in production, from digital twins to quality inspection, and agentic AI will now extend into vehicle development.
Kazakhstan study finds 58.8% of industrial AI projects still at pilot stage
A British Chamber of Commerce in Kazakhstan study found 58.8% of surveyed industrial companies' AI projects remained at the pilot stage, with none at full-scale deployment. The sample was only 17 executives and specialists. Of 24 pilot projects in one program, seven have reached industrial operation.
Limble survey: 47% of maintenance leaders report over 10 hours of unplanned downtime a month
In a survey of nearly 700 U.S. maintenance and operations professionals, maintenance software provider Limble found 47% of leaders see more than 10 hours of unplanned downtime per month. Leaders estimate their teams complete just 54% of scheduled preventive maintenance.
Robotics
UBTECH and FAW-Volkswagen partner to test humanoid robots in logistics
UBTECH Robotics and FAW-Volkswagen entered a strategic partnership to develop and test embodied-intelligence robots for logistics operations. The companies will also set up demonstration scenarios for humanoid robots in smart manufacturing, according to Gasgoo.
Panasonic plans to make humanoid robots for plants and warehouses by 2029
Panasonic Holdings plans to develop humanoid robots, its chief AI officer told Nikkei. The company aims to begin making the machines by 2029, for use in plants and warehouses.
AWS launches open-source Physical AI Toolchain for robotics developers
AWS launched an open-source toolchain covering synthetic data generation, model training, simulation and validation, edge deployment, and continuous improvement. It combines AWS services, including Amazon SageMaker and AWS IoT Greengrass, with NVIDIA's Isaac Sim, Isaac Lab, Isaac GR00T and Cosmos.
Boston Dynamics names former Amazon executive Rohit Prasad as CEO
Boston Dynamics appointed Rohit Prasad as CEO, effective the next day, following Robert Playter's departure in February. Chief Financial Officer Amanda McMaster had served as interim CEO. The company says the appointment accelerates its physical AI strategy.
Energy & process industries
Bayer plans $2.2 billion Ohio pharmaceutical plant with first module ready in 2031
Bayer will invest $2.2 billion in a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in New Albany, Ohio, combining drug substance and drug product manufacturing. The first module is scheduled for 2031 and the second for 2034, Bayer said. The site is expected to create 600 jobs.
Deals & funding
Schneider Electric to acquire PTC for about $22.6 billion
Schneider Electric said it will acquire PTC for about $22.6 billion, aiming for a digital thread from design through operations. An Interact Analysis analyst told The Robot Report the deal extends Schneider's reach into product design and lifecycle management.
GlobalFoundries and TSMC sign $2 billion deal for US-made silicon interposers
GlobalFoundries will provide TSMC with manufacturing capacity at its Malta, New York, facility under a $2 billion, multiyear agreement. Production is set to ramp there in the first half of 2028, and the initial term is five years.
RobCo valuation passes $1 billion in employee secondary share sale
RobCo, which offers manufacturing robotics through a robotics-as-a-service model, topped a $1 billion valuation in an employee secondary share sale, double its valuation nine months earlier. The company said it plans to launch a robot called Alfie on March 4, 2027.
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