It's just business: Manufacturing moves from Intel, Apptronik, LimitlessCNC, and more
As manufacturers strive to optimize and improve profitability, they often use various business strategies to stay competitive. These actions include mergers, acquisitions, promotions, layoffs, funding, and much more. Below are just a few of the companies that are making moves and making headlines in the industrial sector.
Personnel: Intel Corporation has announced the appointment of Lip-Bu Tan as its new CEO, succeeding Interim Co-CEOs David Zinsner and Michelle Johnston Holthaus. Zinsner will continue as CFO, Johnston Holthaus will remain CEO of Intel Products, and Frank D. Yeary will return to his role as independent chair of the board. In a recent quote, Frank D. Yeary, interim executive chair of the board, said, “Lip-Bu is an exceptional leader whose technology industry expertise, deep relationships across the product and foundry ecosystems, and proven track record of creating shareholder value is exactly what Intel needs in its next CEO. Throughout his long and distinguished career, he has earned a reputation as an innovator who puts customers at the heart of everything he does, delivers differentiated solutions to win in the market and builds high-performance cultures to achieve success.”
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Acquisition: United Performance Metals (UPM) has acquired Fabrisonic LLC, a tech startup specializing in advanced metal fabrication and patented processes for creating innovative materials. This acquisition will enhance UPM’s capabilities in advanced manufacturing and expand its portfolio, particularly in industries such as aerospace, defense, and automotive. In a recent quote, Peter Neuberger, President and CEO of United Performance Metals, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Fabrisonic to the United Performance Metals family. Their cutting-edge technology and expertise will significantly bolster our capabilities to create unique materials to support our innovative manufacturing customers.”
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Capital: LimitlessCNC, an AI-driven startup, has raised $4.1M to automate CNC machining, addressing labor shortages in the trillion-dollar industry. By leveraging physics-based AI, the company reduces CNC programming time by up to 80%, optimizing workflows and improving efficiency in sectors like aerospace, defense, and industrial equipment. In a recent quote, David Priev, CEO of LimitlessCNC, said, "After speaking with dozens of factory managers and industry experts, we realized that entire production lines rely on knowledge that is becoming nearly impossible to find. In crises, manufacturing delays can have severe consequences. We knew we had to create a technological revolution to ensure critical components can be produced faster without relying on a shrinking pool of experts."
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Acquisition: CSW Industrials, Inc. (CSWI) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Aspen Manufacturing for approximately $313.5 million in cash. The transaction, expected to close in the first quarter of CSWI’s 2026 fiscal year, will be funded through a combination of cash and debt from its existing credit facility. In a recent quote, Joseph B. Armes, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of CSW Industrials, said, “I am pleased to announce that we have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Aspen Manufacturing. This acquisition will allow CSWI to expand our existing HVAC/R product portfolio with an innovative portfolio of high-caliber evaporator coils and air handlers, while building on our existing HVAC/R end market leadership position. With our market knowledge and investment in people, systems, and processes, CSWI is uniquely positioned to accelerate Aspen’s growth strategy. This acquisition will enable us to continue driving above market, profitable growth, and deliver value to our shareholders.”
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Partnership: Apptronik and Jabil have announced a pilot collaboration to build and integrate Apollo humanoid robots into specific Jabil manufacturing operations. The pilot program will use Jabil’s factory for real-world testing, with Apollo robots performing tasks such as inspection, sorting, and sub-assembly. The introduction of humanoids to Jabil's manufacturing lines will augment the workforce, allowing human employees to focus on more creative, thought-intensive projects. In a recent quote, Jeff Cardenas, co-founder and CEO of Apptronik, said, “Humanoid robots have the potential to revolutionize the way we live and work, but for that to become a reality, we need to be able to build them rapidly at scale, at the right price point, and in geographies where our customers are located. Our partnership with Jabil, along with our unique design for manufacturability and ability to have Apollo humanoid robots handling material movement and assembly tasks in the factory, are critical components needed to create a flywheel effect that could make humanoid robots ubiquitous.”
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