VW's Job Cuts; U.S. Steel Idles Facility; Tesla's Standoff in Sweden | Today in Manufacturing Ep. 147

Also on the podcast, handheld radio battery fire causes millions in damage, elevator drops 650 feet at platinum mine, Google's geothermal electricity project, autonomous excavator builds a big wall and U.S. EV sales set new record.

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The Today in Manufacturing Podcast is brought to you by the editors of Manufacturing.net and Industrial Equipment News (IEN).

This week's episode is sponsored by Oracle Netsuite. One of the long-lasting impacts of COVID-19 and the global pandemic it created, has been the priority now being placed on long-term, enterprise-wide planning. Join David Mantey and Jeff Reinke as they discuss Oracle Netsuite’s latest white paper, The Ultimate Guide to Scenario Planning, to hear about new strategies and steps you can use to de-risk your organization. Watch here.

Every week, we cover the five biggest stories in manufacturing, and the implications they have on the industry moving forward. This week: 

Elevator Drops 650 Feet in Deadly Platinum Mine Accident - @3:29

An elevator carrying workers to the surface of a platinum mine in South Africa suddenly dropped more than 600 feet.

Tesla’s Standoff with Swedish Workers Is Escalating Dramatically - @10:10

Tesla mechanics in Sweden are engaging in a major conflict with the automaker – walking off the job after 5 years of pursuing a bargaining agreement.

Handheld Radio Battery Fire Causes Millions in Damage - @20:42

Last year, a fire broke out on the bridge of the S-Trust, an oil tanker that was docked in Baton Rouge.

U.S. Steel to Permanently Idle Steelmaking at Ill. Facility - @27:27

U.S. Steel says that demand from the idled operation will be taken on at other facilities.

Job Cuts Loom as VW Chief Warns It Is 'No Longer Competitive' - @37:18

VW brand chief Thomas Schaefer told staff the company’s high costs and low productivity have led to a point where it is “no longer competitive.”

In Case You Missed It

Google Geothermal Electricity Project Could Be a Milestone for Clean Energy - @48:33

It has begun pumping carbon-free electricity onto the Nevada grid to power Google data centers.

Autonomous Excavator Constructs Six-Meter High Wall - @52:08

The excavator can autonomously draw a 3D map and localize existing building blocks and stones.

U.S. Electric Vehicle Sales to Hit Record this Year - @55:55

Electric vehicle sales are expected to hit a record 9% of all passenger vehicles in the U.S. this year

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