In the Headlines: Worker fired for requesting personal protective equipment
The manufacturing industry is in a perpetual state of change. New technologies, policies, regulations, and company initiatives keep altering the role and perception of manufacturing in America. Every day, there’s a new plant, industry acquisition, research report, or law, and staying up to date on the latest information can prove difficult. Here’s what’s happening this week, in case you missed it.
OSHA fines Madix $158,051 after an unguarded saw causes a worker to lose 3 fingers
The company, which produces shelving and displays, was cited for two repeat, three serious and three other-than-serious safety violations.
Ice cream manufacturer to expand New York facility, creating 200 new jobs
The food company claims that the expansion will more than double the facility's current output and will create 200 new jobs for the surrounding area.
Construction materials manufacturer spends $15 million to build first U.S. facility in Georgia
Duckshin Housing produces architectural deck plates and frames.
True Anomaly opens spacecraft manufacturing facility in Colorado
The 35,000-square-foot facility will use assembly lines to produce a fully tested, mission-ready satellite every five days.
OSHA fines Dixon Ticonderoga $203,806 after worker suffers amputation
The art supply manufacturer has been cited three additional times over the past three years for similar safety violations.
Shinhwa invests $114 million to expand Alabama facility and produce electric vehicle parts
The company will invest $114 million to build a new 170,000-square-foot production building, generating 50 new jobs in the process.
Pipe manufacturer sued by DOL for violating federal whistleblower protections
The aim of the lawsuit is to force the company to “make the employee whole” for the retaliation.
Hyundai Motor Manufacturing invests $290 million to upgrade Alabama SUV plant
The facility will produce Hyundai’s fifth generation Santa Fe sport utility vehicles.
ICL building $400 million battery materials manufacturing plant in Missouri
Production at the 140,000-square-foot plant will begin in 2025, and the facility is expected to produce 30,000 metric tons of LFP.
Cement manufacturer fined $62,500 after worker drown in Mississippi River
The investigation determined that the cement manufacturer failed to provide proper protection, including floatation devices, when employees were susceptible to drowning hazards.
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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