RECOGNISING COAL’S CONTINUING ROLE

Ahead of COP31 in Türkiye, taking place between 9th and 20th November 2026, FutureCoal has urged climate negotiators to recognise the importance of energy security, affordability, and industrial development alongside emissions-reduction ambitions.

In the lead-up to COP31, FutureCoal has challenged climate negotiators to move beyond political declarations and address the practical realities shaping global energy systems, arguing that energy security, affordability, and industrial development must remain central to climate discussions.

This year’s COP summit comes amid renewed attention to reliable energy supplies and the technologies needed to balance economic development with environmental performance. However, FutureCoal CEO Michelle Manook believes international climate negotiations risk repeating the shortcomings of previous summits.

Reflecting on the progress made since COP26 in Glasgow, Manook warns that discussions have too often prioritised political language over meaningful outcomes.

“Five years ago, following COP26 in Glasgow, I warned that climate negotiations were becoming an exercise in wordsmithing rather than delivering meaningful outcomes. Every summit since has reinforced that concern.”

For FutureCoal, addressing this imbalance means recognising coal’s continuing role in electricity generation and industrial development, whilst placing greater emphasis on improving how the resource is extracted, processed, and used.

RETHINKING THE ROLE OF COAL IN ENERGY SECURITY

Manook argues that energy security should never have been separated from the wider climate conversation, especially given the importance of affordable, dependable energy to industrial economies and developing nations.

“Energy security should never have been taken off the table. Coal remains fundamental to electricity generation and industrial development across much of the world. The question should not be how quickly we eliminate it, but how we improve the way it is mined, processed and used.”

In line with this position, FutureCoal is calling for broader access to finance and regulatory approvals for technologies that can deliver measurable emissions reductions. These include carbon capture and storage, higher-efficiency generation, and methane abatement.

The organisation also supports developing renewables alongside coal as part of diversified energy systems, arguing that investment decisions should be guided by environmental performance rather than fuel type alone.

ADVANCING HIGHER-VALUE COAL APPLICATIONS

Beyond electricity generation, FutureCoal highlights coal technologies’ potential to support industrial production and reduce exposure to volatile international markets.

China, for example, is converting domestic coal into chemicals, fertilisers, and synthetic fuels, while India is advancing coal gasification to strengthen domestic industrial production. South Africa, meanwhile, has used coal-derived fuels and chemicals for decades.

These developments reflect FutureCoal’s Sustainable Coal Stewardship (SCS) strategy, which promotes greater efficiency, emissions management, and higher-value applications across the coal value chain.

Through this approach, the organisation advocates for a broader consideration of coal technologies, focusing on opportunities to improve industrial processes and manage emissions rather than viewing the resource exclusively through the lens of electricity generation.

BRINGING INDUSTRY INTO THE CLIMATE CONVERSATION

As COP31 approaches, FutureCoal believes greater collaboration between policymakers, industry, engineers, and technology developers will be essential to translating climate ambitions into practical outcomes.

The summit’s guiding principles of “Dialogue, Consensus, and Action” provide an opportunity to encourage more inclusive discussions, particularly around the needs of developing economies where access to reliable and affordable energy remains essential.

Manook also reiterates FutureCoal’s longstanding position that countries should retain the flexibility to pursue energy solutions suited to their individual circumstances.

“Since the Paris Agreement in 2015, FutureCoal has consistently advocated for the recognition of all fuels and all technologies. Countries must have the freedom to pursue solutions suited to their national circumstances.

“If COP31 is serious about turning dialogue into action, it must bring industry into the conversation and recognise the technologies already being developed and deployed. A more inclusive approach offers a stronger foundation for meaningful climate action.”

Ultimately, FutureCoal is calling for a more pragmatic and collaborative approach to international climate negotiations, one that recognises the complexities of global energy systems while placing greater emphasis on technological development, industrial requirements, and measurable environmental progress.

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October 2026 Key Regional Findings

• ASIA:Index rose to 1.67, from 1.49, signaling the greatest degree of pressure on Asia’s supply network in four months.
• NORTH AMERICA: Index ticks lower to 1.03, from 1.13, but North American manufacturers report greater safety stockpiling and backlog accumulation due to shortages.
• EUROPE:Index rises to 0.78, from 0.66, reflecting growth in purchasing and inventories. Germany was a key driver of these trends.
• UK:Index drops to a three-month low of 0.39, from 0.59, signaling another sharp climbdown in supply-chain pressures for U.K. manufacturers.

GEP Reports Surge in Manufacturing Stockpiling

The indicator tracking precautionary stockpiling among North American manufacturers more than doubled in October, according to the latest GEP Global Supply Chain Volatility Index.

European manufacturers also increased their inventory buffers, with Germany contributing significantly to the rise in purchasing activity.

The October 2026 report, based on surveys of approximately 27,000 businesses across more than 40 countries, found that manufacturers were buying additional materials to protect against potential shortages and further price increases.

Manufacturers Accelerate Stockpiling

Precautionary stockpiling reached historically high levels globally, with North American manufacturers reporting their strongest inventory-building activity in five months.

The increase comes despite a moderation in global purchasing growth, raising questions about how long the current demand for manufacturing inputs can continue.

John Piatek, Vice President, Consulting at GEP, said:

“Manufacturers are increasingly concerned about what’s ahead, particularly inflation and the risk of renewed supply disruptions. They’re responding by building larger inventory buffers to protect production and manage future costs.  The concern is what happens next. This additional purchasing is supporting manufacturing activity today, but it also ties up working capital. Once inventories are built, purchasing could slow, creating a drag on manufacturing and the wider economy in 2027.”

Global Supply Chain Volatility Index

Asia recorded the highest regional index reading in October at 1.67, up from 1.49 in September, indicating the greatest pressure on its supply network in four months.

Europe’s index rose from 0.66 to 0.78, reflecting stronger purchasing activity and inventory accumulation, particularly in Germany.

North America’s reading eased slightly from 1.13 to 1.03, although manufacturers reported increased safety stockpiling and backlogs linked to shortages.

Meanwhile, the UK’s index fell from 0.59 to 0.39, reaching a three-month low as supply chain pressures continued to ease.

A positive index reading indicates that supply chain capacity is being stretched, with higher values reflecting greater pressure.

Purchasing activity remained resilient globally, with the US, China and Germany among the main contributors to growth. However, overall supply chain pressures eased as material and labour shortages became less pronounced.

Transportation Costs Rise Again

Global transportation costs increased for the second consecutive month, with the transportation cost index reaching a four-month high as oil prices rose throughout October.

Material shortages remained above their long-term average for the eighth consecutive month, although reports of shortages were at their lowest level since March.

Oil, electronic and electrical components, and metals were among the materials most frequently reported as being in short supply.

Labour shortages also eased, with reports of manufacturing backlogs caused by staffing constraints falling to their lowest level since February 2025.

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Ground-breaking 5G Deployment

Verizon Business has completed a major private 5G deployment across Thames Freeport, connecting five industrial sites including DP World London Gateway, Ford Dagenham and the Port of Tilbury.

The network is now live, providing connectivity for ports, logistics centres and manufacturing facilities. Thames Freeport is also testing applications designed to improve vehicle inspections, truck movements and operational efficiency.

Five Sites Connected

The deployment covers DP World London Gateway, DP World Logistics Park, Ford Dagenham and two locations at the Port of Tilbury.

Each site operates an independent network core, allowing individual businesses to retain control of their data.

At DP World London Gateway and its logistics park, the infrastructure can support asset tracking, video analytics, autonomous systems and connected terminal operations.

The Port of Tilbury, which houses 135 supply chain companies, is exploring applications involving cargo handling, connected workers, site monitoring and automation.

At Ford Dagenham, the network provides capacity for future applications involving connected equipment, robotics and production monitoring.

Robb Juliano, Vice President of 5G Acceleration at Verizon Business, said:

“The implementation at Thames Freeport is a perfect reference point for the versatility and scalability of private 5G across complex industrial sites: One commercial hub, five individual sites with unique needs, and a multitude of connected use cases.

Together with Thames Freeport, we’re creating a digital foundation for automation, physical AI, and future industrial growth to revitalize an entire economic region. Similar enterprises hosting multiple sites with complex and evolving needs — especially as physical AI redefines industrial operations — can lay the same private 5G foundation from which to build their own transformations.”

AI Trials at Thames Freeport

Thames Freeport’s Connectivity Innovation Lab has been testing technologies that could improve maintenance, efficiency, tracking and workplace safety.

One trial used artificial intelligence (AI) to detect damage to vehicles and trailers through images and video. According to Thames Freeport, the system identified damage missed during manual inspections.

Another trial examined digital truck processing, connecting terminals, depots and drivers to improve communication and provide real-time visibility of vehicle movements.

The trial identified where queues developed at terminal gates when incidents disrupted access.

Other applications include connected communications for field workers and a digital container yard map, which remains under development.

Investment and Expansion

Tom White, Innovation and Skills Director at Thames Freeport, said:

“This deployment gives our key sites a platform to innovate together while continuing to meet the realities of live industrial operations. It strengthens Thames Freeport’s ability to help businesses test, adopt and scale new technologies and helps us attract investment, accelerate innovation, and create high-value jobs.”

The network uses Nokia Digital Automation Cloud and Nokia MX Industrial Edge technology, with Nokia Enterprise Campus Edge providing the hardware and software.

Thames Freeport has attracted more than £2.13 billion in private investment since 2021 and reports the creation of more than 1,400 jobs.

Its long-term growth plan aims to attract up to £4.9 billion in additional investment and double regional trade capacity by 2045.

Future Logistics Applications

A second phase of trials will investigate further uses for private 5G across port and logistics operations.

These include digital twins to simulate changes in cargo volumes and terminal layouts, alongside predictive maintenance systems designed to identify equipment faults before breakdowns.

Other proposed applications include AI-powered estate monitoring, environmental monitoring and natural language processing tools that would allow terminal managers to ask questions about container movements, truck routes and operational bottlenecks.

The post Verizon Completes Major Private 5G Deployment Across Thames Freeport appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

Coupa Expands AI-Powered Procurement and Payment Automation

Coupa has reported a 58 percent year-on-year increase in Coupa Pay transactions as it expands its use of artificial intelligence (AI) to automate procurement and financial operations.

The increase, recorded during the first half of its 2027 financial year, comes alongside a compound annual growth rate of more than 69 percent for Coupa Pay over the past three years.

Coupa’s Invoice-to-Pay (I2P) platform brings invoicing, expenses, supplier payments and treasury management into one system.

Payment Volumes Surge

Coupa Pay has recorded five consecutive quarters of transaction revenue growth exceeding 50 percent year-on-year.

Total payment volume across the platform also increased 71 percent during the first half of fiscal year 2027, while virtual card payment volume surpassed USD$1 billion.

Bill Wardwell, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Coupa Pay and Treasury, said:

“Five consecutive quarters of transaction revenue growth above 50% year over year shows this business is built for the long term. This milestone is a testament to our world-class product, durable operations, and strong cross-functional execution.”

Coupa Card Progress

Coupa Card, launched in November 2025, has processed approximately USD$50 million in spending. Online vehicle retailer Carvana has generated more than 71,000 virtual cards through the system, combining credit approvals, payment execution and automatic reconciliation.

Rebecca Meeker, Senior Vice President of B2B Partnerships and Embedded Finance at Mastercard, said:

“The momentum behind Coupa Card reflects a broader shift in how businesses want to pay and get paid: seamlessly, securely, and within the workflows they already use every day.

Mastercard is proud to support Coupa as the network powering the card and a leading virtual card partner – bringing the scale, security, and acceptance of our global network to help simplify supplier payments, improve control and deliver a more connected payment experience for businesses around the world.”

AI Takes on Manual Tasks

Coupa has expanded its Navi AI workforce to more than 50 specialised agents, available at different stages of release.

New agents introduced in September 2026 focus on payment approvals, working capital optimisation and accounts payable.

One customer, a national insurance provider, used Coupa’s Expense Receipt Parsing Agent to process approximately 50,700 receipts in less than three months.

According to Coupa, the automation saved 211 working days and delivered a return on investment of nearly 25 times.

Another agent, designed to automate payment batch creation, has saved almost three working weeks and generated approximately USD$6,000 in value.

Rajiv Ramachandran, Chief Product Officer, I2P at Coupa, said:

“We’re building toward a future where the entire financial operations process is designed by humans but executed autonomously by agents, freeing finance teams from manual workflows. By blending our deep history of organic innovation with highly strategic AI acquisitions, including Rossum and Tonkean, we are delivering transformational, agentic payables, payments, working capital, and cash management with unmatched scale and trust.”

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Europe’s hidden manufacturing capacity

Ask a procurement lead anywhere in Europe whether there is enough manufacturing capacity, and the instinctive answer is often no.

Order books are full, good suppliers are stretched, and finding a manufacturer that can take on new work at short notice feels harder than it should.

However, the data tells a more interesting story. The capacity is there. What is missing is a reliable way for buyers to find it, qualify it, and trust it.

Europe’s manufacturing capacity paradox

Demand is not the issue.

In a survey of 200 manufacturing executives in France and Germany, conducted in August 2026, order backlogs remained strong in both countries, at 84 percent in Germany and 80 percent in France.

Yet strong demand has not translated into full factory utilisation.

The gap is most pronounced by company size. Some 37 percent of European manufacturers with annual revenue below €50 million are operating at less than 70 percent capacity, compared with just 11 percent of those generating more than €100 million.

The country comparison tells a similar story.

In France, 81 percent of manufacturers are operating at 70 percent capacity or higher, compared with 71 percent in Germany.

That 10-percentage-point difference does not reflect weaker German demand, since its order backlog is slightly stronger than France’s.

It suggests Germany has more available manufacturing capacity that is not yet being matched with demand.

The question, therefore, is not how to build more capacity. It is why the capacity that already exists is so difficult to put to work.

How compliance creates barriers to manufacturing growth

Part of the answer lies in certification and regulatory readiness.

Certification and compliance requirements are the second-most cited operational challenge in both countries, identified by 39 percent of French and 38 percent of German manufacturers. Both figures are above the 30 percent recorded in a companion United States (US) survey.

However, the source of the pressure differs.

In France, 53 percent of manufacturers are preparing for the European Union’s (EU) carbon border rules, compared with 31 percent in Germany.

German manufacturers are more focused on the EU Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act, at 49 percent compared with 45 percent in France.

Although the details differ, the effect remains the same.

Despite having the right machines, skills, and available production hours, a manufacturer can still be out of reach if it cannot provide the necessary credentials.

When procurement teams are under pressure to demonstrate quality, emissions data, and regulatory compliance across their supplier networks, an uncertified manufacturer is not simply spare capacity. It represents a risk they cannot take.

This helps explain why smaller manufacturers account for so much of Europe’s underused capacity.

They are often well equipped to undertake the work, but the cost and complexity of demonstrating compliance can prevent them from appearing on the supplier lists where contracts are awarded.

Why regional sourcing depends on supplier qualification

The timing matters because sourcing strategies are already changing.

Some 54 percent of German manufacturers and 52 percent of French manufacturers expect their customers to move towards more regional sourcing over the next year.

Shorter supply chains should favour manufacturers located closer to demand.

However, proximity alone does not secure business. A nearby supplier must still be qualified, and buyers must be able to verify its credentials.

Regional sourcing increases the value of manufacturing capacity that is already certified and ready to operate. It also exposes how much of Europe’s regional capacity remains difficult for buyers to access.

Resilience is about choice.

Market conditions change constantly, whether through tariffs, geopolitical developments, or capacity constraints. Manufacturers that stay ahead secure flexible options long before they need them.

The same principle applies to cost.

Buyers who can compare price, quality, and delivery speed across a broader supplier base are better positioned to absorb price increases than those dependent on a single supplier relationship.

How smaller manufacturers can unlock new opportunities

For smaller manufacturers, the opportunity is to prepare before demand arrives.

There are three practical priorities:

• Review certification requirements: Audit existing credentials against the requirements of target sectors, including aerospace, defence, automotive, and high-tech manufacturing, and address gaps early.

• Prepare emissions data: Ensure relevant environmental information is available before customers request it.

• Make compliance easier to verify: Present credentials in a format that procurement teams can access and assess quickly. A buyer who can qualify a manufacturer efficiently is more likely to award it work.

None of this means Europe needs to build more capacity.

The machines, skills, and production hours are already there, much of them within smaller manufacturing businesses that buyers have never had a practical way to reach.

What stands between them is proof: credentials that buyers can quickly check and trust.

Manufacturers that treat certification as a route to new business, rather than simply an administrative requirement, will be better positioned to win work in 2027.

Buyers who establish a broader network of qualified suppliers now will also benefit when market conditions change.

Oscar Lovera is Chief Operating Officer at Xometry.

The post Opinion: Why Europe’s Manufacturing Capacity Problem Is Really a Visibility Problem appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

A NEW IDENTITY FOR AN EVOLVING BUSINESS  

Siemens Healthineers is set to change its name to Healthineers, marking another milestone in the company’s development into a fully standalone healthcare business. 

The rebrand reflects the company’s evolution from its Siemens origins into a global healthcare leader in its own right. On the flip side, the move will also allow Siemens to sharpen its strategic focus on scaling industrial artificial intelligence (AI) through the integration of the physical and digital worlds. 

Roland Busch, President and CEO of Siemens AG, described the decision as a natural progression of the company’s journey. 

“This is the logical next step in a journey we started years ago – and one that has proven hugely successful,” said Busch.  

“For Siemens, this sharpens our profile as the company that scales AI in the real world. Our unique ability to combine the real and digital worlds makes this possible, accelerating profitable growth.” 

For Bernd Montag, President and CEO of Siemens Healthineers AG, the Healthineers name represents the company’s identity and ambitions as it moves towards independence, whilst retaining its connection to its heritage. 

“Siemens is where we have come from and remains an important and treasured part of our heritage. Healthineers is who we are – engineers and pioneers in healthcare.  

SEPARATION PLANNED FOR 2027  

The name change forms part of Siemens’ wider plans to deconsolidate Siemens Healthineers through a spin-off in 2027. 

The proposed separation will be put to shareholders of both companies for approval at their respective annual meetings in February 2027. The adoption of the Healthineers name will also require approval at the Siemens Healthineers annual shareholders’ meeting. 

The rebranding process is expected to begin once the spin-off has been entered into the German Commercial Register, completing the company’s separation and deconsolidation from Siemens. 

To support an orderly transition, the two businesses have agreed on a brand transition arrangement lasting three years after deconsolidation. This period will provide time to manage the necessary changes, including the re-registration of legal entities and products. 

The post Siemens Healthineers to Rebrand as Healthineers  appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

Jabil Expands Procurement Services

Jabil has brought five specialist businesses together under a new procurement and supply chain services portfolio, offering customers access to more than 40,000 suppliers worldwide.

The offering combines ProcureAbility, Retronix, ID8 Global, Velocity Electronics and Rebound Electronics with Jabil’s existing procurement, manufacturing and supply chain expertise.

Customers can draw on 3,500 procurement and supply chain professionals for services including sourcing, procurement consulting, component recovery, inventory management, logistics and distribution.

The launch comes as businesses face continued pressure from electronic component shortages, tariffs, geopolitical uncertainty and supply chain volatility.

Five Businesses, One Portfolio

Jabil has expanded its procurement capabilities through acquisitions and partnerships over the past three years.

ProcureAbility, acquired in 2023, provides procurement consulting and managed services, while Retronix, also acquired that year, specialises in component recovery, authenticity testing and reuse.

The 2025 acquisitions of Velocity Electronics and Rebound Electronics strengthened Jabil’s global electronic component sourcing, independent distribution and inventory management capabilities.

ID8 Global, established in 2024 as a joint venture with Cyferd, adds a generative artificial intelligence (AI) platform for procurement, logistics and supply chain management.

Tackling Sourcing Challenges

The combined portfolio is intended to give customers greater flexibility when sourcing critical components, particularly during periods of restricted supply.

Frank McKay, Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer at Jabil, said:

“We’re giving our customers more options, better visibility, and stronger support as they work to secure critical supply and build long-term operational resilience. These acquisitions strengthen the way we support customers in a market that’s only getting more complex. They expand our global electronic component capabilities and supply chain services, but more importantly, they give more businesses access to Jabil’s supply chain and procurement expertise, supplier network, and operational discipline.”

AI and Supply Chain Intelligence

Through ID8 Global, Jabil is introducing AI-powered tools to support procurement decisions, sourcing and complex logistics operations.

The portfolio also includes component lifecycle services from Retronix, covering recovery, reballing, retinning and authenticity testing to extend the usable life of electronic components.

Jabil will showcase the combined services at Electronica 2026 in Munich, Germany, from 10 to 13 November.

Visitors will be able to see live demonstrations of ID8 Global’s AI technology, alongside interactive displays covering procurement services, component recovery and reuse, and market intelligence.

The post Explained: Inside Jabil’s New Procurement and Supply Chain Services Portfolio appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

Construction intelligence platform Buildots has signed a Master Services Agreement (MSA) with NCC’s Building Nordics business area, securing its position as a preferred supplier to the leading Nordic construction company.

Operating across Denmark, Finland, and Norway, NCC Building Nordics has already deployed the Buildots platform across residential, commercial, education, and healthcare projects. The new agreement formalises and expands a collaboration that has delivered measurable improvements in project visibility, performance, and risk management.

Using artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision, Buildots transforms construction site activity into actionable intelligence, cross-referencing progress against project schedules and 3D models to identify potential risks before they escalate.

The agreement strengthens Buildots’ presence in the Nordic region while supporting NCC Building Nordics’ ambition to remain at the forefront of digital innovation and establish new standards for construction efficiency.

PROVEN RESULTS ON SITE

The decision to extend the partnership follows several years of collaboration between the companies in Finland and Denmark, where the Buildots platform has demonstrated its value across a range of construction projects.

Key achievements include more proactive risk management, with early identification of production pace risks and deviations from planned sequences enabling project teams to make corrections before schedules were affected.

The platform has also helped improve project performance through its tracking of Percent Plan Complete (PPC), a measure of how many planned tasks are completed on time. One project recorded a 230 percent increase in this metric.

Additionally, objective project data has supported closer collaboration between trades, helping teams verify critical milestones, strengthen accountability, and allocate resources more effectively. At the executive level, the resulting insights have given senior leadership greater visibility into project health, performance, and potential risks.

Kati Tauriainen, Head of Division Building Finland, NCC Building Nordics, highlights the importance of these capabilities.

“Our experience using Buildots on live projects gave us the evidence we needed. We saw what happens when our teams have true on-the-ground visibility: faster decisions, fewer surprises, and better outcomes for our customers,” she says.

DRIVING DIGITAL INNOVATION

Beyond the construction phase, NCC is also using the data generated through Buildots to analyse completed project performance and identify opportunities for further optimisation.

Tauriainen explains that establishing this framework across the company’s high-value project pipeline represents a natural next step in its commitment to construction innovation.

Patrick Cope, Director of Major Projects & Programmes at Buildots, also recognises NCC’s forward-thinking approach to technology adoption.

“After years of working together, we are now building a systematic, data-driven way of running complex projects at scale,” he says.

With experience spanning hospitals, commercial developments, and schools, the collaboration demonstrates the potential for construction intelligence to deliver value across diverse project environments.

A NORDIC TECHNOLOGY LEADER

The agreement further reinforces Buildots’ growing footprint in a region that continues to demonstrate strong adoption of construction technology.

Tommy Cooke, Regional Director UK&I and Nordics at Buildots, points to the Nordics’ established approach to building information modelling (BIM) as an important foundation for further digital transformation.

“NCC’s move to leverage AI-driven construction intelligence is exactly the kind of strategic, committed adoption that the rest of Europe should be watching closely,” he says.

As the partnership develops, Buildots and NCC Building Nordics will continue to build on their shared experience, using data-driven insights to strengthen project delivery and advance construction efficiency across the region.

The post Buildots and NCC Advance Construction Intelligence appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

CREATING BETTER OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS

Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) is one of the world’s leading children’s hospitals, working to discover better, kinder treatments for the rarest and most complex illnesses since 1852.

To further its commitment to innovation, GOSH and Amazon Web Services (AWS) recently announced a collaboration and shared ambition to drive digital advancements across care, research, and education. Building on their existing relationship, the two organisations have already delivered a range of digital, data, and other initiatives. This newest strategic framework aims to bring emerging technologies into hospitals to improve outcomes for patients and families, motivate staff members, and advance research and education.

“We are at a pivotal moment for healthcare. Technological advances are creating opportunities to enhance care, operations, research, and education in ways that would have seemed unimaginable just a few years ago. By combining GOSH’s expertise in complex paediatric care with AWS’s digital capabilities, we have an opportunity to develop new approaches to healthcare and enable a more connected, seamless experience for our patients, families, and staff,” states Karl Munslow-Ong, CEO of GOSH.

The agreement reinforces both organisations’ positions as industry leaders in digital innovation, demonstrating their shared commitment to ensuring that new technologies are developed and safely adopted.

At the heart of this collaboration is a shared belief that healthcare organisations and industry partners can accomplish more by working together. By combining GOSH’s industry-leading clinical expertise and digital maturity with AWS’s expertise in cloud computing, data infrastructure, and artificial intelligence (AI), the two organisations aim to strengthen data and technology capabilities to tackle complex issues currently facing the healthcare sector.

A FOCUS ON INNOVATIVE CARE

The collaboration between GOSH and AWS is aligned with GOSH’s ‘Together We Power Care’ strategy, which guides every decision the organisation makes to care, collaborate, innovate, and support children, families, and staff. It focuses on four key areas, including clinical care, operations, research, and education.

Through these four areas, GOSH and AWS will explore opportunities to provide clinicians with better access to information and decision-support tools, streamline operational processes, strengthen digital foundations, and equip staff with the AI skills needed to thrive in a digital healthcare world.

Ash Thankey, Managing Director and General Manager, UK, Germany, and International Operations, Public Sector at AWS, notes: “We are delighted to formalise our collaboration with GOSH to pioneer digital and AI innovation to deliver better outcomes and experiences for patients, families, staff, and researchers. At AWS, our goal is to help healthcare organisations use data to arrive at actionable insights that improve outcomes. Through this agreement, GOSH will be able to access AWS’s advanced cloud and AI technologies, backed by enterprise-grade security and privacy, to safely test and deploy digital innovations that enhance care for the children and families it serves.”

The partnership between GOSH and AWS will be overseen by leaders from both organisations and is intended to run until 2030. As the collaboration evolves, both organisations will work together to identify and prioritise opportunities to deliver notable benefits for staff, patients, families, and the vast healthcare ecosystem.

The post GOSH and AWS to Support Care, Research, and Education appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

GROWING GLOBAL ADOPTION  

Epiroc is seeing continued growth in the global deployment of its Autonomous SmartROC D65 MKII drills, as mining and quarrying companies increasingly incorporate autonomous technology into their everyday operations. 

The equipment is now in use at customer sites across Australia and the US, including Fortescue’s Solomon and Eliwana operations, Luck Stone’s Rockville site, and KGHM’s Robinson mine. 

The expanding fleet demonstrates the growing role of autonomous surface drilling in production environments, with the technology being applied across different operational settings and conditions. 

IMPROVING SAFETY AND DRILLING CONSISTENCY  

Developed using Epiroc’s established automation technology, the Autonomous SmartROC D65 MKII is designed to carry out drill plans with minimal human involvement whilst maintaining accuracy and consistency. 

By automating the complete drilling cycle and allowing operators to supervise activities remotely, the solution aims to enhance operational performance while limiting personnel exposure to potentially hazardous working areas. 

Mayya Popova, Product Manager Automation at Epiroc, highlights the growing customer interest in the technology. 

“The growing adoption of the Autonomous SmartROC D65 MKII reflects the value our customers are seeing from autonomous drilling in their operations,” she says. 

CONNECTING AUTONOMOUS EQUIPMENT  

The Autonomous SmartROC D65 MKII forms part of Epiroc’s wider automation portfolio and integrates with LinkOA, the company’s platform for managing drill plans, coordinating autonomous activities, and monitoring fleet performance in real time. 

LinkOA also accommodates other equipment, including autonomous haul trucks, providing customers with a shared platform to manage daily operations and progressively extend automation across their fleets. 

Meanwhile, Epiroc’s Common Automation Panel (CAP) enables customers to monitor autonomous SmartROC and Pit Viper fleets through a unified interface. This allows operators to oversee and manage autonomous drilling activities across different sites and equipment platforms. 

By adopting a common technological framework, customers can simplify the introduction of autonomous capabilities while establishing a foundation for future expansion. 

BUILDING A BROADER AUTOMATION PORTFOLIO  

Christopher Blignaut, Automation Manager at Epiroc, explains how shared technologies are supporting the development of the company’s autonomous drilling fleet. 

“As the autonomous SmartROC fleet continues to grow, customers benefit from technologies shared across our wider autonomous drilling automation portfolio. That common approach across SmartROC and Pit Viper gives them a consistent foundation for managing and expanding their drilling fleets,” he says. 

Epiroc’s latest developments build on years of experience creating automation solutions for surface mining and quarrying applications. 

Combined with its wider range of autonomous and remote-operation technologies, the Autonomous SmartROC D65 MKII is designed to help customers strengthen workplace safety, optimise operational performance, and achieve greater consistency across drilling activities. 

The post Epiroc Expands Global Deployment of Autonomous SmartROC D65 MKII Drills appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

A Different Approach to Robotics

Swiss robotics company Embodied AI has developed a factory robot that learns manufacturing tasks from human operators, typically becoming capable of performing them independently within a month.

Named AIR, the robot combines artificial intelligence (AI) with a tendon-driven design intended to make industrial automation safer and easier to introduce into existing production environments.

Unlike conventional industrial robots, AIR places its motors, gearboxes and electronics inside its torso, leaving its arms lightweight and able to give way on contact.

It also operates on wheels rather than legs, taking advantage of the flat floors found in manufacturing facilities.

Safety by Design

Embodied AI has prioritised mechanical safety, reducing the moving mass of AIR’s arms rather than relying solely on software to restrict movement.

The robot has been designed under ISO/TS 15066:2016, with CE marking planned for 2027.

Francesco Stella, Co-Founder and CEO of Embodied AI, said:

“Hallucination of AI models is acceptable in the digital space because humans review, reject, or correct the output before acting on it. In robotics, however, incorrect actions have immediate and irreversible physical consequences.

When AI is used to taking physical actions, errors can cause severe damage or endanger human lives. Safety and reliability are non-negotiable requirements of physical AI to enter the real world at scale. These are the principles that guided the design of AIR.”

Learning on the Job

AIR begins each task under the control of a human operator, allowing it to contribute to production from its first shift.

Every demonstration is recorded and used to train Embodied AI’s proprietary AI system until the robot can perform the task independently, typically within a month.

Operators remain available to handle unfamiliar situations, while knowledge acquired by one robot can be transferred to others.

The approach allows manufacturers to introduce automation while retaining human oversight during training and operation.

98 Percent Reliability

Embodied AI says its AI technology has already demonstrated its capabilities in paid factory deployments using a separate two-arm industrial robotic cell.

In one project, a major consumer electronics manufacturer tested five funded robotics startups on a cable-handling task.

According to Embodied AI, none of the competing companies met the manufacturer’s performance targets.

Its own system achieved 98 percent reliability against a target of 90 percent.

The result relates to Embodied AI’s existing industrial cell rather than AIR, which is being introduced as a new robotic platform.

From Laboratory to Factory

AIR’s tendon-driven arm design originated from Stella’s doctoral research at EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne.

Stella, who previously conducted research at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, founded Embodied AI alongside Chief Technology Officer Kai Junge and Chief Operating Officer Max Polzin.

Both co-founders hold doctorates in robotics, with backgrounds at Cambridge, ETH Zurich and EPFL.

Headquartered in Lausanne, the company is backed by investors including Faber, TechShop, Look AI Ventures, Plug and Play and Vento.

Embodied AI is scheduled to unveil AIR at Humanoid Europe 2026 on 6 November, with CE marking planned for 2027.

The post Embodied AI Unveils Factory Robot That Learns from Human Workers appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

AI Targets Production Planning

Artificial intelligence (AI) could change how food and beverage manufacturers plan production, manage inventory and respond to customer demand, according to supply chain technology specialist Blue Yonder.

In its e-book, Integrated Demand & Supply Planning for CPG, F&B and Life Sciences Industries, the company examines how machine learning and predictive analytics can help manufacturers tackle production inefficiencies and reduce supply chain costs.

The e-book focuses on how businesses can respond to demand fluctuations without creating excess stock or disrupting production.

Blue Yonder argues that manufacturers need to connect demand forecasting more closely with production scheduling, inventory management and supplier availability.

Forecasting Beyond Historical Data

Blue Yonder says machine learning can improve demand forecasts by analyzing hundreds of variables that influence purchasing behavior.

Its technology incorporates external factors, including weather, news and events, to help manufacturers anticipate changes in demand.

For the food and beverage industry, it is particularly relevant when managing products with limited shelf lives, seasonal demand and fluctuating production requirements.

More accurate forecasts can help businesses determine what to manufacture, when to produce it and how much inventory to hold.

Jaime Ponce, Director, Integrated Supply Chain at PepsiCo Latin America, highlighted the importance of having accurate information available when making operational decisions.

“Blue Yonder is delivering huge value because we know how to sell our products, who is buying them, how much they need and what it will cost to fulfill orders.”

“We can make fact-based decisions that minimize our cost to serve, while improving our cash flow and operating expenses. We’ve already generated an early 30% return on investment — and we’re just getting started.”

Swire Coca-Cola Cuts Changeovers

The e-book highlights Swire Coca-Cola China as an example of how automated planning can improve manufacturing.

As the business has grown, its production requirements have become increasingly complex, creating a greater need for accurate forecasting and scheduling.

A Director of Supply Chain Planning at Swire Coca-Cola China explained:

“With our business growth and increasing production complexity, we need an automated system to perform forecasting and production planning at much higher accuracies.”

The spokesperson also reported improvements following the introduction of Blue Yonder’s planning technology.

“Thanks to Blue Yonder’s Planning solutions, we’ve been able to improve our forecasting accuracy and reduce the number of changeovers and changeover times.”

Blue Yonder’s published customer story puts the reduction in production changeovers at Swire Coca-Cola’s Zhejiang factory at 5.2% year over year, with changeover time down 6% and production planning time down 76%.

Reducing production changeovers can help manufacturers make better use of available capacity, particularly when managing multiple products across busy production schedules.

Tackling Excess Stock

Inventory management is another area where Blue Yonder identifies opportunities for improvement.

The company’s technology uses factors such as seasonality, consumption patterns, product maturity and margins to help businesses determine appropriate inventory levels.

Balancing stock availability against the risk of waste is particularly important when dealing with perishable goods, and Blue Yonder’s planning tools can account for shelf-life constraints, production capacity and material availability when determining manufacturing schedules.

The aim is to reduce excess inventory while maintaining sufficient stock to meet customer demand.

The e-book also includes pharmaceutical company Merck Serono as an example of how centralized demand planning can improve visibility across an organisation.

According to its Head of Supply Chain Process, implementing Blue Yonder’s solutions provided a single, synchronized view of demand, with one central repository helping teams follow consistent forecasting processes and establish clearer timelines for data availability and submissions.

“Having only one demand data repository for the entire company allows us to easily follow an aligned process across the organization.

Having only one application instance forces us to define clear rules in terms of forecast data availability and process. We now have timelines for data availability and for forecast submissions within the whole organization.”

Connecting the Supply Chain

The e-book also examines how closer collaboration with suppliers can help manufacturers manage production disruptions.

Blue Yonder’s platform supports supplier capacity planning, alternative sourcing scenarios and coordination with co-manufacturers and co-packers.

These capabilities give manufacturers greater visibility of supply constraints and help them adjust production plans when material availability changes.

Predictive analytics can also identify potential problems earlier, allowing businesses to consider alternative sourcing or scheduling arrangements.

Building a More Responsive Supply Chain

In its final recommendations, Blue Yonder explores the importance of integrating demand and supply planning to help manufacturers respond more effectively to changing market conditions.

The company argues that disconnected planning processes can make it harder to balance customer demand with available materials, production capacity and inventory.

Its proposed approach brings these activities together, using advanced analytics and automation to improve visibility across the supply chain and support faster decisions when circumstances change.

The e-book concludes that greater coordination between demand forecasting, supply planning and manufacturing operations can help businesses build more agile supply chains while maintaining control over costs and service levels.

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

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Blue Yonder Unveils AI Order Management

Blue Yonder has introduced a new artificial intelligence (AI) order management solution that connects inventory, fulfilment, customer service and returns.

The technology is designed to help retailers, wholesalers and distributors reduce order cancellations, manage stock shortages and improve delivery reliability.

The system connects order management with inventory planning, warehouse operations and logistics, allowing businesses to track orders and adjust fulfilment decisions as conditions change.

Blue Yonder highlighted the scale of its existing operations, reporting that its order management technology processed seven million order reservations and generated more than 133 million estimated delivery date calculations on Black Friday 2025.

A Connected Order Lifecycle

The new solution brings together information on stock held in stores and distribution centres, incoming shipments, supplier inventory and eligible returns.

This provides a more complete view of product availability when making delivery commitments or allocating stock to customers.

“Every order touches almost every part of the supply chain. Planning, inventory, fulfilment, transportation, service and returns all decide whether a promise gets kept,” said Gurdip Singh, chief product officer, Blue Yonder.

“The next era of order management will come from the entire supply chain working together around every order. With Blue Yonder Cognitive Solutions, we’ve combined our proven unified decisioning with AI agents and intelligence from across our solutions portfolio.

By bringing the right context and action to each operator, we reduce the lag between insight and execution and give them the context to act with speed and precision.”

Identifying At-Risk Orders

The platform introduces Fulfilment and Customer Service Agents that identify orders requiring attention and present relevant information in a single workspace.

The AI agents explain why an order is at risk and outline possible responses, allowing operators to review the options before taking action within company-defined permissions.

When stock availability or delivery capacity changes, Blue Yonder’s Intelligent Rebalancer can reallocate inventory and revise delivery commitments across large volumes of orders.

Configurable workspaces also allow different teams to access the information relevant to their responsibilities without switching between multiple applications.

Wholesale and Distribution

Blue Yonder has placed particular emphasis on business-to-business (B2B) order management, where transactions often involve more complex requirements than consumer purchases.

Wholesale and distribution orders can include commitments against future inventory, contract-specific service terms and allocation priorities for major customers.

The new platform allows businesses to manage shared stock while applying different rules across customers, sales channels and contracts.

Its order management capabilities also support businesses operating across both B2B and business-to-consumer (B2C) channels.

Blue Yonder plans to invest further in B2B functionality to help distributors manage complex orders and changing supply priorities.

Recovering Value from Returns

Returns management is another focus of the launch.

Blue Yonder’s Smart Disposition functionality uses business rules and profitability considerations to determine whether returned products should be resold, repaired, returned to suppliers or directed elsewhere.

The aim is to recover value from returned inventory and make eligible products available for resale sooner.

The solution is cloud-native and modular, allowing businesses to introduce core order management capabilities without replacing existing systems.

Additional services, including store fulfilment and online returns, can be added as operational requirements change.

The post Blue Yonder Launches AI-Powered Order Management to Cut Fulfilment Costs appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

The need for C-suite involvement

The issue of supply chain resilience has been moving steadily up the boardroom agenda since the Middle East crisis.

Heightened C-suite involvement has highlighted the fact that resilience has previously occupied a corporate no-man’s-land, with no one wanting to take ultimate responsibility.

However, in today’s volatile environment, conflict can happen anywhere, and organisations must be prepared everywhere. Investors are asking questions about supply chain security, and senior leadership teams are scrambling to provide answers.

Why supply chain resilience is now a strategic priority

Supply chain security is no longer viewed purely as a security problem, but as a strategic risk that affects operational continuity – the kind of language that commands C-suite attention.

The growing responsibilities of chief security officers

With external and internal threats proliferating, chief security officers (CSOs) are asking how to manage an increasing number of risks across growing organisations with more assets and greater demands.

Fortunately, the defining characteristic of security and resilience teams is their agility and willingness to adapt. However, their ability to succeed fundamentally depends on the tools available to them.

Responding to global supply chain disruption

In a crisis requiring intervention, significant volumes of information must be gathered, processed, and analysed to support the best possible outcome.

Crucially, that information must be brought together quickly.

Recent events in the Middle East have highlighted how environments previously considered safe, such as Dubai, can become exposed to risk overnight. Security teams must therefore be prepared to respond at a moment’s notice.

How AI can strengthen supply chain security

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into resilience software increases a platform’s responsiveness and enables it to bring together disparate data streams from different parts of an organisation, in various formats, to present a clear picture.

Human-first AI assists operators rather than replacing them, using an organisation’s data and rules to minimise the risk of inaccurate or fabricated outputs.

When combined with an open ecosystem that incorporates threat intelligence feeds from multiple providers, alongside a rules engine that determines which threats require a response and who might be affected, CSOs can respond accurately, decisively, and swiftly to external threats.

Why accurate data is essential for AI-driven resilience

The key to this approach is data.

The information underpinning the system must be robust and accurate. Security leaders need confidence in that accuracy, a clear understanding of where critical data is held, and visibility into the information AI uses to inform its outputs.

With these foundations in place, tasks that previously required manual effort across multiple systems can be managed through an intuitive user interface (UI) and agentic AI support.

This frees security teams to focus on strategy and the decisions that keep people safe.

However, some groundwork is inevitably required to establish data accuracy.

Information needed to account for an organisation’s employees is often siloed, outdated, or held in incompatible formats.

Security teams have long accepted that bringing together employee data is a lengthy and demanding process, often complicated by uncertainty over who is responsible for it.

Building a reliable foundation for AI implementation

For organisations looking to implement AI systems, grounding them in reliable datasets with robust, comprehensive guardrails is essential to avoid decisions based on inaccurate assumptions.

A straightforward mapping exercise to establish the maturity of an organisation’s security and resilience technology and data environment is an effective starting point for implementing an open security system supported by AI.

By understanding its current capabilities, an organisation can introduce AI in a way that complements its existing operational systems.

This assessment provides a foundation for successful implementation and future development.

The future of AI-powered operational resilience

Security and resilience functions play a critical role in maintaining operational continuity and protecting supply chains.

As security moves further up the boardroom agenda, organisations are demanding resilience software that can adapt as their requirements and the wider world change.

AI integration is creating new opportunities to secure boardroom investment, while security is increasingly being recognised as a source of business value rather than simply a cost.

Combined with open, provider-agnostic technology, AI gives organisations greater control over how they develop and scale their resilience capabilities to protect people, assets, and operations wherever they are located.

Operational resilience now has a value, not simply a cost.

The post Opinion: How AI is Transforming Supply Chain Resilience appeared first on EME Outlook Magazine.

SETTING THE WHEELS IN MOTION

Costain, the UK infrastructure specialist, will work alongside WSP to support the next stage of development for Transport for London’s (TfL) West London Orbital project.

The proposed 18.5-kilometre London Overground route would connect Hounslow in the south with Hendon in the north. By creating new orbital links across West and Northwest London, it could make journeys between communities and key destinations – including Brent Cross, Brentford, Acton, and Old Oak Common – more direct and convenient.

ON TRACK TOGETHER

Alongside Fereday Pollard, WSP has selected Costain to support TfL in progressing the programme. The appointment draws on Costain’s strong track record of delivering engineering-led solutions for complex rail infrastructure.

As the programme develops, Costain will provide engineering, constructability, and consultancy expertise. This support will include further stakeholder engagement, timetable development, and demand forecasting, helping TfL assess how to deliver the programme.

Costain also brings an established working relationship with TfL.

Most recently, TfL selected it to deliver transformative upgrades to South Kensington Tube station through its £700m Infrastructure Improvement Framework, after it completed detailed design work for the Piccadilly Line upgrade.

In addition, Costain is overseeing upgrades to the A40 Westway and Brent Cross Interchange. It has also recently completed the refurbishment of Gallows Corner Flyover.

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