Ford Motor CEO and President Jim Hackett will retire, effective Oct. 1, and be replaced by Chief Operating Officer Jim Farley. Hackett's three-year tenure includes an ongoing $11 billion restructuring.
The manufacturing industry will have the most to gain from 5G as it seeks to improve efficiency, security and other factors, according to a KPMG report. Connected machines, edge computing and integrated logistics are some examples of the ways 5G will affect manufacturing.
Clorox has tapped Linda Rendle, the current president and a 17-year veteran of the company, to serve as CEO starting next month. Organic sales increased 24% for its fourth fiscal quarter, surpassing analyst expectations and serving as its strongest quarter "in modern history," said CEO Benno Dorer, who will transition to the role of board chair when Rendle takes over in September.
Lordstown Motors has agreed to merge with DiamondPeak Holdings and go public, being listed as RIDE on Nasdaq. The deal is expected to close by the end of this year, and Lordstown founder and CEO Steve Burns said the merger "will get us into production and also help bring new models quicker than we could have."
Increase your retail acumen The right tech can boost customer experience with personalization and data. Are you aware of what technology is being used to succeed in retail? Learn how to harness the power of emerging technology. Register Now.
Security experts say industrial robots are open to hacking that could compromise data and physical safety, with the researchers finding vulnerabilities after reverse-engineering apps made available by ABB.
Digital twin technology is being more widely considered during the IC design process, Brian Bailey writes. "Digital twins are a great idea, but not a reality yet -- at least not to the extent of seamlessly covering all abstraction layers of a complex system," says Rob van Blommestein of OneSpin Solutions.
HR leaders at manufacturing companies should be working closely with local schools and colleges on awareness and apprenticeships, rethinking job descriptions and employee-development programs, and considering targeted advertising to reach the right candidates. Neogen, a maker of food safety products, uses Facebook advertising to match with people's interests and by geography, generating interest unmatched by other marketing channels, says HR executive Julie Mann.
Austin Community College in Texas is offering its Certified Production Technician program as an eight-week virtual course. The program, focused on semiconductor manufacturing, previously took four months to complete.
