Energy Storage Shift: Sodium-ion batteries are gaining renewed attention in the U.S. as Peak Energy and Inlyte Energy push domestic production while China’s BYD and CATL expand output, with the pitch centered on lower-cost materials and safer, grid-friendly performance. Critical Minerals Race: China is investing about $74M to expand the Bayan Obo rare earth mine in Inner Mongolia by 50%, aiming to boost ore processing as Beijing keeps a dominant grip on rare-earth processing. Semiconductor Supply Chain Pressure: A report says U.S. tech firms are testing memory chips from CXMT, a Chinese supplier blacklisted by the Pentagon, underscoring how AI demand is squeezing traditional chip pricing and supply. Food Safety for Manufacturers: The FDA finalized fresh-cut produce guidance, urging sanitation controls, supplier checks, and refrigeration to reduce outbreaks tied to lettuce and jalapenos. Solar Manufacturing Push: Tesla is seeking a 10-year Texas property tax cap for a $10.1B solar cell plant near Richmond, projecting nearly 10,000 permanent jobs. AI Chip Packaging Expansion: SPIL broke ground on a $3.1B CoWoS packaging-and-testing plant in Yunlin, targeting 2028 operations and 2,200 jobs. Corporate Leadership: Matthews International named Michael J. Whitehead as CEO, signaling a new phase for the industrial tech manufacturer. Robotics Deployment: RoboStore launched Robo Inc. to help U.S. organizations move from buying robots to deploying full systems with integration and testing.