Manufacturing

Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. (CVR) declared a $0.03 per share quarterly dividend, payable December 19, 2025. While marking continued dividend policy, future payouts depend on profitability, cash needs and financial health, as determined by the Board. The company faces market challenges including fluctuating prices, supply chains, and automotive industry changes, particularly the EV transition. Diversifying its customer base beyond automotive is crucial for long-term stability. Investors should consider risks detailed in SEC filings.

GlobalFoundries (GFS) acquired Advanced Micro Foundry (AMF) on Nov 18, 2025, creating the largest pure-play silicon photonics foundry by revenue. The deal expands GF’s 200mm production with plans to scale to 300mm and accelerates silicon photonics capacity in the U.S. and Singapore for AI datacenters and other applications. GF will establish a silicon photonics research center in Singapore with A*STAR, targeting 400Gbps data transfer solutions. This move strengthens GF’s position in the growing silicon photonics market.

A potential Tesla-Intel partnership for AI chip production is emerging, potentially offering chips at 10% of Nvidia’s cost. Elon Musk mentioned possible Intel collaboration at Tesla’s shareholder meeting, citing supply chain constraints and ambitious AI goals. Intel’s stock saw a boost, reflecting confidence in the partnership’s potential. This move could reshape enterprise AI economics, challenge existing chip manufacturers, and accelerate AI hardware innovation, demanding that enterprise leaders closely monitor these developments. Tesla is targeting limited AI5 chip production in 2026, with high-volume in 2027.

Celestica is strategically positioning itself as a key infrastructure provider for the burgeoning AI market. CEO Rob Mionis emphasizes the company’s focus on delivering critical hardware, stating they are “laying the tracks” for AI’s growth. Recent earnings surpassed expectations, boosting investor confidence with the stock reaching a 52-week high. Celestica’s success stems from its shift to high-margin design/manufacturing and partnerships like with Broadcom, enabling provision of advanced data center solutions for hyperscalers and enterprises, capitalizing on increasing demand for AI infrastructure.

Apple has begun shipping AI-focused servers manufactured at its Houston, Texas facility, marking a significant step in its $600 billion U.S. investment. These servers, powered by Apple’s silicon, will support Apple Intelligence and Private Cloud Compute services. The move aims to bolster domestic production, create jobs, and enable closer hardware-software integration for accelerated AI innovation. This initiative reflects a strategic shift towards controlling its supply chain and responding to the increasing demands of AI workloads.

Otter Tail Corporation (Nasdaq: OTTR) will release its Q3 2025 financial results on November 3, 2025, after market close. A conference call and live webcast analyzing the results will be held on November 4, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. CT. Investors and analysts are focused on the company’s performance amid changing energy regulations, commodity prices, and renewable energy demand, as well as its manufacturing segment’s performance. Webcast details and accompanying slides are available at www.ottertail.com/events-and-presentations.

Intel and AMD are reportedly in early talks regarding AMD potentially using Intel’s foundry services. This news boosted Intel’s shares by 7%. Securing AMD as a client would be a major win for Intel, validating its foundry strategy and attracting further investment. It would also signify significant trust from AMD, a direct competitor in the processor market. Diversifying to Intel could improve AMD’s supply chain. Intel’s foundry ambitions are supported by government and Nvidia investments as signals of confidence in Intel’s turnaround, boosting its shares nearly 77% year-to-date. Both companies declined to comment.

The Huawei China Tour 2025, coinciding with the World Intelligent Industry Expo in Chongqing, focuses on AI’s transformative role in manufacturing. Government officials and industry leaders explored AI-driven upgrades, with Huawei showcasing its strategic, technological, and collaborative ecosystem approach. Chongqing aims to become an AI-centric industrial hub, fostering collaboration with Huawei. The tour highlighted AI applications in various manufacturing aspects, including R&D, production, and supply chains, exemplified by success stories from Seres and Changan Automobile. Huawei is partnering to build a “manufacturing + AI” ecosystem in Chongqing.

Sony has completed shifting its PlayStation 5 (PS5) console production for the U.S. market out of China in response to U.S. tariffs. According to CFO Hiroki Totoki, this supply chain realignment aims to mitigate the impact of trade tensions. The production shift for PS5 peripherals is expected to be finalized by the end of September 2025. While current PS5 prices in the U.S. remain stable, Sony will dynamically adjust future pricing based on various factors including profitability and market competitiveness.

Former Intel CEO Craig Barrett argues that Intel’s survival is crucial for U.S. chip manufacturing dominance. He believes underinvestment hinders Intel’s ability to compete with TSMC and Samsung. Barrett proposes a $40 billion collective investment from Intel’s major customers like Apple, Google, and NVIDIA to secure domestic chip supply and potential price advantages. He also urges adoption of advanced technologies and tariffs on imported chips to boost demand. Some of his suggestions align with current U.S. policies and Intel’s existing technology investments.