NEW HQ EMERGES FROM EXPANSION
Siemens Mobility has completed its over $292 million train factory expansion in Munich, Germany. The company called the now over 1-million-sq.-ft. campus one of the most modern train production plants in Europe, following two years of expansion activity which included new buildings, production facilities and AI-based software integration. The project doubled Siemens’ workspace at the site and will allow for production of additional models such as Vectouro passenger cars. “Siemens is demonstrating how competitive manufacturing is possible in Germany today: with superior products, maximum automation, digitalization and the use of artificial intelligence,” said Siemens AG CEO Roland Busch. “With the software and digital services offered to customers through our open business platform Siemens Xcelerator, we are showing the way to networked mobility of the future.” The Munich location has also become the new HQ for Siemens Mobility, combining R&D, production, services and management branches in one location. In all, the expansion created over 500 new jobs in the region.
Photo courtesy of Novo Nordisk
CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF TIANJIN
Denmark-based pharmaceutical manufacturer Novo Nordisk announced last week that a $112 million investment is headed toward operations in northern China. The company has sights set on expansion of its quality-control lab located in the Tianjin municipality, upon signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Tianjin Economic Technical Development Area Administrative Commission. The company plans to introduce new chemical, microbiological and biological laboratories across more than 193,000 sq. ft. by 2026. This region has become a major focus for the company since 2023, as prior investment activity included expansion of its Tianjin finished products workshop, a new prefilled injection pen production line and a sterile formulation expansion project. Increased lab space will aid Novo Nordisk in meeting future requirements for product testing at the site.
Photo courtesy of Firmus Technologies
PROJECT SOUTHGATE
Australia’s Northern Tasmania region is set to house the world’s first AI Factory Zone, thanks to AI infrastructure company Firmus Technologies. The Singapore-based company plans to construct a 400-megawatt (MW) campus of modular, 100% liquid-cooled AI factories in the city of Launceston. The $2.1 billion Zone will serve as a hub for scalable AI, while supporting growth of the state’s renewable energy sector to ensure a sustainable AI expansion. In the first phase Firmus plans to introduce an initial 90 MW of capacity by 2026, ramping up to 300 MW during the planned second phase. Dubbed Project Southgate, the Zone will feature a campus of AI Factories designed to use less energy and be built at a fraction of the cost of traditional data centers. “AI Factories are purpose-built to power, train and inference artificial intelligences. With Tasmania’s clean energy and our AI Factory platform, we believe this will be the most cost-effective, sustainable AI facility in the world,” said Firmus Co-CEO Oliver Curtis. “Project Southgate will form the foundation of Australia’s artificial intelligence infrastructure and secure our place as the Asia-Pacific region’s AI hub.” A press release stated that Project Southgate will cover a diverse range of AI applications from gaming and content creation to enterprise AI and high-performance computing.
Reports compiled and written by Alexis Elmore
