Manufacturing

Apple has committed up to $100 million over three years to Perryman Company, a titanium producer based in Houston, Pennsylvania, to supply material for the iPhone Duo and other products. The deal falls under Apple's American Manufacturing Program, part of its broader $600 billion, four-year U.S. manufacturing and innovation commitment.

President Trump praised the investment in a Truth Social post, calling it proof that "American Manufacturing is BOOMING" and linking it to the Pennsylvania economy and Rep. Guy Reschenthaler's 14th Congressional District ahead of Election Day. The announcement adds to a string of Apple's domestic supply-chain investments tied to its U.S. manufacturing push.

Orange County, Florida voters head to the polls Nov. 3 to elect a new mayor for the first time in eight years, choosing between Tiffany Moore Russell and Chris Messina to succeed Jerry Demings. Both candidates laid out economic plans focused on high-paying jobs. Messina proposed positioning the county as a space-tech hub and launching "Orange County Works," a $10 million skilled-trades education initiative modeled on Osceola County's Prosper program, citing a shortage of over 2,000 trades workers. Moore Russell emphasized strengthening existing industries—tourism, manufacturing, modeling and simulation, and Lake Nona's Medical City—while streamlining permitting and expanding workforce training through CareerSource to attract new businesses.

A federal Office of Inspector General audit alleges Ohio's Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) network and the state's Department of Development misused $20.9 million in federal funding over nearly a decade, citing unapproved expenses and weak oversight. OIG recommended seeking recovery of funds and considering ending Ohio's MEP program, which supports small and medium manufacturers with workforce and technology assistance.

MEP branches, including Cleveland's MAGNET, say they were denied a chance to respond before the report's August publication and dispute the vast majority of its findings. MAGNET's CEO Ethan Karp acknowledged one minor error but called most allegations false, including claims tied to $6.6 million in COVID-era PPE sales he says were requested by the state. The Ohio Department of Development says it fully cooperated with the audit and is strengthening oversight. Funding was already paused after preliminary findings last year, prompting layoffs and the closure of MEP branch CIFT. The National Institute of Standards and Technology will now decide next steps.

The Solano County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to oppose draft state legislation, tentatively called the Solano Maritime and Manufacturing Act, that would streamline zoning and environmental review for shipbuilding projects in Collinsville. Supervisors said they received the draft only a day before Tuesday's meeting and objected to being rushed ahead of Friday's bill-introduction deadline for the current legislative session. The board instead directed staff to continue discussions, hoping to push any proposal to the next session in December 2026.

The legislation, backed in comments by Assemblywoman Lori Wilson and State Senator Christopher Cabaldon, is tied to renewed interest in a Collinsville shipyard after California Forever's plans lost a bid to Texas-bound defense firm Saronic. Supporters argue it would let the county compete for federal shipbuilding investment without authorizing California Forever's broader planned city. Critics, including many residents at the hearing, worry it could bypass normal zoning and environmental safeguards. No formal bill author has been named, and it remains unclear whether the board's opposition will affect the state's timeline.