AGP Executive Report

Storm Recovery: Hurricane Isaias left widespread outages across the Florida Panhandle. Duke Energy Florida said it had restored most service, with about 2,200 North Florida customers still without power as crews finished repairs. Fertilizer Production: Franklin is urging federal action on a sulfur crisis affecting Florida fertilizer production, a potential pressure point for the state’s agricultural supply chain. Workforce Pipeline: Polk State College is offering tuition-free night classes for its CNC Production Specialist program, adding a direct route into manufacturing jobs. Emerging Technology: Florida-based healthcare robotics company Rovex Technologies has attracted investment from Phase Shift Ventures, supporting the state’s growing advanced-technology sector.

Manufacturing Workforce: Polk State launched tuition-free evening CNC training in Bartow, giving working adults a route into advanced manufacturing through hands-on machining and programming courses. Fertilizer Production: Franklin is urging federal action on a sulfur supply crisis affecting Florida fertilizer production, a concern for the state’s agricultural supply chain. Manufactured Housing: FIU and University of Kansas wind tests found critical failures in prefabricated-home anchoring systems, highlighting safety issues for manufacturers and residents.

Fertilizer Production: Rep. Scott Franklin is urging federal action on sulfur shortages and high costs that are forcing Florida fertilizer producers to cut output, with potential effects on jobs, farmers and suppliers. Manufacturing Workforce: Polk State is adding free evening classes to its CNC Production Specialist program, giving working adults a path to hands-on machining training and up to nine industry certifications. Classes begin Oct. 19 in Bartow. Resilient Construction: FIU researchers’ full-scale wind tests found serious weaknesses in manufactured-home anchoring systems, raising concerns for affordable housing and the components used to secure it. Trade and Logistics: Accordia Shipping is adding the Dominican Republic’s Caucedo port to its route from Port Everglades, expanding options for Florida businesses shipping machinery, vehicles and other cargo.

Manufacturing Skills: Polk State is offering free evening CNC production training starting Oct. 19, giving working adults a path to advanced-manufacturing jobs. The program is funded by the Florida Job Growth Grant and Gene Haas Foundation. Fertilizer Production: Florida phosphate producers are cutting output amid high sulfur costs. Congressman Scott Franklin is urging federal officials to secure supplies and ease transportation bottlenecks, warning of risks to jobs, farmers and food security. Advanced Materials: Miami-based Evolution Metals & Technologies raised its fiscal 2026 revenue forecast to $10 million–$11 million and reaffirmed its $400 million–$460 million outlook for 2027. The company says new magnet-production equipment is expected to lift annual capacity above 10,000 metric tons. Manufactured Housing: Florida International University researchers tested a full-size manufactured home in hurricane-force winds, identifying weaknesses in current design requirements and calling for updated building codes to improve safety.

Florida Aerospace: A federal jury awarded Aerosonic $116.8 million in its trade-secrets case against air-taxi maker Joby Aviation. Joby says it will challenge the verdict. Orlando Defense: A former Lockheed Martin quality engineer is suing, alleging national-origin discrimination and retaliation after he complained about a hostile work environment. Advanced Materials: Miami-based Evolution Metals & Technologies raised its fiscal 2026 revenue forecast to $10 million–$11 million and reaffirmed its $400 million–$460 million outlook for 2027. Manufacturing Workforce: Florida ranked seventh nationally for skilled-trades employment growth from 2019 to 2025, at 11.1%, underscoring the state’s expanding labor pool. Resilient Housing: FIU researchers tested a manufactured home in hurricane-force winds and say stronger safety standards could help make affordable homes more storm-resistant. Melbourne Manufacturing: Kalogon hired its first CTO, Marty Evans, to lead engineering and product development for its smart seating products.

Regional Growth: Avon Park leaders heard that infrastructure, education and technology investment could help the region build on opportunities in aviation, agriculture, defense and advanced technology. South Florida State College’s new drone-agriculture program with UF is one local step toward that goal. Manufacturing Workforce: Polk State College received another $15,000 Metallica Scholars grant for CNC machining training, bringing its funding through the partnership to $205,000 since 2020. Florida Production: MyPuzzle.com spotlighted its Orlando-based personalized-puzzle operation, which it says uses advanced machinery to produce thousands of custom puzzles daily. Regional Supply Chain: Alabama bottler Buffalo Rock has opened nearly 22,000 square feet of in-house plastic bottle production at its Birmingham campus; the company also serves Florida’s Panhandle.

Aerospace Manufacturing: Starfighters Space says its first flight-test hardware is complete and headed to its Kennedy Space Center base for assembly into reusable Mach 2+ test articles. Florida Industry: Sarasota-based IPG’s 2025 sustainability report highlights new lower-impact products and work toward a more circular economy. Robotics Investment: Orlando venture firm Phase Shift Ventures invested in Florida-based Rovex Technologies, which is developing autonomous robots to move beds and equipment in hospitals. Factory-Built Housing: HUD unveiled a plan to speed manufactured-home construction by updating building codes and energy standards and supporting industry growth. Production Moves: A dental lab acquisition is bringing production from China to Sarasota, according to a recent report. Workforce: Industry leaders say skilled-trades training falls short of demand, with manufacturing among the sectors needing more workers.

Factory Automation: Flexxbotics will showcase its autonomous manufacturing platform at IFS Unleashed in Orlando Oct. 12–16, focusing on how Industrial AI can improve production capacity, quality and safety. Aerospace Suppliers: A Tampa federal jury ordered air-taxi maker Joby Aviation to pay Clearwater supplier Aerosonic about $116.9 million over trade-secret and nondisclosure claims tied to aircraft air-data probes. Joby disputes the verdict. Florida Drone Manufacturing: Orlando-based Unusual Machines secured a U.S. Army motor-supply deal after naming Donald Trump Jr. as an adviser, according to coverage of defense-industry contracts. Space Manufacturing: Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos discussed the company’s lunar ambitions from its Cape Canaveral factory, including plans for cargo deliveries to support a future moon base.

Employee Ownership: Ocala-based Fidelity Manufacturing, which makes generator enclosures, fuel tanks and standby-power systems, is now 100% employee-owned. The company has more than 550 workers and says the ESOP will keep it independent and locally rooted. Marine Manufacturing: IBEX 2026 is underway at the Tampa Convention Center, bringing boatbuilders, manufacturers and suppliers together. UWF’s WAVE program is also linking maritime engineering research with industry and workforce training in Northwest Florida. Reshoring: A dental lab acquisition is set to move production from China to Sarasota, a boost for Florida’s manufacturing base. Florida Business: Boca Raton flooring-products maker Q.E.P. declared a quarterly dividend of 22 cents per share.

Stem Cell Manufacturing in Florida: RejuvStem is preparing to open Auragenesis Labs near Miami, its first U.S. stem cell manufacturing operation, with COO John Merola helping lead the expansion. Regulatory & Compliance Tech: Ezassi added regulatory monitoring to Ezassi Signals, offering manufacturers a structured way to track rules, enforcement patterns, and court activity tied to product compliance. Manufacturing & Aerospace MRO: Ontic opened a new 72,000 sq ft MRO facility in Miramar, Florida as part of broader aftermarket capacity growth, alongside its new UK site. Defense Industrial Base: Anduril is backing a $6.6bn submarine component shipyard push in Baltimore, aimed at speeding Virginia-class attack submarine production. Energy for Data Centers: Fit Energy (Boca Raton) is moving ahead with a fuel-cell power and data center project in Pennsylvania using FuelCell Energy hardware made in Torrington. Local Business & Sustainability: Traffic Cones For Less launched an UpCycle Program to divert retired plastic traffic cones from landfills into reuse and donations across South Florida. Workforce Signals: Florida employers in the Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services sector filed 666 H-1B petitions in 2025, with a 98.8% approval rate.

Defense & Shipbuilding: Trump announced a $6.6bn Baltimore shipbuilding push by Anduril Industries, partly Navy-funded, to build Virginia-class submarine components like torpedo tubes under the “Arsenal Two” plan. Manufacturing & Trade Tech: Joby Aero lost a Tampa jury verdict, ordered to pay Aerosonic nearly $116.9m over alleged trade-secret theft tied to air data probes. Florida Policy & Business: Seminole County Chamber leaders voted to oppose Florida Amendment 3, warning of sharp tax-driven service cuts and pressure on small businesses and nonprofits. Healthcare Manufacturing: Global pharma firms including Pfizer, Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca and Roche are signaling major U.S. investment plans—hundreds of billions—aimed at expanding manufacturing and R&D. Workforce: A new skilled-trades report says the U.S. needs 1.7m skilled workers annually through 2035, but training output lags badly, with Florida among the hardest-hit states. Energy & Data Centers: PowerCompute increased contracted power at its Columbus, Miss. site to 11MW as TVA data-center tariffs shift. Compliance & Cyber: Orlando’s Kevlar IT Solutions won a 2026 Best of Florida Award for managed IT and CMMC/HIPAA-focused security compliance.

Aerospace & Aviation: Deutsche Aircraft opened a €100M final assembly line in Leipzig/Halle for the D328eco, targeting up to 48 aircraft a year as the program shifts from development to serial production. Florida Construction: StoPanel prefabricated wall panels helped UCF Lake Nona Medical Center meet Florida wind-load and impact rules while keeping the exterior dry-in on a tight schedule. Space & Manufacturing Supply Chains: A SpaceX subsidiary filed with Florida regulators to build a 32.4-mile methane pipeline in Brevard County to support Starship flights from Cape Canaveral. Data Centers & Industrial Tech: Duos completed the sale of its GPU-as-a-Service unit to Axe Compute, recycling capital into more edge AI colocation deployments. Food & Consumer Safety: PepsiCo recalled 122,000+ cases of select Gatorade varieties in 37 states over undeclared Yellow No. 5/No. 6 dyes, including Florida. Local Business & Legal: A Florida woman was arrested in a reported $1M wire-fraud scheme tied to the Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County.

Advanced Manufacturing & Education: Carnegie Mellon’s planned 35-acre Miami campus—backed by Ken Griffin’s $3B donation—could reshape South Florida’s tech and advanced manufacturing pipeline, with programs tied to national security, human health, climate resilience and manufacturing. Aviation IP & Jobs: Aerosonic won a $116.8M award in a federal jury case over alleged Joby Aero air data probe IP theft, a reminder that Florida’s aerospace supply chain is also a legal battleground. Food Manufacturing Compliance: PepsiCo recalled 122,000 cases of select Gatorade varieties in 37 states, including Florida, after FDA flagged undeclared Yellow No. 5 and/or Yellow No. 6 dyes—another labeling and QA stress test for packaged-food makers. Defense Microelectronics: Northrop Grumman launched its US-built FORTITUDE GaN chip to consolidate RF functions for radar, satellites, GPS and electronic warfare, aiming to cut component count while boosting power and signal quality. Workforce Demand: A Ford-backed skilled trades report projects about 1.7M annual openings through 2035, with Florida among states where demand is expected to outpace supply.

Robotics investing reality check: A new report says most robotics makers are private, so “ordinary investors” often end up buying automakers or pricey robotics ETFs instead of the startups driving the boom. Graphene push in Fort Lauderdale: Argo Graphene Solutions says CEO Dr. Vikas Berry will present at NIBA’s 153rd conference in Fort Lauderdale on its STREAM graphene production and plans for commercial-scale manufacturing. Aerospace manufacturing method debate: A fresh look at Boeing’s T-7A argues its “digital first” build approach is reshaping aircraft development, but doesn’t spell the end of the F-35 program. Defense production in Florida’s orbit: Sikorsky and the U.S. Army signed a flexible production agreement for 16 Black Hawks now, with more than 100 expected later, sustaining a large multi-state supplier base. Semiconductor capacity for defense: Northrop Grumman says it will quadruple U.S. semiconductor output by 2030 to support radars, electronic warfare, and combat systems. Workforce transition pressure: McKinsey projects AI and automation could reduce demand for 36M U.S. jobs by 2035, with millions needing career moves—an issue for manufacturers’ hiring pipelines. Manufactured housing update: A consumer guide explains how manufactured and modular homes differ and why factory-built options are getting renewed attention as costs rise.

Defense & Aerospace: Sikorsky (Lockheed Martin) and the U.S. Army signed a Novel Production Agreement for 16 Black Hawk helicopters, with plans to add 100+ more as needs evolve—aimed at keeping the 230-supplier, 43-state industrial base running and supporting tens of thousands of U.S. jobs. Semiconductors for Manufacturing: Northrop Grumman says it will quadruple U.S. semiconductor output by 2030 to boost domestic microelectronics for radars, electronic warfare, communications, and combat aviation. Industrial Safety Deal: MES Life Safety acquired PRO-CO, a Winter Springs provider of industrial safety, instrumentation, and process-control solutions—expanding local support and product capabilities. Workforce & Automation: A McKinsey report warns AI and automation could reduce demand for about 36 million U.S. jobs by 2035, with growth elsewhere creating roughly 41 million—making worker mobility the big challenge. Local Business/Manufacturing: Anderson Garage Door & Shutter (Port Charlotte) was named a 2026 Best of Florida winner, highlighting its in-house shutter manufacturing and hurricane-season durability focus. Education & Advanced Manufacturing Pipeline: Ken Griffin’s $2B Carnegie Mellon Miami campus plan in Wynwood targets areas including AI, national security, energy resilience, and advanced manufacturing, with construction starting in 2027.

Defense & Aerospace: Northrop Grumman says it will quadruple U.S. semiconductor output by 2030 to support radars, electronic warfare, communications and combat aviation systems. Space Industry: SpaceX launched a classified Falcon Heavy mission from Florida for the National Reconnaissance Office, while the company signals it will phase out Dragon and Falcon 9 as Starship ramps up. Helicopter Production: Sikorsky and the U.S. Army signed a Novel Production Agreement covering 16 Black Hawks now, with more than 100 expected later, keeping a large supplier base producing as upgrades aim to extend service into the 2070s. Advanced Manufacturing & Materials: Florida-based EM&T is moving toward a behind-the-meter hydrogen power setup to support rare earth magnet and critical materials operations, targeting a non-China supply chain. Industrial Safety: MES Life Safety acquired PRO-CO, a Winter Springs provider of industrial safety, instrumentation and process-control solutions, expanding local support and product coverage. Workforce & Automation: A McKinsey report projects AI and automation could reduce demand for about 36 million U.S. jobs by 2035, with growth elsewhere creating about 41 million—if workers can transition. Higher Ed & Local Economy: Ken Griffin’s $3B donation to Carnegie Mellon includes a Miami Wynwood campus focused on AI, national security, energy resilience and advanced manufacturing, with construction starting in 2027.