Up to 880 jobs are expected to be created through the new plant. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

TOYO, a solar solution company, has unveiled plans to build a new solar cell manufacturing facility in Hawassa, Ethiopia

With an expected annual capacity of 2GW, the facility will be delivered through an estimated US$60mn investment from the company which has just signed a lease agreement for the new site of 31,500 sq m.

“We are thrilled to embark on this ambitious project, which will enable us to rapidly scale up solar cell production to meet the needs of our planned module facility in the United States,” said Junsei Ryu, CEO of TOYO.

“Establishing this manufacturing plant is a key step in our strategic vision to diversify our supply chain and enhance our sourcing capabilities for solar solutions in the global market.”

A strategic decision

Hanwassa has been strategically selected by TOYO as it will allow the company to take advantage of the country’s favourable investment policies, tariff status, and ample hydropower supply. The latter will be critical in TOYO’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. This is becoming increasingly important to utility-scale developers in the US, Europe and other markets.

Fitting out of the new plant is expected to begin in November, before the start of production at the end of Q1 2025 – if all goes to plan. The facility will be modified to meet the needs of modern, automated cell production and, according to TOYO, will enhance the company’s production capabilities and increase efficiency, reduce costs, and allow it to respond more swiftly to market demands.

While this will help to position TOYO as a competitive key player in the renewable energy sector, local benefits will also be abundant, with TOYO expecting up to 880 jobs to be created as the new facility is brought online.

Circulor’s traceability platform and Rockwell’s existing automation systems provide actionable insights that can reduce costs, improve efficiency, and create a competitive advantage in the evolving sustainability landscape. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Circulor, a leading supply chain traceability solution provider, has agreed to collaborate with Rockwell Automation, a company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, in order to help customers trace the origin of raw materials from source to final product

Circulor’s platform empowers customers to not only adhere to increasingly strict regulatory standards, but also achieve their sustainability goals by providing a holistic view of the materials journey. As per the new partnership, Rockwell will offer advanced traceability solutions to enable manufacturers to meet emerging regulatory requirements while verifying the source materials, demonstrating digital chain-of-custody and tracking emissions.

Rockwell plans to deploy this solution globally across auto, tyre, battery, metals, mining, and cement industries through Kalypso, a Rockwell Automation business. Kalypso will work closely with customers to assess their unique needs, provide consulting services and support the rollout of this innovative solution across their supply chain.

Manufacturing traceability

Douglas Johnson-Poensgen, chief executive officer of Circulor, remarked, “In an increasingly competitive and complex market where being sustainable and responsible is a strategic imperative, the combination of Rockwell’s state-of-the-art manufacturing expertise and Circulor’s leading traceability and digital product passports provide organisations with the answer to gaining a competitive advantage.”

“Our focus on sustainability aligns with our customers’ strategic objectives,” added James Glasson, vice president of global industry for auto, tire, and advanced mobility at Rockwell Automation. “This collaboration with Circulor allows us to offer a comprehensive traceability solution that not only addresses growing global regulations but also provides unprecedented visibility into supply chain carbon footprints.”

Brady’s new BradyJet J7300 Colour Label Printer prints industrial-strength labels in vibrant full colour. (Image source: Brady)

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Brady’s new BradyJet J7300 Colour Label Printer prints industrial-strength labels in vibrant full colour. Optimally support safety, lean efficiency and maintenance in production environments. Use the toughest materials on the market, complete with automatic setup, calibration and printing on the very first label.

^{The BradyJet J3700}

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This article is authored by Brady Corporation

Aliko Dangote speaking at the African Renaissance Retreat in Kigali, urging African business leaders to drive the continent's transformation. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Aliko Dangote, president and CEO of Dangote Group, has urged African business leaders to spearhead the continent's transformation. Speaking at the recent African Renaissance Retreat in Kigali, Rwanda, Dangote highlighted Africa's vast potential despite its challenges.

With 30% of the world's mineral reserves, including gold, cobalt, uranium, platinum, and diamonds, as well as 65% of global arable land and 10% of internal renewable freshwater, Africa has significant opportunities for inclusive growth.

“We have 65% of the world’s arable land and 10% of the planet’s internal renewable freshwater sources. Together these present a myriad of opportunities for robust, inclusive growth that harness our abundant human potential and natural resources to increase prosperity, not just in Africa but across the globe,” said Dangote. He emphasised that Africa is at a pivotal moment, with the world’s youngest and fastest-growing population, expanding cities, and increasing adoption of innovation and technologies like AI.

Despite hurdles like visas, changing government policies, technical talent shortages, infrastructure deficits, foreign exchange challenges, inflation, high capital costs, and conflicts, Dangote noted that the Dangote Group has expanded from Nigeria into 14 African countries. It operates across multiple sectors, including cement, fertilizers, sugar, oil refineries, petrochemicals, and agriculture. “The good news is that despite these challenges, we have succeeded in building a pan-African Group that employs over 50,000 people and generates revenues that should exceed US$30bn by the end of 2025,” he said.

Dangote, who initiated the retreat, explained that he had long envisioned bringing African business leaders together to address the continent's challenges, find solutions, and position Africa as an attractive investment destination. The retreat aimed to foster collective action on issues such as conflicts, energy and food security, supply chain disruptions, the debt crisis, and access to concessional funding.

“This small private and high-level gathering to discuss these issues and align on how we will own and shape our narrative for development is long overdue. With the foremost entrepreneurs on the continent, the leaders of the largest pan-African companies, those at the helm of the most important development institutions in Africa, our brothers and sisters leading global institutions, our leading investors, our pre-eminent civil society activists and a few of our most respected political leaders, this first step will be an opportunity to have a frank and honest dialogue amongst ourselves to consolidate what we see as our common ground,” Dangote said. He added, "we are coming together not just as leaders in our respective institutions but as visionaries and catalysts for transforming our societies. It is our collective responsibility to play our role in transforming our continent. Nobody will do it for us but us – especially us in this room.”