Flex’s Critical Power division, Anord Mardix, is expanding its European critical power operations through a significant investment in a new facility in southern Poland. The site, located in Bielsko-Biała, will double the company’s regional capacity for power products to 1.2 million square feet, as demand surges for AI-driven data center infrastructure.

China has granted rare earth export permits to domestic magnet manufacturers for the first time since introducing sweeping restrictions in April 2025, in a move reflecting a calibrated stance on mineral controls amid easing trade tensions with the US.

Although the 2025 Shanghai International Auto Show has concluded, its ripple effects continue to shape the automotive landscape. Bolstered by the Chinese government’s early implementation of trade-in subsidies, alongside a confluence of auto show buzz and promotional campaigns, China’s passenger vehicle retail sales soared to 1.81 million units in April 2025, marking the second-highest monthly figure on record.

With the escalating global trade tensions and fresh US tariffs rattling the semiconductor sector, the underlying momentum in high-performance computing (HPC) and AI applications remains undeterred. Particularly, the ramp-up in 2-nanometer process production and sustained demand for advanced packaging technologies are fueling optimism among materials distributors. As a result, the traditionally slow first quarter of 2025 defied expectations, with industry players anticipating a strong second quarter as well.