Latest news with #JohnHart
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Agile Defense Celebrated as Corporate Growth Leader at ACG National Capital's 2025 Awards
MCLEAN, Va., June 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Agile Defense, a leading provider of digital transformation, cybersecurity, data analytics and AI solutions, has been honored as the Corporate Growth Company of the Year (Over $250M) at the 23rd Annual Corporate Growth Awards, hosted by ACG National Capital. The prestigious award recognizes Agile Defense's exceptional growth trajectory, marked by its strategic acquisition of IntelliBridge, which propelled the company's annual revenue to $500 million and expanded its workforce to over 2,000 professionals worldwide. In 2024, Agile Defense achieved additional growth milestones, including the successful transition of a landmark $1.1 billion, 10-year sole-source IDIQ contract supporting the DISA Joint Interoperability Testing Command (JITC), and the launch of Agile Lion, a high-impact joint venture with Nemean Solutions LLC designed to accelerate innovation and enhance mission outcomes. "We are honored to be recognized by ACG National Capital for our sustained growth and innovation," said Rick Wagner, CEO of Agile Defense. "This award reflects the dedication of our talented team and our commitment to delivering solutions that advance mission outcomes across the Government." Agile Defense's rapid growth has been fueled by strategic investments in cutting-edge technologies through its innovation hub, Agile Labs, and a deliberate M&A strategy that unifies best-in-class capabilities and top-tier talent to deliver outcome-driven solutions at the speed of mission. "We're aligning every investment, every acquisition, and every innovation to better serve our customer missions," said John Hart, Chief Growth Officer at Agile Defense. "Agile Labs gives us a launchpad for emerging technologies, while our M&A strategy ensures we're integrating the right talent and capabilities to stay ahead of evolving national security needs and drive long-term sustainable growth for Agile Defense." The Corporate Growth Awards celebrate the achievements of the Washington, D.C. region's fastest-growing and most innovative companies. Agile Defense's recognition highlights its strategic vision, operational excellence, and impact on the national security landscape. About Agile Defense Agile Defense stands at the forefront of innovation, driving advanced capabilities and solutions tailored to the most critical national security and civilian missions. With more than 2,000 teammates operating in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, Agile Defense supports our customer missions around the globe. Our collaborative and multi-disciplinary teams bring creativity and flexibility to developing advanced digital transformation, data analytics, and cyber solutions. We are not afraid to take on the most difficult challenges because we know that together, we can accomplish anything. Learn more at View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Agile Defense Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Flex Announces Collaboration with MIT to Advance the Future of Manufacturing with AI and Automation
News summary Flex joins MIT's Initiative for New Manufacturing Consortium as a founding member MIT graduate and PhD students will use artificial intelligence (AI) and automation to address manufacturing and supply chain challenges Anticipated research projects to include supply chain resiliency solutions, improved manufacturing efficiency, and more advanced manufacturing jobs AUSTIN, Texas, June 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Flex (NASDAQ: FLEX) today announced a strategic collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on its new Initiative for New Manufacturing (INM) — a bold, Institute-wide effort to reimagine industrial production, drive innovation through advanced technologies, and strengthen U.S. manufacturing competitiveness. As a founding member of the INM Industry Consortium, Flex will work closely with MIT researchers, educators, and fellow industry leaders to support cutting-edge projects that apply AI, machine automation, and new system-level approaches to manufacturing. "Flex is proud to collaborate with MIT on this important initiative to shape the future of manufacturing," said Cameron Carr, chief strategy officer of Flex. "Together, we aim to innovate and advance manufacturing by focusing on areas that increase resilience, productivity, and sustainability — while helping to build a stronger industrial base in the U.S. and beyond." The MIT Initiative for New Manufacturing focuses on four core pillars: Reimagining manufacturing technologies and systems Elevating productivity and the human experience of manufacturing Scaling new ventures and resilient supply chains Transforming the global manufacturing base with a focus on sustainability and economic opportunity INM will also establish new labs to develop advanced manufacturing tools and techniques. Through an MIT "factory observatory" program, students will gain hands-on experience by visiting Flex production sites. Separately, Flex will be hosting MIT faculty, researchers and Masters of Engineering (MEng) students at its Sorocaba, Brazil, site, where they will have the opportunity to work with FIT (Flex Institute of Technology), a nonprofit research and development institute focused on developing technological solutions for electronics manufacturing and related end products. "We're excited to collaborate with companies like Flex that are already shaping the next generation of industry," said Professor John Hart, Head of the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering and INM faculty co-director. "This collaboration aligns our shared vision of creating more resilient, human-centered, and technologically advanced manufacturing ecosystems." Learn more about the Initiative for New Manufacturing and Flex's role in shaping the future of global manufacturing at and About FlexFlex (Reg. No. 199002645H) is the manufacturing partner of choice that helps a diverse customer base design and build products that improve the world. Through the collective strength of a global workforce across 30 countries and responsible, sustainable operations, Flex delivers technology innovation, supply chain, and manufacturing solutions to diverse industries and end markets. Media Contacts: Media & PressYvette LorenzDirector, Executive Communications and Corporate PR(415) Investors & AnalystsMichelle SimmonsSVP Global IR & PR(669) View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Flex Sign in to access your portfolio
Forbes
28-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
4 AI Applications To Manufacturing
Thumbnail: A factory Linkedin: Read more about AI in manufacturing Many aspects of the AI revolution are geared toward knowledge work – partly because these new models are so good at thinking in human-like ways. We're not used to computers being able to contemplate doing the job of a paralegal, or a writer, for example. AI in manufacturing is much different. It takes rote processes, and applies artificial intelligence to precision and doing things right. As I've been hearing about all sorts of use cases and applications at conferences and events, I've been thinking about some of the fundamental pillars of manufacturing automation with AI. I think that these provide a good survey of what companies are doing to automate traditional processes. I've written about this before, and I've heard over a dozen experts explain it in various ways. (Who am I kidding? More like a few dozen.) In a nutshell, it seems like this is how digital twinning has to do with manufacturing. The user will create a digital twin of a simulated factory process to show the ideal result. Then they will run the physical process, and compare it to the digital twin. This is a type of precision reinforcement that can help with defects and process errors. That's the basic idea, but there's more in terms of how you set up digital twinning. For example, in a Ted talk centered on this type of application, John Hart (someone with MIT connections) uses this description of how to use digital twinning: 'Before a part is ever printed, such as the watch housing in my hand, we're able to simulate the process,' he says. 'We built and adopted software tools to simulate the process, to virtually lay out the print, and then when the printing starts, we do a relatively straightforward thing that's really important. The printer takes pictures every time it completes a layer, and then, on the fly, looks for microscopic flaws. And the process runs uninterrupted. If flaws are detected, (or) as flaws are detected, it can identify ways to correct for those flaws. And at the end of the print, there is a digital twin of the printed geometry that can be compared to the expected outcome, and can also be used to train the system over time.' That's one model, but there are others, too. Digital twinning is soon to be a best practice in industries from defense to transportation and medical equipment manufacturing. Then there is 'cobots,' the portmanteau for 'collaborative robots' that people use to talk about automated machines working side-by-side with humans. What do these machines do? Well, cobots can do a lot, with everything from repetitive motion assembly, to inspection, to hauling materials to exactly where they need to be for a manufacturing process. The key is that the cobots are built to help humans – rather than industrial robots, which are built for precision, cobots tend to be built for economics and safety. When you talk about the 'factory in a box,' you're talking about self-contained systems that can be stood up at demand locations. They're also very versatile in creating different kinds of products. 'Equipped with AI-driven automation, IoT sensors and real-time data analytics, these units enable flexible, localized production,' write Matthew Finio and Amanda Downie for IBM. 'This allows companies to bring manufacturing closer to demand, reduce logistics costs and rapidly respond to changing needs.' There's also often a need for dedicated systems to provide central control in manufacturing environments. Overarching architectures establish baselines and enable more rigorous evaluation and process optimization. This resource from Tupl goes over Manufacturing Execution Systems (which authors refer to as a 'bridge between the production floor and the enterprise's higher-level operations'), Enterprise Resource Planning software and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) data collection systems on the floor. In his talk, Hart also theorizes three major advances with multimodal systems. One is the proliferation of new product design designs. The second is that manufacturing flexibility of a 'factory in a box' design. The third is changes to the value chain, where these innovations are going to make production and delivery different for companies. Those are some of the fundamental technologies that are 'collapsing complexity,' in Hart's words, and driving new ways of production. For people who are used to talking about business process optimization, I would use the term 'business process revolution' or 'business process transformation' in thinking about big transitions to AI-native designs that will make tomorrow's factories look much different from what we have today.
Scotsman
04-05-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Group of residents buy Scottish woodland for £750,000 to keep it in community
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A community group has managed to buy their local woodland after raising £750,000. The successful buyout was launched in response to fears that Broughtonknowe, a 56-hectare forest in the Scottish Borders, would fall into hands of commercial timber after it went on the market two years ago. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But Friends of Broughtonknowe have managed to secure the woodland, located between Peebles and Biggar, before last month's closing date. The woodland was owned by Christopher Lambton for the last two decades, during which he 'aesthetically thinned' the conifers to bring in more light and put in paths and benches to make the remaining woodland 'a nicer wood' for the public. Broughtonknowe woodland has been purchased by a local group following a successful community buyout | Goldcrest This was managed alongside maintaining some commercial forestry in larger plots on the property, which he said is currently about 40 per cent conifer, 40 per cent broadleaves and 20 per cent open ground. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad During lockdown, members of the surrounding community teamed up with Mr Lambton to create Friends of Broughtonknowe to apply for grants continue work for improving public access and benefit. They introduced more pathways, created wildlife ponds, built a bird hide and developed picnic areas. Read more: Anger over Scottish forest plan as community fears 'disappearing under a carpet of Sitka' In 2023, however, Mr Lambton developed Parkinson's and made the tough decision to announce his intention to sell. This was when the community rallied together to form Broughtonknowe Community Woodland Ltd (BCW Ltd) to purchase the property they had come to love and make their own. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad With an asking price of almost £900,000, John Hart, BCW Ltd's secretary, said the group came up with a deal that they would buy £750,000-worth with Mr Lambton holding onto a section of the woodland to make the purchase more manageable. John Hart (far left) and other members of the community buyout following news of their successful purchase | Friends of Broughtonknowe With support from the Scottish Land Fund, South of Scotland Enterprise and SSE Renewables - as well as crowdfunding and private donations - the newly formed charity reached its target. 'It's just an amazing feeling,' Mr Hart said. 'When the woodland went on the market in April 2023, my heart sunk. I felt the figure was insurmountable. 'To a find a note saying the purchase is done was a huge relief. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'There's also a sense of trepidation as we're in charge of it now. 'It's not the end of the story. It's very much the beginning of a new one.' Celebrations were had following the successful community buyout | Friends of Broughtonknowe Mr Hart said the woodland is already used by Scouts, cubs, mindfulness groups, dog walkers and more, but that as new owners, they hope to build on what the woodland has to offer. He said BCW Lts is putting out invitations to other groups to come and use the space. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Lambton said: 'For me, to sell to the community was the best outcome for a woodland whose sensitive management over the last 25 years would be erased by conventional forestry practice. Christopher Lambton, who has been involved in improving access in Broughtonknowe over the years and assisted in the community buyout | Christopher Lambton 'I thought it would be a great shame after seeing it grow all these years to then sell it to the highest bidder given the way to make the most money from it would be to chop it all down.'
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
We bought woodland where we walk our dogs for £900k
A group of dog walkers in the Borders have bought their local woodland after raising almost £900,000. Fears were growing that Broughtonknowe would be taken over by a commercial timber company after it was put on the market in 2023. But locals managed to raise the asking price to secure the 56-hectare (140-acre) forest, between Peebles and Biggar, ahead of last month's deadline. Fundraiser John Hart said: "It's almost unbelievable that we have raised the money and are now the owners." The woodland at Broughtonknowe had been operating for about 40 years as a commercial forest. Several footpaths and an access road had been maintained to encourage wildlife lovers and dog walkers to enjoy the scenery. During lockdown several of the regular dog walkers teamed up with the owner, Christopher Lambton, to create Friends of Broughtonknowe. For a couple of years they introduced more pathways, created wildlife ponds, built a bird hide and developed picnic areas. But ill-health led the owner to announce his intention to sell in 2023. Mr Hart added: "When Christopher became unwell and decided the woodland had to go on the market, my heart dropped. "Throughout lockdown Broughtonknowe was where we could go for a walk, and we all became really attached to the place." As well as large areas of commercial softwoods, such as Sitka spruce and larch, the vast hillside forest also has areas of native broadleaf trees, such as ash, aspen, oak and sycamore. Willow, rowan and holly have also more recently been planted around the growing number of ponds and viewpoints. The small friends group managed to rally wider support from across Peeblesshire as it set about raising the £875,000 asking price. With support from the Scottish Land Fund, South of Scotland Enterprise and SSE Renewables - as well as crowdfunding and private donations - the newly formed charity, Broughtonknowe Community Woodland (BCW), reached its target. Charity secretary Alastair Leaver said: "We feared that if we were unable to purchase Broughtonknowe a commercial forester would come in and the whole woodland would be turned over to Sitka spruce. "If that had happened, all the wildlife would be ruined and our enjoyment of the place would have been over. "It's been a challenging time trying to raise the money, but there has been a lot of enthusiasm from across the community." Although the sale has just been completed, the new owners already have plans to further improve biodiversity across the woodland. They are also throwing out an invitation for other groups to enjoy the forest. Chair of the group, Ian Brook, believes Broughtonknowe was worth fighting for. He said: "This place is loved by the community - there can be a dozen cars in the car park yet you walk for over an hour without seeing another soul. "At the same time, it is used for people coming together - whether it's wellbeing groups, yoga or education - and we hope even more groups can come and enjoy what is here. "We will make sure, though, that nature is in control, not any timber companies." Although BCW only has a five-strong board, the charity is supported by 140 members. Since the recent completion of the purchase, bee hives have been introduced and fruit trees have been planted. Over the coming weeks a new shelter will be built and an area has been earmarked for up to 50 hazel trees. Local councillor Viv Thomson said: "This really is a fairytale that's come true. "It would have been devastating if Broughtonknowe had become a commercial forest." Dog walkers poised to purchase £900,000 woodland
