News

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - January 6, 2026 - Market Research Intellect has published a new outlook for the Electric Classic Car Market, projecting rapid expansion as electrified powertrains move from niche restoration projects into more structured, professionally delivered conversion offerings. The report estimates the market at USD 2.6 billion in 2024 and forecasts growth to approximately USD 12.4 billion by 2033, reflecting a 20.3% CAGR from 2026 to 2033. For automotive suppliers, conversion specialists, and mobility investors, the projections highlight a tightening link between emissions compliance, premium customization demand, and an expanding ecosystem of parts, software integration, and aftersales support.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - January 6, 2026 - LG Electronics USA announced at CES 2026 that it will integrate Prime Video into the LG Automotive Content Platform (ACP), enabling automakers using LG ACP to offer Prime Video content in-vehicle beginning in the second quarter of 2026. The move positions LG's webOS-based ACP as a more complete entertainment layer for software-defined vehicles, where screen time, passenger experience, and app ecosystems are increasingly becoming differentiators in OEM platform selection. For automakers and Tier suppliers, the announcement signals continued convergence between consumer streaming services and automotive infotainment stacks, with implications for integration planning, regional app availability, and subscription-driven usage models.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - January 6, 2026 - Teledyne LeCroy has announced the addition of VESA DisplayPort Automotive Extension (AE) support to its quantumdata M42de DisplayPort 2.1 Analyzer/Generator, extending the platform's role in enabling functional safety, interoperability, and compliance testing for next-generation in-vehicle displays. Revealed at CES 2026, the update addresses growing validation requirements as automakers integrate increasing numbers of high-resolution displays into connected, autonomous, and electrified vehicles. For OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers, the enhanced test capability provides a practical path to meeting stringent automotive safety and security expectations while accelerating development timelines.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - January 6, 2026 - Sonic Tools has introduced its NEXT MSS modular hand tool storage system, positioning the new cabinet platform as the next generation of professional workshop organization for automotive, aviation, and industrial environments. Building on more than a decade of adoption of the original MSS series, NEXT MSS expands modularity, installation flexibility, and digital planning capabilities to help workshops design scalable storage layouts aligned with modern operational demands. For shop owners and fleet operators, the launch highlights how modular infrastructure can support productivity, space optimization, and long-term asset management.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - January 6, 2026 - Jungle Driving, a purpose-driven teen driver education franchise, is closing out 2025 with accelerated growth and a clear operational roadmap for national expansion as it moves into 2026 under the leadership of CEO Zach Beutler. Following a full relaunch in 2025, the company has rebuilt its curriculum, technology stack, and franchise support model, positioning the brand to scale while maintaining a focus on safety outcomes and franchisee performance. For operators and investors in the education and training sector, the announcement highlights how a modernized, mission-led franchise can combine public safety goals with a disciplined growth strategy.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - January 1, 2026 - Platinum Equity says it has completed its acquisition of the Owens & Minor Products & Healthcare Services business, establishing the operation as a privately held standalone company focused on medical supply distribution for the acute care market in the United States.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - January 1, 2026 - First Financial Bancorp. (Nasdaq: FFBC) says it is scheduled to close its previously announced acquisition of Chicago-based BankFinancial Corporation today in an all-stock transaction that adds its first retail consumer-focused locations in the Chicago market.

Deal snapshot and strategic intent

The transaction brings BankFinancial's core deposit franchise and branch presence into First Financial's Midwest platform. First Financial said the acquisition adds 18 financial centers in the Chicago area, along with regional and national commercial loan, lease, and deposit lines of business. With the completion of the acquisition, First Financial said it will have $22 billion in assets and will broaden its consumer, commercial, specialty lending, and wealth management offering.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - January 1, 2026 - CGTN published a year-end review of China's 2025 national agenda, drawing on President Xi Jinping's inspection tours and key leadership meetings to outline the priorities shaping the country's next phase of modernization.

Policy Signal as China Moves Between Five-Year Plans

According to CGTN, China ended 2025 at a transition point: the 14th Five-Year Plan nearing completion and the 15th about to begin. The article frames inspection visits and central meetings led by Xi as a practical window into governance priorities and the direction of the next planning cycle. For businesses and institutional stakeholders, this kind of messaging matters less as a headline and more as a signal of what policy levers and administrative attention are likely to concentrate on.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - January 1, 2026 - Skyworth PV has signed a contract for a 10 MW distributed photovoltaic power plant in Ocre, in Italy's Abruzzo region, moving the project into a construction phase and reinforcing its expansion trajectory across key European clean energy markets.

Contract Milestone and European Expansion Context

Skyworth PV describes the Italy agreement as a new step in its global expansion, with the Ocre project positioned as a distributed photovoltaic power plant. The company also pointed to continued progress on a separate, standalone 10 MW project in Bordeaux, France, framing both developments as evidence of steady execution in Europe.

For developers, EPCs, and investors tracking distributed solar buildouts, the update signals a project-led approach to scaling: securing contracted projects, progressing them into build stages, and building repeatable delivery models in multiple European jurisdictions.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING - January 1, 2026 - Supermicro has introduced a new 6U SuperBlade configuration powered by Intel Xeon 6900 series processors, targeting higher compute density and improved space and power efficiency for modern data center deployments.

Product Scope and Target Workloads

Supermicro, which positions itself as a total IT solution provider for AI, cloud, storage, and 5G/edge, announced the latest addition to its SuperBlade family: the SBI-622BA-1NE12-LCC. The company describes it as a high-density blade server that supports both air cooling and direct liquid cooling options, with the stated goal of maximizing performance per watt and per square foot.