With Samsung SDI redirecting Kokomo and New Carlisle capacity toward grid storage instead of EVs, should we be looking at how Indiana's growing battery storage supply chain affects our own sourcing or hiring plans before the order queue fills up?

Samsung SDI's own executives have said secured U.S. orders already fill a large share of production capacity through 2029, so if you supply components, logistics, or labor into that supply chain, now is the time to make contact, not after the order queue closes.

Northern Indiana Anodize and Exhibit A Plastics are both scaling capacity tied to a narrow set of customers, solar and architectural accounts for one, Subaru's Heartland Automotive pipeline for the other. How concentrated is our own customer base?

If one or two accounts make up most of your order volume, you carry the same customer concentration these two companies just built new capacity around, and you should know today what happens to your plant if that account slows down.

With Midwest diesel running near $6.68 a gallon and the EIA now projecting diesel averaging $5.55 a gallon nationally through Q4, have we rebid freight contracts assuming diesel stays elevated rather than betting on a quick retreat?

The White House has said prices will fall back once Strait of Hormuz shipping stabilizes, but the EIA's own Q4 outlook and the Midwest regional premium suggest otherwise, so freight contracts built on a quick pullback are a bet, not a plan.

Manufacturing News TEG Daily

October 27, 2026 · Howard · Allen · Putnam

Samsung SDI's Kokomo Battery Deal, Fort Wayne's $4M Expansion, and Indiana Diesel Prices Near $7 a Gallon

Samsung SDI's Kokomo battery deal, Fort Wayne and Putnam County expansions, and Indiana diesel prices near $7 a gallon: what manufacturers should watch now.

Daniel BurkePublished every day

Samsung SDI signed a second battery storage supply deal routed through its Kokomo plant in Howard County, Northern Indiana Anodize and Exhibit A Plastics each opened new capacity in Allen and Putnam counties, and Indiana diesel prices tracking near the Midwest's $6.68-a-gallon average are adding freight cost to every truckload moving in or out of the state heading into the fourth quarter.

01Howard

Samsung SDI Deepens Kokomo Battery Storage Pivot With Second Alpha Omega Power Deal

On October 26, Samsung SDI America signed a second supply agreement with Houston-based Alpha Omega Power for 1 gigawatt-hour of energy storage systems. Every cell and module will be built at the StarPlus Energy plant in Kokomo (Howard County), bringing the two companies' total contracted volume to 1.5 gigawatt-hours.

For the huddle: If Samsung SDI's own executives say secured U.S. ESS orders already fill a large share of production capacity through 2029, should we be reaching out now to lock Indiana-based supply relationships before the order queue closes?

SourcesSamsung SDI Signs 1-GWh ESS Deal, Expands Indiana Storage Push (carboncredits.com)

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02Allen

Northern Indiana Anodize Completes $4M Fort Wayne Expansion

Northern Indiana Anodize held a ribbon-cutting October 22 for a $4 million equipment and technology expansion at its Bluffton Road facility in Allen County, the fourth major investment in the seven-year-old company. The project is expected to add 30 to 35 jobs paying $20 to $35 an hour and lift production capacity 40% to 50% without expanding the building's footprint.

For the huddle: As national consolidators like Aalberts and regional rivals like Lorin Industries chase the same solar and architectural anodizing demand, are we positioned to compete on lead time the way NIA is now betting its $4 million will let it?

SourcesOct. 26: Northern Indiana Anodize breaks ground on $4M technology, equipment expansion (fwbusiness.com)

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03Putnam

Exhibit A Plastics Opens New Bainbridge Facility, Relocates From Coatesville

Exhibit A Plastics held a ribbon-cutting October 22 at its new facility in Bainbridge (Putnam County), almost exactly a year after breaking ground and after relocating from a leased building in Coatesville it had occupied for roughly 24 years. The move came after the Coatesville building's original owner died and the new owner wanted a different direction for the property.

For the huddle: Do we know how exposed our own Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers are to single-customer concentration the way Exhibit A now depends on Heartland Automotive's order flow rather than a direct Subaru contract?

SourcesExhibit A Plastics Opens New Bainbridge, Indiana Facility (hoodline.com)

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04Statewide

Indiana Diesel Prices Push Toward $7 a Gallon as U.S.-Iran Conflict Escalates

The national average for gasoline crossed $4 a gallon Monday for the first time in over a month, according to AAA, and national diesel reached $5.11 a gallon as fighting between the U.S. and Iran intensifies over control of the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude rose 1% to $88.98 a barrel and U.S. crude rose 0.8% to $82.44 a barrel the same day.

For the huddle: Have we rebid our freight and logistics contracts assuming diesel stays near $5.55 to $6.68 a gallon through Q4, rather than betting on a quick return to pre-conflict pricing?

SourcesToday’s Gas Prices By State: Average Price Of A Gallon Crosses $4 (cbsnews.com)

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Questions for your morning huddle

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