China's Ningbo Lehui International Engineering Equipment acquired Ahaus-based NSM Packtec GmbH, effective 9 March 2018, and the company was renamed Finnah Packtec GmbH. The existing product program and management remain unchanged.

BE Beteiligungen, with an investor group led by ARCUS Capital AG, acquired machine and tool builder Spitznas and its affiliate Transtools. Spitznas is based in Velbert, Germany, and Transtools in Lublin, Poland. No deal value was given.

Horb-based press maker Lauffer Pressen has combined with Chinese press manufacturer HFM (Hefei Metalforming Intelligent Manufacturing), which will become a strategic partner. Lauffer reported 2017 order intake of about EUR 50 million and sales of EUR 45 million, and says it will remain independent.

HEROSE has started operating three new CNC lathes at its Bad Oldesloe site, two replacing outdated machines, to expand prefabrication capacity and reduce delivery bottlenecks.

The private owners of Spitznas Maschinenfabrik in Velbert, Germany, and Transtools in Lublin, Poland, agreed to sell their entire shareholding to an investment vehicle managed by ARCUS Capital AG. Clairfield advised the sellers.

VARIOVAC PS SystemPack is building 3,000 square meters of additional production, assembly and office space at its Zarrentin site, creating about 25 jobs. Construction is planned to start at the end of 2017.

Pump maker Lewa has completed two new production halls, totalling about 3,000 square meters, at its Leonberg headquarters, investing over EUR 25 million, mainly for final assembly of large pumps and systems.

MAN Diesel & Turbo is investing in a 3D printing centre at its turbomachinery works in Oberhausen, Germany, to make gas turbine components such as guide vane segments.

Koenig & Bauer laid the foundation stone on 14 March 2017 for a new Demo Center for digital and flexo presses at its Würzburg headquarters, with about 2,100 square metres of usable area. The investment totals about 16 million, covering 6 million for building and infrastructure and about 10 million for demo presses.

Festo is investing about EUR 30 million over 2017 and 2018 to expand its Esslingen-Berkheim headquarters, with labs and offices returning after production moved to Ostfildern.

Harmonic Drive Systems and Innovation Network Corporation of Japan agreed to acquire the remaining 63.2% stake in Harmonic Drive AG, in a 60/40 split, for approximately €260 million. The deal is pending regulatory approval.

Atlas Copco agreed to acquire the business of hb Kompressoren, a German distributor and service provider of industrial air compressors based near Stuttgart; the purchase price was not disclosed.

Ziehl-Abegg is investing 28 million euros in a new building and machinery in the Hohenlohe Business Park in Kupferzell, Germany, for making energy-saving EC fans and drives. Relocation from Künzelsau is due at the end of 2017, with 140 jobs transferred.

Haitian International Germany opened a new 8,000 square meter hall in Ebermannsdorf in June 2016 for assembling servo-hydraulic injection molding machines for Europe.