Opero Energy, an affiliate of Audubon Companies, has opened a new 60,000 square foot fabrication facility in Houston, Texas, for modular fabrication and assembly services for the oil and gas industry. The expansion is expected to add approximately 40 new jobs.

Kelly Aerospace, an MRO/PMA business, has acquired 100% of the stock of Aerokool Aviation Corporation, an MRO and manufacturing center based in Hialeah, Florida.

Thompson Street Capital Partners entered into a definitive agreement to acquire YX Genomics Holding Corp., the parent company of Transnetyx, an automated genotyping company. Transnetyx plans to invest in international growth and new services.

Polyplastics USA incorporated Topas Advanced Polymers USA by merger, adding cyclic olefin copolymers to its portfolio. The operations will be consolidated at Polyplastics USA's headquarters in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

UmbraGroup acquired Thomson Aerospace & Defense, a company with annual revenues of $40 million and 180 employees, to expand into defense and nuclear sectors.

The Product Inspection Group of METTLER TOLEDO has moved into a new 270,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility in Pasco County, Florida, with an investment of over $30 million. The facility will house four business units and create new jobs.

Sonoco signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately owned Highland Packaging Solutions, a thermoformed plastic packaging producer in Plant City, Florida, for about $150 million in cash, expected to close in Q2 2018.

LLOG Exploration awarded TechnipFMC an integrated EPCI contract for the Who Dat deepwater field in the Gulf of Mexico, including a 2MW multi-phase pump station and subsea equipment.

A UFP Industries subsidiary signed an agreement to buy substantially all operating assets of North American Container Corp., a Marietta, Georgia maker of structural packaging with nine plants and about $71 million in 2017 sales. Closing is scheduled by June 1, 2018.

JSW Steel's U.S. unit signed an agreement with the Texas governor's office to invest $500 million to build out its operations in Texas.

Tyr Energy has chosen Siemens H technology for its 1000 MWe Hickory Run Energy Center combined cycle plant in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, to be built by Kiewit Power Constructors. Siemens will also provide a long-term service agreement and an equity investment.

Cuisine Solutions completed an expansion of its global headquarters in Sterling, Virginia, adding over 63,000 square feet of space and investing close to $70 million in equipment, technology and construction. The expansion created hundreds of new jobs.

KMEC Engineering & Conveying Systems, a subsidiary of Purvis Industries, has acquired the assets, trademarks, brand rights, patents, and intellectual property of PICOR, a designer of bulk material loading systems.

Ingersoll Rand and Mitsubishi Electric agreed to establish a 50-50 joint venture for marketing, sales and distribution of ductless and VRF HVAC systems in the U.S. and select Latin American countries, pending antitrust review.

Pratt & Whitney received a $239.7 million contract from the U.S. Navy for long-lead materials for Lot 12 F135 propulsion systems, covering 46 F135-PW-100 engines for the Air Force, 20 F135-PW-600 for the Marine Corps, and 4 PW-100s for the Navy, plus foreign sales.

JSW Group announced an investment of up to $500 million to set up a one million tonne steel pipe and plates facility in Baytown, Texas, with $3.4 million from the Texas enterprise fund.

Foxconn Interconnect Technology Limited signed a definitive agreement to acquire Belkin International, Inc. for approximately $870 million in cash. Belkin will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary under its existing management.

Carpenter Technology Corporation will invest $100 million in soft magnetics capabilities and a new precision strip hot rolling mill at its Reading, Pennsylvania facility to support growth in aerospace, consumer electronics and electric vehicle markets.

SUEZ, with partners AECOM Technical Services and C.H. Nickerson, was selected by the City of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, to design, build and operate a new drinking water treatment plant for 20 years, valued at USD 53 million.

Indorama Ventures, Far Eastern Investment and Alpek set up a JV called CC Polymers to acquire M&G's integrated PET/PTA assets in Corpus Christi, Texas for US$1.125 billion. Each partner will invest around US$375 million for one-third offtake. The plant has annual capacity of 1.1 million MT of PET and 1.3 million MT of PTA.

Vermeer Mid Atlantic (VMA) acquired three dealerships owned by Vermeer Sales and Service Inc. (VSSI) in Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Toledo markets. The acquisition expands VMA's regional service area to include Northern Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Allegheny Technologies (ATI) approved a $95 million investment for a fourth iso-thermal press and associated heat treating centre in Cudahy, Wisconsin, to meet aerospace jet engine demand. Work will take approximately three years to complete and fully qualify.

Vermeer All Roads (VAR) acquired three dealerships owned by Vermeer Sales and Service Inc. (VSSI) in Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Toledo markets. The acquisition expands VAR's regional service area to include Northern Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, Eastern West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Walla Walla District awarded a $321.3 million contract to Alstom Renewable US LLC to design, manufacture and install 14 turbines at the McNary Lock and Dam near Umatilla, Oregon.

Cook Group broke ground on a $125 million renovation of a former GE refrigerator factory in Bloomington, Indiana, to create a medical device manufacturing facility. The project is expected to create at least 500 new jobs over 10 years.

Dorman Products will invest more than $55 million to build an 815,000-square-foot production and distribution facility in the Tennessee-Kentucky Industrial Park in Portland, Tennessee, creating approximately 215 jobs. Construction begins Q1 2018, operational by Q1 2019.

Positronic Industries Inc. announced plans to invest $2.5 million in its Springfield, Missouri plant, adding 90 new jobs and new equipment.

Worldwide Dispensers of North America, a part of DS Smith's Plastics division, completed a $4 million expansion of its injection moulding factory in Lester Prairie, Minnesota, US. The expansion added 25,000 sq ft and includes a new product development laboratory.

Dorman Products will invest more than $55 million to establish a new production and distribution facility in Portland, Tennessee, creating approximately 215 jobs. The 815,000-square-foot facility will begin construction in Q1 2018 and is scheduled to be operational in Q1 2019.

Bell Boeing Joint Project Office received a $102.8 million modification under a U.S. Navy delivery order to repair V-22 Osprey parts, bringing the contract's potential value to $344.2 million. Work will occur in Fort Worth, Texas and Ridley Park, Pennsylvania.

Infiltrator Water Technologies purchased the assets of Delta Environmental Products from Pentair Flow Technologies, including technologies, approvals, trademarks, and physical assets for wastewater treatment products. The products will be sold under a new subsidiary, Delta Treatment Systems, LLC.

Mallard Creek Polymers (MCP) acquired the intellectual property of Ecronova Polymer GmbH, a subsidiary of Michelman Corporation, including recipes and knowhow for emulsion polymers.

Liebherr is investing $45 million to expand its Newport News, Virginia facility. The expansion includes three new buildings with over 23,300 square meters of covered space, including a new headquarters and administrative building, production and workshop facility, and warehouse.

Liebherr announced a $45 million investment to expand its footprint in America's mining sector.

Valmet signed a contract with WestRock to supply a Kraft linerboard machine for WestRock's mill in Florence, US, replacing three narrow-width paper machines.

New Flyer of America received a contract from the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) for up to 154 Xcelsior compressed natural gas transit buses over five years, with 28 firm orders and options for 126 more.

Diamond Mowers, a manufacturer of industrial mowing and brush cutting equipment, has secured an undisclosed amount of equity and debt funding from Lineage Capital and Abacus Finance. The capital will be used for product development, acquisitions, and expansion of manufacturing capacity.

LIXIL Americas has completed a joint venture agreement with Bath Crest, a manufacturer of acrylic bathtubs, walls and showers, to accelerate expansion of wet area bath solutions for the residential and commercial remodel market.

Far Eastern New Century Corp, through its subsidiary, will form a joint venture with Indorama Ventures and Alpek to acquire a polyester plant in Texas from M&G USA Corp for US$375 million. The plant, still under construction, will produce 1.3 million tonnes of PTA and 1.1 million tonnes of PET annually.

METYX USA announced a new technical textiles manufacturing facility in Ranlo, North Carolina, to produce glass and carbon fabrics for the North American composites market. Production is expected to start by the end of Q3 2018, and the company expects to employ up to 200 people.

Childress Klein started construction on a 217,636-square-foot industrial facility in Fort Mill, South Carolina, that will house the headquarters of OXCO Inc., a manufacturer of non-woven industrial fabrics. OXCO will occupy 149,588 square feet and plans to add 130 jobs. The building is expected to deliver in August 2018.

Dana Incorporated won an order to supply its driveline, including Spicer axles and driveshafts, for the all-new Chevrolet Silverado 4500HD, 5500HD, and 6500HD chassis cab trucks. The announcement was made on March 22, 2018.

Moldow A/S and Dan-Web Machinery A/S completed delivery of a complete production and air filtration system for a large new airlaid manufacturing facility in the U.S. The installation and commissioning have been finalized.

CPI Aerostructures announced a definitive agreement to acquire Welding Metallurgy Inc. from Air Industries Group for $9 million in cash, with up to $1 million additional contingent on long-term supply agreements.

Scapa Healthcare will expand its Knoxville, Tennessee operations by constructing a 150,000-square-foot facility, investing approximately $40 million and creating more than 85 new jobs. The company will consolidate three existing buildings into the new single location.

United Technologies Corporation's $30 billion acquisition of Rockwell Collins received Boeing's blessing after reaching agreements. The deal values Rockwell Collins equity at $23 billion, with total transaction value of $30 billion including debt.

Fibertex Personal Care held a groundbreaking ceremony for its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Asheboro, North Carolina. The $114 million investment is expected to create 145 jobs, with production targeted within a year.

METYX, an international manufacturer of composites and technical textiles, purchased a building in Ranlo, North Carolina to establish an advanced manufacturing operation and North American corporate office. The total investment is $12.598 million over five years, creating at least 200 jobs.

British-based Smith & Nephew plans a $29 million expansion at its Fort Worth, Texas facility, creating 100 new jobs for its Advanced Wound Management business.

Allegheny Technologies Inc.'s ATI Ladish plant in Cudahy will undergo a $95 million expansion and add 125 jobs to meet growing demand for aerospace jet engine components.