Oerlikon was awarded two large orders from two top 10 global manmade fibers manufacturers in China, with a total value of approximately CHF 540 million (EUR 460 million). The orders include Oerlikon Barmag's yarn spinning technology for polyester production, to be delivered in 2019 and 2020.

Emerson announced it has acquired ProSys Inc., a global supplier of software and services for the chemical, oil and gas, pulp and paper, and refining industries. ProSys will become part of Emerson Automation Solutions.

GENERON IGS was awarded a contract in October 2017 to supply four additional membrane nitrogen generator shipsets, each rated at 4,500 m3/hr at 95% purity, to Chinese shipyard Hudong for 49,000 DWT chemical and oil product tankers for Norwegian owner Odfjell.

Dubai-based Al Faris Equipment Rentals has ordered 25 Liebherr cranes, including all-terrain and rough-terrain models, worth approximately €18 million. Delivery is expected later in 2018.

German tooling specialist Walter AG acquired Comara, owner of the 'appCom' cloud platform. The acquisition expands Walter's digital portfolio and enables production of 'Smart Tools' using real-time data.

DMG MORI AG and Fuchs Petrolub SE signed a collaboration agreement to jointly develop new lubricant solutions and services for machine tool applications.

DMG MORI AG and Heitec AG founded a joint venture company, DMG MORI Heitec GmbH, based in Erlangen, Bavaria, to supply modular automation solutions for machine tools. The venture aims to reduce project lead times and commissioning using digital twins.

Plastech Holding GmbH acquired a majority stake in KAUTEX Holding GmbH, a provider of extrusion blow molding machinery, from KAUTEX Management and capiton AG. Management retains a 25.1% minority stake.

Engcon extended its factory in Niepruszewo, Poland, adding 1,000 square meters for assembly, testing, and processing, with a total investment of over £1.5 million.

Desch Canada Ltd. plans to invest $12.6 million to expand its plant in Cambridge, Ontario, adding floorspace and equipment for a new transmission system. The project will create about 30 jobs.

Valmet will supply a second OptiConcept M board production line, with automation, to Pratt Paper for Pratt's new greenfield mill in Wapakoneta, Ohio. Start-up of the PM 17 machine is scheduled for Q4 2019; the order value was not disclosed.

BLB Industries is building a custom large-format 3D printer for NorDan AB to print doors and windows in real size. The printer has a build volume of 2,500 mm x 1,500 mm x 1,500 mm and delivery is expected in spring 2018.

Biotage AB agreed to purchase all outstanding shares of Horizon Technology Inc. for $18.4 million, strengthening its position in environmental applications and food safety.

REP Holding signed a contract with AviagazCenter to manufacture and supply seven 25 MW centrifugal compressors with magnetic bearings for the second string of the Ukhta–Torzhok gas pipeline. Delivery is planned for Q4 2018 at the Nevsky plant in St. Petersburg.

USA Compression Partners will acquire Energy Transfer Partners' compression business, CDM, adding 1.6 million horsepower of gas compression fleet. The transaction is valued at about $1.8 billion, including $1.225 billion in cash consideration to ETP.

Rental Equipment Investment Corp. acquired all assets and certain liabilities of Excavator Rental Services LLC and ERSWest LLC. ERS is an equipment rental company based in Camas, Washington, with branches in Oregon.

Ortadoğu Rulman Sanayi (ORS) aims to increase annual bearing production to 125 million units within five years through new investments. Current capacity has reached 90 million units.

Freund-Vector Corporation is evaluating the construction of a new 17,000 square foot Technology Center at the Marion Enterprise Center, with a capital investment estimated at $6.5 million. The project is contingent on regulatory and governmental approvals.

Yasda precision tools started full-scale operation of its fifth factory at the headquarters, built with an investment of about 500 million yen and a total floor area of about 1000 square meters.

Belvac Production Machinery has acquired Rosario Handel B.V., doing business as Rosario Can Technology, based in Dongen, Netherlands. Rosario makes can decorators and base coating machinery and provides rebuild and replacement-parts services.

Argentine farm machinery maker Mainero is adding a 2,400 m2 industrial building, a paint line and robotic welding at its Bell Ville plant. About $30 million has been invested so far, with the rest spent over this year and next.

NPM Capital, the private equity company of SHV, has acquired a 40% interest in Ploeger Oxbo Group, a Dutch manufacturer of specialized harvesting equipment, from Synergia Capital Partners, VDL Participaties, and Bolster Investment Partners.

Shiptec AG, in cooperation with Marine Alutech Oy Ab, has been awarded a contract worth about CHF 27 million to build 14 patrol boats for the Swiss Army.

Antares Vision is investing over €3.5 million to build a new production center in Sorbolo, Parma, Italy, for automatic inspection and quality control machines for pharmaceuticals. The facility will create 50 jobs over two years.

XCMG Fire Safety Equipment Co. held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new manufacturing base in Xuzhou High-tech Zone, with a total investment of nearly CNY 2.5 billion. The facility will produce fire trucks and aerial work platforms, with an annual capacity of 16,000 units and expected annual revenue of over CNY 3 billion.

Volvo Construction Equipment will enter the rigid hauler market in the second quarter of 2018 with a range of four Volvo-branded machines: R45D, R60D, R70D and R100E, developed with Terex Trucks in Motherwell, Scotland.

Kobelco Construction Machinery Co. is ramping up production at its Spartanburg, South Carolina excavator plant, on pace to produce 1,800 units per year, and adding production of the SK500-LC-10 and SJ260LC-10 models.

Amthor International will invest $7.1 million to build a 115,000 sq ft plant in Gretna, Virginia, retaining 110 jobs and creating 70 new jobs over three years.

Chiron-Werke is investing around EUR 30 million to build a 9,000 sqm production building in Neuhausen ob Eck for a new machine generation, with production start targeted for mid-2019.

Modig Machine Tool received orders worth over SEK 50 million on the day of a Rigimill demonstration, which set a world record in aluminum milling.

Hirata Kiko began construction of a new headquarters building and factory in Kumamoto, Japan, with a total investment of about JPY 7 billion. The project is scheduled for completion in January 2020 and will expand production space for large components and cleanroom manufacturing.

Babcock was awarded a $33 million seven-year contract to support the Australian Defence Force's fleet of aviation ground support equipment, creating 16 new jobs in South Australia.

DMTG and Russian partner opened a joint venture plant in Leninsky District, Moscow region, to assemble CNC metalworking machines and machining centres. Initial investment is RUB 1.2 billion, creating 300 jobs, with planned output of 5,000 machines by 2020.

SaMASZ completed a new agricultural and municipal machinery factory and R&D centre in Zabłudów, Poland, with an investment of over PLN 90 million. The facility will employ approximately 1,400 people and includes a fully automated painting line.

Cogsdill Tool Products, Inc. acquired E-Z Burr Tool Company of Livonia, MI. E-Z Burr will continue to operate independently from its Michigan facility.

Simonds International, backed by Ironwood Manufacturing Fund and Nautic Partners, merged with Burton Saw and Supply, a portfolio company of Pfingsten Partners, creating a leading producer of cutting tools for the wood processing industry. Terms were not disclosed.

Fives Machining Systems, Inc. acquired Konecranes Machine Tool Service division, a US provider of machine tool services including preventive maintenance, rebuild, and repair.

VINCI Energies has become the formal owner of 100% of Eitech after the Swedish competition authority approved the purchase, which was announced on November 8, 2017.

Whirlpool of India plans to invest Rs 182 crore ($28M) to increase single-door refrigerator production capacity by 600,000 units per year, from 2.1 million to 2.7 million units. The investment will be spent over two years.

CIDAN Machinery Sweden AB acquired 100% of the shares in Austrian Forstner Maschinenbau GmbH, effective end of December 2017. Forstner produces coil processing machines for the sheet metal market.

C.M., an Italian manufacturer of crusher attachments and machines, opened a new facility in Carrè, Vicenza, Italy, as part of an investment in new automated machines and increased production capacity.

Rexnord Corp. announced an agreement to acquire Centa Power Transmission, a Germany-based manufacturer of flexible couplings and drive shafts. The transaction is expected to close by the end of February 2018. Terms were not disclosed.

GROHE, part of LIXIL Corporation, started operations at a new 12,000-square-meter zinc manufacturing facility in Klaeng, Rayong, Thailand. The expansion, with over $30 million investment, will double capacity to 12 million pieces per year by 2021 and create 800 new jobs.

Private equity funds managed by Blackstone completed the acquisition of Schenck Process, a global market leader in measuring and process technology equipment. The deal was previously announced.

Interroll Thailand plans to move to a new location within the Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate near Bangkok, expanding its production of conveyors, drives, and sorters. Construction starts in Q1 2018 and finishes by Q2 2019.

Schindler India inaugurated a new escalator manufacturing facility at Chakan in Pune, India. The facility is part of a larger campus that includes an elevator factory, test tower, global R&D centre, and Schindler University.

Nanjing Aoto (NAPLC) secured a place as a supplier candidate in Sinopec East China Oil & Gas Bureau's 2017 tender for programmable system frameworks, achieving the highest overall score.

Tönnjes E.A.S.T. has been commissioned by the Government Printing Press of Italy (IPZS) to build the world's first fully automated car license plate production facility near Turin, Italy. The plant will produce around six million number plates per year from the end of 2018.

National Equipment Dealers acquired Four Seasons Equipment, May Heavy Equipment, Earthmovers Equipment, and some assets of International Iron in a transaction that closed Jan. 5, 2018.

Interstate Group LLC will invest $4.1 million to establish a 100,000-square-foot East Coast manufacturing and distribution operation in the former GE Fairchild Mining Equipment plant in Giles County, Virginia, creating 83 new jobs.