Mazak Corporation will invest $8.5 million in new manufacturing technology for its Florence, Kentucky iSmart Factory, including a new automated manufacturing cell with six machine tools and a storage system. Completion expected by late 2019.

Precision Gear Inc. acquired Arrow Gear Company, forming Precision Arrow Gear Group. The purchase was concluded on November 16, 2018.

South Korean turbo blower maker Turbomax signed an agreement on January 15, 2019 with Gangzha Economic Development Area in Nantong to build an energy-saving and eco-friendly equipment project with an investment of 195 million yuan on a 1.4-hectare site, targeting 500 million yuan in taxable sales within five years of production.

SPL, a portfolio company of IGP, has merged with Atchafalaya Measurement, Inc. (AMI), combining their hydrocarbon production measurement services to become the market leader in the United States.

Ingalls Shipbuilding contracted with Pemamek Ltd. in 2015 to build and install a large-scale PEMA automated welding system at its Pascagoula, Mississippi shipyard as part of its Shipyard of the Future initiative. The system includes dual flat-plate joining stations with robotic welding and laser-hybrid arc welding.

Heller Machine Tools has spent more than £2 million upgrading its Redditch manufacturing plant and headquarters, including a new customer area, expanded assembly of 5-axis machines, and a new Strothmann flow-line that increased production output by 30%.

CMZ is building a new machining plant called Neoprec in Mallabia, Spain, to manufacture parts for its CNC lathes. The plant will feature 8 horizontal machining centres and high automation, with two centres already received and provisionally installed at Mecaninor.

Strickland, a UK-based excavator attachments producer, has acquired ACS Industries Inc., including the Asbury brand, a manufacturer of wheel loader couplers and attachments.

Portland private equity firm LVL3 announced its acquisition of privately owned Hoffman Instrumentation Supply, a Hillsboro, Oregon maker of high and ultra-high vacuum stainless steel components.

GP:50 is adding 12,000 square feet to its Grand Island, NY headquarters, mainly for its Aerospace Division, and has bought over $500,000 in test chamber, pressure test and turning equipment, with occupancy planned by late February 2019.

Manitowoc hosted an open house at its new Potain tower crane factory in Pune, India. The factory began producing MCT 85 and MC 125 cranes in Q1 2018.

Kampi Components was awarded a Department of Defense order worth $1,578,910 to supply 28 electro-mechanical actuators manufactured by L-3 Technologies in Victor, New York, for the Defense Logistics Agency.

Danfoss announced it acquired a majority stake in Artemis Intelligent Power, an Edinburgh-based R&D firm specializing in hydraulic systems, gaining its Digital Displacement technology and establishing Edinburgh as a centre of excellence.

HMS Group and NOVATEK signed a memorandum on strategic partnership to localize manufacture of compressors, pumps and other equipment for NOVATEK's LNG projects in Russia.

Sandvik, through its Dormer Pramet division, has acquired Wetmore Tool & Engineering, a US manufacturer of round tools for the aerospace industry. The deal was signed and closed on January 9, 2019.

Zoomlion's new tower crane smart factory, the world's largest, will begin operations on January 11, 2019. The 400-mu (approx. 26.7-hectare) first phase involved an investment of 780 million yuan.

Koenig & Bauer and Durst signed a letter of intent for a 50/50 joint venture in Germany to develop and make water-based digital single-pass presses for folding carton and corrugated printing. Manufacturing of the VariJET press is to start in time for Drupa 2020, subject to merger control approval.

Seco Tools, a division of Sandvik Machining Solutions, agreed to acquire Kunshan Ousike Precision Tools (OSK), a Chinese supplier of solid carbide round tools. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2019.

INVENT Umwelt- und Verfahrenstechnik took over the Erzhausen-based company Geppert Rührtechnik GmbH and founded INVENT Industrial Mixing Systems GmbH, expanding its portfolio into industrial mixing products. The deal was reported in 2016.

Helix invested in two Doosan DNM 4000 vertical machining centres to reduce lead times and meet demand for new contracts. The machines were delivered in January 2019.

Morbark, LLC completed the acquisition of Denis Cimaf Inc., a Quebec-based manufacturer of brushcutter-mulcher attachments for heavy equipment. The acquisition broadens Morbark's tree care and industrial equipment product lines.

Wilson Manufacturing, a Hampshire-based precision parts specialist, completed a £310,000 investment in a Quaser MF400UH 5-Axis CNC machine to increase capacity and reduce cycle times. The company supplies to aerospace, marine, medical, and oil and gas sectors.

Shaper Tools announced its acquisition by Tooltechnic Systems (TTS), the parent company of Festool, SawStop, and others. Shaper Tools will remain headquartered in San Francisco and continue developing its handheld CNC machine, Origin.

BHS Corrugated was contracted by Hiang Seng Fibre Containers to supply and install a 2.8m corrugating line at its Ekachai 2 plant in Thailand after a fire in April 2016; the line began commissioning in late 2016.

Kazankompressormash has begun construction of a new workshop over 11,000 square meters in Tatarstan to produce large compressors with drive power above 25 MW, employing over 300 staff, with first output planned for 2020.

AUMUND Group companies received orders from Sinoma to supply conveying and storage equipment for Dangote Cement projects in Nigeria (Obajana Line 5, Okpella, Apapa, Onne) and Senegal (expansion).

In 2019, Dalgakiran Compressor Ukraine completed the supply of 21 screw compressors and dryers to PJSC Novokramatorsk Machine-Building Plant (NKMZ) under a tender to move compressed air treatment into workshops.

Ingersoll Rand agreed to sell its industrial segment to Gardner Denver for $7.7 billion, which would leave Ingersoll Rand focused on climate solutions. The deal was reported in a 2019 review of pump and valve sector M&A.

TB Trykkluftteknikk delivered Atlas Copco compressors, including two 90 kW low-pressure units and one 132 kW unit, to MAPEI's new factory at Sagstua in Nord-Odal, Norway. The factory started production in 2019.

MAPAL Frhenosa, a joint venture of the MAPAL Group, opened a second branch in Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico, with a ceremony held at the end of January 2019. The site adds production capacity for tool reconditioning and is expected to create 100 jobs.

Progressio Fund III finalized the acquisition of a majority stake in Gampack, a Podenzano (Piacenza) maker of secondary packaging machinery for the beverage sector, on January 31, 2019. Founders retain a significant minority stake.

Towa Vietnam Co., Ltd. broke ground on the Towa Southern Star plant in Hoa Phu Industrial Park, Vinh Long, with a total investment of 342 billion VND (US$15 million). The plant will produce machine tools, sewing machine parts and precision machinery components, creating about 800 jobs.

Industrial Tooling Corporation (ITC) invested in a Walter Helitronic Power and an ANCA MX7 Linear grinding centre to increase cutting tool production capacity at its Tamworth facility.

ANDRITZ received an order from Holmen's Iggesund Paperboard to supply fiberline process technology and equipment for its Iggesund mill in Sweden, with start-up scheduled for Q4 2019.

Bavelloni SpA acquired 100% of Glaston Tools Srl from Glaston Corporation. The company, based in Bregnano, Italy, has been renamed Bavelloni Tools Srl.

TMC will supply a complete marine compressed air system, with two service and two control air compressors, for a newbuild 170,000 cubic metre FSRU being built by Samsung Heavy Industries for Höegh LNG. The contract value is undisclosed and delivery is scheduled for Q2 2019.

Thöni is constructing a new 23,000 m² production hall in Pfaffenhofen, Austria. The outer shell was completed in December 2018, and interior work is expected to finish by end of March 2019.

Valmet finalized a contract with ARAUCO to deliver pulp drying and baling, recovery boiler and biomass boiler for ARAUCO's MAPA project, a new pulp production line at the Arauco Mill in Chile, valued at EUR 250-300 million.

FMF (Sinomach Foundry and Metal Forming Co., Ltd.) won the bid for a CNC Automatic Punching Production Line Project with 5-punching units for U-Beam from FAW Group Corporation, marking the 17th set of high-end intelligent automotive equipment provided by FMF to FAW.

PESCO will invest more than $7.5 million to expand its main production facility by 20,000 square feet in San Juan County, New Mexico, creating up to 180 jobs. New Mexico will provide up to $2.35 million in LEDA funds for the expansion.

Danfoss signed an agreement to acquire privately held Hydraulik Nord Fluidtechnik, a supplier of hydraulic steering solutions based in Parchim, Germany. The deal is intended to expand Danfoss Power Solutions' product portfolio and manufacturing capacity.

Chongqing Xin Runxing Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Guangdong Runxing Technology, began construction of a plant in Zhongxian, Chongqing, to produce 5,000 CNC machine tools annually. The project is part of a larger high-end equipment manufacturing industrial park.

Yaskawa Electric acquired Siemens AG's stake in the joint venture YaskawaSiemens Automation & Drives (YSAD), making it a wholly-owned subsidiary renamed Yaskawa Automation Drives (YAD), effective November 1, 2018.

DMG MORI acquired a 30% stake in INTECH and signed a partnership agreement in additive manufacturing, integrating SLM technology with INTECH's OPTOMET software.

Siemens Numerical Control (Nanjing) Co., Ltd. (SNC) will invest over 800 million RMB to build a new digital factory in Nanjing's Lishui Economic Development Zone, with capacity to triple.

Matrix Tooling Services Ltd announced it has been acquired by Rubix Group, Europe's largest supplier of industrial MRO products and services. This is Rubix's first acquisition in the cutting tool industry.

The SDF Group built the most modern tractor factory in Europe under the Deutz-Fahr brand in Lauingen, Bavaria, with an investment of €90 million. Production started in 2016.

The Hickman family sold a majority interest in Brazeway Inc. to Axel Johnson Inc., a family-owned company based in Stockholm, Sweden, and New York. The Hickmans retain a minority stake.

Würth entered into a joint venture with Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. (TTI) named WÜRTH MASTER POWER TOOLS LTD, based in Hong Kong. Würth owns a majority interest. The joint venture will develop and manufacture cordless tools.

Holroyd Precision Rotors, a division of Precision Technologies Group, has opened a new production cell in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA, to supply compressor screw rotors to North American industrial air, air conditioning and refrigeration equipment producers. The facility represents a $12 million investment.