Manufacturers with long histories and famous founders (e.g., John Deere, Henry Ford, F.L. Maytag) are numerous throughout the world.

LEHIGH VALLEY, PA—Mack Trucks will invest $70 million in its truck assembly plant here over the next three years.

CHARLOTTE, MI—Spartan Motors will build a new assembly plant at its headquarters here next year—an expansion that’s expected to create an estimated 55 new jobs. The 85,000-square-foot facility will make diesel delivery trucks.

HAGERSTOWN, MD—Volvo Group has installed a 5,000-panel solar canopy in the parking lot of its power train assembly plant here. The canopy will produce 1.3 megawatts of electricity for the facility.

LOUISVILLE, KY—Ford is planning to invest $1.3 billion in its assembly plant here to support the launch of its new F-Series Super Duty trucks. The company will build a new body shop, as well as upgrade and retool the plant to facilitate production of the trucks.

REDFORD, MI—Daimler’s Trucks division is planning to invest $475 million here to develop to diesel engines for medium-duty trucks. The engine will be produced at the company’s assembly plant here, which currently employs 2,200 people. The investment will add approximately 330 new jobs.

CLEVELAND, NC—Daimler North America is seeking tax incentives to support plans to build a $38 million logistics center for its assembly plant here, which makes Freightliner trucks.

SALISBURY, NC—Agility Fuel Systems has opened a new assembly plant here to make natural gas fuel systems for heavy-duty trucks.

In the far north section of Italy sits the Piedmont region, where one can find a number of industrial cities.