Steel is not about to disappear anytime soon as the dominant material used in the home appliance industry. Unlike automakers, which are turning to aluminum, carbon-fiber composites, magnesium, plastic and other lightweight materials, steel still rules in the world of refrigerators, dishwashers and dryers.

AUBURN HILLS, MI—Ralco Industries Inc., which makes welded assemblies and metal stampings, is investing $13.5 million to build a new headquarters and assembly plant here. The company is expected to add 20 to 70 jobs.

MUKWONAGO, WI—AptarGroup Inc., a manufacturer of dispensers for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and consumer products, will invest $50 million in new equipment for its assembly plant and R&D facility here.

Well known for its engineering expertise, The EDAG Group develops vehicles and production systems for auto manufacturers all over the world. In conjunction with FFT EDAG, its sister company, The EDAG Group also creates complete production facilities for body in white modeling and vehicle assembly.

A European consortium called ACOMPLICE (Affordable Composites for Lightweight Car Structures) recently embarked on a two-year program to develop low-cost materials for mainstream automotive applications.

Compliant mechanisms are jointless, elastic structures that reduce costs and simplify product designs. These single-piece flexible structures elastically deform without joints to produce a desired functionality.

Kids have loved robots and toys for generations. The Rodon Group has decided that now is the perfect time for a robot named Baxter to help pack toys in the company’s highly automated manufacturing facility.

RIVERSIDE, MO—Yanfeng USA Automotive Trim Systems, which supplies parts to General Motors and Chrysler, will build a $45 million assembly plant here. The plant will create 263 new jobs.

ATHENS, TN—HP Pelzer Automotive Systems, which makes interior trim parts, plans to invest $28 million in a new 185,000-square-foot assembly plant here. The facility will create 200 jobs.

It has become fashionable lately for some U.S. companies to tout how they’ve reshored production from overseas. Baldor Electric Co. isn’t one of them—it never left. The company has been manufacturing electric motors, drives, bearings and other motion control products in the United States for decades.